Air Force facing pushback from financial supporters as conference move gains momentum

[Tom McKrackin]

If Air Force is indeed on the verge of leaving the Mountain West, the move would come without a unified front from those who help to bankroll the academy’s athletics.

A report from Action Network on Tuesday said Air Force — along with Colorado State — could be leaving for the American Athletic Conference in a move that could be announced as early as next week.

But Air Force won’t leave without first facing internal pushback.

“The (Air Force Academy Foundation) and several big donors are vehemently against the move,” a source wrote to The Gazette on Tuesday.
 

read more:  https://www.google.com/amp/s/gazette.com/sports/air-force-facing-pushback-from-financial-supporters-as-conference-move-gains-momentum-source/article_91a21fcc-20d1-11ec-8362-d7c79bd757b2.amp.html

[RBP79]

It's just a lateral move for them and it's apparent financial supporters see it that way also.

[wardly]

8 hours ago, RBP79 said:

It's just a lateral move for them and it's apparent financial supporters see it that way also.

They want to play Navy every year and hope to lure Army into the AAC.

[Mean Green Matt]

AFA and CSU aren’t that big of a loss for the MWC. If their departure opens the door for us, I strongly encourage them to take this once in a lifetime AAC invitation that they definitely, 100% won’t regret at any point. 

[wardly]

3 hours ago, Mean Green Matt said:

AFA and CSU aren’t that big of a loss for the MWC. If their departure opens the door for us, I strongly encourage them to take this once in a lifetime AAC invitation that they definitely, 100% won’t regret at any point. 

If they are trading AFA and CSU for UNT and UTSA then I think the MWC really got the short end of the stick.

[Jonnyeagle]

34 minutes ago, wardly said:

If they are trading AFA and CSU for UNT and UTSA then I think the MWC really got the short end of the stick.

Yeah cause like AFA and CSU are really awesome I mean like wow they are just a hair short of Bama and Norte Dame.  Give me a break pal.

[wardly]

1 hour ago, Jonnyeagle said:

Yeah cause like AFA and CSU are really awesome I mean like wow they are just a hair short of Bama and Norte Dame.  Give me a break pal.

Do you honestly think that UNT and UTSA are an upgrade from AFA and CSU. Give me a break pal.

[El Paso Eagle]

6 hours ago, wardly said:

They want to play Navy every year and hope to lure Army into the AAC.

Army, Navy, and the AF all play each other every year. The military academies compete annually for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, which goes to the academy with the best record in the round-robin competition.

Edited October 1, 2021 by El Paso Eagle

[Mean Green Matt]

5 hours ago, wardly said:

If they are trading AFA and CSU for UNT and UTSA then I think the MWC really got the short end of the stick.

Yes, but we didn’t!

[PlummMeanGreen]

2 hours ago, El Paso Eagle said:

Army, Navy, and the AF all play each other every year. The military academies compete annually for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, which goes to the academy with the best record in the round-robin competition.

Again, why would they have to be in the same conference to keep playing each other? 

[Mean Green Matt]

1 minute ago, PlummMeanGreen said:

Again, why would they have to be in the same conference to keep playing each other? 

Opens up non conference dates. 

[PlummMeanGreen]

1 hour ago, Mean Green Matt said:

Opens up non conference dates. 

Seems that AFA’s financiers may  pressure the Falcons to stay where they are.  
 

[untjim1995]

1 hour ago, PlummMeanGreen said:

Seems that AFA’s financiers may  pressure the Falcons to stay where they are.  
 

As they should. Them going to the AAC is a terrible idea. They lose all of their rivals, gain conference foes like Temple, Tulane, and SMU, all three combined wouldn’t bring 1000 fans to Colorado Springs for a home game. The best team in the AAC is now Memphis? Not a good move, IMO, but then again, our military leadership these days isn’t exactly top notch.

[El Paso Eagle]

The only reason I can think they would want to leave is to try and force an issue with the payment structure for Boise. I believe, and I could be wrong, Boise gets a different payout than the other teams in the conference

[wardly]

4 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

The only reason I can think they would want to leave is to try and force an issue with the payment structure for Boise. I believe, and I could be wrong, Boise gets a different payout than the other teams in the conference

They get more money that the other schools which is a point of contention. The MWC has two " marquee" programs, Boise and SDSU, with the AFA and Colorado State probably a step or two behind. Most of their other  programs are forgettable, like other G 5 conferences. I really have no idea why AFA and CSU want out but it could open up an opportunity for UNT. Whether we would act on it is up to our administration. However if no school from the MWC leaves, then the AAC probably will come after the four best programs available in the SBC and CUSA. Other than UAB I am clueless as to who fits their profile, or even what their profile is. Lately I have read that Charlotte is under consideration because of support by East Carolina which is a real head scratcher . The bottom line is that with realignment, the SEC got stronger, the Big 12 got weaker,the AAC got weaker, if the MWC loses the AFC and CSU they are weaker, and if the SBC and CUSA loses one or two top programs they are weaker. Poop runs down hill.

[MeanGreenTexan]

10 hours ago, wardly said:

Do you honestly think that UNT and UTSA are an upgrade from AFA and CSU. Give me a break pal.

This Ebbs & Flows.

As of now, I'd say NT would drag behind the other 3, but UTSA would be the best of the 4.
Now, at the end of 2018, I'd say NT was the best team of the 4.   We're simply a new HC away...
COSt just built a beautiful new on-campus stadium, and Air Force, being an academy school, will always have a following, even when bad.   But I think if NT and/or UTSA could put together a real run of 3-4 good seasons of football, both could easily overcome COSt & Air Force as far as perception.  Especially if on equal footing in the same conference.