UConn leaving the AAC

[appchicago]

If we were to join the AAC, we would definitely be the odd man out in several ways. We would be the smallest public football school (Wichita State is smaller, but obviously doesn't field a football team) in the smallest market. Our average home football attendance would also need to increase by 8-10k/game to be in line with the other publics in the conference.

All that said, it's not impossible. But basketball and baseball need to improve before anyone sees us as a viable option.

Also, if it can't be AAC, I'd rather stay in the SunBelt than jump to CUSA--unless there's some major geographical realignment.

[Rekdiver]

Seriously.... Buffalo, and the Army/VCU combo make the most sense to me. Uncc is in a market where now cares about them....and it would be a stretch for us.....

[Apptiger]

https://www.espn.com/college-sports/sto ... t-programs

Article on ESPN.com today. We're not mentioned but UNCC, ODU, Ga.State, Troy, UAB, North Texas, Ga. South, LA Tech, FIU and FAU are.
Our other sports are going to have to get better (possible) and our market size will have to grow (take a long time).
We're not going anywhere, yet.

[appchicago]

https://www.espn.com/college-sports/sto ... t-programs

Article on ESPN.com today. We're not mentioned but UNCC, ODU, Ga.State, Troy, UAB, North Texas, Ga. South, LA Tech, FIU and FAU are.
Our other sports are going to have to get better (possible) and our market size will have to grow (take a long time).
We're not going anywhere, yet.

To be fair, this is the paragraph with those mentions:

From there, the American could prioritize up-and-coming programs in stronger media markets (Charlotte, Old Dominion, Georgia State), smaller programs with a recent history of success (Troy, UAB, North Texas) or focus on recruiting hotbeds that would offer good rivalry opportunities with existing members (Georgia Southern, Louisiana Tech, FIU, FAU).

While this particular writer didn't include us as an example, we clearly fit it that middle category. Arguably better than North Texas, whose best season under Seth Littrell has been 9-4, or UAB, who only has two seasons worth of resume since their hiatus.

But it's noteworthy that UNT destroyed Arkansas last season and that (combined with that crazy viral video of the fake fair catch) got them a ton of mileage. That Arkansas team was garbage--worse than either of the P5 teams we play this year--but North Texas still gets credit for the scalp. And UAB has that insane comeback story. Something to remember. Good stories stick with journalists better than fantastic stat sheets.

[AppDawg]

This is slightly dated, but if we are currently sitting at an athletic budget of $35M (per Charlotte Observer article yesterday) and that includes $400K annually from SunBelt TV revenues. Once you add in another $6.5M of additional AAC TV $$$ (approx $7M total per school) we are right there with ECU.

That is BEFORE increased playoff payout $, NCAA tourney $ (American had 4 teams in this yr and got $11.8M) and any likely increases in donations and new Yosef members / season ticket holders due to the new neighborhood.

I myself had similar budget concerns, but after seeing the #’s it doesn’t seem as far fetched to reach an annual budget of $50M.

[Rekdiver]

https://www.espn.com/college-sports/sto ... t-programs

Article on ESPN.com today. We're not mentioned but UNCC, ODU, Ga.State, Troy, UAB, North Texas, Ga. South, LA Tech, FIU and FAU are.
Our other sports are going to have to get better (possible) and our market size will have to grow (take a long time).
We're not going anywhere, yet.

To be fair, this is the paragraph with those mentions:

From there, the American could prioritize up-and-coming programs in stronger media markets (Charlotte, Old Dominion, Georgia State), smaller programs with a recent history of success (Troy, UAB, North Texas) or focus on recruiting hotbeds that would offer good rivalry opportunities with existing members (Georgia Southern, Louisiana Tech, FIU, FAU).

While this particular writer didn't include us as an example, we clearly fit it that middle category. Arguably better than North Texas, whose best season under Seth Littrell has been 9-4, or UAB, who only has two seasons worth of resume since their hiatus.

But it's noteworthy that UNT destroyed Arkansas last season and that (combined with that crazy viral video of the fake fair catch) got them a ton of mileage. That Arkansas team was garbage--worse than either of the P5 teams we play this year--but North Texas still gets credit for the scalp. And UAB has that insane comeback story. Something to remember. Good stories stick with journalists better than fantastic stat sheets.

The two male writers went to Delaware......nuff said...........

[ah59396]

I just don’t see us going to the AAC. Our market size hurts us more than I think we like to admit, and our basketball team is atrocious.

This also might be slightly unpopular, but I genuinely enjoy the Sunbelt. Assuming we don’t lose anyone from the conference, I’m quite content staying put for the foreseeable future.

I was a strong advocate of moving up from FCS, but I think we need more time to mature as a program before bubbling up again. At some point that constant change will bite you in the ass.


If I had to bet money, ODU seems like a clear candidate despite being garbage on the field. They check all the “potential” boxes and fit nicely geographically. I also think they tell a much stronger story than GSU or Charlotte. CUSA would then likely hold, or add JMU.

[sixtoes9134]

This may not be a popular opinion, but I could reasonably see us moving to C-USA. While Sun Belt football has proven better recently, it wouldn't take much to change that dynamic. They have better bowl tie-ins, are better in overall basketball RPI, baseball is a wash and the East Division for Football is pretty tight geographically. I'm not saying I'm necessarily for it, but it could happen.

[appgrad95&97]

I'm just curious if any of you think this conversation would be different if we'd beaten Wake and UT/Penn St.

[Saint3333]

Could this move be the catalyst that leads to CUSA and SBC forming two conferences more geographically aligned? One can hope.

[Yosef84]

I see no reason to jump to CUSA. Seems like change for the sake of change. If we ever were to jump, I hope GS can jump with us. That's a rivalry that would be hard to replace. Yes, Marshall would be there and we have the potential to plug back into that rivalry but I never felt quite the rivalry with them that we've developed for GS.

[beav910]

I see no reason to jump to CUSA. Seems like change for the sake of change. If we ever were to jump, I hope GS can jump with us. That's a rivalry that would be hard to replace. Yes, Marshall would be there and we have the potential to plug back into that rivalry but I never felt quite the rivalry with them that we've developed for GS.

Could be that the GS game is one of our out of conference games if they don’t follow where we go if we go somewhere.

[APPdiesel]

If I had to bet money, ODU seems like a clear candidate despite being garbage on the field. They check all the “potential” boxes and fit nicely geographically. I also think they tell a much stronger story than GSU or Charlotte. CUSA would then likely hold, or add JMU.

None of the options that have been bantered around are all that viable. Why? More than anything else the AAC wants to be a Power 6 football conference.

Football football football will be the most attractive factor but the other factors (market size, olympic sports, budgets, research status) will be the reasons why AAC stays at 11. The good football schools don't meet those other requirements. The schools who meet those other requirements don't have good football.

AAC will have back channel conversations with the schools it identifies as candidates and says "you have a year to show us something".

[ah59396]

If I had to bet money, ODU seems like a clear candidate despite being garbage on the field. They check all the “potential” boxes and fit nicely geographically. I also think they tell a much stronger story than GSU or Charlotte. CUSA would then likely hold, or add JMU.

None of the options that have been bantered around are all that viable. Why? More than anything else the AAC wants to be a Power 6 football conference.

Football football football will be the most attractive factor but the other factors (market size, olympic sports, budgets, research status) will be the reasons why AAC stays at 11. The good football schools don't meet those other requirements. The schools who meet those other requirements don't have good football.

AAC will have back channel conversations with the schools it identifies as candidates and says "you have a year to show us something".

I think that’s a fair assessment. None of them are home runs and that’s their problem.

[ah59396]

I'm just curious if any of you think this conversation would be different if we'd beaten Wake and UT/Penn St.

I don’t think it has any effect whatsoever. Our strength is the performance of our football program and losing or winning those games does little to that perception.

Our problem is our market size and our basketball program. I’m strongly of the belief that if we had a consistent top 100 RPI basketball program, we’d be a favorite contender for the AAC spot, despite the market size.

[AppState005]

https://www.underdogdynasty.com/appalac ... ball-g5-d1

[AppSt94]

Just a thought, but thinking long term here; should the Big 12 expand and take say Houston and UCF, is the AAC as attractive?

[appgrad95&97]

I'm just curious if any of you think this conversation would be different if we'd beaten Wake and UT/Penn St.

I don’t think it has any effect whatsoever. Our strength is the performance of our football program and losing or winning those games does little to that perception.

Our problem is our market size and our basketball program. I’m strongly of the belief that if we had a consistent top 100 RPI basketball program, we’d be a favorite contender for the AAC spot, despite the market size.

I'm not sure I agree with that. The Michigan win 100 years ago is our national reputation. I'm also not sure I buy the market size issue. To me it's more about fanbase size (e.g. Clemson, Auburn, Ole Miss, Mississippi State...). The other athletic programs AND the academic issues are our real problems. In my opinion.

[APPdiesel]

Just a thought, but thinking long term here; should the Big 12 expand and take say Houston and UCF, is the AAC as attractive?

Immediately, yes. Long term, still probably yes. AAC's media rights deal and overall membership profile would take a hit but still be considerably stronger than the Sun Belt's. The AAC could take a huge stinky dump and still be considered the best G5 conference for at least a decade.

[AppDawg]

All of this talk about market size... I say out football team is a NATIONAL Brand. The performance of our team through the years, 2007 Ann Arbor, recent close calls, Bowl wins and Top 25 ranking has solidified that.

None of the other schools in C-USA, GaSt or the MAC can compete with us there. Maybe one-hit wonders, but not “sustained” and through transition the way we have.