Official AAC Deathwatch Thread

[ZooCougar]

It won’t be long too long now. Shhhhhh. Just enjoy your last moments.

 

[ZooCougar]

Congrats SMU and AAC media deal speculation

AACbbs: The #1 Board for American Athletic Conference sports on the internet.

csnbbs.com

Someone call FEMA. Meltdown in process.

 

[Ldandy]

It won't die, because ESPN likes low priced live content. All of the schools with any cache (minus Navy) are gone already. They'll backfill with some other Sunbelt or CUSA School and keep chugging along. ESPN will probably give them a haircut on their next deal, but for the time being every school that is left in The AAC is about the best place that they can be for their program.

 

[ZooCougar]

It won't die, because ESPN likes low priced live content. All of the schools with any cache (minus Navy) are gone already. They'll backfill with some other Sunbelt or CUSA School and keep chugging along. ESPN will probably give them a haircut on their next deal, but for the time being every school that is left in The AAC is about the best place that they can be for their program.

Nobody is leaving the Sun Belt for the AAC.

 

[ScottVib]

The AAC just had to add 18% more inventory to mostly maintain their status quo, setting up a haves and have not scenario in the conference where 6 new members took reduced payouts to keep the other 8 fairly close to whole. That's not going to happen when the split is 7 new members and 7 "legacy" members. Not to mention you're down to a scenario where one of the new members (UAB) is among your most marketable full members.

It's likely they take reduced payout AND are forced to share it equally among 14 members... if and only if they don't lose more schools. This becomes the MWC opportunity to reach out to Rice as a backfill for SDSU and get into Texas themselves and eliminate the risk of Colorado State looking eastward. In that scenario (Rice leaving as the MWC backfill of SDSU) you've got 12 members and no need to backfill, but a certain reduction in payouts.... which of course then brings about consideration from Navy. It values its Texas partnership, but North Texas & UTSA is a big difference than Rice & SMU.. could that be enough to tip Navy back to independence? (I tend to doubt it, but it'll be a consideration)

 

[CL82]

 

[Slasher]

While this is fun(ny) C-USA is much more on deathwatch than the AAC. Any of those C-USA teams would jump to the AAC in a heartbeat.

 

[ScottVib]

While this is fun(ny) C-USA is much more on deathwatch than the AAC. Any of those C-USA teams would jump to the AAC in a heartbeat.

100% accurate. AAC will have the ability to backfill, but it's status as the most desirable G5 is what made it distinguishable from MWC or the Sun Belt.

The bigger situation is that payout and rights contract was the single thing that made the AAC desirable. Right now the AAC's backfill pool is likely to be limited to the C-USA leftovers and FCS call-ups. They will be vulnerable to schools with only G5 options looking around to see if the grass is greener (and if the rights deal is cut, this becomes perhaps the most serious problem); the MWC commissioner has been vocal about trying to be proactive if they can maintain their rights deal with extra inventory/markets could they look to a Rice or even a Memphis or Tulane? Navy values its Texas trips in the AAC, but they have real options to get a TV deal as an independent.

Even more far-fetched (and just message board talk.. but fun message board fodder) maybe this becomes the scenario where Army, Navy, UConn, UMass, Temple become the backbone of a football only confederation in FBS (maybe Villanova & Delaware upgrade or ECU & USF feeling otherwise abandoned climb aboard); perhaps ushering in the era of football specific alignments with basketball/all-sports affiliations that return to the regions.

 

[whalerfan]

100% accurate. AAC will have the ability to backfill, but it's status as the most desirable G5 is what made it distinguishable from MWC or the Sun Belt.

The bigger situation is that payout and rights contract was the single thing that made the AAC desirable. Right now the AAC's backfill pool is likely to be limited to the C-USA leftovers and FCS call-ups. They will be vulnerable to schools with only G5 options looking around to see if the grass is greener (and if the rights deal is cut, this becomes perhaps the most serious problem); the MWC commissioner has been vocal about trying to be proactive if they can maintain their rights deal with extra inventory/markets could they look to a Rice or even a Memphis or Tulane? Navy values its Texas trips in the AAC, but they have real options to get a TV deal as an independent.

Even more far-fetched (and just message board talk.. but fun message board fodder) maybe this becomes the scenario where Army, Navy, UConn, UMass, Temple become the backbone of a football only confederation in FBS (maybe Villanova & Delaware upgrade or ECU & USF feeling otherwise abandoned climb aboard); perhaps ushering in the era of football specific alignments with basketball/all-sports affiliations that return to the regions.

It seems as though things are falling apart right before our eyes. A UConn, Army, Navy, Temple, UMass, ECU, USF and perhaps Memphis football alliance wouldn't be so bad. Add basketball in the Big XII with a deal for Football for a minimum number of games and perhaps you'd have something there.

 

[metsfan2323]

It seems as though things are falling apart right before our eyes. A UConn, Army, Navy, Temple, UMass, ECU, USF and perhaps Memphis football alliance wouldn't be so bad. Add basketball in the Big XII with a deal for Football for a minimum number of games and perhaps you'd have something there.

You do realize this could easily be done within the AAC. I was just about to post that the AAC's best move at this point would be to go to 16 schools by inviting UCONN (football only), UMASS, and Army. We could be in a eastern division with UMASS, Army, East Carolina, USF, Temple. I doubt NAVY and Army would want to be in the same division.

The funny thing is the fanbase would support your idea and soundly reject the idea of joining the AAC (football only), such is the irrational hatred toward the AAC combined with the delusional love of being independent.

 

[noeynox]

You do realize this could easily be done within the AAC. I was just about to post that the AAC's best move at this point would be to go to 16 schools by inviting UCONN (football only), UMASS, and Army. We could be in a eastern division with UMASS, Army, East Carolina, USF, Temple. I doubt NAVY and Army would want to be in the same division.

The funny thing is the fanbase would support your idea and soundly reject the idea of joining the AAC (football only), such is the irrational hatred toward the AAC combined with the delusional love of being independent.

Until the schedules get worse due to P5 games not being available, I prefer independent status. What is about to be left of the AAC isn't even what it was initially.

A smaller FBS only league of eastern based schools would also be more desirable than whatever current schools make up the AAC. I truly don't know what teams make up the conference.

 

[Durks07]

Congrats SMU and AAC media deal speculation

AACbbs: The #1 Board for American Athletic Conference sports on the internet.

csnbbs.com

Someone call FEMA. Meltdown in process.

 

[Ldandy]

Nobody is leaving the Sun Belt for the AAC.

You're probably right. The Sunbelt is a sneaky good league right now. I just threw them out there due to the predatory nature of realignment. That said ESPN holds the cards for all of these G5 Leagues as they hold the majority of their media rights. I'm sure they could facilitate movement if it was in their best interests to happen.

 

[CL82]

You do realize this could easily be done within the AAC. I was just about to post that the AAC's best move at this point would be to go to 16 schools by inviting UCONN (football only), UMASS, and Army. We could be in a eastern division with UMASS, Army, East Carolina, USF, Temple. I doubt NAVY and Army would want to be in the same division.

The funny thing is the fanbase would support your idea and soundly reject the idea of joining the AAC (football only), such is the irrational hatred toward the AAC combined with the delusional love of being independent.

Because playing in the American sucked ass. Nobody cared about the teams and we would care about them even less in a new watered down version. We draw better opponents as an independent, and have better turnout. The American had its chance to keep us as a football only. It declined it. There’s no utility in our bailing out that bad decision now.

 

[Durks07]

You do realize this could easily be done within the AAC. I was just about to post that the AAC's best move at this point would be to go to 16 schools by inviting UCONN (football only), UMASS, and Army. We could be in a eastern division with UMASS, Army, East Carolina, USF, Temple. I doubt NAVY and Army would want to be in the same division.

The funny thing is the fanbase would support your idea and soundly reject the idea of joining the AAC (football only), such is the irrational hatred toward the AAC combined with the delusional love of being independent.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Because playing in the American sucked ass. Nobody cared about the teams and we would care about them even less in a new watered down version. We draw better opponents as an independent, and have better turnout. The American had its chance to keep us as a football only. It declined it. There’s no utility in our bailing out that bad decision now.

This.

UConn had plenty of AAC games against good, quality teams. The fan base didn't care.

The move to independent in football at least gave some intrigue to the schedule and seemed to draw a different type of recruit or transfer portal player to UConn.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

The AAC didn’t hurt recruiting , the coaches we hired did .
Now they hired a real coach and they’re getting better recruits , the schedule were playing is in no way a step up from our AAC days . Utah State, Ball State ,Central Connecticut, UMass, and Liberty
Are so much more compelling than
Houston B12
SMU. PAC 12
UCF. B12
Cinn. B12
and
Navy

The AAC issn’t going anywhere ,
They’re still one of two G5 Conferences with the MW that actually has a media deal that pays money . The Sun Belt Deal just gets their games televised mostly on ESPN3 .

They are also fat with cash from they’re success in getting schools into P5 conferences , plus our money for going Indy
Add to that the NCAA cash from Houston’s successfully
runs
Even losing almost 50% of their schools a remainder Tulane won a major bowl this year., and they still have the Naval academy and Memphis. USF an old Big East school is also there ,

Explain to me how schools from Conference USA are not better off in the AAC .
Stop the AAC hate it wasn’t their fault we stunk it was ours .
in 5 years in that conference I don’t believe we had a dozen wins
I seem to remember the one year we were around .500 the Houston game was a sell out .
I suppose it’s easier to blame something else for your woes rather than admit that UConn was a show
from 2013-2021

 

[gioff2323]

The AAC didn’t hurt recruiting , the coaches we hired did .
Now they hired a real coach and they’re getting better recruits , the schedule were playing is in no way a step up from our AAC days . Utah State, Ball State ,Central Connecticut, UMass, and Liberty
Are so much more compelling than
Houston B12
SMU. PAC 12
UCF. B12
Cinn. B12
and
Navy

The AAC issn’t going anywhere ,
They’re still one of two G5 Conferences with the MW that actually has a media deal that pays money . The Sun Belt Deal just gets their games televised mostly on ESPN3 .

They are also fat with cash from they’re success in getting schools into P5 conferences , plus our money for going Indy
Add to that the NCAA cash from Houston’s successfully
runs
Even losing almost 50% of their schools a remainder Tulane won a major bowl this year., and they still have the Naval academy and Memphis. USF an old Big East school is also there ,

Explain to me how schools from Conference USA are not better off in the AAC .
Stop the AAC hate it wasn’t their fault we stunk it was ours .
in 5 years in that conference I don’t believe we had a dozen wins
I seem to remember the one year we were around .500 the Houston game was a sell out .
I suppose it’s easier to blame something else for your woes rather than admit that UConn was a show
from 2013-2021

You’re right - we were an embarrassment in the AAC. But ya kinda cherry picked the schedule stuff - leaving out 1/2 the ACC coming in as well as a BIG and an SEC opponent. Oh, and would you rather travel to Memphis or Knoxville? Cincy or Columbus? ECU or Raleigh-Durham?

 

[metsfan2323]

You’re right - we were an embarrassment in the AAC. But ya kinda cherry picked the schedule stuff - leaving out 1/2 the ACC coming in as well as a BIG and an SEC opponent. Oh, and would you rather travel to Memphis or Knoxville? Cincy or Columbus? ECU or Raleigh-Durham?

I would take Memphis over Knoxville because I might, you know, have a chance to win. Same with Cincy over Ohio State. Maybe that's just me.

The Michigan game last year was unwatchable, I turned it off after halftime. We also lost our best offensive weapon for the season which made that game a nightmarish bummer. Why he was put back in the game after halftime when he hurt his elbow in the first half I will never understand.

Yes we have high profile road opponents, but our upcoming non- September home schedule is for the most part a big G-5 bag of random nonsense. Competing for an AAC conference title or maybe even the G-5 auto bid would make for far more compelling home games. Having Jim Mora as our coach actually has me believing we could get the G-5 auto-bid.