For the last 4-5 years, the AAC has self boosted itself as a Power 6 (P6) school. You see signage of this on various items on the sideline during any football game. The financial model of the AAC ($2M per school from TV contract) is better than any other group of 5 conference, but still far short of the "Power 5"($30-$50M per school from TV contract). A few years ago, there were rumblings of mass conference realignment with the Big 12, but that turned out to be more hot air. There has been rumors of forming "super 16 conferences with the Power 5". None of the Power 5 have done that.
The current Power 5 TV contracts are expiring in the next 5 years and we see how ESPN has been downsizing its staff the last year or so. With the current AAC TV contract set to expire in the next 2 years , there are other non sports channels( HBO) and internet-social media platforms (Twitter, Google, Netflix, Amazon) very interested in getting into streaming live sports, would this be a great opportunity for the AAC to be proactive and get a jump on the Power 5 schools by getting a significantly better TV deal with HBO, Google, Foxsports, etc. and expand into the first SUPER 16 CONFERENCE all sports (add any four or five teams from Appalachian State, Boise State, BYU, Utah State, San Diego State, UNLV, Villanova)?
The current Power 5 TV contracts are expiring in the next 5 years and we see how ESPN has been downsizing its staff the last year or so. With the current AAC TV contract set to expire in the next 2 years , there are other non sports channels( HBO) and internet-social media platforms (Twitter, Google, Netflix, Amazon) very interested in getting into streaming live sports, would this be a great opportunity for the AAC to be proactive and get a jump on the Power 5 schools by getting a significantly better TV deal with HBO, Google, Foxsports, etc. and expand into the first SUPER 16 CONFERENCE all sports (add any four or five teams from Appalachian State, Boise State, BYU, Utah State, San Diego State, UNLV, Villanova)?
