Berry Tramel: Analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of Big 12 expansion candidates

[J187Money]

True. If only they had support in a major market like Syracuse or Pittsburgh. That's an oversimified view of an extremely complicated set of events.

Doesn't mean it isn't true.

 

[pj]

Doesn't mean it isn't true.

Now. But after our B1G invite ...

 

[Hoophound]

I'm not sure how one knows what the national following of any schools is. Of course, ND, Michigan and Ohio State have fans everywhere, but it isn't like they are typical P5 schools. They are the elite, old time football schools with great academics. National ratings rely heavily on quality of content. An awful UConn football team will draw a lot less nationally than a good UConn football team.

UConn has a pretty big following nationally. I was in Nashville for the CMT Awards. About 3 hours after we got to the hotel I said to my wife, "I can't believe how many UConn shirts I'm seeing". I started pointing them out to her and it became comical. They were everywhere. I wondered if it was just because we were in Tennessee and the women's fans were gloating. Just seemed crazy how UConn heavy Nashville was everyday, all week, everywhere I went. I see a lot of UConn gear in my area of Florida but I expect that given that I know quite a few CT natives here.

Anyway, I think people forget how quickly we got some respect in football with a few pretty good seasons. If we had sustained relevance since Edsall left, we'd be a bigger brand because good football combined with our basketball results would be very powerful. We are about 3 great football seasons away from being a really, truly special college athletic department. We are certainly a bigger brand than more than half of P5 schools.

 

[ASweet3781]

Sorry to disagree. If UConn really had the number of fans and followers outside Ct that many of you claim it does, the Huskies would already be in a Power-5 conference. Rational objective observers understand that UConn's support dramatically drops outside the CT state lines. Given the limits on support and the fact that football drives the bus and Husky football is not strong, we are in the AAC.

What schools support DOESN'T dramatically drop off outside their state line. I live in Western Massachusetts and in the school I work in kids where UConn shirts probably more than any other school.

And stop saying WE. People can see your posting history if they want. You are NOT a UConn fan.

 

[Sea Goat]

What schools support DOESN'T dramatically drop off outside their state line. I live in Western Massachusetts and in the school I work in kids where UConn shirts probably more than any other school.

And stop saying WE. People can see your posting history if they want. You are NOT a UConn fan.

Thanks for saying it - RF 1 = Rat 1 !

 

[CL82]

Doesn't mean it isn't true.

Nor does it mean it is.

 

[06029]

You clearly have no clue! I live in northeast Massachusetts near New Hampshire and run into plenty of fans in this area as well as down by where I work near Boston, but keep telling yourself your BS in order to feel better!

Anecdotal stories aside, there is no evidence that Uconn FB moves the ratings needle in MA, NH, ME, VT or RI. Half of New England does not get SNY as part of basic cable or satellite service. There are no local affiliates broadcasting the AAC game of the week even in CT. That is a reality, not BS. And I don't agree that fans that graduated from an of the other New England State U's will adopt Uconn as their college FB team. Most Uconn grads did not adopt any team as their own 15 years ago before the move up was announced. A lot of Uconn alums that I know didn't care about CFB until the move up was made. So I don't think alums from other schools would rush to adopt Uconn.

 

[Jerry27]

Anecdotal stories aside, there is no evidence that Uconn FB moves the ratings needle in MA, NH, ME, VT or RI. Half of New England does not get SNY as part of basic cable or satellite service. There are no local affiliates broadcasting the AAC game of the week even in CT. That is a reality, not BS. And I don't agree that fans that graduated from an of the other New England State U's will adopt Uconn as their college FB team. Most Uconn grads did not adopt any team as their own 15 years ago before the move up was announced. A lot of Uconn alums that I know didn't care about CFB until the move up was made. So I don't think alums from other schools would rush to adopt Uconn.

But who is talking about any of that? His comment was that, "UConn's support ends at the CT state borders. people in other parts of New England are not Husky fans." And that's BS no matter what qualification you add to the statement after the fact that would change the original comment altogether which would have elicited a different response.

 

[J187Money]

Nor does it mean it is.

I've said this many times. I travel the country for work and have done so for years. Most people that don't follow BB even know what UCONN (Yukon?) is. Pretend otherwise if you want.

 

[Hoophound]

I've said this many times. I travel the country for work and have done so for years. Most people that don't follow BB even know what UCONN (Yukon?) is. Pretend otherwise if you want.

Sort of true. Lots of people know Connecticut though. Sometimes I'll say I'm a UConn fan and then someone will say "ah, Connecticut, great basketball teams". The UConn thing is lost on them but they know who we are. I like the UConn branding but this always makes me rethink my position. Everyone knows Connecticut basketball.

 

[uconnell]

I've said this many times. I travel the country for work and have done so for years. Most people that don't follow BB even know what UCONN (Yukon?) is. Pretend otherwise if you want.

Why would anyone who is not a college basketball fan know who UConn is?

 

[Adios]

Why would anyone who is not a college basketball fan know who UConn is?

Big on college sports, period. We are not the University of California-Berkeley. Yet. UConn-Stamford going FBS??

 

[Kgun7]

Sort of true. Lots of people know Connecticut though. Sometimes I'll say I'm a UConn fan and then someone will say "ah, Connecticut, great basketball teams". The UConn thing is lost on them but they know who we are. I like the UConn branding but this always makes me rethink my position. Everyone knows Connecticut basketball.

Gotta agree with you on this ... Roy Williams said: "I want to be like Connecticut" ...

 

[Stinger92860]

UConn's support ends at the CT state borders. people in other parts of New England are not Husky fans.

Not true Rat Face One.

 

[IMind]

There absolutely is evidence that NYC follows UConn. SNY's contract is evidence enough. Who cares if RI and ME are huge UConn fans. We absolutely have enough juice from CT proper, Western Mass, and NYC (even if it's only a small portion of NYC) to justify our inclusion in a P5 conference. If we're playing a B1G, B12, or even ACC schedule (and are better than .500 team) we would absolutely sell out a 50,000 seat stadium let alone a 40,000 seat stadium. This area is dying to have a big time football program. All you need to is look at how well we did when we were winning, when Michigan came to town... the great crowds we had for Baylor, Pittsburgh, etc.

 

[Stinger92860]

Sorry to disagree. If UConn really had the number of fans and followers outside Ct that many of you claim it does, the Huskies would already be in a Power-5 conference. Rational objective observers understand that UConn's support dramatically drops outside the CT state lines. Given the limits on support and the fact that football drives the bus and Husky football is not strong, we are in the AAC.

The bus has changed direction and will be driven by eyeballs which pay to view content. More changes coming.

 

[Redding Husky]

I totally agree with that. The region would unite under a UConn in a P5 conference.

Except for two or three zip codes around Chestnut Hill.

 

[06029]

But who is talking about any of that? His comment was that, "UConn's support ends at the CT state borders. people in other parts of New England are not Husky fans." And that's BS no matter what qualification you add to the statement after the fact that would change the original comment altogether which would have elicited a different response.

In terms of what matters, TV ratings, the statement is correct. Support ends at state borders. It may even end before that in Fairfield County.

 

[Fishy]

In terms of what matters, TV ratings, the statement is correct. Support ends at state borders. It may even end before that in Fairfield County.

Could be worse - some schools see their support end at the traffic light leaving campus.

See "Boston College".

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Be careful what you write. Thoughtful reason is apparently not wanted here. Many want to remain in their fantasy land.

Glad to see that Ex-Lax diet is working for you but I wish you wouldn't post the results here.

 

[auggie22]

That is delusional thinking. UConn has absolutely great support in CT. It really doesn't have much more than casual interest elsewhere in New England. I live in MA and no one here really follows UConn. If the hoops team is on tv or making an NCAA run, regional folks will watch and root for them but do not live and die with the Huskies. It is no big deal if UConn loses. New England is too fractured with multiple states and many colleges for any one school to dominate. Even if UConn were to get into a better conference, that would not change.

1.) so... If you stipulate that Uconn has great support among CT residents, then it stands to reason you would agree that this fandom would extend to places where CT residents migrate in large number, such as NY and MA. I am a good example of one ( non-alumni, former resident)

2.) ok, I'll match your dumb argument with one in kind - I live in MA, and I see UCONN fans in greater Boston a lot. So there.

3.). You acknowledge that when Uconn basketball is on tv the region will watch and root for them? Seems like you are agreeing with us here.

 

[CL82]

I've said this many times. I travel the country for work and have done so for years. Most people that don't follow BB even know what UCONN (Yukon?) is. Pretend otherwise if you want.

How are those two points related in your mind?

I've had plenty of non-basketball conversations with with people about UConn. Pretend otherwise if you wish.

(See how the last two sentences are equally pointless whether you wrote them or I did?)

 

[Jerry27]

In terms of what matters, TV ratings, the statement is correct. Support ends at state borders. It may even end before that in Fairfield County.

Yes, that may be true, but he never made those terms, they were placed as a qualification to my statement, in terms of what he actually wrote it's BS.

 

[CAHUSKY]

I've said this many times. I travel the country for work and have done so for years. Most people that don't follow BB even know what UCONN (Yukon?) is. Pretend otherwise if you want.

Stop it. I live in Nevada and California and travel constantly around the country on business. In my travels I nearly always find a way to crowbar UCONN in to the conversation and virtually never have had someone who didn't know what it was. Well, maybe a dingbat stripper somewhere but she probably couldn't tell me who the Vice President is. Among mildly intelligent individuals, UCONN is very well known.
Granted, when I told my 65 year old San Franciscan grandmother that I was going UCONN in 1990 she did ask why I was going to college in Alaska. That said, a lot has changed since then.

 

[Fishy]

Be careful what you write. Thoughtful reason is apparently not wanted here. Many want to remain in their fantasy land.

Translation: "I came here to troll."

Go away.