It’s in the strongest college football market in the country, the Blazers have won two of the last three C-USA football championships, and there’s a major investment in the program: a new stadium, a new operations building and a $1.5 million salary for head coach Bill Clark.Ĭharlotte, UTSA, North Texas and Rice are largely market and investment plays, located in major cities. Vannini: From the beginning, UAB was considered a top candidate, and there was a clear consensus from the AAC on that school. There could be a year or two with strange conference makeups or it could all be a clean break in 2023. Of course, the Texas/Oklahoma timeline, and when they leave the Big 12 for the SEC, plays a role in this as well. Vannini: While the AAC said a date has yet to be determined, most people believe 2023 is the most likely option because they think the three departing AAC schools (Cincinnati, Houston, UCF) will negotiate to leave and join the Big 12 in 2023.
When could these schools join the American? Will the conference prove everyone wrong again? Vannini: The American's 6-team expansion is a risky move. (Photo: Ian Johnson / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) More realignment could be coming as well, with the Sun Belt potentially set to add more C-USA teams, as the realignment chain reaction continues. With these additions, 12 of the future 14 AAC schools will be former C-USA members. It also believes recent athletic investments (facilities and coaching salaries) are signs of potential for future growth. In the other five schools, the AAC sees an opportunity for a greater presence in recruiting hotbeds like Texas and Florida.
It’s also in a major college football market in Birmingham, with a growing school and academic presence. The Blazers have won two of the past three C-USA championships and just opened a new stadium, among other recent investments since the program’s return from the dead. UAB was always considered a favorite to join the league. Keeping the Mountain West from expanding into Texas while expanding its own presence in the state was one thought behind the process. The idea of the AAC going even bigger with expansion came onto the table, with some in the league thinking the conference should add as many as eight teams. But in the end, the four Mountain West schools stayed put. Air Force and CSU in particular were more interested, as Boise State and SDSU have hopes for future Big 12 expansion. Aresco said he only engaged with teams that showed interest, and the AAC had conversations with Mountain West schools Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State and San Diego State. To make up for the losses, Aresco hoped to add two or four teams and turned west. The departure dates of Texas and Oklahoma have not been negotiated yet. Those three AAC schools will join the Big 12 in either 2023 or 2024, while BYU will join in 2023. The Big 12 quickly identified and added Cincinnati, Houston and UCF from the AAC, along with independent BYU. The AAC, because of its success, became the target. But when it became clear no other Power 5 league would take another Big 12 team, the remaining Big 12 teams stuck together and turned their sights toward expansion. When Texas and Oklahoma announced in July they would leave for the SEC, the AAC hoped it could pull in some other Big 12 teams and perhaps turn the Power 6 dream into a Power 5 reality. It’s the end of a tumultuous road for the AAC over the past few months. Additionally, we increase the value in live content options for CBS Sports, which features selected men’s basketball games on CBS Sports.” And we will continue to provide valuable inventory to our major media rights partner, ESPN, which will feature our members on the most prominent platforms in sports media. "We have enhanced geographical concentration which will especially help the conference’s men’s and women’s basketball and Olympic sports teams. We are adding excellent institutions that are established in major cities and have invested in competing at the highest level. “This is a strategic expansion that accomplishes a number of goals as we take the conference into its second decade. “I am extremely pleased to welcome these six outstanding universities to the American Athletic Conference,” AAC commissioner Mike Aresco said in a release. The move expands the AAC to 14 football teams, including Navy, and 14 teams in basketball, including Wichita State. The league announced Thursday the additions of Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UTSA, all coming from Conference USA. Six weeks after losing three teams to the Big 12, the American Athletic Conference’s response is official.
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