Topic: Big 12 nearing consensus on 4 schools

[elginherd]

We should all keep in mind there is no magic in the number 12.  Conferences can have championship football games with less than 12 schools.  The only reason to keep adding teams is if school #11 and school #12 bring more relative value.  So, for instance, if a 10 school conference can get a TV contract for $10 million, and the next two schools are only going to bring the TV dollars to $11 million, then the original 10 will be losing money on an annual basis.  The entrance fee money will help, but long term is that what you want?

One of CUSA's mistakes was to add too many schools.  The Big 12 was smart staying at 10.

All that is to say IF the Big 12 does add 4 teams, still a big IF, the AAC won't necessarily replace all the schools they lose.

It all goes to the value $$$$$$ that the conferences believe each potential school brings.

That's the exact point that I've been making; except that you did a better job making it :)

[UABlazin]

If the AAC loses 3, then they need 4 to get back to 12. Would love to see Marshall, Appy State, UAB and a team to be named later added to the AAC!

Tulsa
Tulane
SMU
Memphis
Temple
Navy
USF
ECU

UAB
Marshall
App

USM/ODU/ULL

I'd be just fine with that lineup.

[wasbarryb]

Tulsa
Tulane
SMU
Memphis
Temple
Navy
USF
ECU

UAB
Marshall
App

USM/ODU/ULL

I'd be just fine with that lineup.

I see a line up like that as the worse of the possible outcomes.  I?d much rather see a new regional conference or us going to the Sunbelt as my second choice.

Us going to a raided ACC is paying exit fees and entrance fees to move from a travel intense conference of nobody special to go to a travel intense conference of nobody special.  Other than ECU there is no one in a raided AAC that I have any interest in being conference mates with.  Memphis and Navy are the only schools beside ECU that are located a reasonable travel distance from us.  Other than Navy, none of the leftovers have any significant history or major following.  Going to a leftover AAC is paying $$$$$ to end up where right where we are now and makes no sense what so ever.

[Herdmeister]

Count on UAB to be gone to the AAC for sure.  Watching their game last night the announcers mentioned them moving on multiple times based on the new stadium and strong in football and basketball.

No doubt that will be the AAC top choice

[herdorbust]

I see a line up like that as the worse of the possible outcomes.  I?d much rather see a new regional conference or us going to the Sunbelt as my second choice.

Us going to a raided ACC is paying exit fees and entrance fees to move from a travel intense conference of nobody special to go to a travel intense conference of nobody special.  Other than ECU there is no one in a raided AAC that I have any interest in being conference mates with.  Memphis and Navy are the only schools beside ECU that are located a reasonable travel distance from us.  Other than Navy, none of the leftovers have any significant history or major following.  Going to a leftover AAC is paying $$$$$ to end up where right where we are now and makes no sense what so ever.

I couldn?t agree more. Would be a dumb move once they are raided.

[GreenDaddy]

One thing to consider is money. The AAC gets 6.4 million per year now, but with the defections how low can it drop? I would still think they would have a deal greater than 2 million. That is 1.5 million more dollars per year than we are making now. Then you want to factor in the NCAA tournament money from being in a multi bid league every year and you start coming out better financially. Not too mention we can actually get back on ESPN this way. Personally, I can not see the downside of it.

[MUsince96]

The new AAC may not be as enticing but staying put would worsen our situation even more. Do you think UAB or Southern Miss wouldn't take an invite?  Or App State, Coastal or Louisiana? The Sun Belt doesn't look like as good of an option if they're gone.

Sure a regional reshuffle with the leftover AAC schools, C-USA and Sun Belt would be great but why would the AAC schools do that? Instead of slumming it up with the ULM's and FIU's in a reshuffle they can just take from the top of the C-USA and Sun Belt.

If we don't move we're falling further behind.

[Johnnyherd]

Honestly Marshall is too small and our leadership has been too small minded to do any major athletic moves, including the joining the AAC.  20 years ago Marshall should have unleashed a comprehensive plan to grow the university, but that didn?t happen.  It?s ran like a typical state government organization, no one takes initiative, no one takes a single risk, no one works a single minute past 4 o?clock and having additional students is just more work for the staff and the easier the better.

I have to agree, play regional opponents, renew rivalry?s and enjoy life.  Hope we get in a conference we can win year in and year out.  Hope we can get a new AD with some connections that can reel in a few P5 2-1?s.

[elginherd]

Tulsa
Tulane
SMU
Memphis
Temple
Navy
USF
ECU

UAB
Marshall
App

USM/ODU/ULL

I'd be just fine with that lineup.

I suspect most of us would be too.
IMO, this AAC 2.0 is much better than the present CUSA 3.0.

[svherd]

Money and lack thereof is always gonna be an issue with us. Not to piss in the cornflakes, but what is our fanbase gonna look like in 10-15 years? Will Marshall's enrollment be higher, lower or about the same in 10 years? Where do the extra millions needed to compete in the AAC come from? Any media contract they will have going forward will not likely be as lucrative as the current one if they lose their three best programs to the B12.
How does a dying city in Huntington play a role in all of this?

Many questions to be answered. Frankly, If I am the AAC, I look at our athletics program and see some good things; but when I look at the bigger picture, not sure an invite would be a wise move. Would the current members even want us? They didn't the first time around.

That's why I would love a regional eastern based league thats been discussed multiple times.

[elginherd]

Money and lack thereof is always gonna be an issue with us. Not to piss in the cornflakes, but what is our fanbase gonna look like in 10-15 years? Will Marshall's enrollment be higher, lower or about the same in 10 years? Where do the extra millions needed to compete in the AAC come from? Any media contract they will have going forward will not likely be as lucrative as the current one if they lose their three best programs to the B12.
How does a dying city in Huntington play a role in all of this?

Many questions to be answered. Frankly, If I am the AAC, I look at our athletics program and see some good things; but when I look at the bigger picture, not sure an invite would be a wise move. Would the current members even want us? They didn't the first time around.

That's why I would love a regional eastern based league thats been discussed multiple times.

And I think most of HFs would love that too. But mixing and matching with the SBC &/or the AAC is not in the cards in the foreseeable future. If the pandemic didn't induce the G5 into blending into regional leagues, then it's not gonna happen.

[pdunn]

https://twitter.com/slmandel/status/1433457445699874820?s=21

BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston.

The thought keeps running through my mind--no Marcum, no Snyder, no Doc, no Hamrick, and that could have been us.

[Flat Tire 2]

Just curious, does anyone know the entrance fees for the AAC? Usually the conference will spread the fees over several years. I did find that UConn paid $10 Million exit fees plus an additional $7 Million for a quick exit from the AAC.
https://www.ctpost.com/uconn/article/UConn-officially-leaving-AAC-in-2020-14178493.php

Does anyone know the exit fees MU would have to pay to leave CUSA?

I am not sure where the money would come from for MU to leave and join a new conference. Not being Debby Downer, but I afraid that the BOG wouldn't pay the expenses. I could be wrong.

[HoPPy785]

I hear that we don't have the money to compete in AAC often. Help me understand that exactly. Do you think if we played an all AAC schedule this year, we would be the worst team in the conference? I don't. I for sure think once AAC is watered down, we could easily compete with our current team using our current financial resources.

If we can recruit who we can get now and compete with AAC teams then we can continue to do that in the AAC and likely more effectively with the more appealing conference for kids.

[GreenDaddy]

I hear that we don't have the money to compete in AAC often. Help me understand that exactly. Do you think if we played an all AAC schedule this year, we would be the worst team in the conference? I don't. I for sure think once AAC is watered down, we could easily compete with our current team using our current financial resources.

If we can recruit who we can get now and compete with AAC teams then we can continue to do that in the AAC and likely more effectively with the more appealing conference for kids.

I do not understand that argument either. Having a successful football team on the G5 level in ANY conference boils down to coaching. The same can be said for the P5 as well.