Military has emerged because the American Athletic Convention’s prime growth goal, sources mentioned.
After a name with AAC presidents and athletic administrators Friday morning, it was clear that Military was the league’s best choice to exchange SMU, sources mentioned. Commissioner Mike Aresco has begun informally exploring Military as an growth candidate.
Aresco has engaged with Military athletic director Mike Buddie about potential membership, sources mentioned. The addition of Military could be for soccer solely, an association much like the one Navy has with the convention.
No determination is imminent, as each side must discover extra particulars, sources mentioned. Military would take the spot left by SMU, which agreed Friday to hitch the ACC in 2024, leaving the American with 13 groups. Military would are available in because the 14th.
Different colleges had been mentioned Friday, however none gained important traction and solely Military has obtained outreach from the AAC.
One factor that will likely be necessary to Military is retaining the Navy sport on the identical date on the finish of the faculty soccer calendar, which might probably imply it is a nonconference sport. The Military-Navy sport takes place on the weekend after the convention championship video games, a window that ensures giant viewership.
Military is at present an unbiased, which might restrict the traditional problems of leaving if each side proceed with the courtship.
SMU left the AAC on Friday, becoming a member of Cal and Stanford in boosting the ACC to 18 groups, 17 of which play soccer. Beginning subsequent yr, the Huge Ten additionally can have 18 applications, whereas the SEC and Huge 12 can have 16 every.
