I doubt they kill it (there are only two states that don’t have a school playing football at some level), but FCS seems as likely as not if something doesn’t turn up for them in the next reshuffling. Ditto UMass.
Bye Felicia
We will be receiving around $8 million per year with the new contract.
How does that compare to what BYU, Boise, Army, and others are receiving.
I think we get $7m. I want to say BYU gets $5m and Boise $3m.
The problem with BYU is that part of their frustration with the MWC is that their contract was exclusive, which BYU didn’t like because it has its own outlet. Ours is structured the same way, so I don’t think they give that up. This is one of the reasons UConn is leaving, and that UConn is leaving suggests to me that ESPN is not going to be flexible on that.
The Mountain West Conference is negotiating its next TV contract, so Boise may be getting a bump. But the biggest thing for them is that they are the UT of their conference. Their needs are being put ahead of their conference-mates when it comes to things like kick-off times. We wouldn’t do that. Our unwillingness to play ball is one of the reasons they backed out. MWC would give what we wouldn’t (and won’t).
Army tried to do the conference thing in the past and didn’t like it. Seeing Navy’s success may change their perspective on this. But money is of less consideration to them than it would be for a lot of other schools.
Yep…UConn have their deal with SNY (not quite sure of the name) that they were going to have to give up with the new ESPN deal.
So will ESPN renegotiate their deal with American , since UConn is leaving.
1 Like
Probably not, just divide their 7-9 million among the rest of the schools.
1 Like
Or a replacement gets their share. Depends on if ESPN wants the inventory of another team for ESPN+.
Another possibility is that there is a “renegotiation” that’s basically our current contract minus UConn’s 8% (or whatever) share, reflecting the fact that we are offering 8% fewer games.
They might try to cut deeper, but I’m not too worried at present. We could end up with more this way, but I am not expecting that either.
1 Like
"Fewer than nine years after the Huskies played in the Fiesta Bowl, they’re waving the white flag on ever reaching such lofty heights again. They’re surrendering any hopes of eventually being invited to the ACC or the Big 12. They’re acknowledging that they have screwed up so bad the last half-decade in football that the only way they can save their athletic department is to cut and run from a conference that’s actually trying to compete with the big boys. "
They really have made a mess of things in football. I’m glad they are leaving.
6 Likes
This is definitely a negative for the conference even though UCONN sucked at football. They were the only school to participate in all AAC sports, have a good baseball program, and obviously are a household name in basketball with 4 men’s and 10 women’s championships over the past 20 years. There’s not a great replacement out there. Boise, I believe, is allowed their own contract with ESPN for home games, so they’d probably be taking a pay cut
1 Like
For a NYC / Northeast perspective, here’s the NY Post:
“The Huskies are expected to return to the Big East, sources confirmed, as the league’s 11th member. It isn’t expected to happen this year, but it is inevitable now that the deal is close to done between the two sides, with UConn’s athletic programs all joining the Big East except for football, according to multiple sources.”
“The belief is Connecticut will be part of the league for the 2020-21 season, though it remains uncertain what happens to the football program. The Big East would move to 20 league games, to continue its home-and-home regular season format.”
Best of luck to UConn.
This move is a clear sign that the university saw no possible landing spot in a P5 conference in its future, so it moved to a perceived, bigger basketball conference that is familiar and more regional to their campus and fan base. I don’t blame them, there are several low interest schools in the AAC.
UConn football will flounder in the MAC or eventually move down or die off. The writing Was on the wall And the school chose to make their move in self interest and it saves face down the road.
What the AAC doesn’t need is a CUSA, Sun Belt or MAC school to join.
Best choices:
- Army or BYU - football only
And
- VCU or Dayton - Olympic sports only
2 Likes
This is a bummer as Women’s BB is clearly great, their baseball is legit and the basketball will be better next year. Their Football sucks, but at one time it did not. Each conference has its patsies, they were ours. Replacing them with who? It is a risk.
Air Force and Army would make sense and the Name “American” would really mean something…
BYU is in the process of renegotiating their tv deal with ESPN. ESPN convinces UConn to leave and strengthen Big East basketball and BYU to add football to AAC to strengthen AAC football?
5 Likes
We don’t need another military school. Navy is a “partial” member and there’s a reason P5s never look at a military school as an option.
I’m a hard NO × Infinity for Army or any of the others.
Had Navy left more of an impression, I may have a different outlook but they didnt and I don’t. They don’t seem like they are part of our “family”. The rest are…especially if you visit the AAC forum. There’s a growing pride and bond among many of our schools. I dont believe I’ve ever seen a Navy alum there at all…Wichita State alums are more excited and they are new!
We need large public schools (exception being BYU) with traditional student bodies (non service men and women) who would help grow the AAC.
Again, P5s don’t even consider them and neither should we.
The AAC adding military schools is like going after low hanging fruit…we are better than that.
9 Likes
To me the answer is BYU. They and the top half of the AAC are very similar and have the same aspirations.
3 Likes
Would such a move be an attempt to keep us from a P5 invite?..regardless of any add, we need to keep focus in leaving AAC.
Air Force got a pretty strong look from the Big 12. Arguably, a stronger look than we ever did.
They tend to have a low ceiling, but they add to the conference’s bottom line when it comes to value.
I kind of wish Army weren’t the best option, for some of the same reasons you outline, but I believe it is.
1 Like
ESPN is a business. Can you increase the value of two different products by making two adjustments?
UConn ends up back in a conference with teams they have a long history with and it rounds out Big East basketball scheduling.
They suck at football. AAC gets addition by subtraction.
AAC gets a team in BYU with a national following to add to a conference that has a Naval team with a national following. Navy moves to East and BYU fills out the West.
You increased the value of two conferences.
3 Likes