(06-24-2019 04:35 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 04:14 PM)Tigersmoke4 Wrote:  This thread should be rename. " We don't know s#!+ about the AAC but let's all spew every stupid know nothing hateful opinion about it and call it facts".

And this would be different from every other thread about every other conference/school how?

Good point LOLOL.

(06-24-2019 08:56 AM)Tigersmoke4 Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 07:48 AM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  It’ll come down to a neck-and-neck race between ODU and UAB with Alabama-Birmingham winning out due to an edge in shared history with current members.

I think NIU is a better program than those two.
1) proven winner
2) has kept it going through multiple coaches
3) has shown that they have a small but loyal fan base that'll grow in the AAC
4) has accomplished this with no advantages or having nothing handed to them..
I'm totally serious, unfortunately if the AAC ever expands I think only the academies or the best of the mwc is a real possibility.

Let's see---

Rural Northern Illinois offers a school that continues to bleed students (now 14,000) and an empty basketball arena. If the American is looking at Illinois, it may be better to help UIC sponsor football.

(06-24-2019 07:21 PM)msm96wolf Wrote:  AAC really should go after App State (Football Only)/VCU Olympic Sports. App State is a football school. An incredible fan base. Actually, the are what ECU football use to be. They will play anywhere anytime philosophy. They are program that expects to win football titles. I think the AAC would be getting a team that would exceed all their expectations. App State will move the needle if given the chance, AAC just has to realize the are getting a first round pick in last round. Every opportunity to step up, App State has done it.

VCU Basketball - Does anymore need said.

VCU is great. -Big school with a big endowment.

App State? Nope. UNCC offers Charlotte and a growing university.

Big mistake, CUSA had the same thoughts when they brought in Charlotte. No matter what Charlotte does, it will always be a UNC-Chapel Hill city.

(06-24-2019 06:43 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  Forget the west coast schools including BYU. They have no place to park their non-football sports. New Mexico State will not let them into the WAC unless the schools are willing to restart FBS WAC.

There are bad blood between the AAC schools with Army. Army screwed them after Army left CUSA.

The top choice is ODU with a larger tv market, better recruits for basketball, and is a new state.

UAB is out of the picture. Nobody wants them because of the BoT are too much tide into U. of Alabama. BoT will try and kill all of UAB's sports so that they do not climb up to the next level.

ODU football/basketball>Georgia State


I already list the cons of Army, BYU MWC and UAB.

Marshall=small tv market takes them out of the discussion.

FIU and FAU would be too many mouths to feed in Florida.

North Texas, Rice, UTSA, and Texas State will be the same as the state of Florida. It would give Florida and Texas too much voting power.

ODU have all the check marks in their favor.

Southern Mississippi could have a shot, but the spending is not there.

UMass. was only in the picture as a travel partner for UConn for all sports. That is gone now.

Northern Illinois is too far out by themselves unless you add Ball State and Toledo to bridge the gap.

Georgia State does not have the history to even get a look at, but Georgia Southern's football is much better.

South Alabama could leap frog over UAB because they are divorced from Alabama and Auburn's influence.

Arkansas State could count Jonesboro and Little Rock's tv markets.

Appalachian State and Charlotte can't get in until ECU gets a called from a P5 conference.

I do not think any FCS schools could fit until they spend more cash on sports.

The top choice would be ODU over anybody else.

Another expert...

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

The other thought - Why does not the AAC just go for the MWC kill. Boise, Utah St, Air Force or CSU. I think SDSU is not worth the three time zones. This actually looks more like P6 for football.

West (Colorado, Utah, Ok & Tex)
Utah St
Boise St
Colorado St/Air Force
SMU
Houston
Tulsa
Navy if they want to stay west.

East (Tn, La, Ohio, PA, NC, FL)
Memphis
Tulane
Cinci
Temple
ECU
UCF
USF

(06-24-2019 06:43 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  The top choice is ODU with a larger tv market, better recruits for basketball, and is a new state.

UAB is out of the picture. Nobody wants them because of the BoT are too much tide into U. of Alabama. BoT will try and kill all of UAB's sports so that they do not climb up to the next level.

Time to compare UAB and Old Dominion.


1. FOOTBALL STADIUM

Old Dominion football facility ... seats 22,480.

UAB just broke ground on a new downtown football stadium, set to open in time for the 2021 season, seating 45,000.

Advantage UAB.


2. ALABAMA TRUSTEES

Supposedly, this is a weak spot for UAB. Well ... read the press release:

Bonds to support the $300 million BJCC stadium and renovation of the existing arena were priced and sold on Tuesday, clearing the way for the new 45,000 seat stadium and upgrades to the BJCC campus. The bond sale is scheduled to close Aug. 7.

The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees unanimously approved the lease agreement between the UAB Department of Athletics and the BJCC that is set to begin during the 2021 football season. The stadium will be located in the Uptown district as part of this $300 million project being taken on by the BJCC to renovate the arena and build a state-of-the-art, open-air football facility.


So ... UNANIMOUS ... ALABAMA BOARD OF TRUSTEES ... $300 million dollar project to build a new stadium .... your assertion about Alabama trustees yanking the rug out from under UAB appears to be pretty weak.



3. ON THE FIELD PLAY

The two years they have shared a conference, they haven't played head-to-head (they do this fall though). Here are the standings in those two years:

2018 - UAB 7 - 1 in conference, and champs. 11 - 3 overall.
2018 - ODU 2 - 6 in conference, and 4 - 8 overall.

2017 - UAB 6 - 2 in conference, 8 - 5 overall
2017 - ODU 3 - 5 in conference, 5 - 7 overall

https://conferenceusa.com/standings.aspx?standings=71


UAB has clearly been the better team the past two years.


4. MARKET SIZE

Birmingham Alabama ... ranks 43rd
Norfolk - Portsmouth - Newport News .... ranks 44th

https://newsgeneration.com/broadcast-res...o-markets/

Negligible difference ... they're the freakin' same.


5. SCHOOL SIZE - ENDOWMENT

UAB - 21,193 - $495.3 million
ODU - 24,670 - $240.9 million

Again .. negligible differences. Although university presidents like those endowments as a testament to university strength.


6. HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RECRUITING

This map shows % of high school football players recruited by division I programs ... Alabama comes in at 5%. Virginia 5.6%.

https://twitter.com/NCAAResearch/status/...97/photo/1

This stat shows Alabama with 14 blue chip recruits, to Virginia's 11.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-footbal...e-rankings


So ... call it another wash. They are about the same. UAB is in the most populated part of it's state. ODU is in a bigger state, but doubtful it has the recruiting reach into the most dense parts of it.




In the end though ...

... UAB is building a bigger football stadium.
... UAB is geographically in the center of the AAC footprint.
... UAB is playing better football, having just won the conference championship.
... UAB re-signed their football coach for the next couple of years. He's never coached outside the state of Alabama ... and may be waiting for the Auburn gig to open up.



UAB is just a better option -- right now -- than Old Dominion.

BYU, Army, or no one makes sense and I think no one is what ends up happening.

(06-24-2019 07:47 PM)Pervis_Griffith Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 06:43 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  The top choice is ODU with a larger tv market, better recruits for basketball, and is a new state.

UAB is out of the picture. Nobody wants them because of the BoT are too much tide into U. of Alabama. BoT will try and kill all of UAB's sports so that they do not climb up to the next level.

Virginia, as a state, is growing. Is Alabama growing?

Time to compare UAB and Old Dominion.


1. FOOTBALL STADIUM

Old Dominion football facility ... seats 22,480.

UAB just broke ground on a new downtown football stadium, set to open in time for the 2021 season, seating 45,000.

Advantage UAB.


2. ALABAMA TRUSTEES

Supposedly, this is a weak spot for UAB. Well ... read the press release:

Bonds to support the $300 million BJCC stadium and renovation of the existing arena were priced and sold on Tuesday, clearing the way for the new 45,000 seat stadium and upgrades to the BJCC campus. The bond sale is scheduled to close Aug. 7.

The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees unanimously approved the lease agreement between the UAB Department of Athletics and the BJCC that is set to begin during the 2021 football season. The stadium will be located in the Uptown district as part of this $300 million project being taken on by the BJCC to renovate the arena and build a state-of-the-art, open-air football facility.


So ... UNANIMOUS ... ALABAMA BOARD OF TRUSTEES ... $300 million dollar project to build a new stadium .... your assertion about Alabama trustees yanking the rug out from under UAB appears to be pretty weak.



3. ON THE FIELD PLAY

The two years they have shared a conference, they haven't played head-to-head (they do this fall though). Here are the standings in those two years:

2018 - UAB 7 - 1 in conference, and champs. 11 - 3 overall.
2018 - ODU 2 - 6 in conference, and 4 - 8 overall.

2017 - UAB 6 - 2 in conference, 8 - 5 overall
2017 - ODU 3 - 5 in conference, 5 - 7 overall

https://conferenceusa.com/standings.aspx?standings=71


UAB has clearly been the better team the past two years.


4. MARKET SIZE

Birmingham Alabama ... ranks 43rd
Norfolk - Portsmouth - Newport News .... ranks 44th

https://newsgeneration.com/broadcast-res...o-markets/

Negligible difference ... they're the freakin' same.


5. SCHOOL SIZE - ENDOWMENT

UAB - 21,193 - $495.3 million
ODU - 24,670 - $240.9 million

Again .. negligible differences. Although university presidents like those endowments as a testament to university strength.


6. HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RECRUITING

This map shows % of high school football players recruited by division I programs ... Alabama comes in at 5%. Virginia 5.6%.

https://twitter.com/NCAAResearch/status/...97/photo/1

This stat shows Alabama with 14 blue chip recruits, to Virginia's 11.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-footbal...e-rankings


So ... call it another wash. They are about the same. UAB is in the most populated part of it's state. ODU is in a bigger state, but doubtful it has the recruiting reach into the most dense parts of it.




In the end though ...

... UAB is building a bigger football stadium.
... UAB is geographically in the center of the AAC footprint.
... UAB is playing better football, having just won the conference championship.
... UAB re-signed their football coach for the next couple of years. He's never coached outside the state of Alabama ... and may be waiting for the Auburn gig to open up.



UAB is just a better option -- right now -- than Old Dominion.

(06-24-2019 06:01 PM)SMUfan Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 05:57 PM)Indiana Bones Wrote:  BYU is a very real possibility. AAC offers them more money, more exposure, access to access bowl & a chance at a championship, better platform to be in position to ultimately acquire power status. Negotiations are ongoing. the reason it's likely is it actually is a beneficial union for all 3 parties including ESPN but there are lots of details to work out in the interim.

BYU's quality of schedule would go down. You aren't getting a chance at a national championship from the AAC.

But the AAC just cut their weakest FB member in UConn....

Any move is going to be a few years forthcoming anyways and a nice expansion can help position the AAC for playoff expansion.

Second best option is AFA for football only.

Best option is nobody.

Go for the trifecta......AFA, Army and BYU!

West (BYU, AFA, Navy, Tulsa, SMU, Houston, Memphis)
East (Army, Temple, Cincinnati, ECU, UCF, USF, Tulane)

If BYU and the service academies provide value all 3 would be 3x the value.

I can easily see a situation where both AFA and Army say they are somewhat interested but very interested if both were involved. A multiplier effect could take the expansion to 14.

(06-24-2019 08:17 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  Go for the trifecta......AFA, Army and BYU!

West (BYU, AFA, Navy, Tulsa, SMU, Houston, Memphis)
East (Army, Temple, Cincinnati, ECU, UCF, USF, Tulane)

If BYU and the service academies provide value all 3 would be 3x the value.

I can easily see a situation where both AFA and Army say they are somewhat interested but very interested if both were involved. A multiplier effect could take the expansion to 14.

If you're going to do that, you'd have to keep the academies in the same division. So swap Army and Memphis.

Quick post comment for our hyper emotional friend SuperFlyBCat

Since he sees my comment "typical AAC fan" as being a pejorative and flew off the handle, let's clarify the term here:

Who it references:
Specific posters on boards like this who have a peculiar myopic view of the AAC value and how it is seen by others.

There is both a touchiness (insecurity perhaps) which results in instant anger (a lot like Donald Trump or Kamala Harris supporters), and an inability to see another view point.

It is not a POV I have seen across all AAC fan bases, nor all fans. It does permeate those of four specific schools a lot among their supporters in this and other forums, and not much at all the other schools. (So I probably over stretched my "pejorative" which I concede and apologize for, but nothing else.)

My gripe with this sort, is their "tilted table" arguments: I felt our friend was attempting to backhandedly give one of those with the old BYU contract, but not putting it into perspective with the actual values expected of the new or it's relatively equal value with the new AAC contract. (Apple to Oranges comparison.) And my other gripe is the failure to "put yourself in the others shoes" when suggesting things. (No good salesman lacks that quality of empathy -- and this is a sales pitch they are making.) It is as if they never considered the impact on others. Consider the reverse examples:

Were the coin flipped and the MWC had the $7M TV revenue vs maybe $3M for the AAC. And the MWC was trying to raid Houston, Cincy and UCF for Football only (too far to travel for Basketball and Tennis). So it's only 75% of the $7M, or $5.3M, and for the $2M gain all Houston has to do is move it's Olympics into the Southland, Cincy put them in the OVC, and UCF in the Big South; oh and give up all the accumulated Basketball credits and accept the new one bid league, and also pay entry and exit fees for three conferences too. Would any of those schools jump at that and be saying "oh thank you, you are our saviors"?

So AAC fans don't take it personally that this is the reaction from the West. We see you have the stronger league, the better TV deal, but the numbers, especially as football only offers, are not sufficient to justify leaving all our rivalries and changing our focus and recruiting over. Worse the damage to the Olympic sports more than offsets those modest gains.

******************

I for my part will avoid the term in the future since "AAC fan" is seen as a pejorative. I'll be more specific (after all it really refers to certain subset from mostly four specific schools) and yet more vague (when we get PC in our language, it often gets hard to know who we are speaking of).

But I do take some pride in knowing SuperFlyBCat went off the handle and revealed his thin skin.

RutgersGuy on the scoreboard

(06-24-2019 12:13 PM)ken d Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 10:29 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 08:55 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  I'm betting no one unless one of BYU, Army, or Air Force is finally interested (and my guess is all still say no).

If I were putting money down that's where my money would be.

Me too. They don't need to add anyone, and no schools who would add value would accept an invitation. It's more likely that Navy would also leave than that anyone would be added.

They could offer Navy a 6 game + bowl participation deal a la Notre Dame and the ACC, (that is, AAC sets the games, Navy sets the dates), until they can find a number 12. Navy can find the extra games if UConn leaves in July 2020.

Though I do think it's more likely ESPN tells them to pick one from a short list of two or three CUSA schools after BYU and Boise State turn them down again.

I hope no one if it's not Army, BYU, Air Force, Boise State. None of the other schools are raising your conference status.

ODU has made what, one bowl game so far in FBS?

(06-24-2019 07:47 PM)Pervis_Griffith Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 06:43 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  The top choice is ODU with a larger tv market, better recruits for basketball, and is a new state.

UAB is out of the picture. Nobody wants them because of the BoT are too much tide into U. of Alabama. BoT will try and kill all of UAB's sports so that they do not climb up to the next level.

Time to compare UAB and Old Dominion.


1. FOOTBALL STADIUM

Old Dominion football facility ... seats 22,480.

UAB just broke ground on a new downtown football stadium, set to open in time for the 2021 season, seating 45,000.

Advantage UAB.


2. ALABAMA TRUSTEES

Supposedly, this is a weak spot for UAB. Well ... read the press release:

Bonds to support the $300 million BJCC stadium and renovation of the existing arena were priced and sold on Tuesday, clearing the way for the new 45,000 seat stadium and upgrades to the BJCC campus. The bond sale is scheduled to close Aug. 7.

The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees unanimously approved the lease agreement between the UAB Department of Athletics and the BJCC that is set to begin during the 2021 football season. The stadium will be located in the Uptown district as part of this $300 million project being taken on by the BJCC to renovate the arena and build a state-of-the-art, open-air football facility.


So ... UNANIMOUS ... ALABAMA BOARD OF TRUSTEES ... $300 million dollar project to build a new stadium .... your assertion about Alabama trustees yanking the rug out from under UAB appears to be pretty weak.



3. ON THE FIELD PLAY

The two years they have shared a conference, they haven't played head-to-head (they do this fall though). Here are the standings in those two years:

2018 - UAB 7 - 1 in conference, and champs. 11 - 3 overall.
2018 - ODU 2 - 6 in conference, and 4 - 8 overall.

2017 - UAB 6 - 2 in conference, 8 - 5 overall
2017 - ODU 3 - 5 in conference, 5 - 7 overall

https://conferenceusa.com/standings.aspx?standings=71


UAB has clearly been the better team the past two years.


4. MARKET SIZE

Birmingham Alabama ... ranks 43rd
Norfolk - Portsmouth - Newport News .... ranks 44th

https://newsgeneration.com/broadcast-res...o-markets/

Negligible difference ... they're the freakin' same.


5. SCHOOL SIZE - ENDOWMENT

UAB - 21,193 - $495.3 million
ODU - 24,670 - $240.9 million

Again .. negligible differences. Although university presidents like those endowments as a testament to university strength.


6. HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RECRUITING

This map shows % of high school football players recruited by division I programs ... Alabama comes in at 5%. Virginia 5.6%.

https://twitter.com/NCAAResearch/status/...97/photo/1

This stat shows Alabama with 14 blue chip recruits, to Virginia's 11.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-footbal...e-rankings


So ... call it another wash. They are about the same. UAB is in the most populated part of it's state. ODU is in a bigger state, but doubtful it has the recruiting reach into the most dense parts of it.




In the end though ...

... UAB is building a bigger football stadium.
... UAB is geographically in the center of the AAC footprint.
... UAB is playing better football, having just won the conference championship.
... UAB re-signed their football coach for the next couple of years. He's never coached outside the state of Alabama ... and may be waiting for the Auburn gig to open up.



UAB is just a better option -- right now -- than Old Dominion.

What do you see in UAB or ODU that says "P6 Brand" to you?

I mean you've got a school that took $1.3 million to go to Liberty and a school that was once audited by the city because they thought they were getting shorted on ticket revenue.

God bless Birmingham for rallying after they got screwed but unless something changes UAB is under a hard cap by the university system for athletic spending. Two good programs but they sure don't fit the P6 branding effort of AAC, in fact outside of BYU, Army and the upper part of MWC, their ain't no P6 branding compatible candidates in 2019.

ESPN wants Lane Kiffin and Chuck Whopper Jr. in the “P6”. Now that would be hilarious.

(06-25-2019 08:32 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 07:47 PM)Pervis_Griffith Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 06:43 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  The top choice is ODU with a larger tv market, better recruits for basketball, and is a new state.

UAB is out of the picture. Nobody wants them because of the BoT are too much tide into U. of Alabama. BoT will try and kill all of UAB's sports so that they do not climb up to the next level.

Time to compare UAB and Old Dominion.


1. FOOTBALL STADIUM

Old Dominion football facility ... seats 22,480.

UAB just broke ground on a new downtown football stadium, set to open in time for the 2021 season, seating 45,000.

Advantage UAB.


2. ALABAMA TRUSTEES

Supposedly, this is a weak spot for UAB. Well ... read the press release:

Bonds to support the $300 million BJCC stadium and renovation of the existing arena were priced and sold on Tuesday, clearing the way for the new 45,000 seat stadium and upgrades to the BJCC campus. The bond sale is scheduled to close Aug. 7.

The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees unanimously approved the lease agreement between the UAB Department of Athletics and the BJCC that is set to begin during the 2021 football season. The stadium will be located in the Uptown district as part of this $300 million project being taken on by the BJCC to renovate the arena and build a state-of-the-art, open-air football facility.


So ... UNANIMOUS ... ALABAMA BOARD OF TRUSTEES ... $300 million dollar project to build a new stadium .... your assertion about Alabama trustees yanking the rug out from under UAB appears to be pretty weak.



3. ON THE FIELD PLAY

The two years they have shared a conference, they haven't played head-to-head (they do this fall though). Here are the standings in those two years:

2018 - UAB 7 - 1 in conference, and champs. 11 - 3 overall.
2018 - ODU 2 - 6 in conference, and 4 - 8 overall.

2017 - UAB 6 - 2 in conference, 8 - 5 overall
2017 - ODU 3 - 5 in conference, 5 - 7 overall

https://conferenceusa.com/standings.aspx?standings=71


UAB has clearly been the better team the past two years.


4. MARKET SIZE

Birmingham Alabama ... ranks 43rd
Norfolk - Portsmouth - Newport News .... ranks 44th

https://newsgeneration.com/broadcast-res...o-markets/

Negligible difference ... they're the freakin' same.


5. SCHOOL SIZE - ENDOWMENT

UAB - 21,193 - $495.3 million
ODU - 24,670 - $240.9 million

Again .. negligible differences. Although university presidents like those endowments as a testament to university strength.


6. HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RECRUITING

This map shows % of high school football players recruited by division I programs ... Alabama comes in at 5%. Virginia 5.6%.

https://twitter.com/NCAAResearch/status/...97/photo/1

This stat shows Alabama with 14 blue chip recruits, to Virginia's 11.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-footbal...e-rankings


So ... call it another wash. They are about the same. UAB is in the most populated part of it's state. ODU is in a bigger state, but doubtful it has the recruiting reach into the most dense parts of it.




In the end though ...

... UAB is building a bigger football stadium.
... UAB is geographically in the center of the AAC footprint.
... UAB is playing better football, having just won the conference championship.
... UAB re-signed their football coach for the next couple of years. He's never coached outside the state of Alabama ... and may be waiting for the Auburn gig to open up.



UAB is just a better option -- right now -- than Old Dominion.

What do you see in UAB or ODU that says "P6 Brand" to you?

I mean you've got a school that took $1.3 million to go to Liberty and a school that was once audited by the city because they thought they were getting shorted on ticket revenue.

God bless Birmingham for rallying after they got screwed but unless something changes UAB is under a hard cap by the university system for athletic spending. Two good programs but they sure don't fit the P6 branding effort of AAC, in fact outside of BYU, Army and the upper part of MWC, their ain't no P6 branding compatible candidates in 2019.

Let's face the truth. The only schools in the AAC that look close to P5 quality are Houston, Cincy, Memphis and UCF. Army is not P6 branding compatible. UAB would fit right in, right now with the other 8 schools.