Xavier AD says expanding to 12 schools within 5 years

[billyjack]

Seeing an interesting trend towards Creighton fans seeming to hate on the idea of any school from the former BE returning.

Anyways, AAC is a joke, they will take whatever they can get.

I agree with those Creighton fans. No to UConn, because football schools are like crack addicts.

[Dave]

There is a long history of "football only" programs in the AAC and its predecessor Big East Football Conference.

There is? Who?

Temple, West Virginia, Rutgers, Virginia Tech, Navy, East Carolina, Boise State, San Diego State

[OutlawWales]

Seeing an interesting trend towards Creighton fans seeming to hate on the idea of any school from the former BE returning.

Anyways, AAC is a joke, they will take whatever they can get.

I don't think it's hate on the idea of a former BE school returning, as much as it is puzzlement on why the new BE would suddenly want to bring back one of the programs with football and the potential exact same problems that led to the split in the first place.

If a school like UCONN or Louisville or Syracuse, for example, completely dismantled its football program altogether and was looked at to join the current BE, I don't think Creighton fans would "hate" on the idea because of the former affiliation with the BE. There could be discussion about whether the particular school fits with the primarily private/Jesuit/Catholic mold, etc., but nothing related to having previously been in the conference. Maybe that's just me, but I don't think so.

[Dave]

Seeing an interesting trend towards Creighton fans seeming to hate on the idea of any school from the former BE returning.

Anyways, AAC is a joke, they will take whatever they can get.

I don't think it's hate on the idea of a former BE school returning, as much as it is puzzlement on why the new BE would suddenly want to bring back one of the programs with football and the potential exact same problems that led to the split in the first place.

If a school like UCONN or Louisville or Syracuse, for example, completely dismantled its football program altogether and was looked at to join the current BE, I don't think Creighton fans would "hate" on the idea because of the former affiliation with the BE. There could be discussion about whether the particular school fits with the primarily private/Jesuit/Catholic mold, etc., but nothing related to having previously been in the conference. Maybe that's just me, but I don't think so.

Syracuse and Louisville have better conference homes in the ACC. So they are not a realistic expansion target. The AAC schools were left behind with a contract that does not value basketball, like the new Big East contract does. That is why UConn is a viable target. I think many of their fans would relate to BE hoops as a priority. The money is better. And they could stay FB only in the AAC.

1 or 2 programs with football teams would not risk destabilizing the conference.

[bmorex]

I'm sorry guys, but there's no way the AAC would let UConn keep their football in the ACC and move all their other sports to the Big East. They just wouldn't allow it. That's like Texas pulling their football from the Big 12 and moving it to the SEC (better football conference) but keeping basketball and everything else in the Big 12. It just isn't going to happen.

The only way UConn would bring basketball to the Big East is if the MAC would allow the Huskies to play football-only in that conference.

[DudeAnon]

10 of twelve schools with no football permits the Big East to add 2 schools with football. If you pass on UCONN or Memphis etc. because they have football, that is ridiculous. Every rule has an exception. Butler and Catholic only, Omaha and not being out in BUFU.

[Dave]

I'm sorry guys, but there's no way the AAC would let UConn keep their football in the ACC and move all their other sports to the Big East. They just wouldn't allow it. That's like Texas pulling their football from the Big 12 and moving it to the SEC (better football conference) but keeping basketball and everything else in the Big 12. It just isn't going to happen.

The only way UConn would bring basketball to the Big East is if the MAC would allow the Huskies to play football-only in that conference.

The hypothetical UConn is nothing like the hypothetical Texas.

[Bluejay]

There is a long history of "football only" programs in the AAC and its predecessor Big East Football Conference.

There is? Who?

Temple, West Virginia, Rutgers, Virginia Tech, Navy, East Carolina, Boise State, San Diego State

Who can forget all of those glorious Boise St and Sand Diego St Big East football games? Hey, wait a minute....

You can't look at what the BE did when it was trying to salvage a BCS bid and apply that to the present. There are just too many differences between then and now: (a) there is no BCS past this FB season; (b) rather than having a conference made up of FB and nonFB members, we now have 2 separate conferences; (c) we have a certain level of animosity between the two conferences.

I have seen nothing that convinces me that the AAC would allow UConn to take their hoops program (and perhaps their other programs sans football) to another conference, let alone the arch rival Big East, while allowing football to stay. UCOnn football, unlike Notre Dame, Boise St or even Navy, provides very little of value to a conference; basketball is the UConn cash cow and you can bet that the AAC will hold on to that at all costs. If UConn wants to jump to the BE, let them dismantle their FB program or bust it down to MAC level. Until then, it ain't happening.

[Bluejay]

I'm sorry guys, but there's no way the AAC would let UConn keep their football in the ACC and move all their other sports to the Big East. They just wouldn't allow it. That's like Texas pulling their football from the Big 12 and moving it to the SEC (better football conference) but keeping basketball and everything else in the Big 12. It just isn't going to happen.

The only way UConn would bring basketball to the Big East is if the MAC would allow the Huskies to play football-only in that conference.

The hypothetical UConn is nothing like the hypothetical Texas.

You can say that again. Even when their football program is struggling, fans actually go to Texas football games.

[bmorex]

I'm sorry guys, but there's no way the AAC would let UConn keep their football in the ACC and move all their other sports to the Big East. They just wouldn't allow it. That's like Texas pulling their football from the Big 12 and moving it to the SEC (better football conference) but keeping basketball and everything else in the Big 12. It just isn't going to happen.

The only way UConn would bring basketball to the Big East is if the MAC would allow the Huskies to play football-only in that conference.

The hypothetical UConn is nothing like the hypothetical Texas.

It was just using an example. Clearly they are not the same.

Here's my point: It would be absolutely foolish for the AAC to let UConn walk with their basketball and other sports but keep their football in the AAC. Like you said, Texas football is huge. You know what isn't huge? UConn football. Their value is in their basketball. Why would they AAC allow them to keep football but let the school take their value and move it into another conference? Simple answer: They wouldn't.

Like I said, UConn's choice would be all-in in the AAC (which I think they likely do) or MAC for football and Big East for everything else.