This can be tied back to the state school/private school discussion.
Yeah, but here's the thing if we decreased our budget, they'd be saying well we don't have a big time budget. The reason why we're heavily subsidized is we're not making P4 money. The thing that amazes me is Rutgers has nearly twice our deficit and they're getting paid 70 million a year.
The fallacy is that big time sports is a good financial investment. Fewer than 10 schools run a surplus. Seemingly every dollar earned and more is reinvested.
I don't know that this is an absolute truth, but there are plenty of examples of it, Rutgers being one. on the other hand, the football schools are driving the environment and making everything more expensive even for basketball and Olympic sports. For the University of Connecticut, I'm concerned that being on the outside, looking in on that means that eventually we will be priced out of being a high major in basketball if we do not get into a power conference. I'm not sure how you compete without access to power conference media distributions.
IMO, this is the main reason why I thought the value of the new BE media rights deal was disappointing. Compared to the original deal it didn't go up enough considering UConn's addition and back to back titles.
Oh, it was worse than the score.
For what it's worth, there were no rumors about Connecticut leaving while the big east negotiations were taking place.
I also think Yormark and some big 12 schools think that Connecticut will improve with big 12 money and access to the big 12 brand. That said they set aside specific financial incentives that Connecticut must reach in order to get football membership.
Oh please. UCONN is looking for every possible way into a P4 every day of the week. You know it just like everybody else knows it. If you don’t think that wasn’t an overriding issue in the negotiations, I’m not sure what to say.
The way that broadcast partners deal with that issue is via a composition clause, where the agreement is renegotiated in the event of a change in member composition.
Yes, it is, which is why I think if Connecticut ends up anywhere other than the big east it'll be there as backfill after that conference is raided. I wouldn't bet the house on it, though.
Old friend - So true about being worse than the score. The Huskies have no speed in skill positions. Looks like they run in quicksand. The quarterback play is awful. Can't throw out patterns with any zip. I'm afraid it is going to be another long season for the Huskies. In fact, I would be a tad worried about Merrimack this week. They played Air Force really tough out in the altitude. Wonder if any of the Big 12 commissioners tuned in. Brett Yormark has a tougher sell after seeing the "promised" improvement.
It was an ugly showing. That said, wide receiver Skyler Bell was able to get separation and break away for chunk plays. It's promising.
Could someone please explain where is the leverage to get a better deal. Who is going to pay more? Do we go on strike? Just asking.
And that was when Cuse and BC had good programs that went downhill after they joined the ACC. UConn has never been good so they are starting way behind.
The big 12 potentially splitting its rights into football and basketball may end up being a good thing for us because it'll highlight basketball as its own product.
If by "never been good" you mean won 2 big east conference football championships and went to a BCS bowl, then, yes, Connecticut has "never been good."
Yormark has a diverse background selling both media rights and sponsorship deals. He's made big deals with NASCAR, NBA and NFL and is banking on the fact that basketball rights will be very lucrative in 2031 when the current NCAA March Madness deal expires. Coincidentally that's also when the Big12 and Big East rights will also be open.
My advice is ignore the chatter, because it really doesn't matter. It will either happen or it won't.
I know you love all things UCONN, but going to a BCS Bowl is masked by winning the Big East with an 8-4 record. Getting into a BCS Bowl was a fluke based on a very bad conference.
