They lived through Big East football being revealed a tin horn that existed only because of threats.Oh, it gets worse for them. AAC just told them, "No thanks. We have no interest in keeping your football team. In fact, we don't even care whether your replacement comes from the Northeast. Buh-bye!"
AAC commish: No chance UConn stays as football member
When PSU whored itself to the Big Ten - which JoePa did in large measure to stick it to BE basketball and the 'lessor' Eastern schools that dared expect Home-Away series with PSU (JoePa wanted 2 for 1 from most schools in the northeast) - Syracuse, BC, and Pitt all told the BE that if the BE did not create a football division, they would have to explore options. BE football was created under the gun. And many people associated with BE schools that did not play 1A football always resented it.
The AAC knows that the only school in the northeast that could be good for it is Army - a truly national program, like Navy. AAC football will gain from UConn's absence.