No More Rumors - Official AAC Expansion

[Jim Johnson]

The big round of expansion (Rutgers & Maryland to B10) was about cable television markets.  Period.  It happened just as or after the conferences started their own networks, and it was the difference between being optional for some markets and included in the basic packages for others.  Cable companies make a lot of money from people who NEVER watch them because they are included in every bill.  Sure it's only a few dollars per month -- but at that point ESPN had almost 100 million subscribers paying $5+ per month. $6 billion per year (or more) just from the basic cable bills.   So if the Big Ten Network could add Maryland (DC & Baltimore) and Rutgers (NYC and Philly) and go from optional at $0.50 per to included in a different package at $1 per, it means millions more for the conference.

Since then a few important things happened: First -- Grant of Rights.  The ACC is through 2036... so any idea of anyone in the ACC leaving for another conference is tabled for a decade (or more).

The next thing is the rise of streaming services.  More and more people are cutting their cable cord ... ESPN is down to ~75 million subscribers... that's almost 25%... and to compensate they have raised their carriage rates.  Amazon, Yahoo, Facebook, Twitter are competing for sports rights.  Paramount+ (CBS), Peacock (NBC), along with ESPN+ also are part of the mix.  Which makes things less about the DMA and more about people willing to subscribe.

So there will be further consolidation... will USF move to one of the P5 conferences? will AAC and other G5 conferences merge?  Only time will tell.

I think we're on the former.

[Gatorbull325]

41 minutes ago, Jim Johnson said:

The big round of expansion (Rutgers & Maryland to B10) was about cable television markets.  Period.  It happened just as or after the conferences started their own networks, and it was the difference between being optional for some markets and included in the basic packages for others.  Cable companies make a lot of money from people who NEVER watch them because they are included in every bill.  Sure it's only a few dollars per month -- but at that point ESPN had almost 100 million subscribers paying $5+ per month. $6 billion per year (or more) just from the basic cable bills.   So if the Big Ten Network could add Maryland (DC & Baltimore) and Rutgers (NYC and Philly) and go from optional at $0.50 per to included in a different package at $1 per, it means millions more for the conference.

Since then a few important things happened: First -- Grant of Rights.  The ACC is through 2036... so any idea of anyone in the ACC leaving for another conference is tabled for a decade (or more).

The next thing is the rise of streaming services.  More and more people are cutting their cable cord ... ESPN is down to ~75 million subscribers... that's almost 25%... and to compensate they have raised their carriage rates.  Amazon, Yahoo, Facebook, Twitter are competing for sports rights.  Paramount+ (CBS), Peacock (NBC), along with ESPN+ also are part of the mix.  Which makes things less about the DMA and more about people willing to subscribe.

So there will be further consolidation... will USF move to one of the P5 conferences? will AAC and other G5 conferences merge?  Only time will tell.

I think we're on the former.

So base off of your reply, the Big 10 is our likely destination since they are the only Power 5 conference on the East Coast w/o a Florida school. 

[Gatorbull325]

2 hours ago, NewEnglandBull said:

Regardless of where we may end up if there is a conference shift again. Getting AAU status will be huge and easily increases our attractiveness to move up. 

How do you even obtain AAU status?

[NewEnglandBull]

3 minutes ago, Gatorbull325 said:

How do you even obtain AAU status?

There are no specific metrics and you can bet politics ARE involved. But if you look about a third down in this link you will see how it is done:

Membership Policy

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AAU is an association of leading comprehensive research...

 

[Gatorbull325]

3 minutes ago, NewEnglandBull said:

There are no specific metrics and you can bet politics ARE involved. But if you look about a third down in this link you will see how it is done:

Membership Policy

---

AAU is an association of leading comprehensive research...

 

Ha! I always thought it was basketball related. Seems doable.

[Brad]

27 minutes ago, Gatorbull325 said:

How do you even obtain AAU status?

 

[Jim Johnson]

4 hours ago, Gatorbull325 said:

So base off of your reply, the Big 10 is our likely destination since they are the only Power 5 conference on the East Coast w/o a Florida school. 

No... quite the opposite.  I am saying that it doesn't matter where a conference is or is not.  It's more likely the ACC would add a 3rd Florida school than the Big Ten because it's doesn't matter where the market is any more.  It matters how many eyeballs they can get... and while it will never matter for football or basketball, having schools in close proximity does help reduce travel time and travel costs for the other sports.

[Paisa el Toro]

On 12/8/2021 at 5:40 PM, Gatorbull325 said:

How do you even obtain AAU status?

Very carefully and you keep chopping at it.