This is Why We Left CSNbbs

[GoldenWarrior11]

I wouldn't worry about the American Athletic Conference, or The American, or Conference USA 2.0, and their fan bases on their board. Unfortunately, whether they want to admit it or not, they will continue to be the most fragile and vulnerable conference to poaching in the country. UCONN and Cincinnati, the only two schools I genuinely would want to get an invite from a P5 conference, would leave in a nano-second if asked by the ACC, BIG 10, or even BIG 12. Losing Louisville in basketball, and replacing them with East Carolina, Tulane and Tulsa will severely hurt the conference in the long run - whether or not they want to admit it. Losing Rutgers (the New York market) hurts them in the long run. Who does the AAC invite then, once UCONN and/or Cincy leaves? UMASS? Southern Mississippi? UNC-Charlotte? You kidding? It is a best of the rest conference. No conference name, no bowl game, no poster will change that.

They are confident that they are a football-first conference - "football drives the bus!". Well, guess what? You won't even be invited to the football playoff, so good luck getting noticed.

The fact that each of the Big East schools (basketball-only) make more than any of the AAC schools (football AND basketball) severely bother them.

I seriously can't wait for ESPN to broadcast Tulane vs. East Carolina next year on ESPN 2. Should make for some great ratings!

[stever20]

I wouldn't worry about the American Athletic Conference, or The American, or Conference USA 2.0, and their fan bases on their board. Unfortunately, whether they want to admit it or not, they will continue to be the most fragile and vulnerable conference to poaching in the country. UCONN and Cincinnati, the only two schools I genuinely would want to get an invite from a P5 conference, would leave in a nano-second if asked by the ACC, BIG 10, or even BIG 12. Losing Louisville in basketball, and replacing them with East Carolina, Tulane and Tulsa will severely hurt the conference in the long run - whether or not they want to admit it. Losing Rutgers (the New York market) hurts them in the long run. Who does the AAC invite then, once UCONN and/or Cincy leaves? UMASS? Southern Mississippi? UNC-Charlotte? You kidding? It is a best of the rest conference. No conference name, no bowl game, no poster will change that.

They are confident that they are a football-first conference - "football drives the bus!". Well, guess what? You won't even be invited to the football playoff, so good luck getting noticed.

The fact that each of the Big East schools (basketball-only) make more than any of the AAC schools (football AND basketball) severely bother them.

I seriously can't wait for ESPN to broadcast Tulane vs. East Carolina next year on ESPN 2. Should make for some great ratings!

2 things-
1 Heard one of their posters say Arresco was looking to redo the TV deal. I think given the AAC's performances this year, ESPN could easily want to do it to lock them up long term. - especially given how good they've done this year in football and basketball.
2 It's VERY possible UConn and Cincy are in the AAC 10 years from now. Odds are pretty solid that we don't see any conference shifts for quite a while. If no shifts happen, the AAC is going to be a really good basketball conference. Memphis, Temple, UConn, Cincy- all have tourney appearances this year or last, and SMU should make it next year for sure(heard they picked up another guy from TT today just to make them even deeper- if it was anyone but SMU, we would be talking about a top 10 team next year). Tulsa made it this year auto bid I know CUSA, but Manning has them on the up. The AAC isn't going anywhere if no shifts happen.

[gosports1]

as long as realignment is done, the aac will be fine in BB. good core group. however it is fb that drives the bus. i just dont see the average fan wanting to watch the aac over the p5 teams