ericsaid wrote: ↑Thu Nov 21, 2019 11:57 am
Yosef84 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 21, 2019 11:40 am
ah59396 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 21, 2019 11:25 am
We can achieve the same thing from the Sunbelt as they can from the AAC.
Sunbelt is rising and we are leading the pack.
If geography wasn’t a problem, the MWC is my dream destination. The AAC are just a bunch of nobodies that got left behind after the Big East collapsed and the ACC pillaged the remains.
I agree! I know the Sun Belt doesn't have a great history, but the trend is positive and there is a TON of "potential" in the current SBC programs. The AAC loves to talk about "potential" in supporting their quest for programs in major markets but we already have it here. We now have some programs who are committed to quality on the football field and these programs are building brand identity every year (App State, Troy, Arkansas State, and Georgia Southern). Louisiana has awakened from their slumber and is playing very good football....just not getting the recognition they deserve yet. Even our traditional "bottom dwellers" (football) GSU and TxSt could be described as "sleeping giants" boasting huge student bodies. GSU has bee inconsistent but has shown flashes and I still think TxSt is going to catch fire at some point (in a way other than their recent dumpster fire performances). Even these schools have boasted solid basketball so it's not like they don't contribute. We've already passed CUSA and the MAC and we can close on MWC and the AAC.
SBC football is already on the correct trajectory. Raising the performance of SBC Basketball is (in my opinion) the key to closing the perception gap completely.
My question is this, if the AAC comes calling with an offer that is mutually beneficial and has an addition for football with a path for basketball and other sports, what do you all say?
Is the Sun Belt fun? Sure. But could you imagine a regular season match-up on November 30th with ECU to determine the AAC East Champion with both teams ranked? We are hoping that Louisiana would be ranked for the conference championship should that be the match-up, but in the AAC we wouldn't have to hope for that.
Gone would be the days of playing late November football in front of 15,000 people. How many fans would show up when UCF comes to Boone? ECU? Cincinnati? Troy and Georgia Southern are the only conference games that gets the App fanbase up, it seems. Even Louisiana and Arkansas State, when they are having good years, aren't given much recognition.
Furthermore you end up with more games within App's existing recruiting footprint. Tampa, Orlando, & ENC plus you get games in Dallas and other locations. This isn't a "markets" comment as much as it is that App has games in Statesboro, Myrtle Beach, and Atlanta. The rest of the conference schedule is generally outside of where App recruits from. That places more importance on OOC scheduling being tied to regional opponents or areas where App is attempting to recruit from.
I would have to disagree that UCF, Cincinnati, Memphis or Houston are going to add any significant amount of fans to Kidd Brewer. Plus, none of those programs would bring great numbers to Boone of their fanbase. I think (with the exception of a few opponents such as Miami) ASU fans come to watch the Mountaineers play. And, this is the case for most schools.
As a football fan in the 90's, I once went to Wake to see Florida State come to town. But, that game wasn't a sellout and it's really only happened once in my years of being a college football fan.
However, regional rivalries like ECU, Charlotte, Georgia Southern, Coastal, possibly Marshall make sense for football and other sports because it's possible to travel to their locations to watch a game and you have their fanbases overlapping with ours.
This year's football schedule was great because UNC, USC and Georgia State were drivable one day or overnight trips. Next year, we play at Wake and Coastal. Those work geographically.
The AAC and their Power 6 marketing, better TV package (no Tuesday and Wednesday games) and better bowl tie-ins does have some appeal. But, long term Regional G5 conferences (bordering states) make the most sense.