Six teams will officially join the the American Athletic Conference in 2023, Commissioner Mike Aresco announced on Wednesday.
The Charlotte 49ers, Florida Atlantic Owls, North Texas Mean Green, Rice Owls, UAB Blazers, and UTSA Roadrunners will each officially join The American on July 1, 2023. All six universities will be moving to the American from Conference USA.
The move of the six C-USA teams to The American in 2023 was made official following an announcement last week that The American had reached an exit agreement with the Cincinnati Bearcats, Houston Cougars, and UCF Knights. All three teams are leaving for the Big 12 Conference next season.
“We are extremely pleased and excited to welcome our new members to the conference in 2023, as we begin our second decade,” said Aresco. “Our incoming schools comprise a distinguished group with attributes that will enhance our conference’s Power 6 goals. We have already seen the investment and commitment that these institutions have made as they prepare to compete in The American, and, together with our accomplished incumbent institutions, the conference is assured of many years of championship-level competition as part of a bright future that will build on the extraordinary legacy of the past decade.”
With the addition of six new schools for football, the American will expand to a 14-team conference beginning with the 2023 season. The six new schools will join East Carolina, Memphis, Navy, SMU, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa, and USF.
Below are statements from each school on their moves to The American in 2023:
Charlotte Director of Athletics Mike Hill
“We’re thrilled to be joining The American in 2023-24 and are diligently preparing for this transformational opportunity. We look forward to competing in such an outstanding league. We’re also grateful to our colleagues at Conference USA and anticipate an exciting final season as members in 2022-23.”
FAU Vice President & Director of Athletics Brian White
“Florida Atlantic Athletics has an extremely bright future. Today, we have more clarity on that future, which is exciting to everyone associated with the Owls. We look forward to our final year in Conference USA, while also continuing our diligent work in preparation to join The American.”
North Texas Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker
“This is an exciting time at North Texas, and we look forward to the upcoming challenge of entering The American next fall. Our student-athletes and coaches have made significant accomplishments during our time in Conference USA, but we look forward to what is next with great optimism.”
Rice Director of Athletics, Recreation and Lifetime Fitness Joe Karlgaard
“Today’s announcement brings Rice Athletics a step closer to its very bright future. As we prepare for entry into the American Athletic Conference in 2023, we need all of our alumni and fans to step forward in support of our coaches and student-athletes. Only in working together can we realize our aspirations to win championships and offer the best student-athlete experience available. Let’s pack the stands, join the Owl Club, and offer the encouragement and resources needed to support our Rice Owl teams to the fullest extent now and in the years to come.”
UAB Director of Athletics Mark Ingram
“We have made the most of every opportunity in recent years to propel UAB Athletics to new heights, and joining the AAC is an incredible opportunity to build on all we have accomplished in a big way. We’ve worked hard to make great progress that put us in this position, and we don’t intend to slow down. This is another great day for UAB Athletics and Blazer Nation, and it is still just the beginning.”
UTSA Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Lisa Campos
“Given the news about the agreement the American Athletic Conference came to with Cincinnati, Houston and UCF regarding the departure of those institutions in 2023, our intent is to join The American on July 1, 2023.”
An the American said give me the Cities, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, South Florida, San Antonio and Birmingham. Say no to the college towns, the older schools. In someways these new schools are like Cincinnati, UCF and Houston that are going to the Big 12.
I will be interesting to see in 10 years which conference is the 6th best conference in the country.
And the Sun Belt said give me the college towns by adding USM, Marshall and JMU. I think the Sun Belt will be the sixth best in 10 years. I would say the Mountain West but believe Boise State, Dan Diego State and perhaps others will leave in that 10 year span.
Agreed sun belt will have gone from worst to first by 2026.
The Sun Belt should add Eastern Kentucky and Stephen F. Austin next.
The American: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUjK2630PCM
Tricky Dick Jesper,
Posting The American on this Thread.
Hahahaha—
If one uses the latest on reported school revenues having been generated and projects them into the new conference configurations going forward one will see that the new Sun Belt would be projected to increase its average school’s revenue by $2.3 million and the SEC to increase its average school’s revenue by $4.5 million. All other conferences, involved in the most recent renormalization, to have their average income predicted to decrease (CUSA by $5.2 million, the American by $11.6 million and the Big 12 by $24.6 million).
That would result in the Mountain West taking over the top earner position of the current Group of 5 followed by the American ($46.9 million), the MAC ($33.9 million), the Sun Belt ($32.7 million) and CUSA ($30.3 million). The Sun Belt worst to first? What is Winston Wolf say to Jimmy, Vincent and Jules in ‘Pulp Fiction’ after inspecting the cleaned-up car? Let’s see if the Sun Belt can show it makes makes more than the MAC in earnings before we all start….
The Big 12 would be project to sustain the most damage falling to $88.4 million per school, which would be somewhere in the band gap between the PAC-12/ACC ($105 million) and the MWC ($47.9 million). Going forward, it is the Big 12 that is in the most precarious position. I am interested I seeing which conference is in 5th place 10 years from now (or even it the Big 12 is still in existence)!
Where is it reported anywhere that the Big 12 would receive $88 million per school and the Pac 12 and ACC would receive $105 million?
This is not ‘would’ receive; it is what they ‘do’ receive.
The numbers are from the last released data of DOE’s financial report of the athletic revenue earned by each of the Big 12 and ACC schools. (This is not to be confused with the shared conference revenue distributed by a conference to its membership at the end of each fiscal year.) With the top 2 earners in Texas and Oklahoma leaving (total loss of $360 million in revenue) and replaced by the 4 earners in Cincinnati, Brigham Young, Houston and Central Florida (total gain of $293.7 million in revenue) which would be the conference’s lowest; the new Big 12’s average athletic revenue will decrease dramatically. (Hence, a reduction in average income from $113.0 million to $88.4 million.) These same sources reveal that the ACC’s average athletic revenue is $105.0 million.
According to the industry analysists, as a result of the conference’s new configuration, the Big 12’s upcoming media rights deal (after the 2024-2025 season) will be worth much, much less than its current value. Due to the resulting financial unsustainability for the 8 leftover members of the ‘new’ 12 school collective, they will be forced to rethink their commitment to their ‘new’ partnership and look for green pastures elsewhere. Hence my curiosity about the future of the Power-5 and, in particular, the Big 12 is peaked.
If the Alabama Blazers can continue their winning trajectory in 2022 & carryover into the American Athletic, this Conference will have a Name Brand to replace UCF who’s had the most & the highest Name & Brand success in the AAC.
The other 5 Teams have mixed records & inconsistent on the Field Products. The TX Roadrunners had a breakout Year in 2021 with 12 Wins & 2 Losses.
?Will UTSA have a winning Record in 2022 with 9+ Wins (that’s the minimum cutoff Number to attract any Attention in the Trust Five Conference dominated Top 25 popularity Race)?
If Yes, the AAC will have some market Presence with these 2 Teams to fill the Positions UCinncinati Bearcats & UCF Knights held on the national Scene the last few Years.
If not, IMO the Alabama Blazers will be the Boise State U. Broncos of the American Athletic.
Other Non Trust Five Conference Followers Impressions…?
The Big 12 scooped up 3 of the top 4 revenues generators of the ACC. Of the 6 new members entering the AAC, Rice currently generates the most athletic revenue ($41.9 million). This figure is still below six current conference member schools: SMU ($70.5 million), Memphis ($61.1 million), Temple ($60.0), USF ($59.5 million), ECU ($56.1 million) and Tulsa ($43.0 million). In comparison, both UAB, with current athletic revenues of $35.7 million, and UTSA, with athletic revenue of $32.3 million, enter the AAC dead last in athletic revenue generating capacity. The expectation that either UAB or UTSA will double their athletic revenues and become a top earner (and consistent winner) within the AAC is a bit impulsive to hold.