Candid Coaches: Is it better for UConn to stay in the Big East or try to join the Big 12 or ACC?

[HooperScooper]

From CBSSports.com. Coaches overwhelmingly say stay in the Big East, 77% to 23%. Of course if you asked ADs I bet the answers would be flipped.

"They're synonymous with the Big East. I know football has to factor in, but UConn has to be about basketball. If you look at the past 25 years, they're the best national power we have."

Is that from another Big East coach?

Candid Coaches: Is it better for UConn to stay in the Big East or try to join the Big 12 or ACC?

We start our annual Candid Coaches series with a question on what conference is best for the Huskies

www.cbssports.com

 

[August_West]

From CBSSports.com. Coaches overwhelmingly say stay in the Big East, 77% to 23%. Of course if you asked ADs I bet the answers would be flipped.

"They're synonymous with the Big East. I know football has to factor in, but UConn has to be about basketball. If you look at the past 25 years, they're the best national power we have."

Is that from another Big East coach?

Candid Coaches: Is it better for UConn to stay in the Big East or try to join the Big 12 or ACC?

We start our annual Candid Coaches series with a question on what conference is best for the Huskies

www.cbssports.com

Norlander actually decimated the notion we were flirting with Meh12 too

 

[August_West]

We made more money in AAC than the BigEast got. LOL.

 

[Tampahusky]

ACC will die once Clemson and FSU leave, why go there? Big 12 is third best conference and doesn’t serve the footprint. Either stay in the Big East where we win championships or go to Big Ten if we ever get invited. All these cable companies are drying up money wise such as ESPN and cannot demand big money unless you are SEC/Big Ten/Notre Dame.

 

[gars44]

I would stay in the Big East, and keep playing an interesting football schedule, trying to attract dissatisfied 2nd and 3rd stringers from P4 schools through the transfer portal. Try to pick up a Randy Moss and a Tony Romo.

 

[Austin316]

Our realignment is hindered by football performance… we need to be better than we were in the old Big East days if we want to be scooped up by the Big Ten which is a dream. I’ve always envisioned us in the ACC with Cuse and Pitt but it’s not viable long term. Ticket sales and viewership are determined by wins… every game is a must win. Every P5 game should be taken as a playoff game that means something. Big East has been great since we joined. Even being an independent hasn’t been horrible. Our AD would say otherwise. But even if we hang out here for a while we need to win if we want those massive $ buy games

 

[gampelcrazies]

I'm a football and basketball fan but the real reason I wanted the move was not because of football. It's my concern about the next Big East tv deal. These other conferences are getting more and more money from tv networks. They are also taking up more time slots. I struggle to see where the Big East fits.

 

[Tenspro2002]

From CBSSports.com. Coaches overwhelmingly say stay in the Big East, 77% to 23%. Of course if you asked ADs I bet the answers would be flipped.

"They're synonymous with the Big East. I know football has to factor in, but UConn has to be about basketball. If you look at the past 25 years, they're the best national power we have."

Is that from another Big East coach?

Candid Coaches: Is it better for UConn to stay in the Big East or try to join the Big 12 or ACC?

We start our annual Candid Coaches series with a question on what conference is best for the Huskies

www.cbssports.com

It is certainly better for other Big East coaches for UConn to be in the Big East.

 

[bendm]

I struggle to see where the Big East fits.

on FS2?

half joking. but seems like BE will get the leftovers after BIG10 and BIg12 get the prime spots on FOX and FS1

 

[Storrs South]

I'm a football and basketball fan but the real reason I wanted the move was not because of football. It's my concern about the next Big East tv deal. These other conferences are getting more and more money from tv networks. They are also taking up more time slots. I struggle to see where the Big East fits.

It's a fair concern, but counterargument would be

Basketball-only content is a fraction of the cost compared to football and live content is still king. The PAC-12 received the Big 12 deal first, so there's demand for live content of all shapes and sizes and basketball only doesn't have the same cost requirements.

Also for TV slots, the PAC 12 survivors in B12 and B10 are now adding content to the Peacock and ESPN+ slots for this go around and the rest of the P12 are probably headed for either ACCN or Apple TV so no impact to the Big East today.

The biggest issue I've seen mentioned is if the Big 10 moves to 22 conference games. That's the biggest threat to the Big East today in terms of TV slots.

 

[upstater]

We made more money in AAC than the BigEast got. LOL.

Not when you realize the women's rights were wrapped into the 2nd contract.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Wonder if this thread will finally settle the argument once and for all?

 

[Storrs South]

We made more money in AAC than the BigEast got. LOL.

In strictly TV revenue sure. When you factor in uptick in attendance, donations, NCAA tourney credits, and not paying ESPN+ production costs it probably tilts in favor of Big East.

 

[Bongo Fury]

Also factor in the buy games and it is likely pretty close. For future it would be best to be in a power conference that pays better and gets national attention.

 

[aburks41]

In strictly TV revenue sure. When you factor in uptick in attendance, donations, NCAA tourney credits, and not paying ESPN+ production costs it probably tilts in favor of Big East.

Haven't the donations increased by something crazy like $20M more than 2016? I thought there was an article about it within the past few weeks by Mike Anthony

 

[Storrs South]

Haven't the donations increased by something crazy like $20M more than 2016? I thought there was an article about it within the past few weeks by Mike Anthony

UConn athletic donations in 2023: 28 million
UConn athletic donations in 2016: 7 million

I don't remember the recent article this is from, but that is telling. If we get that number closer to 50 million, we will be absolutely fine.

Now this period also coincides with David Benedict's arrival so I wouldn't necessarily attribute that entirely to AAC --> Big East move. It probably is a combination of

1) Having a competent Athletic Director
2) Donations now being included in Basketball ticket prices
3) The move to the Big East increasing interest in athletics including increase basketball ticket sales & general donations due to increased interest in the entire AD

 

[storrsroars]

If an invitation to the ACC comes before an invitation to the B12, you take it. More money is more money.

I'll be interested in seeing 1st year ratings of games involving the new B12 additions. I don't think they're going to do well.

 

[shizzle787]

If the Pac-12 fully dissolves, that is one less major basketball league to compete with regarding TV slots. If there are only 5 major basketball conferences, we will definitely be on TV.

 

[Tampahusky]

ACC will not be what is today after their current contract expires in a couple of years. FSU,Miami,Clemson will be gone. No school that left the Big East was better afterwards including UConn.

 

[Luna]

Uconn in the big east makes us special…it changes if we join another conference

 

[storrsroars]

ACC will not be what is today after their current contract expires in a couple of years. FSU,Miami,Clemson will be gone. No school that left the Big East was better afterwards including UConn.

All true. But it also won't be the PAC10. It'll still be a viable conference, albeit having to take a haircut $-wise. Still, it's more than UConn is making. And if it comes to the point where P4 becomes P3, it's probably better to be inside the P4 than outside.

 

[Austin316]

“If the Big 12 comes calling again, or the ACC starts calling someday, more than three quarters of the coaches we asked said UConn should leave well enough alone, politely pass and just stay put.”

Lol ok dude.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

We made more money in AAC than the BigEast got. LOL.

I hope your child bride is the one handling the finances in your family.