VCU to the American Athletic Conference (AAC)?

[carolinaboy]

Hi guys and gals.

I would like to hear your thoughts on the potential for VCU to join the American Athletic Conference (AAC) as a replacement for UConn once they leave for the Big East in a year or two.

Would VCU benefit from playing basketball/baseball/olympics in a league with Cincinnati, Temple, Memphis, Wichita St, Houston, SMU, USF, UCF, ECU, Tulane, Tulsa?

Would the Richmond area benefit?

Could it help the city with a new arena (play marquee games in it vs. on-campus)?

Would it bolster VCU applications/admissions?

Would VCU be better staying in the A-10 because of significant travel (Tulsa, Wichita, Houston, Dallas, Orlando, Tampa....) costs {which may be more than their current costs} and rivalries/familiarity with A-10 members?

The AAC recently earned a 12 year (I think) $1 billion-ish tv deal with ESPN with each full member getting about $7 million per year (part members [NAVY, Wichita St] is less, but not sure how much. Would this be more than VCU currently earns through media?

As an ECU alum/fan I would love VCU to be asked to join as I remember VCU from the CAA days. Great basketball and I remember baseball (a sport ECU cares about) being good too. Also, VCU would be the closest AAC school to Greenville, NC ( a travel partner if you will).

 

If this topic is being discussed elsewhere on the Richmond board, please feel free to move it there.

[eandslee]

I would love to see VCU start a football program.  Many close to the university say that it will never happen, but gee, what a missed opportunity to become a “real” university if not!  I think there is quite a lot of support out there for one though.  One of the reasons they say they won’t do it is because of cost, but that’s complete hogwash considering the money they are dropping on building new facilities in Richmond.  No doubt, they would have trouble finding a place to put a stadium, but it could be done. 

I don’t know, the A10 is a basketball-centric conference.  Moving to another conference might mean that they would have to seriously consider a football program and I’m not sure they will want to do that.  My bet is that they will stay put in the A10.

[eandslee]

1 hour ago, Hike said:

Ah yes, the it's not a real university without football case, that'll get em to finally buy in.  I guess if we can get guys to put on helmets and take the field all the degrees over the past 100+ years will finally have value, thank you football.  Personally, I hope they never do.  

Ooo, sorry I struck a nerve...not my intention.  No, all of your degrees are valid...I’m just saying that most major universities (especially one with as many students as VCU has) also usually have a football program.  Don’t get upset.  I just happen to like football and think it would be good for VCU to add a program.

[RiverYuppy]

If we start a new football team, how are we supposed to stay undefeated?

I think joining the AAC would be great for VCU.

I think VCU is the best thing that has happened to RVA and is the main driver behind its growth. So what is good for VCU is good for RVA. 

[cwd221]

On 6/29/2019 at 1:40 AM, eandslee said:

One of the reasons they say they won’t do it is because of cost, but that’s complete hogwash considering the money they are dropping on building new facilities in Richmond

Funds for buildings and 80 plus scholarships come from completely different funds and really do not have anything to do with the other. I have brought this up before, but 60% of VCU's athletic revenue comes from students fees. It is just not economically feasible for VCU to have a football team. This all before you get into Tital IX issues. Do you cut other men's teams to become compliant or do you spend even more money to create new women teams. 

I think VCU has found its niche in the college sports landscape with their basketball program, and I am not sure it is worth the risk (really money) to have a football team.

[Henrico Weather]

If ODU could do it, so could VCU. I'd daresay that VCU is in a better financial situation than ODU for sports. They could use the same model of partnering in an existing stadium as ODU. Very similar situation - urban campus with limited room for building their own stadium, but both had/have an already existing stadium close to their campus (Foreman Field / Richmond City Stadium). Both stadiums were/are less than ideal as far as infrastructure, but ODU was able to partner with Norfolk to bring the stadium up to useable standards. It is far cheaper to upgrade existing infrastructure than to try to find useable space (which is virtually impossible in both cities) and build something brand new. Other options: Partner with Richmond to upgrade Sportsbacker Stadium and, assuming the Redskins back out of their agreement (which is starting to look more likely), try to work with Richmond to build a multi-tenant stadium on that space. Bottom line: VCU could make it happen if they really wanted to.

[carolinaboy]

The working theory is that the AAC could potentially add VCU as an Olympic sports only (basketball, baseball, etc.) to offset the loss of UConn basketball while adding a football only member (BYU for example) to offset the loss of UConn football, so VCU wouldn't add a football team for inclusion in the AAC.

I know VCU has been very successful and have a nice home in the A-10. Didn't know if playing Temple, Cincinnati, Memphis, Wichita St, etc. would be appealing to the alumni/fan base. (I know ECU basketball doesn't move the needle much, but we're trying).

[DowntownCoruscant]

Not a fan of the move. Theoretically the AAC has a higher profile, but the A10 consistently gets multiple NCAA bids. Even this year, in a down year, the A10 was a two-bid league, although it took VCU getting upset in the tourney for that to happen.

I don’t think football is in the cards for VCU, and also don’t think ODU is a particularly good comp (fairly ready infrastructure, enough clamoring for football, and a superior recruiting base).

[vaceltic]

4 hours ago, carolinaboy said:

The working theory is that the AAC could potentially add VCU as an Olympic sports only (basketball, baseball, etc.) to offset the loss of UConn basketball while adding a football only member (BYU for example) to offset the loss of UConn football, so VCU wouldn't add a football team for inclusion in the AAC.

I know VCU has been very successful and have a nice home in the A-10. Didn't know if playing Temple, Cincinnati, Memphis, Wichita St, etc. would be appealing to the alumni/fan base. (I know ECU basketball doesn't move the needle much, but we're trying).

Speaking strictly basketball, Temple, Cincinnati, Memphis, Wichita St are far superior programs to anything A-10 schools have. The basketball product would be much better and more competitive - resulting in more chance for NCAA bids and national exposure, but there are likely higher ticket prices for VCU home games....