http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x2064759526/Big-12-may-set-wheel-in-motion-if-it-adds-schools
So, as the rumor goes, the Big 12 would add four new members -- Cincinnati, East Carolina, UCF and South Florida. That would ease WVU's travel burden, as well as give the Big 12 a presence in Florida for recruiting purposes. Interesting, huh?
Except to American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco, who is rumored to be scrambling. As well he should. If Aresco loses four of the league's 10 members, he doesn't have a conference anymore.
That's why Aresco supposedly is trying to renegotiate the AAC's television contract and is rumored to be seeking "grant of rights" agreements from all of the league's members. The GOR would mean a school could leave the conference, but its television rights would remain with the league for as long as, perhaps, 10 years.
That is tilting at windmills.
If the Big 12 offers those four AAC members, they will be gone in a Greenville minute.
And what becomes of the six remaining AAC members?
Ah, the plot thickens.
There aren't enough quality schools available to fill the AAC's void. The American could take Marshall, Southern Miss, Florida Atlantic and who else? It just doesn't seem likely.
What does appear likely in this hypothetical situation is the AAC would merge with Conference USA to form a 20-member league that would be the biggest and best Non-Power conference.
It would mean Memphis, Houston, Tulsa, SMU and Tulane having to swallow hard and return to C-USA along with UConn coming in.
It also would mean C-USA, which already is a better basketball league than football, would become a lot better with the addition of such basketball powers as UConn and Memphis.