Report: AAC attempting to take all eight remaining Big 12 members

SUMG · July 30, 2021

8 minutes ago, GrayEagle said:

Unfortunately, we can speculate all we want but ESPN is calling the shots. It is whatever they want it to be. It's likely that if AAC takes all there will be no repercussions such as a lawsuit if there is no one left damaged and the conference no longer exists.

Now if I had my druthers when the contract is up I'd like to see the AAC take West Virginia, Iowa State, Kansas and Kansas State. The remaining four (Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, TCU, Baylor) would take in Houston, SMU, North Texas, Rice, UTSA, Louisiana, Louisiana Tech and Texas State. Caveat...all must have at least a 40,000 seat stadium by 2025. As to AAC's replacement for Connecticut, I would hope that they could add Army.

UConn is no longer in the AAC. They're indy in football and Big East in other sports.

GrayEagle · July 30, 2021

3 minutes ago, SUMG said:

UConn is no longer in the AAC. They're indy in football and Big East in other sports.

I know John but they were never replaced when they left and the AAC has been operating at 11 for both football and basketball. In my scenario the AAC would gain four but lose two (SMU and Houston) leaving them at 13. The addition of Army would raise them to 14 but they would still need a basketball only addition. Wichita State is Navy's basketball proxy.

untjim1995 · July 30, 2021

1 hour ago, DeepGreen said:

I would expect nothing less than a supermodel. You went to UNT, didn't you?

I did and she’s super!!

PlummMeanGreen · July 31, 2021

I think the AAC was probably hoping for quick decisions & turnsround from the Big 12 Conference people as to transact their big fantasy. Longer the B12 wait will give them more time to study all of the AAC membership & that will not be to the advantage for 1 or 2 of them.

🦅

PlummMeanGreen · July 31, 2021

I think the AAC was probably hoping for quick decisions & turnsround from the Big 12 Conference people as to transact their big fantasy. Longer the B12 wait will give them more time to study all of the AAC membership & that will not be to the advantage for 1 or 2 of them.

🦅

Aquila_Viridis · July 31, 2021

Big 10 and SEC probably make moves that impact ACC. Probably have more to do with what happens with Big 12 leftovers than aac. tt, baylor, tcu and okst are bloodsuckers. Happy to see them writhing about in any event. Schools that can buy and negotiate their way out of ACC poison pill probably will.

97and03 · July 31, 2021

10 hours ago, DeepGreen said:

I would expect nothing less than a supermodel. You went to UNT, didn't you?

You should see my wife

UNTLifer · July 31, 2021

On 7/30/2021 at 2:42 PM, Blue Horse said:

What kind of TV deal can a regional school in Lubbock, Texas expect?

Probably a better deal than Park Cities Methodist.

Blue Horse · August 1, 2021

Just now, UNTLifer said:

Probably a better deal than Park Cities Methodist.

My gosh, can you guys make a single post without mentioning SMU? And someone beat you to this joke, albeit worded slightly different.

Also, SMU going independent would be idiotic. I'm not arguing for that. I'm asking about Texas tech.

NorthTexasWeLove · August 1, 2021

On 7/30/2021 at 4:39 PM, Blue Horse said:

Okay, now we're making some progress.

1. Let's say Oklahoma State goes independent. Where are they putting their basketball? The only conference that would accept them for basketball only could potentially be the mountain West conference, and that would likely require them to engage in a scheduling alliance with teams that are far worse than the ones in the AAC.

2. Oklahoma State needs to win a championship game to have the best shot they can have at making the playoff. Removing themselves from a conference at this juncture would require them to be something around top six to make the playoff. If Oklahoma State is that much better than everybody else, all the more reason to stick around a couple years, own the whole conference, and after five consecutive playoff appearances get taken by someone else. Going to the AAC provides a future elsewhere.

3. Money. Right now the American conference makes around $7 million a year per school. Yes, that is a big hit. However you cannot just not be on television. To say that a TV contract doesn't matter and Oklahoma State will just have to be principled and not joining with certain schools is misreading the situation.

4. Scheduling as an independent is actually very challenging. Look at the schools that last is independents. They either have limitless money or a national following. Oklahoma State does have certain boosters, but without a national following it decreases the likelihood that they are going to play marquee programs in Stillwater through an independent schedule that you say isn't even on television

5. Recruiting is last. If Texas tech and Oklahoma State were not members of a conference, they would not be playing the games in the larger Texas areas that produce talent. Without consistent games being played in these areas they would not be as relevant they would be in a conference. The best evidence I can give in this regard is Arkansas. When Arkansas left the Southwest conference they believed they would continue to get Texas recruiting while not playing Texas games due to their brand. That never worked out.

Okie State would quit sports before they are playing conference games vs or at Tulsa. I know you're trying to strengthen the SMU brand by hoping it happens, but it's not. It'd be like me getting on your beloved Pony fan boy board and telling you that you're getting in a conference with Grayson Community college and you're going to settle for the peanuts in TV money and you're going to like it. Ok State just isn't going to do it.

Blue Horse · August 1, 2021

3 minutes ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

Okie State would quit sports before they are playing conference games vs or at Tulsa. I know you're trying to strengthen the SMU brand by hoping it happens, but it's not. It'd be like me getting on your beloved Pony fan boy board and telling you that you're getting in a conference with Grayson Community college and you're going to settle for the peanuts in TV money and you're going to like it. Ok State just isn't going to do it.

Okay, so let's say they don't join such a conference. Who do they schedule? To maintain Texas recruiting, which is what they thrive on, they're just going to have to schedule the schools you say they don't want to be in a conference with anyway. A&m and Texas didn't leave the big 12 so they could keep scheduling Oklahoma State.

Oh, and I'm not trying to strengthen the SMU brand. Truth be told, what you're suggesting is a suicide pill for Oklahoma State. I'm actually okay with that.

NorthTexasWeLove · August 1, 2021

Just now, Blue Horse said:

Okay, so let's say they don't join such a conference. Who do they schedule? To maintain Texas recruiting, which is what they thrive on, they're just going to have to schedule the schools you say they don't want to be in a conference with anyway. A&m and Texas didn't leave the big 12 so they could keep scheduling Oklahoma State.

Oh, and I'm not trying to strengthen the SMU brand. Truth be told, what you're suggesting is a suicide pill for Oklahoma State. I'm actually okay with that.

Draw whatever scenario you want, it's not happening. If they end up at Ford in a conference game it's because they agreed to be there and by virtue already killed the recruiting prowess you're speaking of.

If I'm the remaining 8, I'm sticking together and poaching the best 2 now, and the best 2 later.

Blue Horse · August 1, 2021

9 minutes ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

If I'm the remaining 8, I'm sticking together and poaching the best 2 now, and the best 2 later.

Congratulations! You've created your own worst case scenario!

If the Big 12 expands by 4-6 and SMU isn't among them, the AAC will backfill with cusa teams not named North Texas.

NorthTexasWeLove · August 1, 2021

20 minutes ago, Blue Horse said:

Congratulations! You've created your own worst case scenario!

If the Big 12 expands by 4-6 and SMU isn't among them, the AAC will backfill with cusa teams not named North Texas.

Unlike you, I'm not trying to finagle the best case scenario for my university in the sake of fun. I'm being realistic, without taking UNT into account. It's not about what's best for UNT in this hypothetical conversation, it's about what's likely. And if you think for a minute the Texas Tech administration is chomping at the bit to send their football team down to New Orleans to play in a 1/3 filled Superdome then you're sadly mistaken. AAC pays out 7ish million dollars to its member institutions. That is laughable for these programs.

Blue Horse · August 1, 2021

2 minutes ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

Unlike you, I'm not trying to finagle the best case scenario for my university in the sake of fun. I'm being realistic, without taking UNT into account. It's not about what's best for UNT in this hypothetical conversation, it's about what's likely. And if you think for a minute the Texas Tech administration is chomping at the bit to send their football team down to New Orleans to play in a 1/3 filled Superdome then you're sadly mistaken. AAC pays out 7ish million dollars to its member institutions. That is laughable for these programs.

But you won't tell me how much they'd make as independents.

Edited August 1, 2021 by Blue Horse

NorthTexasWeLove · August 1, 2021

2 minutes ago, Blue Horse said:

But you won't tell me how much they'd make as independents.

I am certain I never said for them to go independent. Keep the brand intact and the brand is the big12, with or without UT/OU.

TheColonyEagle · August 3, 2021

On 7/30/2021 at 5:39 PM, Blue Horse said:

Okay, now we're making some progress.

1. Let's say Oklahoma State goes independent. Where are they putting their basketball? The only conference that would accept them for basketball only could potentially be the mountain West conference, and that would likely require them to engage in a scheduling alliance with teams that are far worse than the ones in the AAC.

2. Oklahoma State needs to win a championship game to have the best shot they can have at making the playoff. Removing themselves from a conference at this juncture would require them to be something around top six to make the playoff. If Oklahoma State is that much better than everybody else, all the more reason to stick around a couple years, own the whole conference, and after five consecutive playoff appearances get taken by someone else. Going to the AAC provides a future elsewhere.

3. Money. Right now the American conference makes around $7 million a year per school. Yes, that is a big hit. However you cannot just not be on television. To say that a TV contract doesn't matter and Oklahoma State will just have to be principled and not joining with certain schools is misreading the situation.

4. Scheduling as an independent is actually very challenging. Look at the schools that last is independents. They either have limitless money or a national following. Oklahoma State does have certain boosters, but without a national following it decreases the likelihood that they are going to play marquee programs in Stillwater through an independent schedule that you say isn't even on television

5. Recruiting is last. If Texas tech and Oklahoma State were not members of a conference, they would not be playing the games in the larger Texas areas that produce talent. Without consistent games being played in these areas they would not be as relevant they would be in a conference. The best evidence I can give in this regard is Arkansas. When Arkansas left the Southwest conference they believed they would continue to get Texas recruiting while not playing Texas games due to their brand. That never worked out.