Conference Realignment: What Next?

[kayako]

In 2013, when Xavier and Butler announced their departures from the Atlantic 10 for greener pastures, it spooked the A10 head office and many of the remaining A10 basketball programs. The presidents of Dayton, Saint Louis, Virginia Commonwealth - and possibly others - took advantage of this jitteriness, and demanded a renegotiation of their contracts with the Atlantic 10
.

75/25 split of the tournament credits is an underrated and often overlooked element when discussing whether A10 can keep its top dogs.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Mike Aresco will go down as the commissioner that oversaw the most number of schools leave his conferences. Notre Dame, Rutgers, Louisville, the C7 (Big East); UConn, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF.

That's what happens when you hire a failed TV executive as a college conference commissioner.

[Hoya9697]

Mike Aresco will go down as the commissioner that oversaw the most number of schools leave his conferences. Notre Dame, Rutgers, Louisville, the C7 (Big East); UConn, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF.

That's what happens when you hire a failed TV executive as a college conference commissioner.

He’s a complete and utter failure. The P6 campaign was clownshow level bad but superceded by his media leaks about being able to poach big 12 teams, then BSU and San Diego, then Air Force and Colo St.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Mike Aresco will go down as the commissioner that oversaw the most number of schools leave his conferences. Notre Dame, Rutgers, Louisville, the C7 (Big East); UConn, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF.

That's what happens when you hire a failed TV executive as a college conference commissioner.

He’s a complete and utter failure. The P6 campaign was clownshow level bad but superceded by his media leaks about being able to poach big 12 teams, then BSU and San Diego, then Air Force and Colo St.

100%

Continual cycle of over-promise and under-deliver. But AAC schools and fans think he is good, so good for them I guess.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

.
Candid Coaches: Is Oklahoma and Texas leaving Big 12 for SEC good or bad for college basketball? - Gary Parrish, CBS Sports - October 1, 2021

Matt Norlander and I asked more than 100 college basketball coaches the following question:

Is Oklahoma and Texas leaving the Big 12 for the SEC good or bad for college basketball?

Quote that stood out: "It's horrendous for college basketball. The built-in rivalries that are going to be a distant memory are going to hurt. All this is done for football -- but it kills our game and you realize how meaningless college basketball is when it comes in line with football. You're losing every single time against football. Every time. It shows where you are in the pecking order. When the Big 12 was going to establish itself or get divided up -- whenever that happened a few years back, when TCU went to the Big 12 -- Kansas was going to be left out and have no place to go. That's one of the biggest schools in the history of college basketball and no one cared because it was college football and their football team stinks. No one cared about bringing them into their league. That's something that really scares me."

The takeaway: Losing a good conference is not good for the sport.

So in addition to the loss of regional rivalries, historical matchups, and all of the other things conference realignment usually sacrifices in the pursuit of money, these moves totally demolished a quality league. As lots of coaches pointed out, Oklahoma and Texas leaving the Big 12, which led to Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF leaving the AAC, will only widen the gap between the haves and have-nots in college athletics and create a situation where nearly all of the at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament will annually go to programs in a Power 5 conference or the Big East.

Good luck to everybody else.

They're going to need it.

[gtmoBlue]

As lots of coaches pointed out, Oklahoma and Texas leaving the Big 12, which led to Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF leaving the AAC, will only widen the gap between the haves and have-nots in college athletics and create a situation where nearly all of the at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament will annually go to programs in a Power 5 conference or the Big East.

Good luck to everybody else.

They're going to need it.

This is Soooo not news. I and many others, for that matter, have been saying this for decades- since the initiation
of the 64 team ncaa tourney. The football 6, now the football five and the Big East have been carving up nearly all
of the tourney bids for years-decades, so what's a couple more to round it out at 68?

So not news that it hurts. The only bright side is that Xavier, Butler, and Lil' Cr8n are now in a Bigboy League and
don't have to sweat out selection sunday anymore. (when we play the way we're s'posed to...)

As for the other 25 conference winners? Good luck in begging, borrowing, or stealing a NCAA bid.

[kayako]

This is Soooo not news. I and many others, for that matter, have been saying this for decades- since the initiation
of the 64 team ncaa tourney. The football 6, now the football five and the Big East have been carving up nearly all
of the tourney bids for years-decades, so what's a couple more to round it out at 68?

It's as if conferences like the A10 didn't game the system to get more bids than the ACC. What's happening now is what should've happened long time ago. Truly deserving mid-majors won't be sweating come selection sunday, but pretenders will be in the NIT.

[ArmyVet]

CUSA sent the AAC a letter asking if they'd want to merge and then divide into two separate leagues geographically.

Conference USA on Tuesday sent a letter to American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco primarily seeking support for regionalization of three Group of Five conferences in the wake of increasing instability amid conference realignment.

C-USA commissioner Judy MacLeod and CEO board chairman Neal Smatresk (North Texas president) addressed the letter to Aresco and AAC chairman Michael Fitts (Tulane president), president of Tulane,

The letter, obtained by CBS Sports, calls conference realignment an "inflection point to reimagine a more regional, student friendly and sustainable model for our conferences."

[ArmyVet]

[Husky_U]

Pete Thamel
@PeteThamel
14m
Sources: The American Athletic Conference is expected examine expansion this week, with six schools expected to send applications. The AAC is expected to receive an application from – FAU, Charlotte, North Texas, UTSA, Rice and UAB this week. 1/2


Pete Thamel
@PeteThamel
14m
The expectation is that they will be accepted and the AAC will grow to a 14-team football league. (Also 14 teams in hoops.)