Someone at Tulane crunched the numbers and the AAC still comes out the better football conference. I don't know the criteria that was used but the AAC's five year ESPN SP+ rating is better over the past 5 years. https://twitter.com/FearTheWaveBlog/status/1436523738548211713
There is discussion in the article that AAC is the conference that most G5 teams aspires to be and discussion that AAC will be looking to make invitations to join with one factor being an AD budget of 50+ million as most AAC schools are in the 40-60 million with the HC making over 1 million/year. However, A commitment to football could help offset budget concerns. If a school has a budget in the 20- or 30-million range but has new facilities and pays its coach well while winning on the field, that could convince presidents.
One AAC source is pushing to kill the MW by inviting Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State, and Air Force. Some MWC sources find this move unlikely, while others are at least intrigued. The MWC earns around $4 million with its TV deal, and a restructured AAC deal would likely be around the same. Moving to the AAC would greatly increase travel costs that could offset any difference. For some, there is not an appetite to send volleyball and other Olympic sports teams to places like Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
MWC sources note Boise State is a linchpin. If the Broncos look to leave, other schools must be prepared, and the AAC may not be the only option. Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby didn’t close the door on future expansion in a few years, and schools like Boise State and SDSU are still hopeful for that as well — as is Memphis in the AAC.
“I wouldn’t suggest this is the last move we make,” Bowlsby said last week during a news conference with UCF. “I think we’ll look for situations of opportunity when they present themselves. I wouldn’t say we’re out looking to expand, but I wouldn’t foreclose on the possibility either.”
Unless or until that happens, some in the MWC aren’t in a hurry to change anything. Its location and geography don’t make for many natural additions at the FBS level. It broke away from and then outlasted the WAC, absorbing some of its teams a decade ago. If Boise State or someone else looks to leave, the league will adapt, but it’s in a comfortable position at the moment. If some of its rising teams continue to improve, it could surpass the AAC on the football field. It’s also recently been a multi-bid league for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, which provides value, as well.
There is discussion in the article that AAC is the conference that most G5 teams aspires to be and discussion that AAC will be looking to make invitations to join with one factor being an AD budget of 50+ million as most AAC schools are in the 40-60 million with the HC making over 1 million/year. However, A commitment to football could help offset budget concerns. If a school has a budget in the 20- or 30-million range but has new facilities and pays its coach well while winning on the field, that could convince presidents.
One AAC source is pushing to kill the MW by inviting Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State, and Air Force. Some MWC sources find this move unlikely, while others are at least intrigued. The MWC earns around $4 million with its TV deal, and a restructured AAC deal would likely be around the same. Moving to the AAC would greatly increase travel costs that could offset any difference. For some, there is not an appetite to send volleyball and other Olympic sports teams to places like Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
MWC sources note Boise State is a linchpin. If the Broncos look to leave, other schools must be prepared, and the AAC may not be the only option. Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby didn’t close the door on future expansion in a few years, and schools like Boise State and SDSU are still hopeful for that as well — as is Memphis in the AAC.
“I wouldn’t suggest this is the last move we make,” Bowlsby said last week during a news conference with UCF. “I think we’ll look for situations of opportunity when they present themselves. I wouldn’t say we’re out looking to expand, but I wouldn’t foreclose on the possibility either.”
Unless or until that happens, some in the MWC aren’t in a hurry to change anything. Its location and geography don’t make for many natural additions at the FBS level. It broke away from and then outlasted the WAC, absorbing some of its teams a decade ago. If Boise State or someone else looks to leave, the league will adapt, but it’s in a comfortable position at the moment. If some of its rising teams continue to improve, it could surpass the AAC on the football field. It’s also recently been a multi-bid league for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, which provides value, as well.
