UCONN back to Big East, per report
- Thread starter mikemarc1
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Very short sighted decision by UConn, unless they're resolved to be out of FBS football forever. Their problems stem from making bad hires, not from their conference. Had they not made two terrible hires in a row for football and at least one in bball, they would be looking a lot better right now and wouldn't be making this move.
Yeah, was also going to say earlier in this thread that if your conference is so dependent on one location/venue, then you're not a very strong conference.
You could move the Big Ten (or other major conference) championship games to almost anywhere within the conference footprint and it would not affect the long-term viability of that sport for the conference.
AAC is set to pay $7 million per year. Big East is reportedly $4 million per year (and I have not seen news on whether their contract has to be split more ways now).
Yeesh $4 million per year? Nobody must be watching Big East basketball games. Heck I didn't even see a Big East basketball game until two seasons ago when I accidentally stumbled on FS1. I didn't even know I had that channel
Interesting. I didn't realize their buyout to join a P5 conference only lasted 6 years. They could very well look at this as an opportunity to better position their basketball program to make themselves more appealing to the ACC (which is pretty much their only chance at a P5 conference). But they'll have to make sure their football program doesn't fall off so far, that it eliminates the chance to go to the ACC. Even if it costs them a extra $6 million per year to fund the football program as an independent, that is only $36 million extra over 6 years. But then they'll have to make some hard choices about football in 6 years if that ACC bid does not come through.
Exactly Upstream, from what I read they specifically agreed not to join a Power 5 conference for 6 years. They also agreed to a $30 million buy-out, but once the Power 5 restriction expires the buy-out also decreases - eventually down to $10 million, which would not be much of an impediment to joining a Power 5 conference. There's no getting around the fact that they're in a tough place, but I think they're fighting to keep hope alive.
Not sure if you're being sarcastic or not, but in fairness, I think this deal was negotiated at the inception of the conference, so it may have been hard to predict the viewership. At the same time, that was also the height of cable sub numbers, so not necessarily a bad time to do a deal.
But yeah, basically right now the entire Big East bball season including post season tournament is worth a bit less than the annual SEC football championship game. That is the reason why many think the conference will have long term issues.
No I wasn't being sarcastic at all.
In fact it might have been longer than just a couple of years back that I saw my first Big East game on TV. It was after one of the years at Villanova won the national championship. I remember thinking "I never see Big East teams on TV."
I just hope Connecticut fans are happy because they've been pretty insufferable since they we're left out of BE 2.0.
I am a bit surprised that St. Johns, Seton Hall, and Providence didn't object to UCONN's return to the BE. It would seem to me that it was a little easier to recruit against the Huskies when they were in the American due to the "perception" that the BE was a superior league. Now they are recruiting on a more level playing field. If you were a player and your choice was the BE which campus would you pick. Providence is nice but SJU and SHU seem to me to be tough sells over UCONN. Then. add on that the WBB programs now have to deal with the UCONN women. I wouldn't be that happy if I were any of them. I can't see UCONN adding that much on to their tv deal to make it worth while.
That thought probably crossed some of their minds Dpgru, but if those schools are going to thrive in their non-football universe it is vitally important that the league be as strong as possible. There isn't any other program that realistically can move the needle for the conference the way UCONN can, regardless of whether there is a direct impact on the tv deal. Recruiting battles are broader than any one school and they can all benefit from the perception of a stronger conference. Strategically, I think it's the right move for all the members of the Big East.
Russ, for some reason I never seem to see Virginia Tech games. Have you seen Kerry Blackshear play ? Is he a game changer for the Gators? Any predictions for UF for next season? Thanks
That is a HUGE if. Additional rounds of conference realignment need to be accretive to each member school (proven to grow the finances). With conference annual payouts to schools increasing by leaps and bounds after this last round of realignment, it is much, much harder for any one or two prospective new schools to move the needle for the existing member schools.
In other words, what is the financial catalyst that makes member schools want to take on new members like UConn or Cincinnati? I don’t see one.
Those schools didn’t object because it makes the conference more valuable which is much more important.
I understand the logic here but I don't see the reality. If many of the post here are accurate the BE payout is 4 million a year per team (ten teams). Now there are eleven teams so they need to get 44 million just break even. To make more (say 5 mill per team per year) they would need a 55 mill a year payout. That's an increase of 40 mill per year to 55 mill per year. Is UCONN that valuable? How much value do they really bring?
My understanding --- > BE media contract is old. Assuming they are a bit underpaid now. They get to renegotiate w/ FOX by adding UCONN. It will be interesting to see the final, renegotiated tally.
True, but no one will ever know what that tally would have been without UCONN. Since the total is now divided by 11 and not 10, the per school payout might not change that much. UCONN, unlike RU and Maryland, is not introducing a new market to the tv deal. The BIG made a lot of money expanding east. Prov, SHU, and SJU are already in the northeast market. How much more does UCONN add that covers the cost of their own entry into the tv pie. Obviously the BE has done their due diligence and believes it is worth it so I guess I am wrong but it just seems strange to think this will lead to some big financial windfall.
FOx was a driving force for this. The talk above on the dependance on msg is hilarious. I bet half the ru fans dont remember where the bt championships were played the past few years. Is there a fixed location, or does it move yr to yr? I know I have no clue, and I know the BE has no interest in it, like we dont re where the acc plays. Yet both of you twisted into a knot to play at msg. And one broke up your schedule to do it. I actually dont remember which one. I dont mean to say our league is better, though it is damned good and just got better, just that conference championships have one jewel of a location, and that is where I will watch seton hall play in the BET
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UConn football has entered hospice care. When the ACC passed on them, it was the death knell of their P5 conference hopes.
This is a good move though, because it strengthens their hoops and other sports. Now they just have to hope for a miracle cure for their P5 football dreams. But I just don’t see it at this point.
They bring nothing to the ACC since the conference already has BC for a New England presence. And if the ACC wanted them, the ACC would have already added them.
B1G powers probably wouldn’t allow another eastern team. I think it’s Texas/ND or bust for the B1G moving to 16 teams. Although I suppose GaTech/UVA/UNC would still be an outside possibility.
The Big XII already passed. UConn is just too far away from the Big XII footprint.
SEC? Um, no.
And let’s not even talk about the PAC-12.
They’ve got 6 years to figure it out, but I just don’t see a solution other than FCS.
This is a good move though, because it strengthens their hoops and other sports. Now they just have to hope for a miracle cure for their P5 football dreams. But I just don’t see it at this point.
They bring nothing to the ACC since the conference already has BC for a New England presence. And if the ACC wanted them, the ACC would have already added them.
B1G powers probably wouldn’t allow another eastern team. I think it’s Texas/ND or bust for the B1G moving to 16 teams. Although I suppose GaTech/UVA/UNC would still be an outside possibility.
The Big XII already passed. UConn is just too far away from the Big XII footprint.
SEC? Um, no.
And let’s not even talk about the PAC-12.
They’ve got 6 years to figure it out, but I just don’t see a solution other than FCS.
B1G Conference Championship moves year to year. 2019 was held in Chicago and the next 3 will be 2 in Indianapolis (2020 & 2022) with the 2021 Tourney returning to Chicago. The 2017 tourney was in DC while MSG hosted the one in 2018.
RU66, I think Jay Wright and Villanova have left UConn wayyyyy behind. I don’t see them having a chance to catch them until he leaves and he is not that old and I don’t see him going to another school or the pros.
Most speculation on this thread distills down to the value of football v basketball. The possibility that football might not exist in 20 years should be factored into the debate.
Could be, but basketball might lose its luster as well.
Until football goes down , it must be considered the one that drives the bus in most of the schools that feature both basketball and football as major sports.
UConn's football program makes the Connecticut bus look like it's not running on all cylinders and driving on a flat road more like mountain climbing
If they get football straight, the 6 years will go quickly....if most of their "buy games", are ACC achools and UConn hoops gets better, the ACC will consider this a trial run.
Yes, I have seen BlackBlack play, in fact I've known him for six years. Definitely a game changer for UF. Gives Mike White something he's never had in Gainesville: a skilled big man who can score with his back to the basket, from the pinch post, and out to 20 feet.
Florida now has a final four roster.
But no one has been able to make a case that UConn to the ACC would be financially accretive to the current ACC schools. So then, what is the catalyst for the ACC to add UConn?
Only if their MBB team becomes one of the best again , their WBB program remains on top and
the UConn FB program starts earning respect.
Each of those things can be considered achievable ( football hard but not impossible)for a short term , but Connecticut has to show it can sustain having good programs in MBB and football for it to hold enough value for ACC membership .
There MBB program might improve enough, but it's the FB program that will maybe the NBE the best that school can do.
People will tune in UConn mens basketball games adding value to TV revenue , but people will avoid UConn FB and that program would be the reason MBB's value wouldn't be enough to be considered for a ACC membership
UConn football is on life support. And I don’t see a midling UConn men’s hoops team financially making up for every ACC school giving up a portion of their piece of the pie to UConn. I wouldn’t.
Agree a average MBB team won't be enough, it will take a great program like it was in the Calhoun days to get the ACC interested.
If that happened College Basketball fans would turn their TV sets towards UConn MBB games making Connecticut an asset and a TV revenue maker along with being great for their ACC MBB foes attendance when UConn plays in conference road games.
But I don't see UConn MBB getting back to greatness and just being a good program won't do it
Even if UConn MBB could get back to its glory days, their football program being terrible will keep the ACC from wanting Connecticut in it.
The WBB program if it stays like it is would be a plus, but only a topping not a reason the ACC would make a factor in wanting or rejecting UConn membership
UConn packs the house wherever they play. Hurley will bring them back to respectability. Tv ratings will go up- large fan base who will again be interested in the league as a whole. Terrific move for both sides,
Football? Hard to build a program in the Northeast
BC, Cuse, Uconn, RU-a struggle. Penn State an exception .
UConn will prob stay independent but eventually drop down in class.
Lose less money.
Football? Hard to build a program in the Northeast
BC, Cuse, Uconn, RU-a struggle. Penn State an exception .
UConn will prob stay independent but eventually drop down in class.
Lose less money.
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UConn packs the house??? What world do you live in??? They have a hard time filling seats at home. They're not what they used to be under Calhoun and part of the reason is they can't get away with giving players benefits the way they used to.
The Hurley family might be able to prevent Danny from crashing and burning but I hope not. The Big East will rue the day they took UConn and their classless fans back.
The Hurley family might be able to prevent Danny from crashing and burning but I hope not. The Big East will rue the day they took UConn and their classless fans back.
They won’t lose less money in the FCS. Respectfully, you have no idea what you’re talking about.
Ever since we and Maryland were brought into the Big Ten, I thought UConn would end up in the ACC in short time. With the move from The American to the Big East, I think they have raised the white flag and realized they are not being invited. They have given up on football and going to a Power 5 conference.
The irony here is there are SHU fans defending Uconn when most Uconn fans have always looked at SHU basketball as Big East bottom feeders.
I think they are defending the Big East, more than defending UConn. In their minds, the move to the Big East is a step up for UConn. And I don't think that anyone is disagreeing that for basketball, the Big East is a step up from the AAC. But since UConn also has an FBS football program that step up for basketball has to be weighed against the step off a cliff for football. The step down for football is so severe, that the only way this makes sense in the long-term is is either (a) UConn views the move to the BE as a temporary move to shore up their basketball program to entice an invite from the ACC (while spending a small fortune to keep their football program from descending too far into an abyss), or (b) UConn plans to abandon football altogether since a move down to FCS would not stop the bleeding.
2018 Attendance Home Game Average:
RU-4700
UConn -7800
SHU -8400
I looked these numbers up and was surprised RU was so low.
UConn also travels well and will help fill BE arenas.
About 1AA costs. They pay less
In scholarship money, have smaller and cheaper coaching staffs and keepmtravel expensed down. It has to be cheaper than running a Division 1 program. Even though the revenue might be less.
Scholarship money is funny money. Shows an expense but it rally doesn’t really cost any real money.
Why would any ACC school president split their financial pie with UConn?
