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OT: Wichita State in talks to join AAC

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Being that Football is what the TV contract is basically based on, not even Gonzaga will give a bump in TV $$ for the MW. 

As it was stated by the commissioner, a new team brought into the conference would need to add 3-4 million dollars to make it worthwhile....I don't think even Gonzaga can do that.

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15 minutes ago, #1Stunner said:

BYU would be thrilled if UConn joined the Big East (big upgrade from the AAC), and went Indy in football with an ESPN Contract.

It would be an annual BYU vs UConn game.  I like that idea.  Plus, UConn would be in a prestigious basketball conference again.  

What is stopping UConn and BYU from simply playing OOC? (nothing...)

UConn has won a men's and women's title out of the AAC...that is a prestigious basketball conference

how many times has BYU made the access bowl as an Indy? yeah, that's what I thought...

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Guest #1Stunner
2 minutes ago, UofMTigers said:

What is stopping UConn and BYU from simply playing OOC? (nothing...)

UConn has won a men's and women's title out of the AAC...that is a prestigious basketball conference

how many times has BYU made the access bowl as an Indy? yeah, that's what I thought...

The access bowl is not a prestigious bowl.  Sorry.  

If UConn can join the big east, they should jump at it.

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2 minutes ago, #1Stunner said:

The access bowl is not a prestigious bowl.  Sorry.  

If UConn can join the big east, they should jump at it.

it's not about the prestige...it's about money and exposure. (4 million for the access bowl, 3.6 million AAC payout from the CFP)

unless a P5 comes calling, UConn is committed to the AAC...adding WSU to balance the AAC only solidifies that fact.

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 It's clear that the idea is being 'floated' but it isn't clear from the article who is doing that floating.

Wichita probably doesn't want to float the deal if its fairly serious because it's not a done deal and they would not want it out there if it falls apart.

I think that ESPN wouldn't want this change in league affiliations and thus wouldn't float it because they already have MVC.  If the AAC re-ups with ESPN I doubt it is with Wichita State as a member.

Probably the AAC wants the idea in the public so they can discuss it with potential tv partners other than ESPN.  Fox Sports has had relative success with the Big East, and now they have the Big Ten and Big 12 so I don't know why adding Wichita ST would increase their interest.  Perhaps the AAC is positioning their pitch to Fox, CBS and NBC as "the best eastern time zone D I basketball schools available" to get some value for basketball (separate package?) along with football.

Obviously this is deep in the tea leaves, but it looks like the MW and ESPN's interests are aligning around the 7:00 PM start time.  ESPN is fundamentally looking for undervalued properties and needs a game Thursday and Friday to go with MACtion Tuesday and Wednesday.  BYU + MW + 1/2 Pac 12 works well and by far the best 'bang for the buck' of those properties is the MW.

The MW needs CBS to equal or exceed their current deal.  ESPN will definitely win a bidding war with CBS.  Hopefully NBC gets involved because NBS Sports/Comcast are in a couple MW markets.  I'm skeptical Fox will spend on the MW, but I could see Fox trying to get BYU games and that would increase ESPN's need for the MW.

Three bidders is supposedly optimal for a seller (economic game theory), and it appears that scenario occurs for the MW if the AAC and ESPN don't make a deal.

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2 minutes ago, Bruininthebay said:

 It's clear that the idea is being 'floated' but it isn't clear from the article who is doing that floating.

Wichita probably doesn't want to float the deal if its fairly serious because it's not a done deal and they would not want it out there if it falls apart.

I think that ESPN wouldn't want this change in league affiliations and thus wouldn't float it because they already have MVC.  If the AAC re-ups with ESPN I doubt it is with Wichita State as a member.

Probably the AAC wants the idea in the public so they can discuss it with potential tv partners other than ESPN.  Fox Sports has had relative success with the Big East, and now they have the Big Ten and Big 12 so I don't know why adding Wichita ST would increase their interest.  Perhaps the AAC is positioning their pitch to Fox, CBS and NBC as "the best eastern time zone D I basketball schools available" to get some value for basketball (separate package?) along with football.

Obviously this is deep in the tea leaves, but it looks like the MW and ESPN's interests are aligning around the 7:00 PM start time.  ESPN is fundamentally looking for undervalued properties and needs a game Thursday and Friday to go with MACtion Tuesday and Wednesday.  BYU + MW + 1/2 Pac 12 works well and by far the best 'bang for the buck' of those properties is the MW.

The MW needs CBS to equal or exceed their current deal.  ESPN will definitely win a bidding war with CBS.  Hopefully NBC gets involved because NBS Sports/Comcast are in a couple MW markets.  I'm skeptical Fox will spend on the MW, but I could see Fox trying to get BYU games and that would increase ESPN's need for the MW.

Three bidders is supposedly optimal for a seller (economic game theory), and it appears that scenario occurs for the MW if the AAC and ESPN don't make a deal.

this has been 'in the works' going back 4 months now

December

http://www.kansas.com/sports/college/wichita-state/article121087273.html

if both sides are talking about it...I'd say it's an imminent move.

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If our commish is going to be so hard-nosed about a legitimate Men's Basketball school contender being not an option because of no football, then we need a new strategic thinker at the helm. Football may be 1A, but Men's Basketball is 1B and closing ground on 1A in my opinion.

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27 minutes ago, UofMTigers said:

it's not about the prestige...it's about money and exposure. (4 million for the access bowl, 3.6 million AAC payout from the CFP)

unless a P5 comes calling, UConn is committed to the AAC...adding WSU to balance the AAC only solidifies that fact.

You have to remember, because BYU will have such a hard time of getting into a major bowl without being in a conference, they say its not prestigious and not worthy for them.

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I agree that the Wichita State thing has been floated for a while.  I'm pretty sure of all of it happened after Aresco was quoted that he was considering 'all options' for TV expansion in October of 2016.  As this is a MW board, I'm trying to connect the relevance of this topic to the MW. 

Fox is probably the ideal partner for the American because there is a Fox regional sports network already in most of the AAC's markets so the production costs would be the lowest.  Fox doesn't have any Florida schools, and would probably like to have a service academy.

Hopefully both the MW and the AAC get to better places in the 2019-20 TV contract.  Ideally that means a significant increase but I think better start times, a slight increase, and an array of over the top options that a contract with ESPN would get the MW would be a pretty good place to be.  Consistent national exposure will do a lot to build up the perception of the MW and thus advertiser demand, etc.

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Guest #1Stunner
3 minutes ago, MWC Tex said:

You have to remember, because BYU will have such a hard time of getting into a major bowl without being in a conference, they say its not prestigious and not worthy for them.

It isn't a big deal because all that matters now is the playoffs.

The BCS Bowls, in theory, meant you could be voted the national champion.  The Access Bowl gets you nothing. 

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the AAC wants to stay with ESPN. Our deal with them does not include Navy football as they have their own deal with CBS that runs through 2019. The AAC would then approach ESPN for renegotiations with both Navy football and WSU hoops as they are both valuable properties...not to mention the fact we have a Fiesta Bowl, a Peach Bowl, a men's title, and multiple women's titles in a brief four year existence.  

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Guest #1Stunner

UCONN - Get them in the Big East NOW!!!

They are a basketball school.   Big East >  AAC.   It isn't close.   Big East Basketball is far superior. 

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1 minute ago, #1Stunner said:

UCONN - Get them in the Big East NOW!!!

They are a basketball school.   Big East >  AAC.   It isn't close.   Big East Basketball is far superior. 

^ lol, misery loves company I guess...they've tried that relationship before and it ended in divorce

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2 hours ago, UofMTigers said:

UConn will be in the AAC until at least 2024 when the Big XII contract comes up for renewal...no idea what happens after that.

UConn actually gives a crap about their football program and wants to get back to playing for Fiesta Bowls...that's not going to happen as a football indy.

UConn never should have been in the Fiesta Bowl.  Worst team to ever make a BCS game.

Image result for jim mcmahon with lavell edwardsImage result for byu logoImage result for byu boise state end zone hail maryc07489bb8bb7f5bad3672877f8b04f34.jpg

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1 hour ago, MWC Tex said:

You have to remember, because BYU will have such a hard time of getting into a major bowl without being in a conference, they say its not prestigious and not worthy for them.

Sure thing, champ.  The Leftover Bought Off By Scraps from the Big Kids Table Bowl is amazing, fo sho.

Image result for jim mcmahon with lavell edwardsImage result for byu logoImage result for byu boise state end zone hail maryc07489bb8bb7f5bad3672877f8b04f34.jpg

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ESPN plans to show a lot of ACC on ESPN and SEC on ESPN2 and vice versa for the foreseeable future.  They make money through ESPN and ESPN2 subs which subsidizes the payments for the "conference networks" that are so successful.  ESPN doesn't need east coast gang of five content anymore.  The MAC's value is about midweek football and ESPN has locked themselves into the SEC/ACC until 2035.  No other conference ticks all the boxes for the "worldwide leader" better than the MW for the next fifteen years.

The MW should have the option to compare a shorter term deal with CBS, Fox or NBC (who want to keep options open in 2024) against ESPN's likely long term deal.  I know I'm not involved in any way but I think I'm pointing out an obvious dynamic.

I think the American's TV rights are constrained in 2019-20 negotiations by high levels of uncertainty about which schools get selected for the Big 12 after 2024.  The MW might lose one  school, but the AAC will likely lose more in the wake of what will likely be a momentous year in college football conference alignment and UTEP is an easy plus one.  If the MW loses two schools then the conference can still play a championship game because the rules changed and there is no need to expand.  Either way, the MW you are talking about in 2019 will be the MW for the foreseeable future so there is a long term picture for the MW which is not part of the negotiations for the AAC.  

 

 

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1 minute ago, Bruininthebay said:

ESPN plans to show a lot of ACC on ESPN and SEC on ESPN2 and vice versa for the foreseeable future.  They make money through ESPN and ESPN2 subs which subsidizes the payments for the "conference networks" that are so successful.  ESPN doesn't need east coast gang of five content anymore.  The MAC's value is about midweek football and ESPN has locked themselves into the SEC/ACC until 2035.  No other conference ticks all the boxes for the "worldwide leader" better than the MW for the next fifteen years.

The MW should have the option to compare a shorter term deal with CBS, Fox or NBC (who want to keep options open in 2024) against ESPN's likely long term deal.  I know I'm not involved in any way but I think I'm pointing out an obvious dynamic.

I think the American's TV rights are constrained in 2019-20 negotiations by high levels of uncertainty about which schools get selected for the Big 12 after 2024.  The MW might lose one  school, but the AAC will likely lose more in the wake of what will likely be a momentous year in college football conference alignment and UTEP is an easy plus one.  If the MW loses two schools then the conference can still play a championship game because the rules changed and there is no need to expand.  Either way, the MW you are talking about in 2019 will be the MW for the foreseeable future so there is a long term picture for the MW which is not part of the negotiations for the AAC.  

 

 

ESPN is bleeding money right now.  I expect a significant reduction in future media rights contracts. 

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thelawlorfaithful, on 31 Dec 2012 - 04:01 AM, said:One of the rules I live by: never underestimate a man in a dandy looking sweater

 

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Guest #1Stunner
1 hour ago, UofMTigers said:

^ lol, misery loves company I guess...they've tried that relationship before and it ended in divorce

Are you seriously trying to suggest that the AAC is on par with the Big East???

Most unbiased people recognize that the Big East is a huge upgrade over the AAC.  UConn and Cincy are the only schools in the AAC with a strong basketball tradition.  The rest of the AAC is akin to the MWC, at best.

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