2021-22 Basketball happenings around the American Athletic!

[WstateU]

Weren’t you the one talking about storming the field at a KState game? Doesn’t that make you a sheep judge yourself?

Storming the field in Mancrappin... EMAW!

Should say "COLD"...

[shock]

Storming the field in Mancrappin... EMAW!

Somewhere in that picture is Cold, wearing only ass-less chaps and purple boots.

[Wuzee]

No one ever talks about New Mexico in these discussions. But, it's a flagship school in a large city in a growing state and it shares a border with existing AAC states.

What about Colorado State, Air Force, New Mexico, and UAB?

UNM isn't in the convo because "football."

They haven't won more than 3 games in a season since 2016. In 2019 they averaged fewer than 20,000 fans in a 40K-seat stadium, ninth worst in the NCAA in terms of pct. of the stadium filled. First two games of this year drew 16K and 28K -- the latter for a rivalry game v NMSU.

Also, UNM's $32M budget is not up to par with AAC ($57M avg. for football playing schools) and they've run a deficit for most of the past decade. Clearly a nonstarter.

[shoxlax]

UNM isn't in the convo because "football."

They haven't won more than 3 games in a season since 2016. In 2019 they averaged fewer than 20,000 fans in a 40K-seat stadium, ninth worst in the NCAA in terms of pct. of the stadium filled. First two games of this year drew 16K and 28K -- the latter for a rivalry game v NMSU.

Also, UNM's $32M budget is not up to par with AAC ($57M avg. for football playing schools) and they've run a deficit for most of the past decade. Clearly a nonstarter.

The UNM-NM St football rivalry must be scintillating

[OregonShocker]

The UNM-NM St football rivalry must be scintillating

Really empties the nursing homes.

[Kung Wu]

I'm leaning UNLV. Big city university, adds to the western wing, which is where we're going to have to get more schools in the future. They also have national brand recognition.

Let's be real ... NO CONFERENCE is good enough for the mother of the GREATEST basketball team of all time -- including NCAA, NBA, FIBA, and anything else you can dream up -- THE 1991 UNLV All-Galaxy, All-Universe dream team.

[Rocky Mountain Shock]

Is it wise for SDSU to sit back and wait, risking being left in a heavily depleted MWC if Boise is gone (and others) with no invite to power conference? Bird in the hand kinda scenario.

Do they have a choice? SDSU is in a pickle. Their options are all bad:

• 1) go to the AAC with Boise (which would maintain the AAC's current TV contract) but pray to newborn infant baby Jesus that the AAC doesn't get raided by the B12 again as then they would be out on an island with ridiculous travel costs and a lower TV contract
• 2) go to the AAC on their own, but they can't bring the TV contract $$ by themselves to justify travel, so it's not really an option
• 3) stay in the MWC and pray again to newborn infant baby Jesus that Boise doesn't get picked up by the B12, as that leaves them in a terrible MWC with nowhere to go. As it is, the MWC would take a haircut without AFA and CSU, and it would drop significantly without those two and Boise.

[1972Shocker]

Let's be real ... NO CONFERENCE is good enough for the mother of the GREATEST basketball team of all time -- including NCAA, NBA, FIBA, and anything else you can dream up -- THE 1991 UNLV All-Galaxy, All-Universe dream team.

You mean the non-P-5 conference team the went 34-0 before losing to Duke 77-79 in the national semi-finals. Or are you confusing them with another non-P5 conference team that went 35-0 in the 2013-14 season before falling 76-78 to Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament.

[1972Shocker]

I think people just assume VCU, since they are an urban public university like WSU.

Dayton would be a great add. Fantastic fanbase.

Good point, at least as far as in person fan support. Dayton plays in a 13,400 seat home arena (UD Arena) and capacity crowds or near capacity crowds are common. Dayton is wrapping up a 3-phase, $75 million dollar upgrade. Dayton has been in the NCAA Top 35 in attendance every year since the arena was opened in 1969.

VCU also usually has a capacity or near capacity crowd for home games but their Arena only holds around 7,600.

I noticed Dayton also has a volleyball only facility (the Frericks Center) whose 5,000 seat capacity is reportedly the 4th biggest volleyball only facility in the country.

Either program would be a good pairing with Army football. Who know whether anything like that is seriously being considered by all parties.

[BostonWu]

None of the Texas schools move the needle

[ShockerWalkon]

Weren’t you the one talking about storming the field at a KState game? Doesn’t that make you a sheep judge yourself?

https://youtu.be/8mKHrHB6ILM

[1972Shocker]

None of the Texas schools move the needle

In it's last pre-covid football season UTSA averaged around 20,000 fans per home game in the 65,000 sq. ft. Alamodome.

Basketball is worse, The average around 1,200 a game in the two pre-covid basketball seasons in a 2,650 seat arena.

This is with a student body of 35,000 and in a MSA of about 2.5 million. So lots of eyeballs available but UTSA doesn't seem to be attracting many of them.

As long as SMU is in the AAC I don't see what value North Texas brings.

Rice may be the weakest candidate of the 3 in terms of athletics and potential.

[wichshock65]

Do they have a choice? SDSU is in a pickle. Their options are all bad:

• 1) go to the AAC with Boise (which would maintain the AAC's current TV contract) but pray to newborn infant baby Jesus that the AAC doesn't get raided by the B12 again as then they would be out on an island with ridiculous travel costs and a lower TV contract
• 2) go to the AAC on their own, but they can't bring the TV contract $$ by themselves to justify travel, so it's not really an option
• 3) stay in the MWC and pray again to newborn infant baby Jesus that Boise doesn't get picked up by the B12, as that leaves them in a terrible MWC with nowhere to go. As it is, the MWC would take a haircut without AFA and CSU, and it would drop significantly without those two and Boise.

From what I've read, Aresco is saying ESPN money won't change with the additions being reported. Not sure if he knows that for sure, but if so, SDSU could go by themselves and the TV money would more than cover increased travel costs. I just don't see SDSU being a power conference school and tying themselves to BSU would probably screw them for a long time. Pick your poison, MWC without Boise or AAC without Memphis. AAC is still the better conference.

They need to cut bait and head to the American.

[shock]

In it's last pre-covid football season UTSA averaged around 20,000 fans per home game in the 65,000 sq. ft. Alamodome.

Basketball is worse, The average around 1,200 a game in the two pre-covid basketball seasons in a 2,650 seat arena.

This is with a student body of 35,000 and in a MSA of about 2.5 million. So lots of eyeballs available but UTSA doesn't seem to be attracting many of them.

As long as SMU is in the AAC I don't see what value North Texas brings.

Rice may be the weakest candidate of the 3 in terms of athletics and potential.

North Texas has perhaps the strongest jazz program in the nation.

So there’s that.

[1972Shocker]

North Texas has perhaps the strongest jazz program in the nation.

So there’s that.

So really good pep bands then.