If UConn leaves
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The Boneyard message board is actually the best for conference realignment info and I check it out daily for the past 10 years when anything is rumored to be happening.
That being said, UConn boosters have previously claimed that UConn was next to be taken by the ACC, the Big 10, the Big 12 (this was when the Big 12 came out after an exhaustive search claiming they decided not to expand) and I believe to have read a few UConn to the PAC 12 rumors over the years. Now I'm not saying the boosters are misinformed, I never read a UConn to the SEC rumor, and for that they have been correct.
That being said, UConn boosters have previously claimed that UConn was next to be taken by the ACC, the Big 10, the Big 12 (this was when the Big 12 came out after an exhaustive search claiming they decided not to expand) and I believe to have read a few UConn to the PAC 12 rumors over the years. Now I'm not saying the boosters are misinformed, I never read a UConn to the SEC rumor, and for that they have been correct.
The BE the wasn’t played. Our biggest financial backers wanted them in.
The next shoe to drop is the PAC 12 media deal. If that doesn’t surpass the Big 12 deal, then there will be defections into the Big 12. This can potentially knock UConn out.
Also, the Big 12 presidents are not unified in wanting UConn. They don’t like the geography and the overall fit or else Uconn would have been in with the current group going in this year.
Finally the Big 12 has to integrate four new members. Frankly, none of them really move the needle on football. That will take some time. Adding more new members dilutes the payout for the 12 temaining schools after this season.
Not saying it can’t or won’t happen. IMO the only thing that matters now is the PAC 12. If two schools bail out, then UConn is not getting in. The Big 12 presidents have always wanted the western oriented schools. If the PAC 12 stays together, then UConn could be the 13th school.
The next shoe to drop is the PAC 12 media deal. If that doesn’t surpass the Big 12 deal, then there will be defections into the Big 12. This can potentially knock UConn out.
Also, the Big 12 presidents are not unified in wanting UConn. They don’t like the geography and the overall fit or else Uconn would have been in with the current group going in this year.
Finally the Big 12 has to integrate four new members. Frankly, none of them really move the needle on football. That will take some time. Adding more new members dilutes the payout for the 12 temaining schools after this season.
Not saying it can’t or won’t happen. IMO the only thing that matters now is the PAC 12. If two schools bail out, then UConn is not getting in. The Big 12 presidents have always wanted the western oriented schools. If the PAC 12 stays together, then UConn could be the 13th school.
Can't wait. Being a Setonia man living in CT and having to endure the non stop Husky PR hype machine (they domiinate all local media) and overall arrogance of their fan base, I wait for this day to happen. Yes, they elevate the conference and won the Natty. (Can't deny them their due) Having them in the FOX Sports 1 package helps elevate ratings and money to the conference. Having said that, they have one average football season (playing against slop programs) and they think they're BIG 12 relevant. They can't draw flies to the Rent (the weak sauce football stadium) to watch their games against the likes of Troy St. Liberty and UMESS. If they get a Power 5 bid they'll laugh all the way to the bank. I for one will fly the plane to Lawrence for them. They can become the 6th borough in Kansas.
I guess a valid argument could be made either way but, at the end of the day, they did bring another NCAA Basketball Championship to our conference. For all the good publicity and money that brings, it may well have been worth it. Truly it would be more than a little disheartening if their fans and boosters really are licking their lips to jump ship when they have been a part of something very special here in The Big East. We did give them a lifeline when they were nearly dead in the water. Where’s the loyalty? Obviously money is more important than anything when it comes to college athletics, and maybe you gotta be cutthroat and do what’s in one’s best self interest.
Still, that championship carries a lot of weight. The conference needed it, but maybe the one night stand is about over now.
Still, that championship carries a lot of weight. The conference needed it, but maybe the one night stand is about over now.
Isnt it obvious they are leaving cause they cant beat us in Danny's home state?
Frankly i dont see how the average uconn fan is excited about this.
Ok Ok the school and insiders get rich but how much of the $$ does the fan see?
Do their taxes go down? NO
Get excited playing UCF on a cold Feb night? NO
Geographic rivalries? NO
Ok Ok the school and insiders get rich but how much of the $$ does the fan see?
Do their taxes go down? NO
Get excited playing UCF on a cold Feb night? NO
Geographic rivalries? NO
https://www.axios.com/2023/07/11/american-confidence-higher-education-low
It just feels like we are going to see a disruptive change in colleges and college athletics. Eventually it will be football factories that happen to offer some classes…
It just feels like we are going to see a disruptive change in colleges and college athletics. Eventually it will be football factories that happen to offer some classes…
I don’t think UCONN fans will like it at all. They loathed the last league. I think some will understand though it is hard to turn down the $$. And I think Hurley with where he has Uconn now will be good in that league.
Lol, no, you haven't.
Since you read the conference realignment board, you are undoubtedly familiar with "conference realignment rule number one" (CR#1) which is no matter what happens in conference realignment, somehow UConn will get screwed. It has been remarkably accurate so far.
For the most part the current rumor hasn't been generated by UConn boosters, but by Brett Yormark most notably by touring the campus.
I think this is exactly right. We are a potential odd numbered add. This is yet another opportunity for CR#1 to raise its ugly head.
Again, it's Brett Yormark who thinks we are relevant.
Um, where is the loyalty? The same place it was when the Catholic 7 left the old big east and left us to whither and die on the vine.
The vast majority of Connecticut fans enjoy playing in the big east. The conference feels like home. We enjoy at least the "old Big East" half of the schedule. But the big 12 broadcast rates money is approximately $31 million per school add to that and additional $15 million per school for college football playoff distributions in you've got a situation where Connecticut could earn a half billion dollars over the next decade. I don't think there's any way to walk away from that.
Oh, we hated the American. It was a world class level of suck being in that conference. But the American is not the big 12. We barely made more than the Big East does, and honestly on a net basis I think we're doing better now. We are looking at just short of 50 million a year in the big 12 which is arguably the best basketball conference in the country.
Bottom line, Connecticut fans like it in the Big East but can't afford to turn down 10 times the annual distributions. We paid $3.5 million to join the conference and will, likely, pay $30 million to exit the conference and earned the big east yet another national championship while we were here. I think our addition has been a pretty good move for the conference.
That said, I'll believe it when it happens, because... CR#1.
Interesting development. The ACC just signed to broadcast 50 football and basketball games on CW. The PAC 12 has been looking for additional revenue generators to enhance its upcoming media rights deal and has been talking to CW as well. This is all in effort to keep the Big 12 intact. CW has never aired live sporting events previously outside of LIV golf. Something to monitor.
As I understand it, these are the Raycom games that were abandoned by the Bally RSNs as part of Diamond Sports Group's bankruptcy.
Nexstar Media, the parent company of The CW (and WPIX in NY) looks to be trying to add sports programming to bolster weekend viewership.
If UConn leaves tomorrow, the BE gets a bundle of money and a national title for its troubles. Not bad.
I say we expel them now and avoid the speculation. If it weren’t for the BE UConn would still be languishing in irrelevancy. The only reason they won a championship was because they were able to recruit off the BE re-entry. See if after a few years back in the AAC if the Big12 is still interested. For the record I never wanted them back in.
Agree, CW is looking to add weekend programming. But as regards UCONN, the PAC 12 is hoping to get a deal with CW as part of its overall media negotiations. It needs to put together a package to rival the Big 12. The ACC deal would limit the number of windows available to the PAC 12
Yes, let's piss away the $30 million exit fee.
Message boards really make me laugh a lot of times.
I could not agree more! And not because it would save Connecticut $30 million and exit fees! No, no, I feel your outrage! You really should email Val Ackerman with your suggestion! I have to believe that she will appreciate your special level of genius!!
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You're not wrong! I think Connecticut's return to the Big East conference will have turned out to be a good deal for both parties. Maybe a little better deal for the Big East, but, still, a good deal for both.
lol how could it possibly be a better deal for the big east? where was uconn going at that time?
Maybe.
I think the football window is going to be Noon or 12:30 ET. That would leave room for an afternoon or even prime-time slot for the Pac-12.
Basketball would be tougher since there will be Men's doubleheaders on Saturday and Women's on Sunday but the CW could certainly make room if it wants.
If UConn was not re-admitted to the BE they would be languishing in AAC. Your program was dying. If discussions weren’t already underway Hurley likely doesn’t join UConn. Your recruiting would have continued to be in the toilet. If B12 doesn’t take you now and BE expelled UConn, you’d be right back where you were, a dying program. Will BE do that? No but it’s what UConn deserves. I was against allowing them back in when it was first considered. It’s diluted recruiting for the conference. UConn used the big East when we should have let the program die a miserable death.
not sure i see where they used the big east? the exit fee was negotiated fully knowing they could leave. times are changing, business is business. they alread brought the Big East a championship which is more than anyone else in the conference has done sans Nova.
UCONN became trash in the AAC, we gave them a 2nd lifeline, and they flourished, now they want more? Why can't they accept the fact that they are a basketball school only, the football team would get beat by my highschool alma mater Bergen Catholic HS, they need to let go of the football dream it never worked, RU went to the BIG and sucks in fball, and DECENT on occassion in bball, why UCONN wants to ruin a good thing is beyond me, they will become the next Cuse and Boston College
Actually agree. I thought they were talking football doubleheaders but that’s for Hoops. Still room for the PAC 12 if the CW wants more live sports. Question is, how much are those games worth without UCLA and USC.
I can give you 33 1/2 million reasons + another national championship + the NCAA credits why it would be a better deal for the big east. That's like, what eight years of media rights distribution? If we leave, you guys will have gotten a huge windfall.
You're welcome.
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Exactly! Well, other than the fact that Dan Hurley has specifically answered this question and said he was coming to the school regardless of what conference it was in. As I've said frequently, being in the American absolutely sucked, from a fans perspective, but the reason for our national championship was Dan Hurley, not the conference. If Big East membership was all that was needed to get a national championship, then everyone in the conference would have them, right?
I'm not saying that Hurley doesn't sell the big east, he does. I'd fully expect him to be able to sell the big 12 to recruits too. Geesh Hurley is a Seton Hall guy! you guys should celebrate the fact that he's one of yours and that he's something special!
JMO
uconn doesnt get a championship without the big east. means a hell of a lot more to uconn than a conference. big east already has nova. uconn was dead in the water.
youre welcome, unless you value media rights over championships.
Lol. You know that Connecticut won a national championship in the heinous American conference, right?
Assuming that Connecticut actually receives a big 12 invite and leaves the Big East, which isn't a given, then, Connecticut got to have a short term home and play games against teams that the fans actually cares about in men's basketball. It got to remind players and fans of the outstanding run that we had in the original Big East, which we benefited from both in recruiting and attendance.
The Big East, similarly, got to remind recruits and fans about the outstanding run of the original conference, of which Connecticut played a leading role. It got paid $3.5 million when Connecticut joined and will get paid, likely, an additional 30 million when Connecticut leaves. Connecticut raised the profile of the league at a critical time with Jay Wright's retirement. The Big East gets to count, yet another, Connecticut national championship as being the national championships earned in the Big East, and gets the NCAA credits that Connecticut earned last season.
It certainly sounds like both Connecticut and the conference benefited from the relationship. It's kind of funny to me that some posters here have a hard time admitting that.
[Shrugs]
Hurley can say all he wants that he was coming even if they were going remain in AAC but we all know that is BS. He's an opportunist. I'm quite certain he was given assurnaces that they would be rejoining the BE before he signed the initial deal. YES you got a national championship becasue if Hurley's coaching and recruiting but that recruiting was based on eventually joining the BE. If he was going to be able to recruit regardless of conference he should have been in a sweet 16 or elite 8 at a minimum at Rhode Island. My point is that had BE not thrown UConn a lifeline they would be irrelevant now. Hurley might even be coaching Georgetown or St Johns or Providence or VILLANOVA by now. Come to think of it, replacing Wright with a Hurley would have been a big splash and their program would be better off. Letting UConn back in was a big mistake and it will bite the BE for years...oh but the get 1 big payday to sacrifice the future of the conference.
I say screw them now...let them flounder begging another power conference to take them and heck with geography, go bring in Gonzaga and St Mary's
So, what you're saying is you know better about what Dan Hurley intended when he joined Connecticut then he does? OK then. I appreciate your self-confidence, if not your ability to self assess.
So, in your worldview the only thing that changed when Dan Hurley became the head coach of the University of Connecticut was the conference affiliation? Lol. Really? You need to get out more, or at least google the facilities of both places.
By the way, I fully support your efforts to have Connecticut kicked out of the conference. It seems like we're having a real groundswell for this. I'm happy you all are so comfortable that you don't need an extra $30 million. 😂
Obviously Dan Hurley would never say that conference affiliation played a role in his decision to go to UConn, whether it's true or not. Several of his best recruits, Adama Sanogo included, did however.
Sure he could. Personally I believe him when he said it didn't matter to his decision. You are absolutely correct that Danny sold the Big East to recruits. I don't remember Adama saying anything about it, but Andre Jackson definitely did.
Still, I don't think Danny would have trouble selling people on the big 12 either.
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