Unhappy times in Storrs

[ruman]

They hand out the league tournament sites year in advance. If you are Uconn, you better demand the league tourney in Hartford. This gives me such flash backs to 30 years ago, when the A-10 was a joke vs the monster of the Big East. Not being in the Big East crushed us. Now, Uconn has to watch the ACC, Big East, Big 10 & Big 12 and pull their hair out. Looking forward to 2,000 in CT tomorrow for SMU/Cincy.

Still can't believe we are in the B1G and not the AAC.

 

[Johnny Biggs]

Uconn' "rabid fan base" is only that way when they are winning. There were a little over 8000 people on their home court tonight.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Do people actually believe the Rutgers job is better than UCONN job?

4000 people go to our home games. 100 people went to B1G tournament games 4 hours away. UCONN won the national championship 4 years ago. We haven't been to the NCAAs since 1991.

 

[Russ Wood]

It was a joke that U Conn again had a league tournament on their court. Their team was not too good this season and they never deserved a ticket to the big dance the way they played this season.

It was supposed to be in Orlando but they had to move it. Will be in Orlando next year. They are looking at Dallas as a potential future site

 

[Russ Wood]

Do people actually believe the Rutgers job is better than UCONN job?

4000 people go to our home games. 100 people went to B1G tournament games 4 hours away. UCONN won the national championship 4 years ago. We haven't been to the NCAAs since 1991.

Plus I think Ollie is getting $3.58 million per year

 

[RJM_Go_RU]

Plus I think Ollie is getting $3.58 million per year

I will be interested to see how long UConn can continue to pay top dollar while raking in AAC dollar.

 

[shields]

4000 people go to home games, have not been in tourney since 1991. Have RU friends who don't follow the team because they are tired of losing. Would like to see what UCONN fans would do if they did not make tourney for even 10 years. And yes UCONN had a lot of empty seats yesterday. I am a big fan and I want to see us win. Heck I took a bus in 1983 and saw our last NCAA win. 1983!!!

 

[ru66]

how's their football attendance?

 

[Seton75]

I think uconn is the one school the BE should add. It may not be good for shu but it is good for the BE. this assumes a contract that makes it virtually impossible to leave could be agreed to. Don't kid yourselves. They weren't good this year, but they are still uconn and that is something. And entry into the Big East would rejuvenate them.

If they were added, they say we would go to a 20 game league schedule, as has been discussed in other league meetings.

 

[LC-88]

Do people actually believe the Rutgers job is better than UCONN job?

4000 people go to our home games. 100 people went to B1G tournament games 4 hours away. UCONN won the national championship 4 years ago. We haven't been to the NCAAs since 1991.

Short term, no. Long term, yes. Yes, should be when we receive full B1G $$$$, or shortly thereafter.

 

[ScarletDave]

Do people actually believe the Rutgers job is better than UCONN job?

4000 people go to our home games. 100 people went to B1G tournament games 4 hours away. UCONN won the national championship 4 years ago. We haven't been to the NCAAs since 1991.

Yea and 8000 people went to the UConn tournament semifinals in their home arena. Do you think if the Big Ten tournament was at the RAC and we were in the semifinals we wouldn't sell it out? Cmon. UConn has no fanbase. Gampel is a dump, their campus is in the middle of nowhere. I know a lot of our fans have been to Rent for football games but those who have seen basketball there understand, I was shocked, like "this is UConn? UConn basketball?" I'm sure Delaney, Swofford, etc. all had the same realization if they ever visited that campus. They will slip into oblivion like Boston College soon enough (already starting).

 

[ruman]

I think uconn is the one school the BE should add. It may not be good for shu but it is good for the BE. this assumes a contract that makes it virtually impossible to leave could be agreed to. Don't kid yourselves. They weren't good this year, but they are still uconn and that is something. And entry into the Big East would rejuvenate them.

If they were added, they say we would go to a 20 game league schedule, as has been discussed in other league meetings.

They need a place to play football. Independence won't work. And the AAC wouldn't let them stay

 

[NickyNewark51]

Do people actually believe the Rutgers job is better than UCONN job?

4000 people go to our home games. 100 people went to B1G tournament games 4 hours away. UCONN won the national championship 4 years ago. We haven't been to the NCAAs since 1991.

You shoulda saw the Barn in the 70s....the whole area outside shook and you could feel the heated excitement 2 blocks away...great times....31-0 as the tension mounted...

 

[NickyNewark51]

I think uconn is the one school the BE should add. It may not be good for shu but it is good for the BE. this assumes a contract that makes it virtually impossible to leave could be agreed to. Don't kid yourselves. They weren't good this year, but they are still uconn and that is something. And entry into the Big East would rejuvenate them.

If they were added, they say we would go to a 20 game league schedule, as has been discussed in other league meetings.

As a young man just out of the Corps in the mid 70s I wasn't even sure UConn was involved in athletics while we were the toast of the town/city....UConn is a relative newcomer to many boomers...Yankee Conference...things change fast...in 10 years who knows if anyone will remember UConn if they don't start reversing the downward trend in mens major sports or at least get a P5 affiliation soon!?!

 

[TDIrish27]

The malaise with UConn hoops IMO is due to the fact that 1. The league they are in and 2. They aren't very good this year.

Put them in the BE and they fill the Civic Center and Gampel.

One of the best traveling fan bases I ever saw when they were in BE.

As to football----IMO if they can't get a P5 affiliation in 3-4 years drop down to FCS or think long and hard about whether supporting a losing proposition is viable.

 

[Russ Wood]

They need a place to play football. Independence won't work. And the AAC wouldn't let them stay

MAC

 

[ruman]

MAC

They just kicked out Umass. The conference gains nothing from such a deal.

 

[TDIrish27]

They lose just as much money as they do now in he MAC

UConn unfortunately over the next 5 years is going to be like many of the Non Power 5 schools and wonder why we're doing this ?

Five years from now you'll see 12-15 schools less playing D-1 football IMO.

 

[bac2therac]

Yea and 8000 people went to the UConn tournament semifinals in their home arena. Do you think if the Big Ten tournament was at the RAC and we were in the semifinals we wouldn't sell it out? Cmon. UConn has no fanbase. Gampel is a dump, their campus is in the middle of nowhere. I know a lot of our fans have been to Rent for football games but those who have seen basketball there understand, I was shocked, like "this is UConn? UConn basketball?" I'm sure Delaney, Swofford, etc. all had the same realization if they ever visited that campus. They will slip into oblivion like Boston College soon enough (already starting).

this wrong.....UConn brings 8-10K fans to MSG when they are in the semis and over 10K to the finals.....obviously this year they are not excited about their program playing in that tourney. UConn as a hoops program dwarfs RU it isnt even funny...learn some history kid.. Football yes...atrocious that will never win. Hoops? do not embarrass yourself and if they go back to the Big East the program will once again explode

 

[shields]

Point was though they had a lot of empty seats last night. Let them lose for like 10 years.

 

[Doctor Worm]

As to football----IMO if they can't get a P5 affiliation in 3-4 years drop down to FCS or think long and hard about whether supporting a losing proposition is viable.

Well there is no chance they get a P5 affiliation until the Big 12 GOR expires in 2026 and the next set of dominoes fall. IMO they will keep on in the AAC until then.

 

[Night Man]

I'll always think of this blog post from 2012 when I think of UConn being left to die in the AAC. It's actually really funny and spot-on in some areas, but their final comment on us hints at their doom, even if you could argue that it has remained true for us on the field.
http://www.theuconnblog.com/2012/3/4/2844427/the-fanbases-of-the-big-east-as-simpsons-characters

 

[srru86]

Heck I took a bus in 1983 and saw our last NCAA win. 1983!!!

I didn't take the bus but I was a that game also. back then UConn was barely the fifth best team in New England after Calipari's UMass, Pitno's Providence, BC and maybe URI. Things change. Their long term does not look good. Fans that can't recall a time before Calhoun need a little perspective.

 

[ru66]

no matter what many basketball fans believe , football still rules the roost

 

[needmorecowbell]

They just kicked out Umass. The conference gains nothing from such a deal.

Their only options for football would be go independent or drop down to FCS (like Villanova)

 

[Upstream]

Their only options for football would be go independent or drop down to FCS (like Villanova)

I think the football options are unpalatable enough that UConn can't move to the BE.

Currently the AAC pays more than the BE (granted the BE pays just for BB while the AAC is paying for FB & BB), but if UConn moves to the BE they would be taking a cut in revenue. I don't see that lost revenue being replaced by a football-independent, or by a football-only member of the MAC (assuming the MAC even wants to take UConn as a football-only member). I also don't see dropping to FCS as an option, because the state needs UConn as FBS to recoup the costs of the stadium and because it would preclude UConn from ever moving to a P5 conference like the ACC, which is their ultimate goal.

So the options for UConn are to remain in the AAC, or move to the BE while keeping an FBS football program and giving up revenue. That revenue drain would mean that UConn would continually have less money to support their athletic programs, which could cause all their programs to whither.

I also don't see the benefit for the BE. They are adding a school with an FBS football program, creating many of the issues that the Catholic schools eliminated by splitting from the old BE. Plus, the BE knows that UConn would bolt should the ACC, or another P5 conference ever come calling. They really don't need that instability. And I don't see UConn bringing enough revenue to the BE to make any of that worthwhile. They'll add another mouth to feed, and likely bring in no more revenue than is needed to cover the costs of feeding that extra mouth.

 

[Seton75]

I think the football options are unpalatable enough that UConn can't move to the BE.

Currently the AAC pays more than the BE (granted the BE pays just for BB while the AAC is paying for FB & BB), but if UConn moves to the BE they would be taking a cut in revenue. I don't see that lost revenue being replaced by a football-independent, or by a football-only member of the MAC (assuming the MAC even wants to take UConn as a football-only member). I also don't see dropping to FCS as an option, because the state needs UConn as FBS to recoup the costs of the stadium and because it would preclude UConn from ever moving to a P5 conference like the ACC, which is their ultimate goal.

So the options for UConn are to remain in the AAC, or move to the BE while keeping an FBS football program and giving up revenue. That revenue drain would mean that UConn would continually have less money to support their athletic programs, which could cause all their programs to whither.

I also don't see the benefit for the BE. They are adding a school with an FBS football program, creating many of the issues that the Catholic schools eliminated by splitting from the old BE. Plus, the BE knows that UConn would bolt should the ACC, or another P5 conference ever come calling. They really don't need that instability. And I don't see UConn bringing enough revenue to the BE to make any of that worthwhile. They'll add another mouth to feed, and likely bring in no more revenue than is needed to cover the costs of feeding that extra mouth.

They say the talks were real. I am not saying talks to finalize, but the two sides talked.

How Uconn handles fb is of course the issue. fb revenue is one thing, but fb profits are another...The stickler for the BE would be how to guarantee that they don't leave if a fb conference did come thru in the future. I assume a huge buyout. UConn is still a huge basketball brand. That is why the BE would want them. To me, it is a no brainer, even though it could hurt us some.

The only issue the BE had with the old fb teams had was them leaving for a better fb conference. If that is addressed, then there are no issues. UConn can wait for the fb invite that may never come and possibly see their bb get less and less relevant, or they can play fb at a lower level and hope the bb league helps them get back up top.

 

[Upstream]

They say the talks were real. I am not saying talks to finalize, but the two sides talked.

How Uconn handles fb is of course the issue. fb revenue is one thing, but fb profits are another...The stickler for the BE would be how to guarantee that they don't leave if a fb conference did come thru in the future. I assume a huge buyout. UConn is still a huge basketball brand. That is why the BE would want them. To me, it is a no brainer, even though it could hurt us some.

The only issue the BE had with the old fb teams had was them leaving for a better fb conference. If that is addressed, then there are no issues. UConn can wait for the fb invite that may never come and possibly see their bb get less and less relevant, or they can play fb at a lower level and hope the bb league helps them get back up top.

Just because they talked, doesn't mean that the barriers aren't real. The two sides may have talked only to understand how big the barriers are.

UConn can make sense for the BE, but only if there isn't the constant threat of UConn bolting as soon as a P5 invite comes along. And about the only way to ensure that UConn doesn't bolt is for them to drop to FCS. That is only a possibility if the state is supportive of the move, which I think would be a hard sell.

From the UConn perspective, a move to the BE would be good for BB, but really bad for FB, and cost the athletic department money overall.

 

[RU-ROCS]

Do people actually believe the Rutgers job is better than UCONN job?

4000 people go to our home games. 100 people went to B1G tournament games 4 hours away. UCONN won the national championship 4 years ago. We haven't been to the NCAAs since 1991.

I really don't think that's debatable currently. UConn is the better job by a wide margin. But, the more interesting question that has been posed on this board is what about a few years from now if Pikiell succeeds in making RU a contender in the Big10 and UConn is still stuck in the AAC. I think at that point RU would likely be the better job and RU could keep Pikiell from returning to his alma mater. The best thing that could happen to UConn is to strike a deal to get back to the Big East. They would once again thrive there and be a destination job for a coach. I don't see that happening in the AAC.

 

[ru66]

the most reasonable option for uconn is to wait it out--the big east money is peanuts

 

[Rhuarc]

I don't see how this works out well for UConn. Departing for the Big East will probably kill off football. Staying in the AAC too long might kill off basketball too much to make them appealing. I'd ditch football and and join the Big East to go back to the glory years if I were them.

Rutgers has a very unique situation coming up to grab market share. With Boeheim retiring and UConn in a holding pattern they can make huge waves in the Northeast if they can be relevant in the B1G.

 

[batts]

UConn should just drop football. It's a real money loser and it's damaging its rich basketball tradition. Sometimes you just have to admit you made a mistake and cut your losses. They are just throwing good money after bad.

 

[Loyal_2RU]

4000 people go to home games, have not been in tourney since 1991. Have RU friends who don't follow the team because they are tired of losing. Would like to see what UCONN fans would do if they did not make tourney for even 10 years. And yes UCONN had a lot of empty seats yesterday. I am a big fan and I want to see us win. Heck I took a bus in 1983 and saw our last NCAA win. 1983!!!

I drove!

 

[Rhuarc]

UConn should just drop football. It's a real money loser and it's damaging its rich basketball tradition. Sometimes you just have to admit you made a mistake and cut your losses. They are just throwing good money after bad.

I love to dislike Seton Hall, but I've always admired how despite my repeated desire for them to be irrelevant, they've found ways to stay successful and a good option for good players (especially given your limited finances and facilities). You'll probably never hear me say these words ever again however, so enjoy it!

 

[batts]

I love to dislike Seton Hall, but I've always admired how despite my repeated desire for them to be irrelevant, they've found ways to stay successful and a good option for good players (especially given your limited finances and facilities). You'll probably never hear me say these words ever again however, so enjoy it!

Classic! I savored your post. Lol.

 

[catintime]

Just for the record BE teams make more TV money for basketball only than the aac makes for both sports. Also Fox will add. dollars for legit expansion teams like uconn.

 

[ru66]

can't compare with p5 football conference dollars

 

[Upstream]

Just for the record BE teams make more TV money for basketball only than the aac makes for both sports. Also Fox will add. dollars for legit expansion teams like uconn.

But the AAC also makes football bowl and playoff money. The playoff money alone is about $2MM per school.

The total earned by each school in the AAC is greater than the BE, even though the BE TV money is greater.

 

[TODDB33]

Do people actually believe the Rutgers job is better than UCONN job?

4000 people go to our home games. 100 people went to B1G tournament games 4 hours away. UCONN won the national championship 4 years ago. We haven't been to the NCAAs since 1991.

RU is on the upswing as proven by this years performance. And by performance I mean overall play not just wins n losses. UConn is apparently on the downward slope. RU is in Big UC is in AAC. If trends continue than yes RU better job. Comparisons need to be made on current situations and projections going forward not what happened years ago.

 

[TDIrish27]

UConn will be in the Men's NCAA Tournament next year------I'll make that prediction right now.