ACC expansion ...

[Big Buds]

There is no doubt the AAC has been the Top G5 in ALL major sports for several years. Now, the next few years will tell everything. We have added a few good programs, and they have lost a few good programs. WE shall see.

The rubber will meet the road when they have to do a new media deal. I think there will be a lot of inertia then to recreate an eastern "best of" conference to rival the new MWC. Neither the AAC nor the SBC are designed for that right now.

The AAC definitely had football and basketball locked up these past few years…no question. The SBC is the King of G5 Baseball / Softball though.

I’ll say this, the AAC has much better bowl tie-ins. This is something the SBC sorely needs to work on.

[CajunNation]

The AAC definitely had football and basketball locked up these past few years…no question. The SBC is the King of G5 Baseball / Softball though.

I’ll say this, the AAC has much better bowl tie-ins. This is something the SBC sorely needs to work on.

Final Conference RPI rankings per warennolan

2020 AAC-4 SBC-6
2021 AAC-5 SBC-10
2022 AAC-7 SBC-6
2023 AAC-9 SBC-5

It's been a push for baseball.

[Million$Mullet]

Final Conference RPI rankings per warennolan

2020 AAC-4 SBC-6
2021 AAC-5 SBC-10
2022 AAC-7 SBC-6
2023 AAC-9 SBC-5

It's been a push for baseball.

There’s also a trend there. I’ll let you figure that out.

[CajunNation]

There’s also a trend there. I’ll let you figure that out.

Reaching.

Like I said earlier, the next few years will decide this. I just know that an AAC plus UL and a SBC minus UL makes all the difference.

[JayWalker]

Not disagreeing. Just would like to hear your reasoning.

I look at it as deciding between playing Arkansas State, ULM,Texas State or Memphis, Tulane, Rice. Deciding between playing in the Top, Overall G5 conference or a rising, good G5 conference.

It's also re-embracing North Texas and FAU. It means having a relationship with a bad Charlotte program. It means having a relationship with four schools that don't play baseball. It means traveling from Philadelphia to Boca Raton to Texas. And, while there are some nice names there, all of those names are working hard to LEAVE that conference.

What looks great today has a great chance to look like crap within five years.

Our league continues to get better. We're right there in football to where there's actually a debate as to who is better. We have surpassed them in baseball and they have no one that holds a candle to our softball. We need to stay the course in the Sun Belt. Eventually the AAC will kill itself through a lack of consistency in membership.

[CajunVic]

. . . when one is so obtuse, there is no way to knock any sense into that noggin . . .

. . . when one's ANALysis is so skewed, nothing ever works for them . . .

[cajun4life]

. . . when one is so obtuse, there is no way to knock any sense into that noggin . . .

. . . when one's ANALysis is so skewed, nothing ever works for them . . .

The AWC with Cinci, Houston, UCF, Memphis, Tulane and ECU was attractive. The big three left that league and replaced them with crap teams.

The SBC is where we need to be.

[CajunNation]

It's also re-embracing North Texas and FAU. It means having a relationship with a bad Charlotte program. It means having a relationship with four schools that don't play baseball. It means traveling from Philadelphia to Boca Raton to Texas. And, while there are some nice names there, all of those names are working hard to LEAVE that conference.

What looks great today has a great chance to look like crap within five years.

Our league continues to get better. We're right there in football to where there's actually a debate as to who is better. We have surpassed them in baseball and they have no one that holds a candle to our softball. We need to stay the course in the Sun Belt. Eventually the AAC will kill itself through a lack of consistency in membership.

I believe you. You are probably right.

It's just that I can't help but think about our long term health. To me, that would include being in a league with a considerable Texas presence and with the best regional competition possible. Hard to say the AAC is not that, but I get your stability concerns and baggage concerns. Just remember the SBC has it's own baggage. ULM? Virginia ain't too far from Philly.

I don't see a path to the big time for Tulane, Memphis or ECU. They are going to do something when their media deal is up. I just don't want to miss that bus.

[Duckster]

I respect Jay's advocacy for the SBC and he laid out some facts. Agree the AAC is more subject to another member or two being picked off. Navy could decide to become football independent again. We all agree the SBC has come a long way and its great having USM as a conference partner. But we should be open to more change because CFB is rapidly changing, too. Louisiana athletics needs more money. Used to be, and IMO should still be, about who you want to be associated with in a conference. Nowadays its just mainly about the money and making more of it to pay the players in the future. Follow the money, right? Let's say SMU lucks out, exits the AAC for ACC. Remaining AAC members will look at replacements who will help them make the most money or retain their media deal at current levels or at least nearly same dollars. The AAC media deal and bowl ties are superior to the SBC, period. Who else brings more to the table than Louisiana? And AAC TV exposure is also superior. For example look at Tulane's TV exposure this coming early season listed on the AAC website:
9/3: ESPNU 7 p.m.
9/9: ESPNU 2:30 p.m.
9/16: ESPNU 3 p.m.
10/13: ESPN 6 p.m.

Not saying we take a blind leap, but you at least kick the tires as millions of dollars could be at stake. It would be dereliction of duties to not seriously evaluate potential opportunities.

[VObserver]

I believe you. You are probably right.

It's just that I can't help but think about our long term health. To me, that would include being in a league with a considerable Texas presence and with the best regional competition possible. Hard to say the AAC is not that, but I get your stability concerns and baggage concerns. Just remember the SBC has it's own baggage. ULM? Virginia ain't too far from Philly.

I don't see a path to the big time for Tulane, Memphis or ECU. They are going to do something when their media deal is up. I just don't want to miss that bus.

I don't want to miss that bus either, if it ever runs. Current trends suggest that the SBC and the MWC are rising, the MAC is stable and the AAC and CUSA are declining. Given economic and fan support concerns, the SBC is better for us than the MWC, let alone any of the other G5 conferences. Only the MAC has a smaller footprint than the SBC, and I feel confident that the SBC and the MWC are considerably stronger in football than any of the other 3. We are where we belong for now.

[CajunFun]

Fluke? The SBC has the most non-conference road wins vs. P5 teams over the last five years! And that’s including all 10 FBS conferences, P5 and G5.

DNK. Wow.

[CajunFun]

There is no doubt the AAC has been the Top G5 in ALL major sports for several years. Now, the next few years will tell everything. We have added a few good programs, and they have lost a few good programs. WE shall see.

The rubber will meet the road when they have to do a new media deal. I think there will be a lot of inertia then to recreate an eastern "best of" conference to rival the new MWC. Neither the AAC nor the SBC are designed for that right now.

I agree. The SBC has fallen off the map in basketball, f'rinstance.

But they keep telling us football is the driver, because that's where the money is. And in football, we're the leaders.