Boise St. wants out

[Lobot]

Interesting development in Boise. Looks like they want to go to the Big West and leave Football somewhere else. Can’t imagine they’d go anywhere in football except AAC or independent

https://boisedev.com/news/2020/12/08...mountain-west/

[Bearcats1232002]

I would like to see them come to the AAC. Would upgrade our football. I guess it sounds like they wouldn't come for basketball which is good since they aren't very good.

[cpawstoney]

I would like to see them come to the AAC. Would upgrade our football. I guess it sounds like they wouldn't come for basketball which is good since they aren't very good.

Regularly traveling to Boise for football games doesn't seem ideal or desirable.

[coach]

Anything the AAC can do to further upgrade the overall quality of the football schedule is worthwhile. If you had divisions you would probably only travel to Boise maybe every 3 years or so. Not a big deal for another quality game in conference. Given it's one sport i'd add Boise and Byu if possible for football. Power 6! That said my guess is there is more change coming sooner rather than later regardless.

[bearcatjd]

Adding Boise would be a big plus for the conference. I can't wait to travel to Boise for our scheduled game. That area of the country is really beautiful. If we add BYU, that would make us an even better conference. Cincy has/had direct flights to Salt Lake in the past. I went to the BYU game in Provo a few years back. Great trip & also beautiful country. I say add both for football.

[red_n_black_attack]

Regularly traveling to Boise for football games doesn't seem ideal or desirable.

It isn't ideal, but it is desirable. Trading UConn football for Boise football is worth the trip, huge step up for both programs. The AAC should not be limited when looking for football only members. I doubt BYU is looking to join a conference, but I can see the AAC looking to add more than one football program to ensure the G5 representative to NY6 is always from AAC and position conference to have an even better standing as P6. A move to 12-14 teams would position the conference to get better perception in the football world dominated by P5 and protect the conference when/if top teams get chance to move to another conference. The AAC isn't a bad football conference, we just need teams perennially doing what UC is doing and UCF has done. The power conferences have a few elite teams and several really good teams. The AAC has one team at or near elite and several really good teams. A move to 12-14 teams also protects top teams in event there is little to no conference movement in the near future.

Go after SD St while we are at it. I am not sure any Sun Belt teams make sense at this point, but may need to look at some to create our own power conference.

[RedDog]

Coastal Carolina is a Johnny come lately but if they could maintain that would be huge with East Carolina as would App St. Both CC and App are as good as anybody else in our league.

[swilsonsp4]

Coastal Carolina is a Johnny come lately but if they could maintain that would be huge with East Carolina as would App St. Both CC and App are as good as anybody else in our league.

While Coastal Carolina is in a very desirable location (big Myrtle Beach fan, here), their stadium would have to grow dramatically from its 21,000 capacity. I've driven by it several times and there's no way to add any seats on one side, as it rests close to State Highway 544. I don't know what's on the other side.

[Lobot]

The creation of CUSA and later the American where most of the original teams CUSA ended up, is based on TV markets. App State and Myrtle Beach probably don't move the needle much in that regard. Boone NC is not a viable TV market. You might get some eyes from Charlotte, WInston-Salem or Greensboro from alumni but to be honest all those cities have college teams already so it's questionable at best. I honestly don't know much about the academics of App State but that could also be a concern.

I would feel better about Coastal if the coaching staff stays put for a while and long term success is there. Right now they qualify as a fluke. Myrtle Beach is a nice away game destination though.

Boise St makes the most sense until you reach the geography portion of the test and at that point it gets kinda of crazy unless they have a travel partner. It would be a bit like WVU in the Big 12 where they're totally out of the geographic footprint. I mean we just got rid of UConn and they were the geographic outlier in the conference. The AAC offices are in Dallas now for a reason. The conference is mostly based in the south at this point.

BYU is the only real option for a travel partner for Boise unless the Mountain West blows up. Now if that happens you go get Colorado St. IMO. Ft. Collin's might deliver the Denver TV market, although Denver is mostly a pro sports town. That moves the needle fo ESPN I would think as does BYU.

I'm a firm believer that until we blow up the P5 conferences and go strictly regional in realignment ,with an actual 16 or 8 game FBS playoff, none of this is a long term solution.

[RedDog]

While Coastal Carolina is in a very desirable location (big Myrtle Beach fan, here), their stadium would have to grow dramatically from its 21,000 capacity. I've driven by it several times and there's no way to add any seats on one side, as it rests close to State Highway 544. I don't know what's on the other side.

It was an expanded high school stadium I believe. It remains to be seen if this is a 1 time blip or if their program has actually arrived.

[RedDog]

The creation of CUSA and later the American where most of the original teams CUSA ended up, is based on TV markets. App State and Myrtle Beach probably don't move the needle much in that regard. Boone NC is not a viable TV market. You might get some eyes from Charlotte, WInston-Salem or Greensboro from alumni but to be honest all those cities have college teams already so it's questionable at best. I honestly don't know much about the academics of App State but that could also be a concern.

I would feel better about Coastal if the coaching staff stays put for a while and long term success is there. Right now they qualify as a fluke. Myrtle Beach is a nice away game destination though.

Boise St makes the most sense until you reach the geography portion of the test and at that point it gets kinda of crazy unless they have a travel partner. It would be a bit like WVU in the Big 12 where they're totally out of the geographic footprint. I mean we just got rid of UConn and they were the geographic outlier in the conference. The AAC offices are in Dallas now for a reason. The conference is mostly based in the south at this point.

BYU is the only real option for a travel partner for Boise unless the Mountain West blows up. Now if that happens you go get Colorado St. IMO. Ft. Collin's might deliver the Denver TV market, although Denver is mostly a pro sports town. That moves the needle fo ESPN I would think as does BYU.

I'm a firm believer that until we blow up the P5 conferences and go strictly regional in realignment ,with an actual 16 or 8 game FBS playoff, none of this is a long term solution.

App and Coastal (as well as ECU) constantly fight the stepchild problem with the big brand schools in NC. You are correct with TV market concerns but if those schools are relevant, Charlotte and the Triangle will tune in. NC when all included is a very good market, but it would definitely be impacted by the quality of the opponent. UC vs. App for instance would get a great view. App vs.some of the others in the AAC, not so much.
Academically App is better regarded in the NC system than Coastal or Eastern.

[Bearcats1232002]

I'm a firm believer that until we blow up the P5 conferences and go strictly regional in realignment ,with an actual 16 or 8 game FBS playoff, none of this is a long term solution.

I completely agree. Will be interesting to see if that happens someday.

[richard k.]

I completely agree. Will be interesting to see if that happens someday.

Based on the obvious "greed" of the P5 why would they do this - unless you could show them that they would make even more money - and if you're trying to drop the Vanderbilt/Northwestern, etc., group I assume they would fight tooth and nail to keep the money spigot going. I'm 83 so I doubt I'll live to see it.

[Bearcats1232002]

Based on the obvious "greed" of the P5 why would they do this - unless you could show them that they would make even more money - and if you're trying to drop the Vanderbilt/Northwestern, etc., group I assume they would fight tooth and nail to keep the money spigot going. I'm 83 so I doubt I'll live to see it.

I completely agree with you as well! I don't see it happening. Our only hope is if they have some more realignment and decide to go with 5 sixteen team conferences which would get us in for sure. But I don't see it happening because they would have to split the money 80 ways instead of 65 and I don't think they will "demote" anyone like you said. I think they would potentially have more interest with the increased schools and could make more money down the road bit I am not too optimistic.

[Lobot]

Boise St. was serious

https://www.idahopress.com/blueturfs...0d276101e.html