Non-Key Tweets

[coachcap]

My only thought is that Minnesota was very apprehensive about joining the Big10 hockey conference. They had a great schedule with great rivalries. They might want to keep those rivalries with North Dakota, Notre Dame, Denver, and the other Minnesota schools. Any expansion might keep them from those.

Sounds about right. If you're Minnesota, Who's the better draw at home, UCONN or Lake Superior State?

 

[dayooper]

Sounds about right. If you're Minnesota, Who's the better draw at home, UCONN or Lake Superior State?

Lake State isn't a draw, but North Dakota and Minnesota Duluth are.

 

[Adios]

My only thought is that Minnesota was very apprehensive about joining the Big10 hockey conference. They had a great schedule with great rivalries. They might want to keep those rivalries with North Dakota, Notre Dame, Denver, and the other Minnesota schools. Any expansion might keep them from those.

UConn basketball > Minnesota hockey. Was at the Minnesota-Clarkson women's championship game. Was nice to see someone east of the Mississippi finally win in women's hockey.

 

[jostar1]

Found this about Fox in a story about Big 12 Ratings:

A bigger potential problem could be looming: Industry sources indicate Fox is extremely intrigued with the idea of luring the Big Ten for its first-tier rights for football and basketball when the conference's deal with ESPN expires in two years.

The Big Ten is packed with multiple teams in huge Midwest markets. It recently expanded into the New York market when Rutgers was added, not to mention the Washington-Baltimore market with Maryland. Fox already owns a 51 percent stake in the Big Ten Network (with the conference owning the other 49 percent), so they have worked well together in the past.

Most expect that attracting the Big Ten's major games will become Fox's major priority. If those games are added at the expense of the network's current major partners — the Big 12 and Pac-12 — it wouldn't be a shock.

http://www.expressnews.com/sports/c...ings-should-be-concern-for-Big-12-5799425.php

 

[Stinger92860]

Found this about Fox in a story about Big 12 Ratings:

A bigger potential problem could be looming: Industry sources indicate Fox is extremely intrigued with the idea of luring the Big Ten for its first-tier rights for football and basketball when the conference's deal with ESPN expires in two years.

The Big Ten is packed with multiple teams in huge Midwest markets. It recently expanded into the New York market when Rutgers was added, not to mention the Washington-Baltimore market with Maryland. Fox already owns a 51 percent stake in the Big Ten Network (with the conference owning the other 49 percent), so they have worked well together in the past.

Most expect that attracting the Big Ten's major games will become Fox's major priority. If those games are added at the expense of the network's current major partners — the Big 12 and Pac-12 — it wouldn't be a shock.

http://www.expressnews.com/sports/c...ings-should-be-concern-for-Big-12-5799425.php

Sincere question, does this help or hurt us?

 

[bobbyinaz]

Sincere question, does this help or hurt us?

Don't think it matters either way. Either ESPN or FOX or a combination of the 2 will pay a huge number to the B1G for their Tier 1 package. If whoever the winning bidder is tells the conference that expansion (with or without UConn) will increase the value of the contract then they will add the teams the winning bidder tells them to.

It's no different then what DeFillipo said when he told the world that ESPN told the ACC to add Cuse & Pitt.

For the ESPN conspiracy theorists, FOX winning the contract would potentially make UConn more attractive since ESPN is out to get us.....

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Why would having a hockey program now be viewed as a negative, yet in 5 years it would be looked at as a major positive?

It'd be a negative presently in that UConn hockey is, simply put, not good. It'd drag down the B1G conference overall, and add conference games against an inferior opponent that would involve lots of travel. It'd essentially be adding 20% to their current schedule against a bad team. That's not appealing to MN, WI, and MI. If UConn builds the program and becomes competitive in HE such that that 20% schedule addition in the B1G wasn't a drag on their schedule strength, it wouldn't at all be a negative.

 

[huskypantz]

It'd be a negative presently in that UConn hockey is, simply put, not good. It'd drag down the B1G conference overall, and add conference games against an inferior opponent that would involve lots of travel. It'd essentially be adding 20% to their current schedule against a bad team. That's not appealing to MN, WI, and MI. If UConn builds the program and becomes competitive in HE such that that 20% schedule addition in the B1G wasn't a drag on their schedule strength, it wouldn't at all be a negative.

It's not a negative, though. As others have stated, if the B1G wanted UConn to stick around in HE instead of joining for hockey that would pretty much be the best of both worlds for us. It's a non-starter.

 

[Ldandy]

It's not a negative, though. As others have stated, if the B1G wanted UConn to stick around in HE instead of joining for hockey that would pretty much be the best of both worlds for us. It's a non-starter.

That scenario would never play out. No way in Hell that Delany would ever allow TV Content that he could be selling remain in the hands of another party. A more likely scenario would be an unbalanced schedule for a few seasons, while a suitable 8th team was found, or another current member could make the jump.

 

[huskypantz]

That scenario would never play out. No way in Hell that Delany would ever allow TV Content that he could be selling remain in the hands of another party. A more likely scenario would be an unbalanced schedule for a few seasons, while a suitable 8th team was found, or another current member could make the jump.

I don't think we're concerned either way. Both scenarios are acceptable to UConn.

 

[Ldandy]

It'd be a negative presently in that UConn hockey is, simply put, not good. It'd drag down the B1G conference overall, and add conference games against an inferior opponent that would involve lots of travel. It'd essentially be adding 20% to their current schedule against a bad team. That's not appealing to MN, WI, and MI. If UConn builds the program and becomes competitive in HE such that that 20% schedule addition in the B1G wasn't a drag on their schedule strength, it wouldn't at all be a negative.

I guess I didn't get that from his tweets. It seemed like Minnesota's Concern was giving up regional rivalries that are important to Gopher Fans. The overall quality of the UCONN program does little to eleviate this concern tomorrow or 20 years from now. At the end of the day they would be giving up games they want to play for more conference games. I'm sure they are not thrilled about playing PSU at this point either, and our schools share great rivalries in sports of mutual interest like football, wrestling, and women's volleyball.

 

[RioDog]

Cheezus who the he11 cares who Minnesota wants to play in hockey? Delaney?

 

[Seaa Blue]

Hockey is a huge part of BTN TV content once the football season is done. And without Minny on board, I don't think there is a Big Ten hockey conference.

All of that has a very intriguing impact on expansion speculation.

 

[CL82]

Don't think it matters either way. Either ESPN or FOX or a combination of the 2 will pay a huge number to the B1G for their Tier 1 package. If whoever the winning bidder is tells the conference that expansion (with or without UConn) will increase the value of the contract then they will add the teams the winning bidder tells them to.

It's no different then what DeFillipo said when he told the world that ESPN told the ACC to add Cuse & Pitt.

For the ESPN conspiracy theorists, FOX winning the contract would potentially make UConn more attractive since ESPN is out to get us.....

Mmm out to get us, no. But since they already own our broadcast rights for next to nothing, it makes not sense for them to encourage a conference to invite us so that they can pay more for them. Since Fox doesn't own our right, they might view things differently.

 

[Seaa Blue]

Don't think it matters either way. Either ESPN or FOX or a combination of the 2 will pay a huge number to the B1G for their Tier 1 package. If whoever the winning bidder is tells the conference that expansion (with or without UConn) will increase the value of the contract then they will add the teams the winning bidder tells them to.

One thing all that money does do is that it allows the Big Ten to make a strategic decision even if it slightly decreases the payout to each school. That slight decrease won't be noticed much in the big picture with the new TV deal. So then the question is: just what is B1G's long-term strategy?

My thinking is that the possibility of a Texas-base "pod" is the key factor. That still seems unlikely to happen, so is perhaps New England a target.

 

[bobbyinaz]

One thing all that money does do is that it allows the Big Ten to make a strategic decision even if it slightly decreases the payout to each school. That slight decrease won't be noticed much in the big picture with the new TV deal. So then the question is: just what is B1G's long-term strategy?

My thinking is that the possibility of a Texas-base "pod" is the key factor. That still seems unlikely to happen, so is perhaps New England a target.

The Big Ten is never making a strategic decision that will decrease the payout to each school.

The other issue is that the western schools are already bitching that they will now play OSU, Michigan & Penn St less than they did pre Maryland & Rutgers. They will be less likely to go along with any further expansion unless the teams being added bring boatloads more money to the table thru their Tier 1 deal & the BTN.

This is why I think the only way UConn gets in is if expansion includes more than 2 schools. If the goal is to get to 16 teams there is no other school coupled with us that brings enough money to make the western schools OK with it. Now if a 4 team expansion of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas & UConn were to happen, I think that would drive such a huge revenue boost that the dissenting schools would not care about scheduling

 

[dayooper]

The Big Ten is never making a strategic decision that will decrease the payout to each school.

The other issue is that the western schools are already bitching that they will now play OSU, Michigan & Penn St less than they did pre Maryland & Rutgers. They will be less likely to go along with any further expansion unless the teams being added bring boatloads more money to the table thru their Tier 1 deal & the BTN.

This is why I think the only way UConn gets in is if expansion includes more than 2 schools. If the goal is to get to 16 teams there is no other school coupled with us that brings enough money to make the western schools OK with it. Now if a 4 team expansion of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas & UConn were to happen, I think that would drive such a huge revenue boost that the dissenting schools would not care about scheduling

I think there is one combo that would work, and that's UConn and VPI. Fox has the Midwest and west coast no problem. Their deal gives them plenty of programming in those areas. Where they don't have much is the East coast. In fact, the only college football they have there is when UMD, Rutgers, and PSU are on The BTN. They want more. Fox is the driver of who the Big10 picks up. If they want UConn, they will have them.

 

[Seaa Blue]

The Big Ten is never making a strategic decision that will decrease the payout to each school.

The selections of Maryland and Rutgers both defied prevailing expansion theory. Maximizing the short-term payout is not the prime directive with the Big Ten.

The Big Ten has a choice with the incoming cash flow from the next TV contract: Pocket it (invest it locally), or invest it in conference growth.

 

[CoastAtlantic]

The Big Ten is never making a strategic decision that will decrease the payout to each school.

The other issue is that the western schools are already bitching that they will now play OSU, Michigan & Penn St less than they did pre Maryland & Rutgers. They will be less likely to go along with any further expansion unless the teams being added bring boatloads more money to the table thru their Tier 1 deal & the BTN.

This is why I think the only way UConn gets in is if expansion includes more than 2 schools. If the goal is to get to 16 teams there is no other school coupled with us that brings enough money to make the western schools OK with it. Now if a 4 team expansion of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas & UConn were to happen, I think that would drive such a huge revenue boost that the dissenting schools would not care about scheduling

One idea that comes to my mind is splitting the Big Ten into two 10-team divisions but that would require them being willing to go to 20. Basically, the idea is to expand their presence into Boston and down to Atlanta, create a Midwest division where you put back Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State, and shift Indiana eastwards to even the numbers up. What that does is to bring back as close to the original ten as possible but also reach the people that have moved into the Eastern states south of D.C. in the last two decades. Not that I'm encouraging the idea but that would be the play if I were wearing the Big Ten hat.

Big Ten East

BC
Syracuse
Penn State
Rutgers
Maryland
Indiana
Virginia
Duke
North Carolina
Georgia Tech


Big Ten Midwest

Michigan
Michigan State
Ohio State
Purdue
Illinois
Northwestern
Wisconsin
Iowa
Minnesota
Nebraska

I would say that with a league like this the basketball competition would be off the charts!

 

[nelsonmuntz]

There is a large contingent on this board that thinks making less money with ESPN is better than more money with Fox.

As for the Gopher expansion theory, UConn would either need the Big 10 would need to add 1 team only, which seems unlikely, or at least 2, and who would the second team be? Missouri is the only school that is AAU, adjacent to Big 10, credible as an addition, and not covered by a GOR.

 

[Dooley]

One idea that comes to my mind is splitting the Big Ten into two 10-team divisions but that would require them being willing to go to 20. Basically, the idea is to expand their presence into Boston and down to Atlanta, create a Midwest division where you put back Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State, and shift Indiana eastwards to even the numbers up. What that does is to bring back as close to the original ten as possible but also reach the people that have moved into the Eastern states south of D.C. in the last two decades. Not that I'm encouraging the idea but that would be the play if I were wearing the Big Ten hat.

Big Ten East

BC
Syracuse
Penn State
Rutgers
Maryland
Indiana
Virginia
Duke
North Carolina
Georgia Tech


Big Ten Midwest

Michigan
Michigan State
Ohio State
Purdue
Illinois
Northwestern
Wisconsin
Iowa
Minnesota
Nebraska

I would say that with a league like this the basketball competition would be off the charts!

One day, people will begin to realize that BC doesn't add much presence in Boston as everyone seems to think. That great atmosphere against USC earlier this season that BC fans have love toting around? 4K short of a sellout. NOBODY cares about BC except for the limited 3 block radius surrounding Chestnut Hill.

Fun fact: according to the overly-cited NYT survey of 2011, UCONN was the ONLY former Big East school that ranked in the Top 5 followed FOOTBALL programs in BOTH New York City and Boston.

And please, for the love of God, if you are going to slap together a fictional conference on the premise of making basketball "off the charts", do no come to a UCONN board and not include UCONN but include BC, Syracuse, Ga Tech, and UVA. You don't think basketball would be "off the charts" with UCONN in place of any one of these programs??

 

[Dooley]

There is a large contingent on this board that thinks making less money with ESPN is better than more money with Fox.

As for the Gopher expansion theory, UConn would either need the Big 10 would need to add 1 team only, which seems unlikely, or at least 2, and who would the second team be? Missouri is the only school that is AAU, adjacent to Big 10, credible as an addition, and not covered by a GOR.

No. There is a large contingent on this board that realizes that the only way to make the same $20-$40M/yr that our regional r1vals make is to continue to try to fund and improve football. We're looking for an invite to the B1G or ACC, not the Big East, so we can keep up with recruiting against our regional r1vals. While $5M/yr is more than what we currently get from the AAC, it falls significantly short of what inferior athletic programs like Rutgers, Syracuse, and BC haul in.

I do agree that the B1G is more likely to try to expand by 2+ schools as opposed to 1 (i.e. UCONN). I have no idea who that partner(s) could be. Somebody could challenge one of these GORs one day and probably could come to a settlement that won't lose rights.

 

[itgoeslike]

There is a large contingent on this board that thinks making less money with ESPN is better than more money with Fox.

There is a large contingent of people that feel making $2M less in exchange for guaranteed national exposure on a network that people actually watch, preserving and developing our football program, and pocketing substantially more than $2M in NCAA units and exit fees is, for now, the right strategic approach. I suspect you will continue to leave out the full complement of facts.

 

[pj]

Fox moving east is essential for UConn. If ESPN is the only network bidding for east coast markets, then they can easily pick up our content for pennies, as they did a few years ago.

Not saying it affects our realignment chances, but it certainly creates the potential for UConn to increase its TV revenue. We are beloved in a top 21 national market, with significant fan presence in the #1 and #7 markets. We are by far the biggest unclaimed prize in college sports television.

 

[CL82]

There is a large contingent on this board that thinks making less money with ESPN is better than more money with Fox.

As for the Gopher expansion theory, UConn would either need the Big 10 would need to add 1 team only, which seems unlikely, or at least 2, and who would the second team be? Missouri is the only school that is AAU, adjacent to Big 10, credible as an addition, and not covered by a GOR.

No, there is a large contingent on this board that believes that folding the football program and joining the Big East is a mind numbingly stupid idea. Everyone on this board would take a B1G membership regardless of what network the games were broadcast on. If you don't realize that, see a doctor, you may have had a stroke.