AAC just lost their big 3

[appswin1]

We can’t afford to move to the AAC. We don’t have the funds necessary to increase our budgets to compete.

Must have wanted to stay 1-AA....that crowd said the same thing. Glad we didnt listen to this type of talk.

[AppSt94]

We can’t afford to move to the AAC. We don’t have the funds necessary to increase our budgets to compete.

Give me a break. This is the same tired loser’s mentality we heard from people when we started considering moving to FBS.

Don’t want to hear anything about budgets. We win in football and the rest will come, money included. It’s as simple as that.

It’s not a losers mentality. It’s called reality. We don’t have the funds to increase our budget in order to compete. If you don’t believe me, ask Doug Gillin. Winning isn’t going to make the budget grow.

[appswin1]

Complete losers mentality!! Glad we are listening to Appst94

[hapapp]

We can’t afford to move to the AAC. We don’t have the funds necessary to increase our budgets to compete.

Give me a break. This is the same tired loser’s mentality we heard from people when we started considering moving to FBS.

Don’t want to hear anything about budgets. We win in football and the rest will come, money included. It’s as simple as that.

You might need to convince our administration of that. I have no idea what we will choose to do (nor am I opposed to a move) but the money question is certainly one that they are concerned about. I realize most people here only care about football and to a lesser degree, basketball. But, our other sports operate well below our peers in terms of resources available to them. I don't really want us to be a one trick pony.

[NewApp]

We can’t afford to move to the AAC. We don’t have the funds necessary to increase our budgets to compete.

Give me a break. This is the same tired loser’s mentality we heard from people when we started considering moving to FBS.

Don’t want to hear anything about budgets. We win in football and the rest will come, money included. It’s as simple as that.

Well has the money come from moving to FBS enough to move to the AAC? Are we fully funded in athletic scholarships? Do we have enough to field a men’s soccer program?

[Boroneer10]

The AAC TV deal is netting them about 5 million dollars per year more per team than the Sun Belt deal. You don’t think that factors in?

We already fund 85 scholarships, same as we would in the AAC. We hired WCU’s ex head coach as an analyst for our program. We already fly to San Marcos for games. We just funded a beautiful new facility upgrade.

What are these unforeseen budget needs that are going to hamstring us by taking a slight step up and receiving a substantially larger pay out?

[Boroneer10]

We can’t afford to move to the AAC. We don’t have the funds necessary to increase our budgets to compete.

Give me a break. This is the same tired loser’s mentality we heard from people when we started considering moving to FBS.

Don’t want to hear anything about budgets. We win in football and the rest will come, money included. It’s as simple as that.

You might need to convince our administration of that. I have no idea what we will choose to do (nor am I opposed to a move) but the money question is certainly one that they are concerned about. I realize most people here only care about football and to a lesser degree, basketball. But, our other sports operate well below our peers in terms of resources available to them. I don't really want us to be a one trick pony.

It’s the only sport that matters and pays for all the other sports.

In fact it’s helped generate money and increased reputation for our university over the last 15 years that would have been unimaginable in previous eras. We can not allow the opportunity to keep pace pass us by because we aren’t sure where every dollar will come from in the future.

[yosef95]

App's unique in that Boone itself is a small market, their alumni base are in big markets. Raleigh area, Charlotte area. Also Boone is a unique incredible place to play along with incredible place for visiting fans to make a weekend out of/vacation out of, vs something like Greenville, Morgantown, along with most of those AAC towns.

[AppSt94]

The AAC TV deal is netting them about 5 million dollars per year more per team than the Sun Belt deal. You don’t think that factors in?

We already fund 85 scholarships, same as we would in the AAC. We hired WCU’s ex head coach as an analyst for our program. We already fly to San Marcos for games. We just funded a beautiful new facility upgrade.

What are these unforeseen budget needs that are going to hamstring us by taking a slight step up and receiving a substantially larger pay out?

You are assuming that the AAC media rights is $5 million. The AAC pays out on a sliding scale and that amount would surely be less when they remove the three departing schools. We fund 85 football scholarships. That is a requirement by the NCAA. But we are 23 scholarships across athletics. We need to increase our overall budget by roughly 12 to 15 million to compete with AAC members equally. This is a bigger decision than just football. So where are we going to get the money from? Please give us some insight into where we are going to get it.

[ericsaid]

Anyone who has graduated from App should be donating. What is $10 a month for most graduates? "Ah shucks, that won't help anything". Well multiply $10 a month by 30,000 people is $3,600,000 annually. "Ah, well that's not much". Well, it's $3,600,000 more than would be had otherwise.

Parents of students, urge them to join the Students Yosef Club. Ask them to volunteer with the Yosef's Club to make calls, brainstorm ideas for increased giving, etc.

If you're complaining but not doing your part, what's the point? As Francis Marion's character in the Patriot says "I will not be fighting this war, and I will not be casting a vote to send others to fight in my stead". Anyone who wants to be in the AAC needs to do their part, no matter how small that is.

[ericsaid]

The AAC TV deal is netting them about 5 million dollars per year more per team than the Sun Belt deal. You don’t think that factors in?

We already fund 85 scholarships, same as we would in the AAC. We hired WCU’s ex head coach as an analyst for our program. We already fly to San Marcos for games. We just funded a beautiful new facility upgrade.

What are these unforeseen budget needs that are going to hamstring us by taking a slight step up and receiving a substantially larger pay out?

You are assuming that the AAC media rights is $5 million. The AAC pays out on a sliding scale and that amount would surely be less when they remove the three departing schools. We fund 85 football scholarships. That is a requirement by the NCAA. But we are 23 scholarships across athletics. We need to increase our overall budget by roughly 12 to 15 million to compete with AAC members equally. This is a bigger decision than just football. So where are we going to get the money from? Please give us some insight into where we are going to get it.

Also, if Memphis and SMU leave for the MWC or Big 12, is the remaining version of the AAC really worth joining? All you will be joining is a modified version of C-USA who didn't believe ESPN offered fair value so they decided to play on CBSSN and Facebook Live.

Let's say ECU is left behind in all of this. Is it possible that ULM makes a decision to step down to FCS, which I think that they should. It may be worth it to Gill to approach ECU, USM, and Marshall about joining the Sun Belt instead. I believe that the conference, as it currently stands, would stand to gain revenue through television with TARGETED adds which is what the Sun Belt did previously, and it's why the Sun Belt won the last re-alignment!

Play the game the smart way. Reach out to Marshall, ECU, USM (all rivals). It's believed that Marshall and USM have already been broached about Sun Belt membership and according to anonymous reporting, the interest is reciprocal. Potentially reach out to JMU to see if they are ready to make the jump, as they have the budget to compete immediately. Then reach out to ECU. All of these programs are football focused schools with academics that align with the rest of the Sun Belt. Everyone has been competitive this decade, with ECU and Marshall holding Top 25 rankings at one point or another.

The Big 10 could raid the Big 12, resulting in the Big 12 taking more AAC people. AAC may approach C-USA members but if it looks like the AAC is unstable, C-USA, and the Sun Belt could hold serve and absorb the leftovers while possibly increasing the conferences value to television.

I know a Sun Belt like this would be a little more than regional, especially having three out of ten (30%) teams in the Top 25 last season and the way recruiting is trending for everyone:

1. App State
2. Arkansas State
3. Coastal Carolina
4. East Carolina
5. Georgia Southern
6. Georgia State
7. Louisiana
8. ULM
9. Marshall
10. South Alabama
11. Southern Miss
12. Texas State
13. Troy State

If 14-teams increases the value of the conference as a whole, I'd be fine with that as well. See if UTSA is interested which brings another Texas school in for Louisiana's and Texas State.

Moral of the story is, as things currently stand, assuming the Sun Belt remains unmolested we are better where we are. The AAC is looking more and more like it may fold as the story of more schools leaving come out.

[canes_mj]

Would like to see the Sunbelt be proactive, and try to add SMU, Memphis, USF, and the 4th spot is debatable (yuck but I'd say Charlotte for market and proximity...also possible ECU, ODU, Marshall)...if we could do that we'd be in a position to renegotiate the tv deal. (As other have said, the new AAC tv deal may not be worth much). If we could do those things, we'd be a 16 team G5 "superconference", the best G5 conference, and would be stable in the sense that no SB team would leave for any other G5 conference

[APPdiesel]

I think you mean USF. UCF is joining the Big 12.

[Saint3333]

Somebody convince me that Marshall is a good add for the Sun Belt. And please don’t say we were once in a conference together.

Good football and basketball most years, certainly in the top half of the SBC in both. If we were to pick our top choices from CUSA they'd be in the top 3. Who do you prefer?

I like the SBC being proactive. Get the best you can now, versus letting ours dictate the fallout. The SBC has more leverage today than it may have in the coming months, strike now.

I’m not averse to considering Marshall. I simply don’t know enough about the program as it is today to make a judgement. I worry that some of our fans remember the huge group of visiting Marshall fans at KBS decades ago and think that is what’s going on today.

ODU fits my version of a Goldilocks program for App — drivable but not likely to impact us in recruiting, huge new television market, plenty of room for growth within the football program, and solid non-football programs.

Off-hand, other programs I hope the Sun Belt considers are Charlotte, UAB and East Carolina (I know, not likely). I’m guessing Liberty and James-Madison will want on that list too.

ECU isn't viable, honestly neither is UAB, they will be the first call the AAC makes.

Marshall's athletic program versus ODU is a no brainer IMO.

Liberty's culture (more private and spendthrift vs. religious) is a worse fit than Marshall.

UNCC's results on the field aren't as strong, but that's the one I can understand your perspective.

Overall if you line them up Marshall should be at the top of the list. Look I love to hate them, but they are one of the best realistic options.

[t4pizza]

Would like to see the Sunbelt be proactive, and try to add SMU, Memphis, UCF, and the 4th spot is debatable (yuck but I'd say Charlotte for market and proximity...also possible ECU, ODU, Marshall)...if we could do that we'd be in a position to renegotiate the tv deal. (As other have said, the new AAC tv deal may not be worth much). If we could do those things, we'd be a 16 team G5 "superconference", the best G5 conference, and would be stable in the sense that no SB team would leave for any other G5 conference

I also like the idea of adding schools. Memphis is a no brainer and would make a good travel partner/ rival with Arkansas State. I think Tulane and to a lesser extent SMU may have the same advantage of travel and rival with Louisiana. Marshall and to a lesser extent ECU is in the same boat with as for travel/rival. UAB works for Troy and Georgia State as far as travel and rival. All of those schools could be good natural additions to the Sun Belt.

[hapapp]

At this point, it seems more likely that the Sun Belt will expand than App move to another conference. I would think if Marshall would become a member of the SBC, then App would be less interested in a move to the AAC. It does seem that Commmissioner Gill is being proactive in an effort to stifle any defections. I don't have any inside insight but I could see our admin looking more favorably at that prospect than jumping to the AAC.

[Yosef84]

We can’t afford to move to the AAC. We don’t have the funds necessary to increase our budgets to compete.

Give me a break. This is the same tired loser’s mentality we heard from people when we started considering moving to FBS.

Don’t want to hear anything about budgets. We win in football and the rest will come, money included. It’s as simple as that.

You might need to convince our administration of that. I have no idea what we will choose to do (nor am I opposed to a move) but the money question is certainly one that they are concerned about. I realize most people here only care about football and to a lesser degree, basketball. But, our other sports operate well below our peers in terms of resources available to them. I don't really want us to be a one trick pony.

It’s the only sport that matters and pays for all the other sports.

In fact it’s helped generate money and increased reputation for our university over the last 15 years that would have been unimaginable in previous eras. We can not allow the opportunity to keep pace pass us by because we aren’t sure where every dollar will come from in the future.

There's no denying the importance of football historically at App State, but just because it has been that way doesn't mean it should remain that way. Basketball needs to continue to build and if it does, should be able to contribute. It certainly shouldn't be ignored. I can't quite buy into the "only sport that matters" simply because they can all contribute to reputation and constitute the "front porch" that Peacock talked about. I get what you're saying about the finances though.

[pjc1979]

We can’t afford to move to the AAC. We don’t have the funds necessary to increase our budgets to compete.

Give me a break. This is the same tired loser’s mentality we heard from people when we started considering moving to FBS.

Don’t want to hear anything about budgets. We win in football and the rest will come, money included. It’s as simple as that.

It’s not a losers mentality. It’s called reality. We don’t have the funds to increase our budget in order to compete. If you don’t believe me, ask Doug Gillin. Winning isn’t going to make the budget grow.

The whole point in changing conference affiliation though would be to increase the budget, remember those TV $$$ are there for the chasing, even if it means more travel costs. The positives outweigh the negatives unless the American Athletic and Sun Belt Conferences become something different from what we currently know them as, a lot yet to be determined!

[Rick83]

UCF has officially received their Big 12 invitation and their board of trustees will be meeting at 3:15 today to discuss/decide and then they will have a press conference at 3:45.

[ugmw177]

unc concord fans seem to think they are a shoe-in for AAC invitation...