(10-14-2021 12:24 PM)JCGSU Wrote:  

(10-14-2021 12:23 PM)jmu98 Wrote:  

(10-14-2021 12:11 PM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  

(10-14-2021 11:49 AM)Soobahk40050 Wrote:  JMU has a higher budget (58 million) than any school in the Belt or C-USA. Not saying that the AAC will take JMU, but the budget works.

Don’t mistake high budgets for financial health. JMU also has one of the highest student fee subsidies in Division 1. 48M of their 58M budget in 2020 came from student fees and school funds. IIRC, the state of Virginia has a budget cap similar to the state of Georgia’s that limits the amount your budget is allowed to be subsidized by. ODU’s athletic subsidy has a much lower cap because they play in the FBS. Similarly, if JMU moved to the FBS, they would have to reorganize their budget to fall within this new cap.

While I don't disagree that JMU relies too much on student fees some of that is based on the rules Virginia has for not being able to take certain types of aid for athletics that only a few other states have. JMU's overall cost to attend including tuition and fees is quite reasonable compared to similar schools. As far as the Cox Bill goes it allows you to remove certain items (infrastructure debt being the biggest) from the overall calculation that lowers the percentage in the calculation. If JMU moved up there would need to be some additional funding, but that number is pretty reasonable.

JMU definitely wants to move up this time and has taken the above into consideration, but we will see what happens as everything shakes out.

82.87% allocated what would it need to go to if moving up? That is a very high number.

The way the law is written we would be able to remove about 13 million from the numerator of that calculation, which essentially would make it 34/58 or 58.6%. We would need it to get that 34 to about 31 so an additional 3 million a year in funding from other sources. That can certainly be done pretty easily.

The AAC, from P6 Conference . . .

. . . to P6.5

(10-14-2021 11:25 AM)slycat Wrote:  What a quote. Basically saying "Hey there you nobody, come join the great and mighty AAC and we will raise you up. All the schools we wanted turned us down so now we are down to you losers"

. . . so, you sayin’ we got a shot . . .

(10-14-2021 12:16 PM)statefanatic Wrote:  

(10-14-2021 12:02 PM)RamblinRedWolf Wrote:  

(10-14-2021 11:42 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  Not gonna happen but I've been told the AAC has had talks with stAte. I know if we knew for a fact that Memphis was gonna stay that stAte would do everything in its power to find the money for exit and entry fees. We would also find a way to raise our budget. I figure stAte will be in the Belt for the long term. We aren't going anywhere.

It's pretty obvious Memphis is as good as gone (and I can't help but think they'd do anything to block Astate from hopping on board) but regardless, Astate is not an American team. They belong exactly where they're at now (Funbelt).

I completely agree with you. I also know our administration and donors would throw money all over the place to be in the same conference as Memphis. Everyone knows Memphis is gone as soon as they get an invite. I also believe we are where we should be. Just wish we would add USM. Our fans would show up to watch USM. As it stand we don't really have a rival that interests our fans other than UL. The biggest problem is the western side of the conference sucks.

We have great history with both Louisiana schools (that we don't play up more like we should). To be fair, South Al has only been playing football for 12 years and the Bobcats have only been in the league for less than a decade. There's still potential to develop some great rivalries with both in due time (and again, building it up to something special).

Interesting quote. I take that partly that schools like Marshall and App State aren't in consideration, as we are more 'established' and are solid products. Sounds like they are chasing markets and 'potential', like CUSA did last time around. Didn't work out very good for us then, and I doubt it works out well for the AAC this time. If true, then I expect Marshall to join the Sun Belt. Last I heard if the AAC doesn't invite us, we are Sun Belt bound. So we will see what happens. Going to be an interesting few weeks if nothing else.

(10-14-2021 11:00 AM)RamblinRedWolf Wrote:  Overall nothing new in the article but I thought the quote alone was worth the thread

https://www.smudailycampus.com/sports/aa...conference

"Aresco instead pointed to a new model. Instead of bringing in established schools, he believes the conference can survive by bringing in lesser schools and raising their profile once they are in the conference.

“I think what is sometimes overlooked is what the American Athletic Conference has done in elevating programs that may not have been at the level they’re at now,” Aresco said. “In terms of the conference, our goals and vision have not changed. I think once we reconstitute we’re going to continue our approach. As in trying to become an autonomous six conference.”

My God. This guy is as dumb as the dumbasses that handled the last Cusa shakeup. They will face the same demise. Long live the SBC.

Using the USA Today numbers Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, and Old Dominion are the only teams with budgets currently in the $40M or greater range.

ODU at $49M and a city population of 230K and a metro population of 1.047M should then be a good fit for the AAC. The issue is their football stadium only holds 22.8K. Would the AAC be okay with that? They have good support though and are rebuilding their football team.

We all assume UAB is in. The question is do they expand by 2 or 4. I think I would take UAB and ODU if I were the AAC looking at teams in the C-USA.

So slapping a devalued AAC patch on their Jerseys and fields will elevate their level of play and profiles? That's like a much worse version of someone saying Kansas football a is better program for playing in the Big 12 or Vandy is better because they play in the SEC.

(10-14-2021 12:30 PM)Bobcat87 Wrote:  

(10-14-2021 11:25 AM)slycat Wrote:  What a quote. Basically saying "Hey there you nobody, come join the great and mighty AAC and we will raise you up. All the schools we wanted turned us down so now we are down to you losers"

. . . so, you sayin’ we got a shot . . .

Honestly, yeah. It probably why our name got tossed around in that one article. We are full of potential, have a ton of students (and their fees), and might be super excited to be asked to dance. Like others said, I bet they vet all G5 schools to some degree. And I could see our new AD getting pumped about a move to hang his hat on.

It won't happen, I don't want it to happen, but it could happen.

I be honest I think Liberty, JMU, are a lock, with Rice, and Idk. If you say something like this you are going after these type of schools and steering clear of CUSA and rural schools.

I say UNCC or Georgia St. maybe as number 4

(10-14-2021 12:32 PM)RamblinRedWolf Wrote:  

(10-14-2021 12:16 PM)statefanatic Wrote:  

(10-14-2021 12:02 PM)RamblinRedWolf Wrote:  

(10-14-2021 11:42 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  Not gonna happen but I've been told the AAC has had talks with stAte. I know if we knew for a fact that Memphis was gonna stay that stAte would do everything in its power to find the money for exit and entry fees. We would also find a way to raise our budget. I figure stAte will be in the Belt for the long term. We aren't going anywhere.

It's pretty obvious Memphis is as good as gone (and I can't help but think they'd do anything to block Astate from hopping on board) but regardless, Astate is not an American team. They belong exactly where they're at now (Funbelt).

I completely agree with you. I also know our administration and donors would throw money all over the place to be in the same conference as Memphis. Everyone knows Memphis is gone as soon as they get an invite. I also believe we are where we should be. Just wish we would add USM. Our fans would show up to watch USM. As it stand we don't really have a rival that interests our fans other than UL. The biggest problem is the western side of the conference sucks.

We have great history with both Louisiana schools (that we don't play up more like we should). To be fair, South Al has only been playing football for 12 years and the Bobcats have only been in the league for less than a decade. There's still potential to develop some great rivalries with both in due time (and again, building it up to something special).

Our fan base is more internally focused. What’s happening right now. Is the S&C coach as good as this one was.

Fans don’t get “up” much for a specific game other than Memphis or UCA. You don’t get a lot of pre-game chatter ahead of Louisiana, ULM, Troy, USA but fans damn well grade the program on those four (sorry TXST time hasn’t presented us with enough, can’t believe we won and can’t believe we lost games….. yet).

(10-14-2021 01:31 PM)Bigtom12 Wrote:  I be honest I think Liberty, JMU, are a lock, with Rice, and Idk. If you say something like this you are going after these type of schools and steering clear of CUSA and rural schools.

I say UNCC or Georgia St. maybe as number 4

If I were to wager, I’d guess the AAC list in order looks roughly like this
UAB
Buffalo
Rice
UTSA
Liberty
FIU.

(10-14-2021 01:36 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(10-14-2021 01:31 PM)Bigtom12 Wrote:  I be honest I think Liberty, JMU, are a lock, with Rice, and Idk. If you say something like this you are going after these type of schools and steering clear of CUSA and rural schools.

I say UNCC or Georgia St. maybe as number 4

If I were to wager, I’d guess the AAC list in order looks roughly like this
UAB
Buffalo
Rice
UTSA
Liberty
FIU.

FIU and Buffalo being conference foes...that's a wild concept

(10-14-2021 01:36 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(10-14-2021 01:31 PM)Bigtom12 Wrote:  I be honest I think Liberty, JMU, are a lock, with Rice, and Idk. If you say something like this you are going after these type of schools and steering clear of CUSA and rural schools.

I say UNCC or Georgia St. maybe as number 4

If I were to wager, I’d guess the AAC list in order looks roughly like this
UAB
Buffalo
Rice
UTSA
Liberty
FIU.

If this is the case then sunbelt will come out ahead . Be great to have USM and Marshall

(10-14-2021 12:56 PM)forphase1 Wrote:  Interesting quote. I take that partly that schools like Marshall and App State aren't in consideration, as we are more 'established' and are solid products. Sounds like they are chasing markets and 'potential', like CUSA did last time around. Didn't work out very good for us then, and I doubt it works out well for the AAC this time. If true, then I expect Marshall to join the Sun Belt. Last I heard if the AAC doesn't invite us, we are Sun Belt bound. So we will see what happens. Going to be an interesting few weeks if nothing else.

I don't know...to the AAC perhaps App State and Marshall are 'lessor' schools that can rise up.

However, I think they stick to the metro model and get UAB, Buffalo, Rice, etc.

I also don't think they pull JMU straight from FCS to FBS, BUT I think after the dust settles JMU will be in the FBS, just not in the AAC, probably in CUSA.

(10-14-2021 01:50 PM)Goronic Wrote:  

(10-14-2021 12:56 PM)forphase1 Wrote:  Interesting quote. I take that partly that schools like Marshall and App State aren't in consideration, as we are more 'established' and are solid products. Sounds like they are chasing markets and 'potential', like CUSA did last time around. Didn't work out very good for us then, and I doubt it works out well for the AAC this time. If true, then I expect Marshall to join the Sun Belt. Last I heard if the AAC doesn't invite us, we are Sun Belt bound. So we will see what happens. Going to be an interesting few weeks if nothing else.

I don't know...to the AAC perhaps App State and Marshall are 'lessor' schools that can rise up.

However, I think they stick to the metro model and get UAB, Buffalo, Rice, etc.

I also don't think they pull JMU straight from FCS to FBS, BUT I think after the dust settles JMU will be in the FBS, just not in the AAC, probably in CUSA.

It all depends on what are lesser schools to Aresco. I would like to think not as established in sports, or the public rural institution if it’s the second one then he thinks schools like Tulane, and Temple, or better than Louisiana, and App State.

I think he have to be talking about atheletics as a whole or ones without a conference that have big budgets like Liberty, JMU, and Rice

(10-14-2021 11:42 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  Not gonna happen but I've been told the AAC has had talks with stAte. I know if we knew for a fact that Memphis was gonna stay that stAte would do everything in its power to find the money for exit and entry fees. We would also find a way to raise our budget. I figure stAte will be in the Belt for the long term. We aren't going anywhere.

They came for a visit during the Coastal game.

(10-14-2021 02:18 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(10-14-2021 11:42 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  Not gonna happen but I've been told the AAC has had talks with stAte. I know if we knew for a fact that Memphis was gonna stay that stAte would do everything in its power to find the money for exit and entry fees. We would also find a way to raise our budget. I figure stAte will be in the Belt for the long term. We aren't going anywhere.

They came for a visit during the Coastal game.

What a terrible game for them to come to (at least for Astate Coastal not so terribly bad)

"Lesser" in this case probably means the peer institutional schools with resources but underachieving athletic success. Like Rice for example.

Then there are probably schools considered "high achieving" or "overachieving" but possess limited potential due to circumstances beyond their control in the eyes of AAC presidents. Marshall would fall into this category.

(10-14-2021 01:21 PM)TealNation Wrote:  So slapping a devalued AAC patch on their Jerseys and fields will elevate their level of play and profiles? That's like a much worse version of someone saying Kansas football a is better program for playing in the Big 12 or Vandy is better because they play in the SEC.

You forgot to say "...while asking them to spend $10-20 million more per year while only paying them $3 million in TV revenue". Starting out in the hole every year sounds exciting.