If I was AAC commish...

[LitMedallion]

Only 4 teams from CUSA would have been invited to the American. UNT, UTSA, UAB, and FAU.

We could play an 8 game schedule while rotating through all the teams more frequently. (UNT, SMU, UTSA, Tulsa) (Tulane, UAB, Memphis, ECU)  (FAU, USF, Navy, Temple) Play annually then you rotate the other 8 teams in the 5 remaining games.  These annual teams would be regional type rivals. Schedule the other 5 games as home and home and we'd rotate through the entire conference no less than every 4 years. 

 

[Marcelo]

26 minutes ago, LitMedallion said:

Only 4 teams from CUSA would have been invited to the American. UNT, UTSA, UAB, and FAU.

We could play an 8 game schedule while rotating through all the teams more frequently. (UNT, SMU, UTSA, Tulsa) (Tulane, UAB, Memphis, ECU)  (FAU, USF, Navy, Temple) Play annually then you rotate the other 8 teams in the 5 remaining games.  These annual teams would be regional type rivals. Schedule the other 5 games as home and home and we'd rotate through the entire conference no less than every 4 years. 

 

I like that Rice was included. 

[VideoEagle]

That's not a bad thought. We know it was a committee of university Presidents who came up the initial list, not the Commissioner. And it at least appears they ran that list by ESPN and the other media partners to come up with a combination of schools to add that would maximize the media payout. 
 

it took six of us the balance the loss of the three going to the Big XII. Likewise, it took the Big XII adding four to make up for their loss of two. I’m not certain either the AAC or the BIG XII got as good a deal as they could have with their original lineups. But both have done well enough to make both conferences happy.

[keith]

There was some talk that the go big to 14 approach may have been a pre-emptive defensive strategy with the anticipation of losing some members in the future.  Forgoing Rice and Charlotte would have abandoned two significant markets (if that really matters).  Maybe Rice and Charlotte could have been added later, but no telling what the landscape will look like in the future.  I thought, but don't know for sure or how much, each of the schools joining had to make an on-going financial commitment as part of the invitation/acceptance process.  Let's say the AAC passed on both Rice and Charlotte with the idea of picking them up at some point in the future if necessary.  Both would be much stronger after 4, 5 or 6 years of AAC-required investment than they would be if they languished as is until the league needed them to backfill losses.  No proof, but I feel the league would like to get to 16.  

[LitMedallion]

15 minutes ago, Marcelo said:

I like that Rice was included. 

Why do you feel this way?

[Wag Tag]

I believe Rice was a mistake. To say it gives a presence in the Houston market is saying SMU would give the Big 12 a presence in the Dallas market. Maybe they wanted the baseball program.

[Marcelo]

55 minutes ago, LitMedallion said:

Why do you feel this way?

Too many underestimate the value of Rice University being in the same conference. If Rice decides to get really serious about athletics, it has the resources necessary to do so and become a top-tier program. Not to mention the superb academics it brings to the table. 

[VideoEagle]

The international name recognition of Rice is unbelievable! 

[MDH]

Rice over FAU but otherwise agree.

[NT80]

2 hours ago, keith said:

There was some talk that the go big to 14 approach may have been a pre-emptive defensive strategy with the anticipation of losing some members in the future.  Forgoing Rice and Charlotte would have abandoned two significant markets (if that really matters).  Maybe Rice and Charlotte could have been added later, but no telling what the landscape will look like in the future.  I thought, but don't know for sure or how much, each of the schools joining had to make an on-going financial commitment as part of the invitation/acceptance process.  Let's say the AAC passed on both Rice and Charlotte with the idea of picking them up at some point in the future if necessary.  Both would be much stronger after 4, 5 or 6 years of AAC-required investment than they would be if they languished as is until the league needed them to backfill losses.  No proof, but I feel the league would like to get to 16.  

These were the reasons I believe also for the addition of six replacing three.   All are in large metro areas too, thinking growth of those schools will continue.  

[LitMedallion]

3 minutes ago, NT80 said:

These were the reasons I believe also for the addition of six replacing three.   All are in large metro areas too, thinking growth of those schools will continue.  

Rice will never grow, though. 

[LitMedallion]

1 hour ago, VideoEagle said:

The international name recognition of Rice is unbelievable! 

Nice joke! 

[LitMedallion]

1 hour ago, Marcelo said:

Too many underestimate the value of Rice University being in the same conference. If Rice decides to get really serious about athletics, it has the resources necessary to do so and become a top-tier program. Not to mention the superb academics it brings to the table. 

Meh, they've had since 1996 to give a care.

[Side.Show.Joe]

3 hours ago, LitMedallion said:

Only 4 teams from CUSA would have been invited to the American. UNT, UTSA, UAB, and FAU.

We could play an 8 game schedule while rotating through all the teams more frequently. (UNT, SMU, UTSA, Tulsa) (Tulane, UAB, Memphis, ECU)  (FAU, USF, Navy, Temple) Play annually then you rotate the other 8 teams in the 5 remaining games.  These annual teams would be regional type rivals. Schedule the other 5 games as home and home and we'd rotate through the entire conference no less than every 4 years. 

 

I agree 4 would have made more sense. But, ESPN gets what ESPN wants. And remember, at the time of the decision we were the biggest head-scratcher of the bunch. But if it were just 4, I'd have picked UNT, UAB, UTSA, & Rice. Rice has history, money, academic respect, and a national brand. FAU has none of those qualities and seems to be regressing. Have two divisions... East: ECU, Memphis, South Florida, UAB, Temple. & Tulane. West: UNT, SMU, Rice, UTSA, Tulsa, & Navy. I think those would be 5 great annual match-ups UNT fans would show up to watch.

[El Paso Eagle]

15 minutes ago, Side.Show.Joe said:

And remember, at the time of the decision we were the biggest head-scratcher of the bunch

Outside our Green world many were saying the only reason we were invited was to have a team in the DFW area if SMU was to leave (I think many thought we would be going to the MWC). Maybe we should focus a little more on how we can step up our game and not question why others were invited. 

[Green Otaku]

2 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

Outside our Green world many were saying the only reason we were invited was to have a team in the DFW area if SMU was to leave (I think many thought we would be going to the MWC). Maybe we should focus a little more on how we can step up our game and not question why others were invited. 

I feel like there was some truth to the MWC rumors. If true the AAC made a preemptive move to block the AAC from getting into TX/the central time zone. 

[Side.Show.Joe]

3 minutes ago, Green Otaku said:

I feel like there was some truth to the MWC rumors. If true the AAC made a preemptive move to block the AAC from getting into TX/the central time zone. 

Thompson really liked UNT. I believe the MWC was ready to make a move into Texas and the AAC wasn't looking for competition. 

[wardly]

Rice and Charlotte could have moved to the Belt or stayed put. Also from what I read there will no longer be separate East/West or North/South divisions on the majority of conferences beginning next year.Television likes the BIG 12 model where the 2 best teams in the conference play at the end of the season .

[Green Otaku]

2 hours ago, Side.Show.Joe said:

Thompson really liked UNT. I believe the MWC was ready to make a move into Texas and the AAC wasn't looking for competition. 

I know it will never come out, but I'd really like to know if there were talks and how far those talks went. MWC would have been the next best move if the AAC wasn't available. 

[Green Otaku]

43 minutes ago, wardly said:

Rice and Charlotte could have moved to the Belt or stayed put. Also from what I read there will no longer be separate East/West or North/South divisions on the majority of conferences beginning next year.Television likes the BIG 12 model where the 2 best teams in the conference play at the end of the season .

Interesting. I thought they were keeping the divisions model when we made the move. I kind of also like what the Pac12 did and do 9 conference games. Having 1 less OOC game makes them more valuable and we can hopefully get some good matchups/a more premium price tag if we go play the Alabamas/Ohio States of college football. Plus it would hopefully get rid of the FCS scheduling, those do nothing for us as fans.

[GMG_Dallas]

40 minutes ago, Green Otaku said:

Interesting. I thought they were keeping the divisions model when we made the move. I kind of also like what the Pac12 did and do 9 conference games. Having 1 less OOC game makes them more valuable and we can hopefully get some good matchups/a more premium price tag if we go play the Alabamas/Ohio States of college football. Plus it would hopefully get rid of the FCS scheduling, those do nothing for us as fans.

This is what the Big 12 has been doing for a few years now. Enhances the strength of schedule due to limiting games against weak OOC opponents and creates the narrative of a true champion being crowned. Conferences with divisions have the question of whether or not the champion received a favorable cross-divisional draw. Not that it's helped smaller P5 programs such as TCU this year but that's the idea. I like it but ultimately none of it matters if the committees keep looking at brand name over record. If TCU was UT or OU, they'd be top 3 maybe top 2 with little questions asked.

[NT80]

1 hour ago, wardly said:

Rice and Charlotte could have moved to the Belt or stayed put. Also from what I read there will no longer be separate East/West or North/South divisions on the majority of conferences beginning next year.Television likes the BIG 12 model where the 2 best teams in the conference play at the end of the season .

There is no longer an NCAA requirement to have divisions to sponsor a championship game, so many conferences are doing away with divisions. 

Some upper conferences were/are debating if a championship game helps or hurts playoff chances.  Would TCU stay #4 if they didn't play K-State in a Big12 championship game?   Ohio State and Michigan may very well be #2 and #3 but playing each other will probably knock one out of the CFP.  End of season losses are worse than beginning of season losses.

[Green Otaku]

40 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

This is what the Big 12 has been doing for a few years now. Enhances the strength of schedule due to limiting games against weak OOC opponents and creates the narrative of a true champion being crowned. Conferences with divisions have the question of whether or not the champion received a favorable cross-divisional draw. Not that it's helped smaller P5 programs such as TCU this year but that's the idea. I like it but ultimately none of it matters if the committees keep looking at brand name over record. If TCU was UT or OU, they'd be top 3 maybe top 2 with little questions asked.

Hopefully the AAC adopts the same 9 game format in the future. 

[Green Otaku]

36 minutes ago, NT80 said:

There is no longer an NCAA requirement to have divisions to sponsor a championship game, so many conferences are doing away with divisions. 

Some upper conferences were/are debating if a championship game helps or hurts playoff chances.  Would TCU stay #4 if they didn't play K-State in a Big12 championship game?   Ohio State and Michigan may very well be #2 and #3 but playing each other will probably knock one out of the CFP.  End of season losses are worse than beginning of season losses.

The expanded playoff will go a long way in fixing some of those issues IMO. 

[greenminer]

6 hours ago, Marcelo said:

 If Rice decides to get really serious about athletics,

Have you seen their endowment? They are doing fine without being at the top of the rankings.