The Realignment Scorecard

[untjim1995]

AAC used flawed reasoning in expansion, even though Houston produces good TV numbers, their market first approach failed to account for the fact that in the carriage economy they needed teams that have devoted fan bases.

They would have been better off at the get-go taking ECU over SMU. Houston is the only school they added (and kept) west of Cincinnati that has a large for G5 fan base that also produces good TV audiences. Northern Illinois would have been more valuable than say Tulane who produces worse TV audience numbers than SMU.

Two of the least watched games last year that were covered by the national rankings were Memphis-Temple and FIU-FAU. Ok, no one adds Memphis and Temple expecting a big football audience, you add them for hoops and hoops does matter (See Big East drawing double the TV money of AAC) but FIU-FAU don't offer that offset. The Florida twins simply face two significant issues. One, they are young programs without a strongly established base yet, they are a nice future bet but won't deliver today. The other is the Miami market is a tough nut to crack. Miami couldn't regularly sell out as top 5 football program, they are one of two markets to fail in Major League Soccer and baseball, basketball, hockey have never lived up to the projections of support except when they are among the top 3 or 4 teams in their league and support falls right back soon as they leave the elite, they have been unable to develop a large hardcore fan base.

AAC probably would have been better off staying within the eastern time zone raiding the other leagues.

I'm just glad they look SMU. If SMU stays in CUSA, with RIce, Tulane, and Tulsa, the league probably just adds UTSA to replace UH. MUTS was going to replace Memphis, no matter what. One of the F_U twins would've replaced ECU in the new CUSA, as well. Imagine being in the SBC, but it somehow being worse than it already was perceived to be...La Tech would've gone independent before joining the SBC. Basically, you'd have the old SBC, probably have added Texas State, and would see another set of FCS schools move up, such as Charlotte or Georgia Southern. No thanks...

[Arkstfan]

I'm just glad they look SMU. If SMU stays in CUSA, with RIce, Tulane, and Tulsa, the league probably just adds UTSA to replace UH. MUTS was going to replace Memphis, no matter what. One of the F_U twins would've replaced ECU in the new CUSA, as well. Imagine being in the SBC, but it somehow being worse than it already was perceived to be...La Tech would've gone independent before joining the SBC. Basically, you'd have the old SBC, probably have added Texas State, and would see another set of FCS schools move up, such as Charlotte or Georgia Southern. No thanks...

Georgia Southern has at least demonstrated the ability to win games and sell tickets. They are a good addition. Charlotte and Georgia State... not so much.

[TIgreen01]

I have a very unscientific opinion of all of the realignment---it sucked.

[DirtySavage]

The MAC doesn't change the schools in is Conference every year which gives it more consistency in my mind....

[NTXCoog]

The MAC doesn't change the schools in is Conference every year which gives it more consistency in my mind....

While several schools have consistenly been in the conference, the MAC has had and is continuing to have plenty of changes.

1986 NIU leaves the conference

1992 Akron joins

1997 NIU and Marshall rejoin

1998 Buffalo joins

2002 UCF joins

2005 Marshall and UCF leave

2007 Temple joins

2012 Temple leaves and UMass football joins

2015 UMass is scheduled to leave

[forevereagle]

While several schools have consistenly been in the conference, the MAC has had and is continuing to have plenty of changes.

1986 NIU leaves the conference

1992 Akron joins

1997 NIU and Marshall rejoin

1998 Buffalo joins

2002 UCF joins

2005 Marshall and UCF leave

2007 Temple joins

2012 Temple leaves and UMass football joins

2015 UMass is scheduled to leave

As far as college athletics go, that is extremely stable. Compare that to what CUSA, AAC, MWC, WAC, etc. have done.

[Arkstfan]

As far as college athletics go, that is extremely stable. Compare that to what CUSA, AAC, MWC, WAC, etc. have done.

And more importantly... the bulk of the transition as been football only memberships. As far back as I've been able to go, the average football only membership last just under four years and only two have ever gone 8 or more years.

Football only is inherently unstable because one or both parties prefer it that way. Equity membership is more stable people don't just grab change for change's sake.