2021-22 Basketball happenings around the American Athletic!

[BAShocker]

As someone mentioned it earlier, I find it interesting that schools who have moved on to other conferences (i.e. Nebraska, Rutgers) have basically sucked in athletics, but are ok with the paychecks. Sell outs. Figure at some point, maybe - just maybe some of those schools will look to move on. Unlikely, I know, because of the $.

My wish list: 1. Big East. 2. Add 3 (or more) strong schools to the AAC ( not sure which ones). 3. Join the MWC…along with Tulsa and SMU.

[Dan]

Bigger conference = more money. More Money = better coaches, better facilities and more resources to pay players

[Stickboy46]

How is Coastal Carolina in basketball? They appear to be pretty good at FB, having just destroyed a B12-2-2+4 team

CCU - 49
KU - 22

KU is only honorary FBS football. They are just two DII kids in an FBS trenchcoat

[Shocker_Power]

Bigger conference = more money. More Money = better coaches, better facilities and more resources to pay players

More costly travel expenses. Often times more costly coaching salaries.

[shoxlax]

Back to the exit fees: If the conference looks nothing like what formed the terms of the contract, is there a case for equitable relief? Or did we waive raising that issue?

I have a law degree and license but am not a contract law expert

[ShockTalk]

Back to the exit fees: If the conference looks nothing like what formed the terms of the contract, is there a case for equitable relief? Or did we waive raising that issue?

I have a law degree and license but am not a contract law expert

No law degree, but the conferences have not "yet" changed. I would think that relief would only happen after teams left and, possibly, a change in the terms of the financial contracts with the conference. Just spit ballin'.

[1972Shocker]

American Athletic Conference willing to let departing teams go before 2024 for higher exit fee

https://www.espn.com/college-footbal...igher-exit-fee

AAC bylaws require schools to give a 27-month notice before they leave and pay a $10 million buyout fee. If those three schools abided by the bylaws, Aresco said, their exit date would be July 1, 2024. While the conversations haven't happened yet, Aresco said he expects them to enter negotiations to adjust the exit fee.

"We typically do, because it's not a great situation when you know somebody's leaving," he said. "Often you can mitigate some of that by just again getting a larger exit fee and having them leave earlier so we'll certainly be willing to negotiate that as we've done in the past and as other conferences have done in the past, but I can't tell you precisely yet at this point, nobody's indicated what year."

Meanwhile, Aresco said his conference plans to move "deliberately and expeditiously" to add two to four teams and beef up the league to 10 or 12 following the three departures. Aresco declined to name specific schools the AAC is interested in, but said it would only "entertain institutions that have shown an interest in us."

"We're not trying to poach, we're not trying to persuade," he said. "There have been schools that have shown interest in us. I'm trying not to create any instability in the system. ... We're just trying right now to regroup. We know we need to get bigger. That's just a fact of life based on what's happened, but I'm trying not to rile things up."

"We just would like to find schools that think alike, have that DNA of achievement, have a cultural fit, academic as well as social, cultural fit," he added. "Geography does matter to some degree, but it matters less and less because the travel is a lot better than it once was."

In another article I saw Houston's AD said that they expect to be playing football in the Big XII in 2023

[FlyingWheat]

Back to the exit fees: If the conference looks nothing like what formed the terms of the contract, is there a case for equitable relief? Or did we waive raising that issue?

I have a law degree and license but am not a contract law expert

I have no law degree but I find that unlikely, as the purpose of the clause is clearly to protect against schools leaving the conference. It would be odd to me if schools leaving the conference was cause to avoid paying the fee.

[1972Shocker]

I have no law degree but I find that unlikely, as the purpose of the clause is clearly to protect against schools leaving the conference. It would be odd to me if schools leaving the conference was cause to avoid paying the fee.

I would think a lot of what might and what might not be possible would largely depend on the specific language of the contract. One way or the other.

[C0|dB|00ded]

What we need to do is get our OOC schedule on point. We're gonna have to go the Gonzaga route. Hopefully we've built up enough reputation to keep scheduling many top 40 programs. And while we're at it, let's start scheduling Big Pee teams (Creighton?). They need to feel us out in their barns. Then if it ever comes time to talk, many of the AD's will have personal experience with our program. Let's do home/homes with the bottom 4-5 teams in the Pee and smash them every time we play. That will get the message across.

[SubGod22]

We're not going anywhere.

Westward expansion is the first and second option for the AAC. That's obviously best case scenario and basketball would be fine if that works out.

If we do have to stay east, there are still options to keep the AAC where it is in conference basketball strength. I don't know how much credence to give Pomeroy, but these moves don't drop the American in the collective power rankings of conferences in basketball. We're still I believe it was four or five spots above the MVC and it wasn't even close. Pick up a couple of solid teams and we're still in fine shape.

[SubGod22]

I was curious what the MWC was getting per team and it appears to be about 4M. I'm curious what ESPN would give the AAC if they were to pull say BSU, SDSU, UNLV, CSU, AFA and then an eastern option like Buffalo, UAB, North Texas or whoever. The AAC currently gets around 7M per share and I would think adding those five plus one could possibly get us a little more than that and that could be attractive enough to get them to move. No guarantees as I have no idea how much the additional travel would increase their budgets and maybe that wouldn't make up for it.

But you'd think adding Vegas and San Diego does a little something. Boise, while not what they once were, is still a draw outside of Idaho. The Colorado Springs area isn't too bad and AFA gets you another academy which draws nationally. Obviously an Army/VCU combo wouldn't such either.

Maybe that's wishful thinking, but it would really come down to ESPN and what they would value those adds and a 14 team conference that spans the country. It would also take a chunk of of a rivals product. I do think this is the best case scenario and again, comes down to if ESPN can make it worth it for those five to leave the MWC, which has the next best media deal from a football playing conference.

[Shoxing Me Softly]

I know it’s been looked at and can’t be done but really starting to think WSU needs football as this continues.

Eventually AAC may I stress may become some sort of sunbelt 2.0. Right now a league with Memphis, Tulsa, SMU is still very appealing. Say Memphis leaves and SMU, Tulsa try for MWC. WSU would fit in with those two great but no football. That’s just an example not suggesting it will happen.

[SubGod22]

I know it’s been looked at and can’t be done but really starting to think WSU needs football as this continues.

Eventually AAC may I stress may become some sort of sunbelt 2.0. Right now a league with Memphis, Tulsa, SMU is still very appealing. Say Memphis leaves and SMU, Tulsa try for MWC. WSU would fit in with those two great but no football. That’s just an example not suggesting it will happen.

I've been supporting bringing back football for 20 years. A number of schools have done it during that time, some successfully.

I'm still not sure Memphis has anywhere to go. A lot of conferences have looked at them for years and passed. It seems as an academic institution, they're not overly desirable.

I still also think it's more likely the eastern most MWC schools would join the AAC than the western most AAC schools joining the MWC.

I also believe that the only way the B12 looks to add anyone else is if they lose more members. If they were going to lose members, those members would already be gone. I don't really see anymore movement above us unless the ACC adds Notre Dame for all sports and wants to add a 16th with them. I don't see ND joining anytime soon.

[Shoxing Me Softly]

I've just been looking at facilities of potential AAC replacements from Conference USA and Sun Belt and WSU facilities seem a step behind. Granted it's easy for me to run my mouth as it cost me nothing but really feels like WSU is falling behind.

UAB did a partnership with the city of Birmingham to build their new football stadium and it looks amazing. I wonder if WSU and Wichita couldn't do some sort of partnership. I think Birmingham host a bowl game and that may be why it worked. Not sure why Wichita would want a partnership in a 25-30K seat stadium. Maybe concerts, soccer matches, high school state championship games, not sure what else maybe steal the FCS championship from Frisco. Something like Tulane's new stadium would be amazing. Anyways all pipedreams but I do fear WSU is going to continue to fall behind.

Can't wait for eventual league of UNO, UMKC, Denver, ORU, UTA, UALR, WSU, Corpus...going to be really something.