G5 Expansion in a Few Weeks

[knight_tracker]

Buried in this article was this nuggets:
officially adding BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF.
The schools will become members no later than the 2024-25 academic year. However, sources told The Athletic at the time that the Big 12 is targeting 2023 as the start date for all four new members, but that still requires negotiating with the AAC.


American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco expects to add new schools to the conference
in a "matter of weeks, not months,"
western wing of Mountain West schools is believed to be among the top targets, The Athletic's Chris Vannini reports. This includes Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State and Air Force, sources told The Athletic, with Colorado State and Air Force believed to have more interest than Boise and SDSU.
https://theathletic.com/news/aac-ex...eeks-amid-conference-realignment/q5WWGKQXqLy9

 

[Stevieknight]

Boise State is an AAC pipe dream. May as well target Alabama. Certainly not an easy decision for any of those schools mentioned as gap between AAC and MWC has pretty much been eliminated. Will be fascinating to see what happens. At the end of the day I don’t think any of those schools mentioned will leave the MWC for the AAC.

 

[BlakNGoldAllDay]

MWC leaps AAC after the 3 leave. Makes no sense for their best teams to leave. Air Force may but they don’t get top talent enough. No one wants to go active after football is over anyway unless they have nothing going on in life.

 

[Poolside Knight]

 

[Ace of Knights]

Not going to lie Colorado State and Air Force are better additions than I thought they would get. I completely understand Boise and SDSU saying no. Sorry, but without UCF and Cincy (no offense Houston) the AAC is nothing more than the Sun Belt.

 

[UCFatz1]

I would have tried for App St. or someone like that. Coastal Carolina, maybe Ga St. staying on east coast.

 

[knight_tracker]

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I wonder how conference USA teams feel about being snubbed. I think they always thought they were next in line.😎

 

[SkiDog291]

App State and I'd give the nod to ODU. Give them better facilities and time to recruit, they have great potential. They also have a passionate fanbase.

 

[knight_tracker]

App State and I'd give the nod to ODU. Give them better facilities and time to recruit, they have great potential. They also have a passionate fanbase.

What is the nearest airport to App State? I wonder if accessibility is a ding.

 

[OvilleNative]

Not going to lie Colorado State and Air Force are better additions than I thought they would get. I completely understand Boise and SDSU saying no. Sorry, but without UCF and Cincy (no offense Houston) the AAC is nothing more than the Sun Belt.

Without ucf, cinn and Houston the sunbelt is probably better….I don’t think any teams leftover are better or have more potential than app st., coastal or Louisiana

 

[Wings0fred]

What is the nearest airport to App State? I wonder if accessibility is a ding.

Nothing major within a couple hours comes to mind, so that probably IS a factor.

 

[Knightmare13]

Shocked they didn't at least try Coastal Carolina - would be the best football team in conference and probably best baseball too

App state would make sense, but the airport situation is def a concern

 

[jtGoldenKnights]

I don't see Boise or SDS making the move. One they already backed out once and that is a lot of traveling for not much more money (if at all IDK). Also the stability of the league is a huge question as well especially if the BIG12 does add more and bring in 1 or 2 AAC schools. I see the schools going being from C-USA or the Sunbelt. I think financially they will take that risk to jump.

 

[jtGoldenKnights]

Nothing major within a couple hours comes to mind, so that probably IS a factor.

Charlotte and Ashville come to mind but both are a long drive. Teams have to fly in now I wonder where. I was at that stadium visiting the area over the summer and its a really nice stadium.

 

[jtGoldenKnights]

That new Colorado State VS USF rivalry will be fire..............lol

 

[KnightLife1]

Charlotte and Ashville come to mind but both are a long drive. Teams have to fly in now I wonder where. I was at that stadium visiting the area over the summer and its a really nice stadium.

I thought Raleigh was closer to them.

 

[BlakNGoldAllDay]

Boone is Tri-Cities Regional (TRI) Airport which is 45 miles away. Other nearby airports include Asheville (AVL) (72.9 miles), Charlotte (CLT) (80.5 miles) and Greenville/Spartanburg (GSP) (97.1 miles).

 

[Knight Strength]

Have to consider that adding AppST and Coastal to Memphis and SMU in the AAC would make it the best G5 conference and bring in more money than the others.

 

[BlakNGoldAllDay]

Have to consider that adding AppST and Coastal to Memphis and SMU in the AAC would make it the best G5 conference and bring in more money than the others.

MWC is a close second right now. They take over the top spot.

 

[OtterKnight]

Boone is Tri-Cities Regional (TRI) Airport which is 45 miles away. Other nearby airports include Asheville (AVL) (72.9 miles), Charlotte (CLT) (80.5 miles) and Greenville/Spartanburg (GSP) (97.1 miles).

Is the program soliciting donations to build an airport?

 

[BlakNGoldAllDay]

Is the program soliciting donations to build an airport?

No idea.

 

[Endeavor.]

FAU gets called up becomes usf's big brother. show them what's its like to have a stadium

 

[Poolside Knight]

rumors Memphis may bolt to Mountain West

 

[Knight Badger 80]

rumors Memphis may bolt to Mountain West

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Downfall of the AAC? And the Cows are just a pawn in the game😂😂😂. Unless they bolt for MWC…

 

[Poolside Knight]

Downfall of the AAC? And the Cows are just a pawn in the game😂😂😂. Unless they bolt for MWC…

even if AAC survives this confirms they are taking a MAJOR paycut

Man laughing in car meme

Man laughing while getting in his gold car and then closes it with an automatic button. All credits to twitter. Meme***Please like and subscribe for the Tren...

youtube.com

 

[The Knightman Cometh]

rumors Memphis may bolt to Mountain West

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Bad move if Memphis does anything so soon. They should play it like Boise and sit tight to possibly hear back from B12 or see if Aresco can pull something out of his ass. If Boise leaves MWC, MWC just as bad as AAC.

 

[knight_tracker]

rumors Memphis may bolt to Mountain West

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This is going to be a battle between the mountain west and the AAC. Right now it looks like Mountain West is coming out on top. Will they poach from the AAC? Maybe they gave Aresco an extension to soon.😎

 

[Stevieknight]

Here’s what’s going to happen between the AAC and MWC - nothing. They’re the same conference. One thousand pound gorilla each (Boise St and Memphis), a few decent teams, and the a bunch of low end programs. No one is going to bolt one for the other, pay exit and entry fees, for what will probably amount to the same $ of revenue when all is said and done. Especially Memphis, who is next up for B12 (w/ Boise State) and has a chance to completely dominate the AAC once us, Cincy, and Houston are out. Next up for AAC - UAB and who the hell knows

 

[UCF_Kaz]

Mountain west should go after AAC schools imo. SMU, Memphis, Tulane, Tulsa and even Navy (FB only) would all fit.

 

[BlakNGoldAllDay]

MWC was a close 2nd to AAC with the 3. Once we leave MWC is easily best G5.

 

[Stevieknight]

Mountain west should go after AAC schools imo. SMU, Memphis, Tulane, Tulsa and even Navy (FB only) would all fit.

What do you feel the Mountain West can offer those schools that they can’t get in the AAC? Only reason any of them make a move is for significant financial gain. All of these moves are about $$$. Just not seeing that happening. Maybe I’m in the minority here.

 

[UCF_Kaz]

What do you feel the Mountain West can offer those schools that they can’t get in the AAC? Only reason any of them make a move is for significant financial gain. All of these moves are about $$$. Just not seeing that happening. Maybe I’m in the minority here.

Who’s to say they haven’t reached out to their media partner about renegotiating rights fees if they add schools?

 

[Knight Strength]

Who’s to say they haven’t reached out to their media partner about renegotiating rights fees if they add schools?

The media partner has to be involved.

 

[Stevieknight]

I’m by no means a media rights expert, but any TV executive that looks at both of these leagues and thinks that one has significant financial value over the other (even with potential schools added) should be fired on the spot.

 

[Knight Strength]

I’m by no means a media rights expert, but any TV executive that looks at both of these leagues and thinks that one has significant financial value over the other (even with potential schools added) should be fired on the spot.

And it's certainly not enough to make it worth traveling that far east-west.

 

[BlakNGoldAllDay]

I’m by no means a media rights expert, but any TV executive that looks at both of these leagues and thinks that one has significant financial value over the other (even with potential schools added) should be fired on the spot.

Their job is to evaluate just that. Not saying who is better now but who can we sell to advertisers in a couple years. AAC isn’t trying to add for shits and giggles. They would just add any old teams if they all were equal.

 

[knight_tracker]

Well the AAC needs to raid one of the conferences. I don't think they will stay at 9 teams.

 

[Poolside Knight]

I’m by no means a media rights expert, but any TV executive that looks at both of these leagues and thinks that one has significant financial value over the other (even with potential schools added) should be fired on the spot.

based on what has happened with the Mountain West teams turning down the AAC the assumption is ESPN isn’t giving much effort to help Aresco right now

 

[U C to the F]

Raiding the MWC for Air Force and Colorado St was always weird to me anyways. Neither move the needle for football and you need at least 4 schools to make the conference whole again. Basically, Boise and SDS turned Aresco down, and rightfully so at this point, it’s a broken zero league outside of Memphis.

Aresco needs to get serious, get rationale and get more regionally focused, forget the west coast teams. Best teams I can think of that makes travel sense for the league from a strictly football optics standpoint, is FAU, North TX, UAB and either Coastal or App St (or both). Stick with the CUSA and Sunbelt and you’re back on even ground with MWC. Louisiana, Liberty, La Tech (ODU I’ve also seen floated, I’m not a fan), there’s plenty of options that are attainable to add in your current footprint that is better than AF and Colorado State. What a media black eye too, whiffing on them. Aresco should have been fired 4 years ago, yet he just got an extension is laughable.

 

[U C to the F]

Another thing I’m recalling, let’s not forget the misstep of Boise and SDS who “joined” the old Big East for a minute and then backed out. That will prove to be a huge error for both who could have been in position to be considered to join the Big12 this round by being in the AAC and being competitive. No one is talking about that, but they shouldn’t have backed out all those years ago.