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Wichita State addition moves SMU, AAC closer to “Power 6” status

When the Big 12 Conference passed on adding new members in October 2016, American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco breathed a huge sigh of relief. In fact, so did every athletic director in the conference.

10 of the 20 schools considered by the Big 12 for expansion resided in the American. After much courting, none of them were asked on a second date.

That may have worked out for the best. The loss of a competitive program in either major profit sport could have been The American’s death sentence, at least in terms of relevancy. For members of the AAC, the only thing worse than not being invited to the Big 12 would have been seeing another member receive an invitation.