In two recent interviews, American commish Mike Aresco has mentioned the possibility of going to 14 schools.

Army's TV deal with CBS Sports expires after 2014. With Navy joining the American in 2015, here's how the cookie might crumble:

Army and Air Force to the American
MWC replaces Air Force with UTEP
CUSA replaces UTEP with a Sun Belt school

Are you thinking Air Force is going to be an all sport member of the AAC or are you thinking they'll play FB only?

I'm not sure that Air Force has much to gain here by joining the AAC without a few front range partners.

I don't see Air Force signing up for this with the TV deal the way it is. The academy sports programs have funding limitations just like anyone else. Army and UMass/Old Dominion I bet...gets to 12 basketball, 14 football.

I'm guessing ODU is on the short list. Especially since they are talking about building a new stadium.

(09-09-2013 10:00 AM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  I don't see Air Force signing up for this with the TV deal the way it is. The academy sports programs have funding limitations just like anyone else. Army and UMass/Old Dominion I bet...gets to 12 basketball, 14 football.

ODU with the new 30,000 stadium coming online is fast moving up the AAC pecking order of candidates.

Another thing going for them that UMass and ODU didn't just a few years ago is the AAC would be adding existing FBS schools and not FCS upgrades which has always been taboo for Aresco.

Wow! 14? If Army is involved then I can see the enticement for Air Force to join football only and move there other sports in the WAC and Summit.

However, UTEP is out of the question, they want to be tied to the Texas schools. If there is any other school out there for the MW it would be either NMSU or Texas St who would be most available to move. While wanting UTSA, I don't think they want to move out of C-USA for the time being.

Say it ain't so!

I have a feeling that the AAC isn't done being raided. I think Aresco may be trying to bolster his ranks a few years early before he takes further hits.

He could also be pre-empting a merger between the AAC and MWC - but that won't happen unless there is a D4 split (not exactly likely)

(09-09-2013 10:12 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  Wow! 14? If Army is involved then I can see the enticement for Air Force to join football only and move there other sports in the WAC and Summit.

However, UTEP is out of the question, they want to be tied to the Texas schools. If there is any other school out there for the MW it would be either NMSU or Texas St who would be most available to move. While wanting UTSA, I don't think they want to move out of C-USA for the time being.

If the MW lost Air Force (which I doubt happens), I could see the MW going to 14 with a strong move into Texas. They could take UTEP, Rice and either Texas State or UTSA. That would give the MW a significant presence in Texas. Personally, I like the nationwide concept, but the AAC isn't willing to do that in a way that is viable. The AAC will stay east of the Rockies. I don't think AF is part of the plan at this point.

the prospect of AF to the AAC has always been more the AAC's wanting rather than AFs wanting.

AF has a rivalry with CSU and fits in geographically with the MWC. plus its debatable about which conference will be more stable going forward. the mwc & AAC are the two g5 conference powerhouses going forward. i think the schools in both conferences are deeply committed to each other and wont leave one for the other.

AF is such a rocky mountain themed school its hard for them to be broken from a rocky mountain conference. this school only looks east if its notre dame or a service academy. like colorado they are traditionally a western minded school

another question for AF is "whose their natural AAC partner to rival with?" navy-army have each other. SMU-UH, usf-ucf

that leaves temple, ECU, tulane, uconn, & cincy.......need I say more?

Army and Navy would seem to work easy being football only. AFA brings issues like where to do play non-football? + uneven number unless you bring in another football only member, byu? seems like a longshot but that might be the only way to bring in AFA. I'd go with:


w
Tulsa
SMU
Houston
Tulane
Memphis
UAB

e
USF
UCF
ECU
Cincy
Temple
Uconn

football only Army + navy...put them into the east for football and move ecu to the west. Why UAB?, bowl game- get espn to work sec tie, easy access with airport, geography works, city school with history to some of the other school's.

(09-09-2013 10:12 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  Wow! 14? If Army is involved then I can see the enticement for Air Force to join football only and move there other sports in the WAC and Summit.

However, UTEP is out of the question, they want to be tied to the Texas schools. If there is any other school out there for the MW it would be either NMSU or Texas St who would be most available to move. While wanting UTSA, I don't think they want to move out of C-USA for the time being.

No they don't. In fact UTEP has made it clear that they want out of CUSA.

http://www.mwcconnection.com/2013/1/10/3...nsion-utep

Andy Katz also wrote in another article a few months back that UTEP has approached the MWC about membership. Here are Katz's statement:


CUSA may end up at 16:

"The next movement out of the CAA could be James Madison. JMU is currently weighing what it will do with football. If it were to upgrade, then the first phone call could be to join ODU in CUSA. If that were to happen then CUSA would have to grab one more school to get to an event number, likely looking toward the Sun Belt again."

***

"Oh, and UTEP would love to be in the Mountain West instead of CUSA, according to industry sources."

http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=639777

The possibility exists for a "Magnolia" division consisting of Army, Navy, Air Force, SMU, Tulane, Tulsa & Houston.

The thought of playing private schools and the other academies every year in divisional play might be enticing to Army and Air Force.

Rice is a ready made replacement for the Magnolia Division should Houston ever move upward.

Few thoughts:

1. The Army add would have to require a change in leadership viewpoint from what it was. While Air Force was certainly at least considering the Big East, the impression from Army was they wanted nothing to do with a football conference. That can certainly change, but I think it was probably the position a few years ago.

2. UTEP would take a Mountain West offer. They talked about going with the Mountain West side when Conference USA and the Mountain West were talking about a merger and I think they'd take the invite almost right away now.

3. Air Force would be tough to get. Given what we've already seen with western members sticking to the Mountain West, I think they are out.

A change in Army opinion would still make expansion worthwhile. My guess is the conference would try to bring back some northern exposure and go with UMass.

(09-09-2013 10:40 AM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(09-09-2013 10:12 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  Wow! 14? If Army is involved then I can see the enticement for Air Force to join football only and move there other sports in the WAC and Summit.

However, UTEP is out of the question, they want to be tied to the Texas schools. If there is any other school out there for the MW it would be either NMSU or Texas St who would be most available to move. While wanting UTSA, I don't think they want to move out of C-USA for the time being.

No they don't. In fact UTEP has made it clear that they want out of CUSA.

http://www.mwcconnection.com/2013/1/10/3...nsion-utep

Andy Katz also wrote in another article a few months back that UTEP has approached the MWC about membership. Here are Katz's statement:


CUSA may end up at 16:

"The next movement out of the CAA could be James Madison. JMU is currently weighing what it will do with football. If it were to upgrade, then the first phone call could be to join ODU in CUSA. If that were to happen then CUSA would have to grab one more school to get to an event number, likely looking toward the Sun Belt again."

***

"Oh, and UTEP would love to be in the Mountain West instead of CUSA, according to industry sources."

http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=639777

If so....then why did the MW add Utah State instead of UTEP?

(09-09-2013 10:00 AM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  I don't see Air Force signing up for this with the TV deal the way it is. The academy sports programs have funding limitations just like anyone else. Army and UMass/Old Dominion I bet...gets to 12 basketball, 14 football.

Just playing devil's advocate, and ignoring logistical obstacles and the fact that neither Army nor Air Force seem interested in joining, Army, Navy, and Air Force in the American Conference would double the TV value overnight. The Army/Navy game contract alone is worth $10 million. Then again, for that reason, it likely would only be fair to let them keep those games for themselves.

(09-09-2013 10:52 AM)ohio1317 Wrote:  Few thoughts:

1. The Army add would have to require a change in leadership viewpoint from what it was. While Air Force was certainly at least considering the Big East, the impression from Army was they wanted nothing to do with a football conference. That can certainly change, but I think it was probably the position a few years ago.

2. UTEP would take a Mountain West offer. They talked about going with the Mountain West side when Conference USA and the Mountain West were talking about a merger and I think they'd take the invite almost right away now.

3. Air Force would be tough to get. Given what we've already seen with western members sticking to the Mountain West, I think they are out.

A change in Army opinion would still make expansion worthwhile. My guess is the conference would try to bring back some northern exposure and go with UMass.

I agree with you with all things here except the UMASS to the AAC idea.

UMass has a lot of issues going for it.

1) Membership block by UConn
2) Off campus stadium 93 miles away
3) Poor attendance (struggling to meet the 15,000 requirement)
4) Horrible performance on the field.
5) Is in year 2 of an FCS to FBS transition

Buffalo would be a much better idea for the AAC.

1) On campus stadium that seats 29k (planned expansion to 35)
2) Local access to an NFL Stadium
3) Planned increase of student enrollment to 40,000
4) Already has won a conference championship at the FBS level
5) Has played at the FBS level since 1999.

(09-09-2013 11:00 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(09-09-2013 10:40 AM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(09-09-2013 10:12 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  Wow! 14? If Army is involved then I can see the enticement for Air Force to join football only and move there other sports in the WAC and Summit.

However, UTEP is out of the question, they want to be tied to the Texas schools. If there is any other school out there for the MW it would be either NMSU or Texas St who would be most available to move. While wanting UTSA, I don't think they want to move out of C-USA for the time being.

No they don't. In fact UTEP has made it clear that they want out of CUSA.

http://www.mwcconnection.com/2013/1/10/3...nsion-utep

Andy Katz also wrote in another article a few months back that UTEP has approached the MWC about membership. Here are Katz's statement:


CUSA may end up at 16:

"The next movement out of the CAA could be James Madison. JMU is currently weighing what it will do with football. If it were to upgrade, then the first phone call could be to join ODU in CUSA. If that were to happen then CUSA would have to grab one more school to get to an event number, likely looking toward the Sun Belt again."

***

"Oh, and UTEP would love to be in the Mountain West instead of CUSA, according to industry sources."

http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=639777

If so....then why did the MW add Utah State instead of UTEP?

I have no idea. According to stuff that I read from UTEP posters in the past; UTEP turned down the MWC invitation and then the MWC invited SJSU instead. I don't know if if is true or not, but that is what I recall.

(09-09-2013 11:00 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(09-09-2013 10:40 AM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(09-09-2013 10:12 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  Wow! 14? If Army is involved then I can see the enticement for Air Force to join football only and move there other sports in the WAC and Summit.

However, UTEP is out of the question, they want to be tied to the Texas schools. If there is any other school out there for the MW it would be either NMSU or Texas St who would be most available to move. While wanting UTSA, I don't think they want to move out of C-USA for the time being.

No they don't. In fact UTEP has made it clear that they want out of CUSA.

http://www.mwcconnection.com/2013/1/10/3...nsion-utep

Andy Katz also wrote in another article a few months back that UTEP has approached the MWC about membership. Here are Katz's statement:


CUSA may end up at 16:

"The next movement out of the CAA could be James Madison. JMU is currently weighing what it will do with football. If it were to upgrade, then the first phone call could be to join ODU in CUSA. If that were to happen then CUSA would have to grab one more school to get to an event number, likely looking toward the Sun Belt again."

***

"Oh, and UTEP would love to be in the Mountain West instead of CUSA, according to industry sources."

http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=639777

If so....then why did the MW add Utah State instead of UTEP?

Utah was a big geographic hole that had to be filled.

Well, I'd say that the options are open with UTSA and ODU both showing a lot of potential and that Charlotte if they show potential could very well be an option, since all 3 are in media hotbeds, but then I think that people on this board would potentially neg the living **** out of me and scream no so I doubt Aresco would go with them.