HOW A10 CAN STAY RELEVANT

[ramster]

…….no Bonnies?………guess that leaves Bona, Mason, Fordham, Dukes, UMess, GW……..to be left at the bus stop……..did I miss anyone?

That’s why these premonitions are not worth wasting time on. Guy leaves out a Top 20 Preseason Team in St Bonaventure but includes the Fordham of the NBE (DePaul) and St Joseph’s.

Need for the season to begin.

[PlayMikeMotenMore]

Honestly, I don't think the A-10 is building their future around SLU or Dayton. SLU is a round peg in a square hole when it comes to this conference. They just don't fit with the rest of the league. They're a better fit in The Valley. And Dayton (like SLU) would jump to the Big East in a second, if Xavier OK'd it. I don't think they have any long-term allegiance to the A-10. Unfortunately, both would be better fits in the new Big East and I'm sure are hoping for an invite. (Heck, they could move the Big East tourney back-n-forth between NYC and Chicago.)

West: Butler, SLU, Xavier, Creighton, DePaul, Marquette, Dayton
East: PC, Hall, St. John's, Nova, GTown, UCONN

The A-10 has very little leverage. People in Murray, KY are not clamoring to join the A-10. Loyola left the Horizon League for a bump in prestige to The Valley but still with regional appeal. They're not going to the A-10.

Most realistic schools to join the A-10 would be schools like Siena (Albany), Delaware, and if Temple "went back to the future" to sacrifice football dreams for the benefit of the basketball program. If Northeastern could ever get any interest (more than 1,000 to their games)...

But I don't think the A-10 is making any changes any time soon. It's pretty stable.

Unfortunately, you are probably correct. I can see SLU, Dayton. and possibly VCU all bailing at some point. What does that leave us with?
Getting Siena, Iona, Buffalo, Vermont, and Delaware would be the consolation prize. I guess I was shooting too high for Belmont, Murray State, and Loyola.

Vermont is not a fit. Despite their hoops success, they belong right where they are with UNH, Maine, etc.
Buffalo is a MAC team with a football program. Not leaving the MAC.
Siena and Iona are in the same boat. But Siena does provide exposure into Albany. Siena is a pretty big deal in capital region.
Delaware would fit.
Belmont, Murray St. and Loyola are "not walking thru that door" to quote a notable coach.

[rjsuperfly66]

Large conferences make more sense for football, since you only play about half the conference anyway.

It makes no sense for basketball. If you are playing 20-22 games, you want to play as many top teams as possible. If there are 5 other Top 50 teams in a conference, you want to play them each 2x plus hopefully more in the CT.

The more teams you have/add, the less likely that is to happen. For some reason I think people are pre-conditioner by the football conferences that “we should lose these teams and add these teams,” but there can be some serious addition by subtraction without trying to navigate questionable programs in the process.

[Rhode_Island_Red]

Interesting thought to compete with the P5, wouldn't have to be concerned with OOC schedule.

Congratulations to whoever cooked up this idea -- you've just invented the ECAC.

[RhowdyRam02]

Need to do the subtracting before any additions.

The subtractions may come as a result of the A10 being poached. I wouldn't mind us being pro-active, before some desirable teams go elsewhere.
What basketball teams have been booted out of a conference for poor performance, is there a precedent? I can't recall off hand.

I can't think of it in basketball. Only comparable thing I can think of was Temple football getting expelled from the Big East due to a lack of commitment to the program

[RhowdyRam02]

Interesting thought to compete with the P5, wouldn't have to be concerned with OOC schedule.

This will never happen, but holy shit would it be great!

[Jersey77]

Rothstein isn't including Gonzaga, or schools in the A10, Mountain West, or AAC.

[RhowdyRam02]

Cross posting from the realignment thread:

"Latest rumors have Air Force, Colorado State, and Alabama Birmingham going to the American. If we could dump our bottom feeders/programs that don't invest in basketball, we are a significantly better basketball conference than the American and we should be looking to poach Wichita State. Hell, even as is we're probably a better conference. If you were them would you rather be in the A10, or in the following conference:

Air Force, Colorado State, UAB, East Carolina, Memphis, South Florida, SMU, Temple, Tulane, and Tulsa

Alternate idea: Do we band together with VCU, Dayton, Saint Louis and one other A10 school and offer to jump to the American to give them a 16 team conference outside of football?"

For me the best option is a smaller Atlantic 10 that is completely divested from FBS football
1. URI
2. Wichita State
3. Davidson
4. Dayton
5. George Mason
6. Richmond
7. St. Bonaventure
8. Saint Joseph's
9. Saint Louis
10. VCU
11. UMass if they drop football to FCS or George Washington if they refuse

The second best option is offering us up as a group of A10 schools that can shore up AAC basketball, though I do have some worries about joining up with a football conference after the old Big East's issues.

The third best option is not losing any of the dead weight but adding Wichita State. This improves the top end of the conference but doesn't do anything to fix the true issue with our conference, the dead weight at the back end.

The no way in hell please option: Don't drop the back end of the conference schools, add more big fish in small pond schools and hope they can be valuable members when they're here. Too much risk. Doesn't fix the dead weight issue, could very well make it worse

[Jersey77]

Cross posting from the realignment thread:

"Latest rumors have Air Force, Colorado State, and Alabama Birmingham going to the American. If we could dump our bottom feeders/programs that don't invest in basketball, we are a significantly better basketball conference than the American and we should be looking to poach Wichita State. Hell, even as is we're probably a better conference. If you were them would you rather be in the A10, or in the following conference:

Air Force, Colorado State, UAB, East Carolina, Memphis, South Florida, SMU, Temple, Tulane, and Tulsa

Alternate idea: Do we band together with VCU, Dayton, Saint Louis and one other A10 school and offer to jump to the American to give them a 16 team conference outside of football?"

For me the best option is a smaller Atlantic 10 that is completely divested from FBS football
1. URI
2. Wichita State
3. Davidson
4. Dayton
5. George Mason
6. Richmond
7. St. Bonaventure
8. Saint Joseph's
9. Saint Louis
10. VCU
11. UMass if they drop football to FCS or George Washington if they refuse

The second best option is offering us up as a group of A10 schools that can shore up AAC basketball, though I do have some worries about joining up with a football conference after the old Big East's issues.

The third best option is not losing any of the dead weight but adding Wichita State. This improves the top end of the conference but doesn't do anything to fix the true issue with our conference, the dead weight at the back end.

The no way in hell please option: Don't drop the back end of the conference schools, add more big fish in small pond schools and hope they can be valuable members when they're here. Too much risk. Doesn't fix the dead weight issue, could very well make it worse

Why would Wichita State pay a $10-$20 million dollar exit fee from the AAC to join the A10?
Also it currently isn't geographically desirable for them.

[RhowdyRam02]

Cross posting from the realignment thread:

"Latest rumors have Air Force, Colorado State, and Alabama Birmingham going to the American. If we could dump our bottom feeders/programs that don't invest in basketball, we are a significantly better basketball conference than the American and we should be looking to poach Wichita State. Hell, even as is we're probably a better conference. If you were them would you rather be in the A10, or in the following conference:

Air Force, Colorado State, UAB, East Carolina, Memphis, South Florida, SMU, Temple, Tulane, and Tulsa

Alternate idea: Do we band together with VCU, Dayton, Saint Louis and one other A10 school and offer to jump to the American to give them a 16 team conference outside of football?"

For me the best option is a smaller Atlantic 10 that is completely divested from FBS football
1. URI
2. Wichita State
3. Davidson
4. Dayton
5. George Mason
6. Richmond
7. St. Bonaventure
8. Saint Joseph's
9. Saint Louis
10. VCU
11. UMass if they drop football to FCS or George Washington if they refuse

The second best option is offering us up as a group of A10 schools that can shore up AAC basketball, though I do have some worries about joining up with a football conference after the old Big East's issues.

The third best option is not losing any of the dead weight but adding Wichita State. This improves the top end of the conference but doesn't do anything to fix the true issue with our conference, the dead weight at the back end.

The no way in hell please option: Don't drop the back end of the conference schools, add more big fish in small pond schools and hope they can be valuable members when they're here. Too much risk. Doesn't fix the dead weight issue, could very well make it worse

Why would Wichita State pay a $10-$20 million dollar exit fee from the AAC to join the A10?
Also it currently isn't geographically desirable for them.

Because this would be their conference:

Air Force, Colorado State, UAB, East Carolina, Memphis, South Florida, SMU, Temple, Tulane, and Tulsa

Does that look geographically desirable? Cause it sure as shit doesn't look competitively desirable outside of Memphis, and I'm sure they're at a disadvantage from the other schools because they don't get any football media money.

The AAC exit fee is Koch brothers pocket change if Wichita State wants to move

[Jersey77]

Cross posting from the realignment thread:

"Latest rumors have Air Force, Colorado State, and Alabama Birmingham going to the American. If we could dump our bottom feeders/programs that don't invest in basketball, we are a significantly better basketball conference than the American and we should be looking to poach Wichita State. Hell, even as is we're probably a better conference. If you were them would you rather be in the A10, or in the following conference:

Air Force, Colorado State, UAB, East Carolina, Memphis, South Florida, SMU, Temple, Tulane, and Tulsa

Alternate idea: Do we band together with VCU, Dayton, Saint Louis and one other A10 school and offer to jump to the American to give them a 16 team conference outside of football?"

For me the best option is a smaller Atlantic 10 that is completely divested from FBS football
1. URI
2. Wichita State
3. Davidson
4. Dayton
5. George Mason
6. Richmond
7. St. Bonaventure
8. Saint Joseph's
9. Saint Louis
10. VCU
11. UMass if they drop football to FCS or George Washington if they refuse

The second best option is offering us up as a group of A10 schools that can shore up AAC basketball, though I do have some worries about joining up with a football conference after the old Big East's issues.

The third best option is not losing any of the dead weight but adding Wichita State. This improves the top end of the conference but doesn't do anything to fix the true issue with our conference, the dead weight at the back end.

The no way in hell please option: Don't drop the back end of the conference schools, add more big fish in small pond schools and hope they can be valuable members when they're here. Too much risk. Doesn't fix the dead weight issue, could very well make it worse

Why would Wichita State pay a $10-$20 million dollar exit fee from the AAC to join the A10?
Also it currently isn't geographically desirable for them.

Because this would be their conference:

Air Force, Colorado State, UAB, East Carolina, Memphis, South Florida, SMU, Temple, Tulane, and Tulsa

Does that look geographically desirable? Cause it sure as shit doesn't look competitively desirable outside of Memphis, and I'm sure they're at a disadvantage from the other schools because they don't get any football media money.

The AAC exit fee is Koch brothers pocket change if Wichita State wants to move

UConn settled on $17 million to leave the AAC, and the BE is much more lucrative than the A10.
That isn't exactly chump change especially when football isn't in the equation.
Agreed the A10 is very competitive compared to the AAC in basketball but not sure the $ make it worthwhile for them to switch. The AAC is still more geographically desirable for them.
There have been rumors about this move in the past but nothing materialized.
I am also not sure how far west the A10 is willing to expand.

[RhowdyRam02]

One big difference is UConn was the only school leaving at that time. Wichita State could renounce their rights to the money the conference is receiving for Central Florida, Cincinnati, and Houston leaving to reduce or completely erase their own exit fee.

[Jersey77]

One big difference is UConn was the only school leaving at that time. Wichita State could renounce their rights to the money the conference is receiving for Central Florida, Cincinnati, and Houston leaving to reduce or completely erase their own exit fee.

Not sure that would fly. Of course I would love to see them in the A10, but very doubtful. Don’t know the interest level on either side.

[PlayMikeMotenMore]

Wichita State is not joining the A-10. There is no geographic connection and no desire by the program & fan base. You're overselling the A-10's attractiveness to people in other parts of the country. They can barely find the Atlantic Ocean.

Memphis, Tulsa, UAB, SMU, Temple...that's plenty of competition for Wichita State.

I would think if Wichita State wanted to leave some day (which I don't think they will), they would return back to The Valley or head over to the Big East.

[Jersey77]

Wichita State is not joining the A-10. There is no geographic connection and no desire by the program & fan base. You're overselling the A-10's attractiveness to people in other parts of the country. They can barely find the Atlantic Ocean.

Memphis, Tulsa, UAB, SMU, Temple...that's plenty of competition for Wichita State.

I would think if Wichita State wanted to leave some day (which I don't think they will), they would return back to The Valley or head over to the Big East.

Yep, my thought also.

[ramster]

I have been reading the message boards from Temple, Memphis and Wichita State. I don't read much if anything about any AAC Schools considering the Atlantic 10.

[ramster]

BYU - Ranked #15, leaving the WCC significantly weakens the conference - not good for Gonzaga or any of the other WCC schools.
Cincinnati - Ranked #8, Houston and UCF greatly weakens the AAC - however, there are many possibilities for backfilling the 3 holes.

I'm reading that the AAC is likely to add 4 schools. In addition, there is a likelihood that the Big 12 could sooner or later add 2 more teams and they seem to like Boise State and Memphis.

Seems a likely order for replacing the 3 AAC Teams plus 1 to go to 12 total teams, in somewhat of an order based on what I have been reading:

• Conf USA - UAB - they dropped football in 2014 but have built back quickly. Opening $200 million, 47,000 seat Protective Stadium October 2 - playing Liberty University opening game

• Mountain West - Boise State -

• Mountain West - San Diego State - Currently Ranked #34 - Opening new $310 million, 35,000 seat Aztec Stadium Sept 3, 2022 vs Arizona opening game

• Mountain West - Colorado State - Opened $220 million, 41,000 seat Canvas Stadium in 2017

• Mountain West - Air Force

Other teams that have been mentioned as possibilities:
Army
Coastal Carolina - Currently Ranked #17
Louisiana Lafayette
North Texas
Arkansas State
UT San Antonio
Georgia State
Liberty - Currently Ranked #27
Marshall
Florida Atlantic
Fresno State - Currently Ranked #22




https://www.cbssports.com/college-footb ... alignment/

[Jersey77]

The AAC isn't too concerned about it's future, gives Aresco a 3 year extension.

[rjsuperfly66]

I think that’s such an ignorant comment by Goodman.

P5 commishes are the only ones who should be graded based off being poached.

Everyone else is at their mercy due to monetary reasons. Don’t think that makes them a bad commish.

[ramster]

I think that’s such an ignorant comment by Goodman.

P5 commishes are the only ones who should be graded based off being poached.

Everyone else is at their mercy due to monetary reasons. Don’t think that makes them a bad commish.

Agree.
The bigger poach might have been the SEC poaching Texas and Oklahoma. These are two huge, huge programs in all sports. So it was a power move by the SEC and not a good look for the Big 12.

The P5 hold all the cards due to Football.

Big Winners were BYU, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston were big winners - but those programs have been building towards this ultimate offer.

Just so happens that the AAC is the best Football Conference that is NOT a P5 - so you might say it is even a credit to the AAC Commissioner that he would get hit the hardest.

Next up will be who gets added to the AAC - and does the AAC eventually become so strong it becomes a P6? or does it set up to get raided again?

There are a lot of teams wanting to get into the P5 and are building their programs accordingly.

[RhowdyRam02]

I think that’s such an ignorant comment by Goodman.

P5 commishes are the only ones who should be graded based off being poached.

Everyone else is at their mercy due to monetary reasons. Don’t think that makes them a bad commish.

I'm not sure about that. You could make a case that the AAC had a better collection of schools than the Big 12 once Texas and Oklahoma were SEC bound, and in short order they're swapping Central Florida, Cincinnati, and Houston with Air Force, Colorado State, and Alabama Birmingham. I don't think getting poached in that situation and bringing the three schools they are rumored to be bringing in is extension worthy. Frankly it seems like literally anyone could have done the job Aresco did here for the American, I'm not really seeing anything he did that was special

[rjsuperfly66]

The moves had more to do with football/monetary, but even from a basketball perspective, there is no comparison.

Kansas is one of the greatest programs of all-time. Texas Tech has built one of the best programs of the last decade.Baylor just won the National Championship. West Virginia is basically a perennial high-level tourney team.

Those schools left the promise of what Memphis should become on paper and Wichita St returning to what it previously was.

The names and pedigree is always going to carry more weight and the Big 12 name will also be greater than the AAC as long as they can avoid future raids.

And also looking at football, these are the rankings on Sagarin for the remaining Big 12 teams:

13, 21, 22, 25, 26, 33, 44, 126.

AAC:

55, 58, 78, 84, 96, 127, 130, 132.

[Jersey77]

If I was to make a guess, I think they stay in the AAC, at least for the near future.

[Jersey77]

Rumors that Belmont is joining the MVC
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/repor ... uxbndlbing

[ramster]

Rumors that Belmont is joining the MVC
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/repor ... uxbndlbing

Already being discussed today in All Other College Sports - Realignment.

[Jersey77]

Rumors that Belmont is joining the MVC
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/repor ... uxbndlbing

Already being discussed today in All Other College Sports - Realignment.

Yes, I think it may be a done deal, nice for the MVC.
Also some speculation about Murray State joining too.

[Jersey77]

The AAC needs to start looking at a plan B.

[NYGFan_Section208]

The AAC needs to start looking at a plan B.

I thought the AAC 'was' Plan B?

[ramster]

The AAC needs to start looking at a plan B.

I thought the AAC 'was' Plan B?

Careful what you ask for

[NYGFan_Section208]

The AAC needs to start looking at a plan B.

I thought the AAC 'was' Plan B?

Careful what you ask for

I was more thinking about the origin and existence feel of it. Has always seemed to me like someone's (planners? participants?) Plan B...

If I hadn't been living in CT when it formed and obviously UConn joined...not sure I'd have heard of it much otherwise. I remember reading in The Courant how badly UConn wanted in to the ACC...

[ramster]

I thought the AAC 'was' Plan B?

Careful what you ask for

I was more thinking about the origin and existence feel of it. Has always seemed to me like someone's (planners? participants?) Plan B...

If I hadn't been living in CT when it formed and obviously UConn joined...not sure I'd have heard of it much otherwise. I remember reading in The Courant how badly UConn wanted in to the ACC...

My point was/is that as more teams turn down the AAC then the top of the A10 can become viable replacement candidates.

Reading the Temple Message Board is interesting considering all the changes to the AAC conference

[Jersey77]

Careful what you ask for

I was more thinking about the origin and existence feel of it. Has always seemed to me like someone's (planners? participants?) Plan B...

If I hadn't been living in CT when it formed and obviously UConn joined...not sure I'd have heard of it much otherwise. I remember reading in The Courant how badly UConn wanted in to the ACC...

My point was/is that as more teams turn down the AAC then the top of the A10 can become viable replacement candidates.

Ramster, I think the AAC is more concerned about the football aspect, although they did grab WSU.
My biggest worry has always been the BE, they have a history of poaching our teams.
Also watch out for the MVC, they now have Belmont and possibly Murray State. Geographically Dayton and SLU would be a good fit and there were rumors about that along with the MVC possibly expanding to 14-16 teams down the road.

[ramster]

I was more thinking about the origin and existence feel of it. Has always seemed to me like someone's (planners? participants?) Plan B...

If I hadn't been living in CT when it formed and obviously UConn joined...not sure I'd have heard of it much otherwise. I remember reading in The Courant how badly UConn wanted in to the ACC...

My point was/is that as more teams turn down the AAC then the top of the A10 can become viable replacement candidates.

Ramster, I think the AAC is more concerned about the football aspect, although they did grab WSU.
My biggest worry has always been the BE, they have a history of poaching our teams.
Also watch out for the MVC, they now have Belmont and possibly Murray State. Geographically Dayton and SLU would be a good fit and there were rumors about that along with the MVC possibly expanding to 14-16 teams down the road.

77,
VCU and Dayton for the last several years have been rumored for the AAC. It took the Big East forever to add an 11th team. It will likely take a long time to add a 12th if ever.

Some discussions going on now about AAC possibilities. Since Wichita State is basketball only, VCU and Dayton could be Basketball Division schools too.

I doubt VCU and Dayton move now but eventually they could move on from the A10. Huge attendance, consistently strong in basketball - both are very attractive programs.



https://csnbbs.com/thread-929051.html

[Jersey77]

My point was/is that as more teams turn down the AAC then the top of the A10 can become viable replacement candidates.

Ramster, I think the AAC is more concerned about the football aspect, although they did grab WSU.
My biggest worry has always been the BE, they have a history of poaching our teams.
Also watch out for the MVC, they now have Belmont and possibly Murray State. Geographically Dayton and SLU would be a good fit and there were rumors about that along with the MVC possibly expanding to 14-16 teams down the road.

77,
VCU and Dayton for the last several years have been rumored for the AAC. It took the Big East forever to add an 11th team. It will likely take a long time to add a 12th if ever.

Some discussions going on now about AAC possibilities. Since Wichita State is basketball only, VCU and Dayton could be Basketball Division schools too.

I doubt VCU and Dayton move now but eventually they could move on from the A10. Huge attendance, consistently strong in basketball - both are very attractive programs.



https://csnbbs.com/thread-929051.html

Ramster,
Yes, the AAC will need to do something after just losing UConn and now 3 more teams.
They tried to poach the MW primarily for football but were unsuccessful, so who knows what is next.

I also think the B12 isn't done yet and will add Memphis and Boise State at some point.

Depending on what happens to the AAC and what other conferences will do, the BE might also try to react and not wait so long this time.
Like I said, also watch out for the MVC because I feel they will continue to expand.

If the A10 does lose VCU and Dayton, SLU will bolt for sure.
Not sure anything will happen with the A10 soon, but the future is a concern.

[Rhody72]

,,,
Not sure anything will happen with the A10 soon, but the future is a concern.

Just win and you will "be poached" and not poached.

[ramster]

,,,
Not sure anything will happen with the A10 soon, but the future is a concern.

Just win and you will "be poached" and not poached.

Nobody thought Texas and Oklahoma would be changing to the SEC as was recently announced and look at all the dominoes falling and more will fall in the future due to those two changes.

Point us you must be ready at all times and have your program at peak performance. You never know when the changes will come.

Big12 may add two more teams. AAC will add at least 4 more teams. Then the conferences those teams belonged to will poach other conferences and on and on it goes.

[rjsuperfly66]

The BE loves the double round robin alignment and while the UCONN helped for other reasons, it also helped the BE towards 20 conference games. Don’t see the BE actively exploring additions unless conferences push towards more conference games and they need to make a move to keep up, more true then ever given the fact there is no move the BE could make that’s going to raise the needle for Fox or MSG.

[section(105)]

……..bring back some form of a new and improved Yankee Conference………only joking………

[Rhody72]

Nobody thought Texas and Oklahoma would be changing to the SEC ...

Nobody thought Texas would stay in the Big12 when their Longhorn Network deal expired. This lucrative contract was the only reason Texas turned down the SEC when they added A&M. Texas was not going to share this revenue with the SEC as would have been required.

[ramster]

Nobody thought Texas and Oklahoma would be changing to the SEC ...

Nobody thought Texas would stay in the Big12 when their Longhorn Network deal expired. This lucrative contract was the only reason Texas turned down the SEC when they added A&M. Texas was not going to share this revenue with the SEC as would have been required.

So you are saying you knew in the past month that Texas and Oklahoma were going to jump ship?
You must be killing it in the stock market.

Who are the next teams to jump ship?

[Rhody72]

So you are saying you knew in the past month that Texas and Oklahoma were going to jump ship?
You must be killing it in the stock market.

I knew TX was moving, not OK, when it was financially advantageous, as everyone who follows TX knew. As for the stock market, bears make money, bulls make money while pigs get slaughtered. Do your homework.

[ramster]

So you are saying you knew in the past month that Texas and Oklahoma were going to jump ship?
You must be killing it in the stock market.

I knew TX was moving, not OK, when it was financially advantageous, as everyone who follows TX knew. As for the stock market, bears make money, bulls make money while pigs get slaughtered. Do your homework.

You knew Texas was going to the SEC?

[ramster]

146 pages on AAC Expansion Candidates from the AAC Message Board.................

https://www.csnbbs.com/thread-928355-page-145.html

[Rhody72]

...
You knew Texas was going to the SEC?

I knew the SEC had made an offer to UT previously (also PAC 10 when it expanded). Also, I knew that UT was interested in the SEC when it was financial advantageous for them to move and that the SEC understood UT's situation. The move at this time was hardly surprising to me et al.

[RhowdyRam02]

So you are saying you knew in the past month that Texas and Oklahoma were going to jump ship?
You must be killing it in the stock market.

I knew TX was moving, not OK, when it was financially advantageous, as everyone who follows TX knew. As for the stock market, bears make money, bulls make money while pigs get slaughtered. Do your homework.

Texas and Oklahoma were always joined at the hip, whether by staying in the Big 12 or moving to the SEC or Pac 12. They were joined at the hip last time conference shook up and they were going to be together this round no matter what as well

[Rhody72]

There is a story about why A&M didn't object to UT joining their conference.

[SGreenwell]

There is a story about why A&M didn't object to UT joining their conference.

It's not a hard $tory to follow. I imagine that the revenue from an annual Texas vs. A&M showdown is huge, even if the teams are at varying levels of contention and competitiveness in any given year.

[RhowdyRam02]

There is a story about why A&M didn't object to UT joining their conference.

A&M athletics did initially object, but once they realized they didn't have the votes to keep Texas out the A&M President voted yes to give the perception of conference unity. I'm sure large chunks of the legislature let A&M know not to mess it up for UT as well

[Rhody72]

There is a story about why A&M didn't object to UT joining their conference.

It's not a hard $tory to follow. I imagine that the revenue from an annual Texas vs. A&M showdown is huge, even if the teams are at varying levels of contention and competitiveness in any given year.

A&M was not the SEC's first TX choice - then and now.

[Jersey77]

Some reason for concern.