Waiting For UConn To Make A Statement
- Thread starter ed odowd
- Start date
That was not circulated on the kind of platform that requires a response.
This. They’re under no obligation to make a statement on anything. With the media deal done the BE doesn’t have a having pending where this is time sensitive for perception or
positioning, to my knowledge.
We’re all day to day, lol.
Oh, I am absolutely thinking about it. So is Hurley. He has expressly told the team that that's the goal for this year.
The discussion about this was on the Trove, which I'm not a member of so, while I was aware of it, I can't post a comment.
For what it's worth the August doldrums seem to have an annual UConn to the big 12 rumor lately. This one seems less credible than the ones we've seen in the past… And we all know how those worked out.
If we were offered a full share in the big 12, there's a little doubt in my mind that the school would accept. It would be malfeasance not to accept. If we were offered a partial share on a temporary basis, it would depend on the terms. Pretty much everyone I've talked to, and I'm just talking about fans here much prefers to stay in the big east but realizes that we couldn't say no to $40 million plus an annual conference distributions.
If an offer came our way, I would be both depressed and relieved. Depressed, because I like the big east and certainly we've been successful here, but relieved, because a lot of the financial uncertainty of all that's going around in college basketball would be helped buy an extra $35 million dollars annually. (And that extra 35 million doesn't count an additional $15 million that we could be entitled to being an CFP affiliated program).
All that said, I don't believe the current "rumors" are credible.
Always cogent and well thought out. If you are a UCONN grad, you are doing the university proud. I knew you'd deliver. You're an educated UCONN fan, so much better than a lot of yahoos shouting all things Husky here in the Constitution State. They think Jersey should be the Seventh Borough.
This would be a major win for UConn. The BigEast is a collection of 10 like minded schools and UConn. Is UConn great for BigEast basketball? Absolutely, but UConn athletics number one priority - despite having elite basketball programs - is finding a home for football.
It’s insane that a football team determines everything for a state college, but that’s academia in 2024.
It’s insane that a football team determines everything for a state college, but that’s academia in 2024.
Where there is smoke there is fire. I was asked to write an editorial piece about the XL Center regarding the validity of dumping $118 million into a renovation of a 50 year facility. Being an ad guy with 45 years in the CT/NE landscape I've taken hundreds of clients to XL Center events. It needs the wrecking ball. Would you agree @CL82 ?
Here's the link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/renovating-xl-center-throwing-good-money-after-bad-bill-field-u54qe/
Here's the link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/renovating-xl-center-throwing-good-money-after-bad-bill-field-u54qe/
Sources: UConn in early talks for joining Big 12
The Big 12 and UConn are in discussions for the Huskies potentially joining the league, sources told ESPN, though a high-ranking Big 12 official cautioned there is "a far distance between conversations and anything that would happen."
I definitely would. On The Boneyard I'm very vocal about the fact that the worst thing about the XL center is that we're essentially paying 98,000 for a sellout and not getting any concessions or parking. The facilities is run by the Capitol District Redevelopment Agency (CDRA) who has never made a profit on anything and basically uses UConn as a captive tenet to transfer its losses into our athletic department. They also run Renschler field our East Hartford football stadium that's 30 minutes off campus. Hopefully, part of the deal with the big 12 is we need an on-campus stadium. It's a ton of money, but it would make for a much better student game day experience.
For what it's worth, this catches me by surprise. I thought the whole big 12 rumor was BS and I didn't even try to validate it. Apparently Zendetto, the guy who broke the story, knew that Benedict and the chairman of the board met with big 12 athletic directors. It's still far from a done deal, but it's more than just the wild ramblings of some Internet guy.
The timing is interesting because 27 months would get us to just over six years with the conference which drops our exit fee from 30,000,000 to 15,000,000, which is far more palatable.
Gotta admit you always bring cogent thinking and remarks. Enjoy the perspective.
I always enjoy reading how much money they will get. Ask the citizens of New Jersey how much they love the football program running at a net $300m loss with all that big ten cash coming in and 4-7 records (at best) every year with the wins coming over Wagner umass and the like.
So UConn and the citizens of Connecticut will have to spend a half billion dollars to play catch up to programs that are 40 years in front of them.
As always, sound like good business to me.
Let’s dump these clowns and focus on bringing in Gonzaga and st Mary’s.
So UConn and the citizens of Connecticut will have to spend a half billion dollars to play catch up to programs that are 40 years in front of them.
As always, sound like good business to me.
Let’s dump these clowns and focus on bringing in Gonzaga and st Mary’s.
With a 27-month exit period, UCONN couldn't leave until 06/30/27 but the reports are that the Big12 wants UCONN for 2026 so they'd have to negotiate that $15 million up, perhaps to $30 million?
He’s not your friend. Go visit their realignment board to get a clearer picture about how he feels about us. He spends half his time trying to convince other UConn fans they have to leave and how crappy this conference is for them.
UConn has always been in this position where sooner or later they were going to come to the fork of the road. Option One: Take the money and join a major football conference if/when they come knocking. Option 2: Go against the grain, stay with the Big East and be the rare State school that prioritizes basketball over football. We all know that they were going to take the money and bolt at the first opportunity, and who can blame them?
The one thing that I would be hesitant about is 20 years ago UConn went all in on football by jumping up to I-A and building a new stadium. They had some success, but when conference realignment came and went they sat and watched as schools like Syracuse, Boston College, Pitt, Louisville, WVU, Rutgers, etc. found long term homes in power 5 conferences, while they were on the outside looking in. Bottom line is that nobody knows where college football is headed. But there is the Big Ten, the SEC, and probably now the Big 12 further down the line. And if either the B10 or SEC want to expand, there will be several teams in the Big 12 that would be happy to jump ship, as evidenced by Texas and Oklahoma leaving just in the last few years to the SEC. What if, for instance, the SEC decides to recreate the Southwestern Conference and add Houston and/or Baylor? Or if the Big Ten wants to go further into the heartland and add Kansas or further west and add Arizona or Colorado?
All I am saying is, before UConn and its donors spend half a billion on a new football stadium on campus, they need to at least think about what they are getting into, and understand that they are leaving solid ground for an opportunity that can be very lucrative but is not without significant risk.
The one thing that I would be hesitant about is 20 years ago UConn went all in on football by jumping up to I-A and building a new stadium. They had some success, but when conference realignment came and went they sat and watched as schools like Syracuse, Boston College, Pitt, Louisville, WVU, Rutgers, etc. found long term homes in power 5 conferences, while they were on the outside looking in. Bottom line is that nobody knows where college football is headed. But there is the Big Ten, the SEC, and probably now the Big 12 further down the line. And if either the B10 or SEC want to expand, there will be several teams in the Big 12 that would be happy to jump ship, as evidenced by Texas and Oklahoma leaving just in the last few years to the SEC. What if, for instance, the SEC decides to recreate the Southwestern Conference and add Houston and/or Baylor? Or if the Big Ten wants to go further into the heartland and add Kansas or further west and add Arizona or Colorado?
All I am saying is, before UConn and its donors spend half a billion on a new football stadium on campus, they need to at least think about what they are getting into, and understand that they are leaving solid ground for an opportunity that can be very lucrative but is not without significant risk.
They have to pay the BE 35 million. It will take 4 years to make that in the B12 without football.
Nah you underestimate Rutgers ability the Rutgers everything. They're easily making double what we would make if we got in the big 12 and they're in a bigger hole than we are now.
Keep in mind that Rutgers had absolutely no facilities to speak of so they were playing catch up. Also, I have to say State to Connecticut supports. UConn better then RU get support from the Jersey legislature?
(Oh, and please "dump us" so that we don't have to pay any exit fee. That's galaxy brain stuff. 😆)
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I'm reading that they'll take us at 27 months or whenever we can get out sooner via negotiation. It doesn't look like we'll be getting a full share, so I don't see us spending a ton of money on a buyout.
30 million if we leave in the first six years. We joined the big east in the summer 2020, if I recall correctly. So. If we leave after the 2025 season our exit feed drops to 15 million. That still more than anyone else would pay, but that's the deal.
Lol, that's bullshit and you know it. I'm exactly the same guy there that I am here. In fact, I use the same handle on every site I go to. You know, not like some guys who change their personas on every site they go to use different handles. That's just weird.
You don't know anyone like that, do you?
In all honesty, outside of tradition this is a crappy conference for them. We don’t sponsor the most important sport at the school.
The BigEast is great for nostalgia and saved them from the American but this was never a viable long term solution as long as they were committed to football.
In my mind it was a pretty clear motive from day one - our athletics are going to die in the American so let’s join BigEast as a short term solution to ensure that side of the house is attractive in the next round of realignment. Mission accomplished.
The BigEast is great for nostalgia and saved them from the American but this was never a viable long term solution as long as they were committed to football.
In my mind it was a pretty clear motive from day one - our athletics are going to die in the American so let’s join BigEast as a short term solution to ensure that side of the house is attractive in the next round of realignment. Mission accomplished.
Sort of. The big thing that pushed us out of the American was that games were moving to ESPN +. we felt like the lack of visibility from that was bad for the program. Also, we were losing the ability to get every woman's game broadcast on linear TV. The Big East and Fox allow us to do that by subrogating the rates to SNY. (Even on the new deal, Val says that none of the Connecticut women's basketball games will be on Peacock).
As I've said here a bunch of times, being in the American just sucked. Every minute of it, (except for 2014 because we won a national championship then.)
They may support them “better” whatever that means but bottom line is the taxpayers will NEED to spend likely over a half billion dollars on facility upgrades and new stadium to support a crappy football program with little to no history to just keep up with the rest of the conference. That doesn’t even consider the NIL budget to sign players.
I feel ya, Rob. Same here, but those days are long gone. The money is too great and even paying the BE exit fee is worth it. At least the BE cashes in.
Yormark has been going after larger expansion geographically for a long time. Despite the activity and his pushing, it still doesn’t seem like he can get this through but chiseling away.
This football stuff, whew. I thought it was the right move for the BE to enter this dance again by bringing Connecticut home, but this is life with programs that want to play football.
If Uconn had been left to rot in the AAC, there would be no NC’ s and no talks with the Big 12 . And probably a few recruits go our way. Let’s hope the powers learn from this, although I think FOX insisted that a deal be made. Meanwhile I don’t see why anyone gives these guys coming on our board from UConn the time of day. All they do is tell us.
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But the BE did benefit from having them back. Both sides made gains.
UConn looking to land in one of the power 5 conferences comes as no surprise and I hope the BE holds theto the terms of their buyout with the Conference . Football is king in the P-5 and UConn wanted to swim in those waters and how this all plays out will be interesting to follow. Now the question becomes how does the BE respond and is there a target for them to replace UConn .
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UConn’s athletic department is bleeding cash due to football. It will jump to join any of the 4 football conferences. The risk it runs is that football moves away from current structure soon after it joins. If it wants football, not an obvious decision, it can’t stay in the BE. In addition to large deficits, its facilities and football brand fall farther behind P4 schools.
Short term gains to a point for sure but it will not be a good look if they leave and even if they stay you have to look at them sideways from now on. If you look at them at all.
The football facilities on campus at Connecticut are outstanding:
Burton Family Football Complex
Mark R. Shenkman Football Training Center
The only thing that would need to be built would be an on-campus stadium. Our existing stadium is 20 + years old and 30 minutes away from campus. It needs right around $175 million in upgrades. I could see the legislature deciding that that money is better spent as part of an on-campus stadium build.
Connecticut already has two major NIL organizations and had a great portal season. NIL is something that is already established for football.
Starting up football is enormously expensive, but most of those investments have already been made.
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No sport at Connecticut is in the black, although men's basketball may have a shot this year given that its season tickets are already sold out. Keep in mind, though that we have to pay Hurley more than the big east media distribution, in the new contract. It's fine, he's worth it.
The actual deficit is pretty much the same number as the full media distribution for the big 12. So theoretically, we could be at roughly breakeven in the Big 12.
As I noted above in this thread, Connecticut actually has great football facilities, with the exception of a new stadium on campus. That's probably a half billion dollar investment, but it's one that I think the legislature will make.
We're still ways away from Connecticut getting an invite. We know from last summer at the big 12 presidents don't want to invite anyone to the conference who isn't already in the P4 club. Can that be overcome this time? Who knows?
My attitude at this point is pretty much a shrug. It's becoming extraordinarily expensive to put on high major athletics. The P4 conferences provide a better opportunity to be able to compete in that world, the big 12 only distributes about half of what the SEC and Big Ten do. I think the move is necessary to maintain the ability of Connecticut to be able to compete at the highest levels, but as I've said before, I enjoy being back in the big east. So my attitude right now is a resigned "wait and see."
And those facilities - while def nice - need another upgrade in the arms race for where they want to be in the B12.
You act as though $500m is just a mere pittance to pay in the scheme of things. That’s just to start…while you may have good NIL now joining b12 in football will likely require a lot more. I’m just saying that my opinion is that I feel like we’ve seen this story many times and it very much tends to lead to relative poor to mediocre results on the field. See BC Syracuse Pitt Rutgers. But I guess they have more money whatever that means for public and not for profit institutions.
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