Big 12 commish: Consider new model

[UconnU]

If Cincy and Memphis/UCF leave.... SMU, Houston, Tulsa leave for the Mountain West right?

 

[Yawkey Way]

UConn fits as well to the Big12 as BC did to the Slave State Conference 10 years ago.
But at this point I'll take it

The AAC now has as many schools from former" Slave States" as does the ACC now. That " slave state " moniker is a bit over the top these days. The SEC is really the only true " Southern Conference ", imo

 

[Fishy]

If Cincy and Memphis/UCF leave.... SMU, Houston, Tulsa leave for the Mountain West right?

Do you take even a second to review these thoughts of yours or do you just dump them straight onto the internet without hesitation?

Why would the Mountain West want these teams?

 

[The Viking]

The AAC now has as many schools from former" Slave States" as does the ACC now. That " slave state " moniker is a bit over the top these days. The SEC is really the only true " Southern Conference ", imo

Much has changed in 10 years but BC's move to the ACC at the time was laughable if one looked at a map.

I knew you would get ruffled by that.

 

[sub legacy]

UConn fits as well to the Big12 as BC did to the Slave State Conference 10 years ago.
But at this point I'll take it

Beggars can't be choosers. I know it's a long shot, but UConn needs to stop dying a slow death in athletics and take initiative in this. Damn right, we're desperate.

 

[1husky]

Hopefully, we've spent the last couple of years developing relationships at WV, KS, OK, IA State and, most importantly, Texas.

 

[Marty Jackson]

the fact that WVU is in the Big12 suggests that geography is not the top priority.
however, if the Big 12 expands, UCF and Cincy are the likely choices. Could see uconn if they go to 14 (with USF or BYU if they give up independance)...

 

[HuskyHawk]

This is not good news. We do not fit the Big 12 with good basketball and pathetic football.

Yeah...heaven forbid they allow a School like Kansas in.

 

[IMind]

Yeah...heaven forbid they allow a School like Kansas in.

Or Texas

 

[IMind]

Overall though I think this situation going forward is going to drive the FBS to an 8 game model. One of the P5 conferences is always going to be left out. Some years two...

 

[Dooley]

If the Big 12 called ESPN and Fox and asked for another $40MM a year to cover 2 new teams, they might get it.

I think the problem is that the Big 12 doesn't want the travel to Storrs, but the pickings are pretty slim for 2 more teams. If BYU continues to be difficult, then I think it is Cincinnati and UConn. If BYU is flexible, I think our goose is cooked.

I tend to agree with you. If BYU wants in, and everything they've said in the past year indicates that they do, then I can't for any reason, other than some sort of misguided uneasy feeling towards the Mormon faith, for the B12 to pass on them. National brand, huge fanbase following and very good football credibility.

Cincinnati seems to be a shoe-in as a travel partner for WVU. They'd bring a good football recruiting territory, good program and decent hoops too.

The thing that UCONN does have going for it is our location. If FOX really wants more of a eastern presence, then it would be very tough for them to want to pass up the 1st, 7th and 30th DMAs in the country. While our football program definitely is struggling (I'm being nice) right now, it will, at some point, turn around. The fact that we have conference history with WVU might help too. Folks in Morgantown remember the years of 40K crowds at the Rent. Plus, I'll always have a soft spot for them for the class they showed after Jasper Howard's passing. Texas rules that roost, but our established relationship with WVU may come in handy if FOX/B12 wants to move east and they want to establish a few schools closer to WVU.

If I was Commissioner Bowlsby, I would add: BYU, Cincinnati, UCONN and UCF. With those 4, the B12 would bring the two most profitable and marketable ADs in the G5 in BYU and UCONN along with two good recruiting states for football in Cincinnati and UCF. Cincinnati gives WVU an easy travel partner. UCONN and BYU become the conference outliers but that's okay because our presence in the conference would allow for scheduling northeast venues for football and/or hoops. BYU has a national following so their distance from Texas can be made up for by the money they'd bring to the conference once they figure out a way to roll in BYUTV (or whatever they call it). Also, going from 10 to 14 puts them on equal footing with the ACC and scoops up the "next best" back fill options for that conference should any school challenge its GoR and leave in a few years. In one fell swoop, they would add good football, revenue adding athletic programs, good hoops, and big TV markets while protecting their long term stability.

Of course, I don't think this will happen. Bowlsby strikes me as a modern-day Marianatto. I think the entire country knew that the B12 was going to be shut out of the Playoff this season but there they were, insisting up until the bitter end, that their round robin co-champion format is "just as good" at determining a champion as every other conference (who answers the question ON THE FIELD with another marquee game). I wouldn't be surprised if the B12 digs their stubborn and stupid heels in the quicksand and stumbles on with 10...until they are poached by another conference and have to disband. We've all been saying for YEARS that the B12 needs to expand and establish a CCG. If I (and millions of college football fans everywhere) am able to forecast the weaknesses of the B12 better than the Commissioner of the friggin' conference can, then that doesn't instill too much confidence in that man's ability to grow and protect the conference's interests going forward.

 

[Dooley]

If Cincy and Memphis/UCF leave.... SMU, Houston, Tulsa leave for the Mountain West right?

We are in the only "self-respecting" conference willing to add those schools. If the AAC were to ever disband, I can't think of a conference higher than C-USA or the Sun Belt that would take in Tulsa or SMU.

 

[Kolumbo]

You tell that son of a bitch no Yankee is ever comin' to Houston. Not as long as you bastards are running things.

We are in the only "self-respecting" conference willing to add those schools. If the AAC were to ever disband, I can't think of a conference higher than C-USA or the Sun Belt that would take in Tulsa or SMU.

The G5 is the G5 no matter how the pieces are assembled and no matter what it is called. G5, G4, no one really cares.

 

[MASSconn]

Yeah...heaven forbid they allow a School like Kansas in.

Ya- in 1994.

They just got knocked out of the biggest $ maker maybe in College Sports history. Rentschler Field and our worst football team in 1A does not have them salivating. They need football schools now. That's why I think BYU and Cincinatti fit the mold.

 

[upstater]

Ya- in 1994.

They just got knocked out of the biggest $ maker maybe in College Sports history. Rentschler Field and our worst football team in 1A does not have them salivating. They need football schools now. That's why I think BYU and Cincinatti fit the mold.

While those schools are infinitely better than UConn at football, they are not impressive football schools in the B12's eyes. They are passable--at best. They won't improve B12 football.

$$ is going to be very important in all this. BYU adds $$$, but will they move off their stance about when they can play football games and other sports?

 

[IMind]

Ya- in 1994.

They just got knocked out of the biggest $ maker maybe in College Sports history. Rentschler Field and our worst football team in 1A does not have them salivating. They need football schools now. That's why I think BYU and Cincinatti fit the mold.

I think this has far more to do with the names Baylor and TCU than vs Ohio State and Florida State. What the Big 12 needs is warm bodies, a championship game, and two-four more slots in the college football championship. The actual names on the jersey matters very little in years where Texas and Oklahoma aren't winning 10+ games.

That being said BYU and Cincy are probably those warm bodies. The only way we get in is if they decide they need to expand beyond 12...

 

[DCHuskyFan]

On the very off chance that the Big 12 considers UConn, does the ACC or Big 10 reconsider UConn, if only to keep UConn of the Big 12's radar? Recognizing that UConn is not the prize, but rather the prize would be presence on the eastern seaboard.

 

[gioff23]

The irony is that if Wisconsin shows up and either Oregon or tOSU loses, the B12 gets 2 teams in and then laughs at those hosting conf championships. I think folks need to take a deep breath here and not overreact.

And for real laughs - if Bama lost would the SEC have been shut out?

 

[amory]

Matt Schonvisky ‏@MattSchonvisky 3h3 hours ago
Every single #UConn fan that cares about future of school needs to be doing full court press on Big 12 on social media

This is just sad. They're not making their decision on which schools to add based on how many of the school's fans tweet at them.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The irony is that if Wisconsin shows up and either Oregon or tOSU loses, the B12 gets 2 teams in and then laughs at those hosting conf championships. I think folks need to take a deep breath here and not overreact.

And for real laughs - if Bama lost would the SEC have been shut out?

The power of short term thinking should never be underestimated. It's a big part of what has kept UConn on the sidelines.

Yes, Bama losing would have shut out the SEC. OSU losing would shut out the B1G and Oregon losing would shut out the P12.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I tend to agree with you. If BYU wants in, and everything they've said in the past year indicates that they do, then I can't for any reason, other than some sort of misguided uneasy feeling towards the Mormon faith, for the B12 to pass on them. National brand, huge fanbase following and very good football credibility.

Cincinnati seems to be a shoe-in as a travel partner for WVU. They'd bring a good football recruiting territory, good program and decent hoops too.

The thing that UCONN does have going for it is our location. If FOX really wants more of a eastern presence, then it would be very tough for them to want to pass up the 1st, 7th and 30th DMAs in the country. While our football program definitely is struggling (I'm being nice) right now, it will, at some point, turn around. The fact that we have conference history with WVU might help too. Folks in Morgantown remember the years of 40K crowds at the Rent. Plus, I'll always have a soft spot for them for the class they showed after Jasper Howard's passing. Texas rules that roost, but our established relationship with WVU may come in handy if FOX/B12 wants to move east and they want to establish a few schools closer to WVU.

If I was Commissioner Bowlsby, I would add: BYU, Cincinnati, UCONN and UCF. With those 4, the B12 would bring the two most profitable and marketable ADs in the G5 in BYU and UCONN along with two good recruiting states for football in Cincinnati and UCF. Cincinnati gives WVU an easy travel partner. UCONN and BYU become the conference outliers but that's okay because our presence in the conference would allow for scheduling northeast venues for football and/or hoops. BYU has a national following so their distance from Texas can be made up for by the money they'd bring to the conference once they figure out a way to roll in BYUTV (or whatever they call it). Also, going from 10 to 14 puts them on equal footing with the ACC and scoops up the "next best" back fill options for that conference should any school challenge its GoR and leave in a few years. In one fell swoop, they would add good football, revenue adding athletic programs, good hoops, and big TV markets while protecting their long term stability.

Of course, I don't think this will happen. Bowlsby strikes me as a modern-day Marianatto. I think the entire country knew that the B12 was going to be shut out of the Playoff this season but there they were, insisting up until the bitter end, that their round robin co-champion format is "just as good" at determining a champion as every other conference (who answers the question ON THE FIELD with another marquee game). I wouldn't be surprised if the B12 digs their stubborn and stupid heels in the quicksand and stumbles on with 10...until they are poached by another conference and have to disband. We've all been saying for YEARS that the B12 needs to expand and establish a CCG. If I (and millions of college football fans everywhere) am able to forecast the weaknesses of the B12 better than the Commissioner of the friggin' conference can, then that doesn't instill too much confidence in that man's ability to grow and protect the conference's interests going forward.

I think Memphis is ahead of UCF. Shorter travel, big city, near border state with Bi12. I think Florida is a lost cause for 2 reasons. 1), The ACC and SEC own the state, and 2) the non-ACC and non-SEC fans generally don't care that much about watching sports. I think the most realistic way that UConn makes the Big 12 cut is if the Big 12 goes to 14 teams, and I find that unlikely.

I do think that 9 of the Big 12 schools would happily have gone to 12 a year ago with Cincinnati and BYU, but Texas was vetoing it.

 

[TigerJ]

Goods things are coming two teams way!!! Very encouraging news at the moment!

 

[WestHartHusk]

Goods things are coming two teams way!!! Very encouraging news at the moment!

When Memphis isn't one of those two I hope you come back and tell us how great things are.

 

[CTMike]

Goods things are coming two teams way!!! Very encouraging news at the moment!

 

[pj]

Can't imagine why Memphis would be chosen. Memphis is the #49 DMA, behind even Louisville. It's not a prosperous market. And it's saturated by fans of other teams. Its only advantage is shorter travel, and the remote possibility that Fred Smith will bribe B12 presidents, Fox, and ESPN.