Realignment Carousel Spins Up again (USC and UCLA to Big 10)

[TrackSuitAndTie]

Could be some creative ways to use the incoming exit fees (from UH, UC, UCF) to help pay for the any new member exit fees if the school presidents were confident enough in the new school to add long term value.

Definitely. One also has to consider that ESPN would likely be interested in such a move, and therefore willing to facilitate financially, since the MWC schools are not ESPN properties. For starters, any MWC program would likely get a full media share in the AAC from day one.

[TrackSuitAndTie]

I really don't think any of this current movement - if it progresses - is going to shake out positively for the AAC. With the departures and the adds we've had the AAC is basically damaged goods. We're a junk bond in the world of D1 conferences. The AAC would have stood a chance without nearly doubling the conference by adding a whole slew of schools with - on the whole - very limited brand value, profile and athletic success, but no one is lining up to buddy-up next to freaking UTSA, UNCC and Rice.

Well, I'm not sure if you've read, but Rice is off to the Pac-12 anyway so no need to worry about that.

[SHOCKvalue]

New rule for AAC expansion: If the initials for a potential inclusion candidate requires more than three letters then you're not on the list. Unless you're UNLV, which is the only school I can come up with that has more than three initials and has ever done anything in D1 college athletics. UCONN doesn't count.

[SHOCKvalue]

Well, I'm not sure if you've read, but Rice is off to the Pac-12 anyway so no need to worry about that.

That is hilarious. Rice and Missouri State must be long lost cousins.

[Dan]

That is hilarious. Rice and Missouri State must be long lost cousins.

In reality, Rice could become a Miami type program if they dedicated money toward building up their athletics. They are a small private school in a great neighborhood and a **** ton of financial support. Moving some of that money to build state of the art athletic facilities and hiring top coaches is a different story. Not sure they have any desire whatsoever to do that. They heavily recruit high level academic types from the east coast and oversees, so local support in athletics is almost non existent.

[WstateU]

In reality, Rice could become a Miami type program if they dedicated money toward building up their athletics. They are a small private school in a great neighborhood and a **** ton of financial support. Moving some of that money to build state of the art athletic facilities and hiring top coaches is a different story. Not sure they have any desire whatsoever to do that. They heavily recruit high level academic types from the east coast and oversees, so local support in athletics is almost non existent.

$7.8 billion endowment. Yikes!

[MikeKennedyRulZ]

Honest question, is the PAC a better option than the AAC at this point? I personally don’t think so.

[Stickboy46]

Honest question, is the PAC a better option than the AAC at this point? I personally don’t think so.

Autonomy status and a brand name which will probably still get them more than the 7 mil from the AAC would be the two prominent drivers. They will likely fall the in middle of the AAC 7 mil and the Big 12 30 mil

[MikeKennedyRulZ]

Autonomy status and a brand name which will probably still get them more than the 7 mil from the AAC would be the two prominent drivers. They will likely fall the in middle of the AAC 7 mil and the Big 12 30 mil

What makes you think they are attractive for a TV deal? They would have had one by now. And that brand name isn’t very brand any more. They have been tarnished. Living on the west coast and trust me everyone out here thinks the PAC is a joke at this point.

[Stickboy46]

What makes you think they are attractive for a TV deal? They would have had one by now. And that brand name isn’t very brand any more. They have been tarnished. Living on the west coast and trust me everyone out here thinks the PAC is a joke at this point.

There is a difference in being "attractive" at 30 million and being attractive at some number higher than 7 million.

The current rumors were that apple offered 200 million a year prior to Colorado bolting. So 10 teams = 20 million a year each. That's still nearly 3x what the AAC makes while at the same time "not as attractive" as the B12 make 30mil or the Big Ten/SEC making 13409832 Trillion a year or whatever.

That's why all the Pac 12 teams are trying to bolt to the Big 10/12 and then all the MWC/AAC school are clamoring to get into whoever will take them. Both of those steps provide a significant step up in pay

[SHOCKvalue]

A diminished, hypothetical 2024 PAC12 would only be a lesser conference if the AAC was what it was circa 2019 member-wise or so and firing on all cylinders. Otherwise, no way in hale AAC>PAC. The PAC will pluck what they want from the AAC and MWC. At that point they may not be the SEC or the B10, but they'll still be in another solar system from the AAC.

I'm not trying to have a doom boner, but I think Shocker fans (of which I am) really need to come to grips to what has happened to this conference, and how it looks reasonable that it will further degrade. Still better than the MVC? Ehh... yes, but living on the same street again. The shiny new AAC house kinda got foreclosed on.

[Kung Wu]

Doom boner! Haven't heard that one in awhile! hahahah

[Stickboy46]

A diminished, hypothetical 2024 PAC12 would only be a lesser conference if the AAC was what it was circa 2019 member-wise or so and firing on all cylinders. Otherwise, no way in hale AAC>PAC. The PAC will pluck what they want from the AAC and MWC. At that point they may not be the SEC or the B10, but they'll still be in another solar system from the AAC.

I'm not trying to have a doom boner, but I think Shocker fans (of which I am) really need to come to grips to what has happened to this conference, and how it looks reasonable that it will further degrade. Still better than the MVC? Ehh... yes, but living on the same street again. The shiny new AAC house kinda got foreclosed on.

The pac 12 stuff would probably have minimal impact, but the rumors around FSU/Clemson are troubling. They have like a 300 million buyout to the GOR or something but it can be paid over 10 years. 30 million a year seems like a lot but if you are going from 20ish million to the like 100 million the Big 10 has .. it becomes feasible. If the ACC opens up for membership at the same time as pac 12, I think we take a HEAVY blow.

[MikeKennedyRulZ]

There is a difference in being "attractive" at 30 million and being attractive at some number higher than 7 million.

The current rumors were that apple offered 200 million a year prior to Colorado bolting. So 10 teams = 20 million a year each. That's still nearly 3x what the AAC makes while at the same time "not as attractive" as the B12 make 30mil or the Big Ten/SEC making 13409832 Trillion a year or whatever.

That's why all the Pac 12 teams are trying to bolt to the Big 10/12 and then all the MWC/AAC school are clamoring to get into whoever will take them. Both of those steps provide a significant step up in pay

PAC is not getting a $200 million deal. No way no how. Not as they are currently constructed. Weak leadership brings weak results.

[MikeKennedyRulZ]

A diminished, hypothetical 2024 PAC12 would only be a lesser conference if the AAC was what it was circa 2019 member-wise or so and firing on all cylinders. Otherwise, no way in hale AAC>PAC. The PAC will pluck what they want from the AAC and MWC. At that point they may not be the SEC or the B10, but they'll still be in another solar system from the AAC.

I'm not trying to have a doom boner, but I think Shocker fans (of which I am) really need to come to grips to what has happened to this conference, and how it looks reasonable that it will further degrade. Still better than the MVC? Ehh... yes, but living on the same street again. The shiny new AAC house kinda got foreclosed on.

A lot of you have a rosy view of the pac that is likely based on what it used to be. It is a failing conference without a lifeline at this point. It will likely be decimated when AZ, ASU, Oregon, Washington, Cal and probably Utah leave.