ACC

[BallantyneApp]

The new AAC members are getting half shares of the AAC deal, aka at most $2M more than the SBC deal.

The idea that would solve money issues is a farce.

Also the aac doesn’t have divisions. A lot more plane rides

Just food for thought but ecu spend ~$3.5MM more in gameday expenses and travel than App in FY 2023. Id bet the bulk of that is the extra travel

I don’t think it would be any different for App.

So making ~$2MM more and spending ~$3MM more in expenses doesn’t sound great all else being equal.

[AppWyo]

The new AAC members are getting half shares of the AAC deal, aka at most $2M more than the SBC deal.

The idea that would solve money issues is a farce.

Also the aac doesn’t have divisions. A lot more plane rides

Just food for thought but ecu spend ~$3.5MM more in gameday expenses and travel than App in FY 2023. Id bet the bulk of that is the extra travel

I don’t think it would be any different for App.

So making ~$2MM more and spending ~$3MM more in expenses doesn’t sound great all else being equal.

You are right, It does not make sense to change conferences for more money, when in the long run, it is all eaten up by travel expenses. Not to mention, the amount of time that athletes are not in class or in their own beds.

I really do believe that the AAC is a has been conference along with C-USA and the PAC-12. I do not want App to join any of those nor the MAC or Mountain West. With out the Big Four, I am not sure I want any part of the ACC either. Even the SoCon is not the conference it was when we left. Right now the Sun Belt is the best fit for App both financially and geographically. The Sun Belt East actually has teams that are true rivals of App and each other.

Remember when in North Carolina there was only one conference that anyone actually cared about called the ACC? None of the other conferences were even noticed until March Madness.

[spacemonkey]

A best of the east 9 teams to go with the new Pac 9 may be interesting. If we traveled for one game out west each year.

[AppDawg]

There were more parameters for joining the AAC than budget.

Correct. If I recall most of the conferences “above” us require R1 National Research status (I think AAC is one)… just this calendar year, we just obtained R2 status. A long way to go on that front.

[JTApps1]

There were more parameters for joining the AAC than budget.

Correct. If I recall most of the conferences “above” us require R1 National Research status (I think AAC is one)… just this calendar year, we just obtained R2 status. A long way to go on that front.

Several AAC members are not R1 but are R2. That's why I said reaching R2 could be a big step forward with major realignment on the horizon.

[AtlAppMan]

All this talk of more money, switching conferences, etc... the problem is that the Sun Belt media deal is absolute trash and Gill got bent over at the negotiating table. We have like 4 regular season basketball games broadcast on the national network for the whole conference. It might mean playing games on days other than the normal thurs/sat, but Gill and the ADs have to figure out a way to get conference basketball on a national broadcast if they want to be relevant.

From a 2023 Yahoo article:
- The AAC has a 12-year contract worth nearly $1 billion with ESPN.
- Conference USA’s current deal with ESPN, CBS Sports Network, NFL Network, Facebook and Stadium will expire next year. It’s worth around $5.5 million per year. (They signed a new TV deal since that article. Google didnt give total numbers on a quick search, but seems to worth around 9.5 mil)
- The Mid-American Conference’s deal ends in 2027. It’s worth about $8 million per year with ESPN and CBS Sports.
- The Mountain West Conference’s deal is with CBS Sports and FOX, running through 2026 and paying $270 million per year.
- The Sun Belt Conference has a deal with ESPN that runs through 2031. Most of the games are on ESPN+ and the deal pays $7 million per year.

- Couldnt find actual numbers for the Ivy, but a google search shows their basketball are on national networks significantly more often than Sun Belt teams.

From a Sun Belt release earlier this year:
2025 Sun Belt Men’s Basketball ESPN2/ESPNU Wildcard Schedule
January 23 – App State at Arkansas State [ESPN2]
February 5 – Arkansas State at Marshall [ESPNU]
February 15 – Troy at Arkansas State [ESPN2]
February 28 – App State at Marshall – 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT [ESPN2/ESPNU]

Pathetic.

Just a clarification point, to make sure we are comparing apples to apples. Thanks for research above.
The Mountain West Conference TV deal was 2020-2026 worth a TOTAL of $270 million (not per year) resulting in EACH school getting approx $4M per year.

[moonshine]

A best of the east 9 teams to go with the new Pac 9 may be interesting. If we traveled for one game out west each year.

This could be interesting with 18 for football and 20 for bball covering 3 times zones. Football could play 10 conference games, 8 against division 1h/1a against the west. Fill out the schedule with a money game and FCS. How would bball scheduling work with 20 teams? Play round robin with division (18 games) and 2 cross over 1h/1a?

West: WaSU, OSU, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Utah State, and San Diego State with potentially UNLV + TxSt -- Zags bball only

Who would be the eastern 9? If we are dreaming of App being in such a conference, maybe it would resemble something along these lines.

East: Memphis, USF, Tulane, ECU, UCONN, App, JMU, Marshall, GaSt or UAB -- WSU Shockers or VCU or CoC bball only

The PAC probably wants Memphis, USF and Tulane right out of the gate. ECU brings a good fanbase and baseball. We know Memphis and the Zags want strong bball so bringing in UCONN might rank high on the priority list although I don't think the Huskies should venture outside the Big East again, at least until the ACC implodes. I placed Marshall here as I think they are a better program, but we know those AAC teams love markets. I imagine they'd prefer GaSt and/or UAB over the Herd. Personally, I'd probably choose ODU over the Panthers and Blazers as the SEC reigns supreme in their states. Round out the east with a bball only selection. I'd assume Wichita would rank up there with bball prestige and being located in the middle of the country would appeal to the West teams just for travel's sake, but the Shockers appear to be heading in the wrong direction over the past few seasons in a relatively weak AAC. If no WSU, then maybe a CoC (SC) or VCU.

Imagine this fall schedule:
ECU, Marshall, UCONN, Memphis, Boise (west) + FCS in KBS
@JMU, @Tulane, @USF, @UAB, @CSU (west), @SEC/BIG10


Unfortunately, I don't see App being a top pick for this coast-to-coast PAC idea. Realistically, the SBC east is about as good as we could ask for with regards to peers, competition level and travel.

[BambooRdApp]

A best of the east 9 teams to go with the new Pac 9 may be interesting. If we traveled for one game out west each year.

This could be interesting with 18 for football and 20 for bball covering 3 times zones. Football could play 10 conference games, 8 against division 1h/1a against the west. Fill out the schedule with a money game and FCS. How would bball scheduling work with 20 teams? Play round robin with division (18 games) and 2 cross over 1h/1a?

West: WaSU, OSU, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Utah State, and San Diego State with potentially UNLV + TxSt -- Zags bball only

Who would be the eastern 9? If we are dreaming of App being in such a conference, maybe it would resemble something along these lines.

East: Memphis, USF, Tulane, ECU, UCONN, App, JMU, Marshall, GaSt or UAB -- WSU Shockers or VCU or CoC bball only

The PAC probably wants Memphis, USF and Tulane right out of the gate. ECU brings a good fanbase and baseball. We know Memphis and the Zags want strong bball so bringing in UCONN might rank high on the priority list although I don't think the Huskies should venture outside the Big East again, at least until the ACC implodes. I placed Marshall here as I think they are a better program, but we know those AAC teams love markets. I imagine they'd prefer GaSt and/or UAB over the Herd. Personally, I'd probably choose ODU over the Panthers and Blazers as the SEC reigns supreme in their states. Round out the east with a bball only selection. I'd assume Wichita would rank up there with bball prestige and being located in the middle of the country would appeal to the West teams just for travel's sake, but the Shockers appear to be heading in the wrong direction over the past few seasons in a relatively weak AAC. If no WSU, then maybe a CoC (SC) or VCU.

Imagine this fall schedule:
ECU, Marshall, UCONN, Memphis, Boise (west) + FCS in KBS
@JMU, @Tulane, @USF, @UAB, @CSU (west), @SEC/BIG10


Unfortunately, I don't see App being a top pick for this coast-to-coast PAC idea. Realistically, the SBC east is about as good as we could ask for with regards to peers, competition level and travel.

Like the concepts. If we have 9 on each side, no need to travel West unless we make it an ooc game...which I am fine with. With 8 opponents on East side, gives us 4 OOCs which is how we are set up.

In teams, prefer to not have any private schools only due to it seems they have deep pockets at their disposal if they want to use them. Maybe zags would consider as their bball conference has not been that strong. I believe St Mary's has improved, however overall an okay conference. I do not see UConn coming over as the big east bball conference is light years ahead of the above the opponents listed above IMHO.
Nice to dream.

[AppState222]

Thanks for the clarification. It was a quick google search, and some of these contracts arent readily available, especially as all the realignment happens and some of them change, or people report numbers differently, so I appreciate it.

I think my larger point isnt necessarily about the money distribution (though money is good!), but that our basketball deal is so bad. 4 games on a national network as a conference is so bad. In trying to find Ivy numbers, there were articles about how every school would have multiple games. The MAC sounds like its 21 wildcard games on linear for the conference.

This from the a-10:
• 28 regular season men’s games and eight regular season women’s games, plus ancillary studio coverage and original programming on CBS Sports Network
• ESPN Networks will air 11 men’s and two women’s regular season basketball games
• NBC Sports will televise 25 regular season men’s games and three regular season women’s games

Having the games on e+ is nice, but having the games on actual tv would be better for brand building.

All this talk of more money, switching conferences, etc... the problem is that the Sun Belt media deal is absolute trash and Gill got bent over at the negotiating table. We have like 4 regular season basketball games broadcast on the national network for the whole conference. It might mean playing games on days other than the normal thurs/sat, but Gill and the ADs have to figure out a way to get conference basketball on a national broadcast if they want to be relevant.

From a 2023 Yahoo article:
- The AAC has a 12-year contract worth nearly $1 billion with ESPN.
- Conference USA’s current deal with ESPN, CBS Sports Network, NFL Network, Facebook and Stadium will expire next year. It’s worth around $5.5 million per year. (They signed a new TV deal since that article. Google didnt give total numbers on a quick search, but seems to worth around 9.5 mil)
- The Mid-American Conference’s deal ends in 2027. It’s worth about $8 million per year with ESPN and CBS Sports.
- The Mountain West Conference’s deal is with CBS Sports and FOX, running through 2026 and paying $270 million per year.
- The Sun Belt Conference has a deal with ESPN that runs through 2031. Most of the games are on ESPN+ and the deal pays $7 million per year.

- Couldnt find actual numbers for the Ivy, but a google search shows their basketball are on national networks significantly more often than Sun Belt teams.

From a Sun Belt release earlier this year:
2025 Sun Belt Men’s Basketball ESPN2/ESPNU Wildcard Schedule
January 23 – App State at Arkansas State [ESPN2]
February 5 – Arkansas State at Marshall [ESPNU]
February 15 – Troy at Arkansas State [ESPN2]
February 28 – App State at Marshall – 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT [ESPN2/ESPNU]

Pathetic.

Just a clarification point, to make sure we are comparing apples to apples. Thanks for research above.
The Mountain West Conference TV deal was 2020-2026 worth a TOTAL of $270 million (not per year) resulting in EACH school getting approx $4M per year.

[BallantyneApp]

A best of the east 9 teams to go with the new Pac 9 may be interesting. If we traveled for one game out west each year.

This could be interesting with 18 for football and 20 for bball covering 3 times zones. Football could play 10 conference games, 8 against division 1h/1a against the west. Fill out the schedule with a money game and FCS. How would bball scheduling work with 20 teams? Play round robin with division (18 games) and 2 cross over 1h/1a?

West: WaSU, OSU, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Utah State, and San Diego State with potentially UNLV + TxSt -- Zags bball only

Who would be the eastern 9? If we are dreaming of App being in such a conference, maybe it would resemble something along these lines.

East: Memphis, USF, Tulane, ECU, UCONN, App, JMU, Marshall, GaSt or UAB -- WSU Shockers or VCU or CoC bball only

The PAC probably wants Memphis, USF and Tulane right out of the gate. ECU brings a good fanbase and baseball. We know Memphis and the Zags want strong bball so bringing in UCONN might rank high on the priority list although I don't think the Huskies should venture outside the Big East again, at least until the ACC implodes. I placed Marshall here as I think they are a better program, but we know those AAC teams love markets. I imagine they'd prefer GaSt and/or UAB over the Herd. Personally, I'd probably choose ODU over the Panthers and Blazers as the SEC reigns supreme in their states. Round out the east with a bball only selection. I'd assume Wichita would rank up there with bball prestige and being located in the middle of the country would appeal to the West teams just for travel's sake, but the Shockers appear to be heading in the wrong direction over the past few seasons in a relatively weak AAC. If no WSU, then maybe a CoC (SC) or VCU.

Imagine this fall schedule:
ECU, Marshall, UCONN, Memphis, Boise (west) + FCS in KBS
@JMU, @Tulane, @USF, @UAB, @CSU (west), @SEC/BIG10


Unfortunately, I don't see App being a top pick for this coast-to-coast PAC idea. Realistically, the SBC east is about as good as we could ask for with regards to peers, competition level and travel.

I don’t think there’s enough $$ for a coast to coast “best of the rest” league.

But I’d give UConn a <1% chance of joining even if there was.

They paid $17MM to leave a much better version of the aac.

It’s acc or bust for them.

[yosef95]

Crazy thing is when these discussions come up. App not a big market etc. But then when you look at programs in the Aac Conf Usa Etc. 90% of them are crap towns. Small markets. Marshall market? Go on down the list. App is unique in that it is a destination tourist place and cool place for visiting team fanbases to come to vs, Greenville NC for example

[BambooRdApp]

Crazy thing is when these discussions come up. App not a big market etc. But then when you look at programs in the Aac Conf Usa Etc. 90% of them are crap towns. Small markets. Marshall market? Go on down the list. App is unique in that it is a destination tourist place and cool place for visiting team fanbases to come to vs, Greenville NC for example

All about perspective, when I was working as a young professional in Greenville right after undergrad and before attending App for grad school....I thought 5th Street on Friday and Saturday night were quite the excitement.....and driving through campus by the Hill (EasyU people will know what I am talking about) during the summertime and the talent lounging on The Hill...I thought Greenville was paradise..
Then I got married and reformed.... a little bit

[yosef95]

No, I get each place has it's special part, just baffled that App looked on like a small market, but most of the Aac. Conf are small markets. App also unique in that the local area market may be smaller, but most of their alumni are in Raleigh and or Charlotte markets.

[AppSt94]

App is a big market team in a small market town. Granted that is what makes it appealing to us, it’s lacking in logistical appeal. It’s remote from any decent size airport. The town infrastructure isn’t quite set up to accommodate crowds that would come with the expansion of KBS. Not to mention available space to build additional resources such as parking, road widening and hotels. The only real viable space is up and that would be met with resistance from locals.

[WASU 93]

App is a big market team in a small market town. Granted that is what makes it appealing to us, it’s lacking in logistical appeal. It’s remote from any decent size airport. The town infrastructure isn’t quite set up to accommodate crowds that would come with the expansion of KBS. Not to mention available space to build additional resources such as parking, road widening and hotels. The only real viable space is up and that would be met with resistance from locals.

Unless, you sell your soul and move athletics to Hickory......

I wouldn't do it, but there are options there that you don't have in Boone.

[BallantyneApp]

App is a big market team in a small market town. Granted that is what makes it appealing to us, it’s lacking in logistical appeal. It’s remote from any decent size airport. The town infrastructure isn’t quite set up to accommodate crowds that would come with the expansion of KBS. Not to mention available space to build additional resources such as parking, road widening and hotels. The only real viable space is up and that would be met with resistance from locals.

Unless, you sell your soul and move athletics to Hickory......

I wouldn't do it, but there are options there that you don't have in Boone.

no reason to. Streaming has changed hte game vis a vis conference alignment. Brands >markets now and the SEC and several other conferences as well as ESPN have conceded this. Now how many people actually watch your games matters more than how many people are located in your geographic vicinity.

if the lack of a full service hotel in boone proper was the reason, we weren't getting invited they were just looking for an excuse.

[BambooRdApp]

App is a big market team in a small market town. Granted that is what makes it appealing to us, it’s lacking in logistical appeal. It’s remote from any decent size airport. The town infrastructure isn’t quite set up to accommodate crowds that would come with the expansion of KBS. Not to mention available space to build additional resources such as parking, road widening and hotels. The only real viable space is up and that would be met with resistance from locals.

Unless, you sell your soul and move athletics to Hickory......

I wouldn't do it, but there are options there that you don't have in Boone.

no reason to. Streaming has changed hte game vis a vis conference alignment. Brands >markets now and the SEC and several other conferences as well as ESPN have conceded this. Now how many people actually watch your games matters more than how many people are located in your geographic vicinity.

if the lack of a full service hotel in boone proper was the reason, we weren't getting invited they were just looking for an excuse.

Happy Valley is lacking in hotels on game weekends..but somehow 100,000 plus show up .and it seems many travel in on 4 lane highways to Happy Valley.
Now, once in town, that is the difficulty. Feel like I have more options in and around Happy Valley on side roads to get around versus Boone on game day.

[appdaze]

If you moved sports to Hickory than the Boone campus would slowly die.

As far as the streaming goes, I wish we would step that up as a program. It wouldn't be all that expensive all things considered to invest in some hi def 4k etc cameras in lots of places around the field and allowing the online viewers to pick a camera angle to watch or watch up to 4 cameras at a time. Have them on center bar on the goal posts like the NFL. Angled from the 4 corners of the field. One on each side of the 50. Make something that gives more value to the streaming platform.

[AppDawg]

If you moved sports to Hickory than the Boone campus would slowly die.

As far as the streaming goes, I wish we would step that up as a program. It wouldn't be all that expensive all things considered to invest in some hi def 4k etc cameras in lots of places around the field and allowing the online viewers to pick a camera angle to watch or watch up to 4 cameras at a time. Have them on center bar on the goal posts like the NFL. Angled from the 4 corners of the field. One on each side of the 50. Make something that gives more value to the streaming platform.

Agree with 4k, but my biggest gripe about the + broadcasts is the sound and lack of field level microphones. Cannot hear crowd, cannot hear band, cannot hear pads knocking. The entire atmosphere is missing from the broadcast. I can see it, but I cannot “Feel” it.

There is A noticeable difference when we are on the Mothership vs. the U and definitely the +.

[Pikapp79]

App is a big market team in a small market town. Granted that is what makes it appealing to us, it’s lacking in logistical appeal. It’s remote from any decent size airport. The town infrastructure isn’t quite set up to accommodate crowds that would come with the expansion of KBS. Not to mention available space to build additional resources such as parking, road widening and hotels. The only real viable space is up and that would be met with resistance from locals.

Unless, you sell your soul and move athletics to Hickory......

I wouldn't do it, but there are options there that you don't have in Boone.

Do that and I’d never attend another game.