UConn leaving the AAC

[NoLongerLurking]

I wish Watauga county would see past the next fiscal year and invest in small airport that would support the growth of the institution. As it is teams have to drive up the pass with equipment and staff to play. And most important for them promote year round industry. Only an idiot town manager would not be looking heavily at this as a MAJOR need. Build a Airport to support the in coming cash, it is not a big argument, all entities win.....

There is an airport big enough to land air force one in North Wilkesboro.

[T-Dog]

The airport argument is a bit overblown. Many power conference towns require teams and fans to fly into airports over an hour away from the stadium.

[Rekdiver]

I don’t think we have enough flat land for an airport. Wilkesboro does and of course Hickory.

[Woodstovegang]

I don’t think we have enough flat land for an airport. Wilkesboro does and of course Hickory.

Hickory is no go due to area losing air traffic controllers and Watauga can't land 747 which is current AF 1. the size of the airport is hampering and P5's know this. What P-5 team want to land and transport 1.5 hours to hotel. Research......

[AppDawg]

I don’t think we have enough flat land for an airport. Wilkesboro does and of course Hickory.

Hickory is no go due to area losing air traffic controllers and Watauga can't land 747 which is current AF 1. the size of the airport is hampering and P5's know this. What P-5 team want to land and transport 1.5 hours to hotel. Research......

Research: The U did.

Also for comps: Football teams that don't bus have fly into Atlanta Hartsfield to get to UGA. Similarly, UGA has to travel through the same airport when going on the road. Without traffic, it is 1.5 hours between campus and the airport.

Clemson travels 1 hour between campus and Greenville-Spartanburg Int’l.

Smaller airports can accommodate smaller teams such as basketball or even baseball. Football is really the only one that requires the longer runways for larger planes.

[NoLongerLurking]

I don’t think we have enough flat land for an airport. Wilkesboro does and of course Hickory.

Hickory is no go due to area losing air traffic controllers and Watauga can't land 747 which is current AF 1. the size of the airport is hampering and P5's know this. What P-5 team want to land and transport 1.5 hours to hotel. Research......

North Wilkesboro airport is 53 minutes from KBS.

[sixtoes9134]

I wish Watauga county would see past the next fiscal year and invest in small airport that would support the growth of the institution. As it is teams have to drive up the pass with equipment and staff to play. And most important for them promote year round industry. Only an idiot town manager would not be looking heavily at this as a MAJOR need. Build a Airport to support the in coming cash, it is not a big argument, all entities win.....

That's a risky proposition. First issue is location, which directly impacts cost. Second issue is weather, I could see many times of the year where landing might not be possible due to fog or other weather which could lead to a lot of rescheduling.

Hickory is perfectly fine now that 321 is 4 lanes all the way to Boone much better than Tri-Cities. I would suggest different hotel accommodations though for Football. They should work something out for teams to stay in Blowing Rock (38 miles from Hickory) instead of Banner Elk if coming in from Hickory as that adds another 1/2 hour + to the drive once they arrive.

Is expanding Wilkes County airport an option? Would probably need control tower and perhaps enhanced runway.

[appst89]

I wish Watauga county would see past the next fiscal year and invest in small airport that would support the growth of the institution. As it is teams have to drive up the pass with equipment and staff to play. And most important for them promote year round industry. Only an idiot town manager would not be looking heavily at this as a MAJOR need. Build a Airport to support the in coming cash, it is not a big argument, all entities win.....

That's a risky proposition. First issue is location, which directly impacts cost. Second issue is weather, I could see many times of the year where landing might not be possible due to fog or other weather which could lead to a lot of rescheduling.

Hickory is perfectly fine now that 321 is 4 lanes all the way to Boone much better than Tri-Cities. I would suggest different hotel accommodations though for Football. They should work something out for teams to stay in Blowing Rock instead of Banner Elk if coming in from Hickory as that adds another 1/2 hour + to the drive once they arrive.

Is expanding Wilkes County airport an option? Would probably need control tower and perhaps enhanced runway.

Pretty sure Wilkes already has all that. Lowe's spent a ton of money upgrading the runway and facilities before they bailed out of Wilkes County.

[Boone Goon]

I wish Watauga county would see past the next fiscal year and invest in small airport that would support the growth of the institution. As it is teams have to drive up the pass with equipment and staff to play. And most important for them promote year round industry. Only an idiot town manager would not be looking heavily at this as a MAJOR need. Build a Airport to support the in coming cash, it is not a big argument, all entities win.....

That's a risky proposition. First issue is location, which directly impacts cost. Second issue is weather, I could see many times of the year where landing might not be possible due to fog or other weather which could lead to a lot of rescheduling.

Hickory is perfectly fine now that 321 is 4 lanes all the way to Boone much better than Tri-Cities. I would suggest different hotel accommodations though for Football. They should work something out for teams to stay in Blowing Rock instead of Banner Elk if coming in from Hickory as that adds another 1/2 hour + to the drive once they arrive.

Is expanding Wilkes County airport an option? Would probably need control tower and perhaps enhanced runway.

Pretty sure Wilkes already has all that. Lowe's spent a ton of money upgrading the runway and facilities before they bailed out of Wilkes County.

This is an important hurdle for us on many levels. I've posted on it years ago. I've flown in and out of the Boone airport on many occasions. It's a great little airport for single engine 4 seaters, but thats it.

The idea of a commercial airport in the High Country is just not a realistic idea until the population increases dramatically. Hickory is and will be the host airport for App State competitors for the next 30+ years. Wilkes is a nice little airport and could work for some larger private planes, but is not going to carry a team in/out. For us to make the leap to a Boise State level of consistent national recruiting we have to have a way for recruits and their families to get in and out on a commercial flight. This goes beyond football to include the rest of our sports. Today we're having to fly people in and out of CLT and the Tri-cities.

I thought the 105 project was going to include a full service hotel with a large ball room. If it does that could be a significant step to securing teams like Miami again in the future. They require a space for indoor walk-thrus. That type of property isn't going to get constructed in Blowing Rock, it will have to be in Boone and the most likely location is the old WHS property.

[AppSt94]

Clemson and UGA use airports that are equidistant as Hickory and Triad is for us.

[appst89]

The main runway in Hickory is 6400'. The runway at Wilkes is 6200'. The only real difference is no control tower. Some kind of partnership between Watauga, Wilkes and App to get the needed upgrades would make sense.

I used to live close to the airport in Wilkes and I could make it to Boone in 40-45 minutes.

An airport in Boone is probably never happening. I always thought the Wilkes airport was the answer for App.

[Rekdiver]

The main runway in Hickory is 6400'. The runway at Wilkes is 6200'. The only real difference is no control tower. Some kind of partnership between Watauga, Wilkes and App to get the needed upgrades would make sense.

I used to live close to the airport in Wilkes and I could make it to Boone in 40-45 minutes.

An airport in Boone is probably never happening. I always thought the Wilkes airport was the answer for App.

I'll get my flags out....I can land them.

[appbanker]

I heard one of the reasons Lowe’s left Wilkesboro is because they were not willing to make upgrades to town/county services to meet the needs of the Lowe’s employees. So I don’t see them upgrading the airport.

[ASU85Grad]

The main runway in Hickory is 6400'. The runway at Wilkes is 6200'. The only real difference is no control tower. Some kind of partnership between Watauga, Wilkes and App to get the needed upgrades would make sense.

I used to live close to the airport in Wilkes and I could make it to Boone in 40-45 minutes.

An airport in Boone is probably never happening. I always thought the Wilkes airport was the answer for App.

Living in Hickory, I understand that with radar, air traffic control was handled through Charlotte. Anyone else know different?

[Yosef]

If I were the AAC and had any interest in App, I'd need to see how this season goes. We play UNC and USC. If we shit the bed with both and have a sub par season with a new coach, we could go downhill quick. By all accounts we have been very fortunate (not lucky, fortunate) with our successes.

[AtlAppMan]

Another interesting point about UAB, I have seen numerous articles/sources mention UAB as a possible add. Why in the world would a conference seriously consider a school that had actually dropped football just a few years ago? Yep they are back now but that has to speak worlds about their "organization" and I would not bet on a school that had done that in recent history. That would automatically disqualify them from serious consideration in my opinion.

BTW, I think AAC will stand pat with 11 schools for now. Each get more money.

[APPdiesel]

Another interesting point about UAB, I have seen numerous articles/sources mention UAB as a possible add. Why in the world would a conference seriously consider a school that had actually dropped football just a few years ago? Yep they are back now but that has to speak worlds about their "organization" and I would not bet on a school that had done that in recent history. That would automatically disqualify them from serious consideration in my opinion.

BTW, I think AAC will stand pat with 11 schools for now. Each get more money.

UAB will fall back over the next few seasons. Weren't they granted waivers that really boosted their roster that gave them an advantage?

[AppinVA]

Another interesting point about UAB, I have seen numerous articles/sources mention UAB as a possible add. Why in the world would a conference seriously consider a school that had actually dropped football just a few years ago? Yep they are back now but that has to speak worlds about their "organization" and I would not bet on a school that had done that in recent history. That would automatically disqualify them from serious consideration in my opinion.

BTW, I think AAC will stand pat with 11 schools for now. Each get more money.

And that’s what the CUSA schools get for bailing them out a few years back.

[APPdiesel]

Another interesting point about UAB, I have seen numerous articles/sources mention UAB as a possible add. Why in the world would a conference seriously consider a school that had actually dropped football just a few years ago? Yep they are back now but that has to speak worlds about their "organization" and I would not bet on a school that had done that in recent history. That would automatically disqualify them from serious consideration in my opinion.

BTW, I think AAC will stand pat with 11 schools for now. Each get more money.

I said basically the same back on page 6:

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

Football, market size, Olympic sports, budgets, and research status will be the big factors in the AAC's decision. They want nothing more than to be a "Power 6" so football will be weighted the heaviest in their algorithm.

The good football schools don't meet those other requirements. The schools who meet those other requirements don't have good football.

I don't see the AAC making a fool out of themselves like the Big12 did when they were openly taking membership applications.

[AtlAppMan]

The point is, the AAC doesn't have to rush their decision unlike several years back when there was a land grab by multiple conferences. Right now it's a more static environment which would allow the AAC to take their time and consider all their options. They may stay at 11 for now but could add later. I bet they will want to see how their ESPN contract is impacted.

In this CBS article,
https://www.cbssports.com/college-footb ... -of-uconn/
, it is clear that there will be some form of renegotiation with ESPN. I expect they will consider each option relative to that revenue impact as well as all of the factors previously mentioned by others.