Non-Key Tweets

[upstater]

No, it hasn't.

It a marketing move by Buffalo, but the system still has its four university "centers" - Albany, Buffalo, Stony Brook, and Binghamton.

Is Cal-Berkeley the flagship of UCal? They say they are. Everyone thinks they are. That means they are. And yet still the U. Cal. Chancellor says they are just like UCLA and San Diego etc. and can't claim a special role. But theys till say they are. And everyone thinks they are. And most of the money goes there. And they are the most comprehensive.

The marketing move to put "New York" front and center was by an AD and his cohort. It has nothing to do with what I'm talking about.

When UB20/20 went through, Zimpher and her pals pushed it through politically as the flagship. And the money in UB2020 dwarfs anything going to the other campuses. The Pres. of UB runs the Buffalo Billion.

 

[upstater]

No, it hasn't.

It a marketing move by Buffalo, but the system still has its four university "centers" - Albany, Buffalo, Stony Brook, and Binghamton.

The marketing move was by an AD and his cohort. It has nothing to do with what I'm talking about.

When UB20/20 went through, Zimpher and her pals pushed it through politically as the flagship. And the money in UB2020 dwarfs anything going to the other campuses. The Pres. of UB runs the Buffalo Billion.

 

[Husky25]

Do you really believe that? The reality is that as far as college football TV is concerned the New England market is just as worthless as the Dakotas. Thus why schools like Maine, NH, Delaware, Vermont, etc are a non factor in college football. Heck NDSU has more clout in college football than all of New England combined. Huge populations and TV markets who don't care about college football are basically worthless to realignment it seems. New England is basically more like Canada when it comes to college football. Might be some huge cities but none of them care about college football.

IMO there is a reason nobody has claimed the "great unclaimed prize". There is no prize. Just the illusion of one.

Vermont doesn't have a football team and while New Hampshire and Maine are technically on the eastern seaboard, the population center of the Atlantic coast ends at Boston. Huge populations who do not care about college football are indeed worth far more than the Dakotas. They carry with them cable viewership and eyeballs. That they watch the game doesn't matter as much as the outlet (Read: Big Ten Network) is carried on a readily subscribed to tier. That mean carriage fees.

Boston College football is 3th, at best, in Boston. Then Hockey and Basketball season start and they drop down to 5th. Rutgers draws 600,000 pairs of eyes in greater New York out of 12,000,000 (in order words, 0.5% in Manhattan and outer boroughs). Doesn't matter. That's not where the money is.

The problem with UConn however is:

1) UConn's physical position is in no man's land. Greater Boston has a day time population of over 3,000,000. There's about 3.5 mil in the entire state of CT. Greater New York City houses around 12 million. What is in UConn's favor is a sizable portion of NYC's DMA is actually within the Connecticut state lines.

2) UConn was actively lobbied against admission to the ACC. First, the former Attorney General (Now U.S. Senator) lead a lawsuit in 2003 when Boston College was invited, and the former BC AD is on the record as lobbying against them ever since. 2a) They aren't considered a football school, even though they went to 5 bowls after the first 7 non-transition seasons, including a BCS bowl. 2b) The latest round of conference realignment occurred during the dark period in UConn history headed up by He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named.

3) UConn does not technically meet a small number of the academic, financial, and geographic criteria of the Big Ten. (Counter to 3...and 2 for that matter). All evidence points to UConn addressing these shortfalls.).

As hard as they may try, Fargo (and by extension the Dakotas as a whole), will never garner more respect for 1) the mere fact that they are FCS and 2) The combined population is about 1.6 million people.

 

[pj]

If Buffalo is the flagship, it was silly of New York to put its flagship university at the point in the state most distant (374 miles) from its population, money, media, and prestige center.

 

[CL82]

Do you really believe that? The reality is that as far as college football TV is concerned the New England market is just as worthless as the Dakotas. Thus why schools like Maine, NH, Delaware, Vermont, etc are a non factor in college football. Heck NDSU has more clout in college football than all of New England combined. Huge populations and TV markets who don't care about college football are basically worthless to realignment it seems. New England is basically more like Canada when it comes to college football. Might be some huge cities but none of them care about college football.

IMO there is a reason nobody has claimed the "great unclaimed prize". There is no prize. Just the illusion of one.

Population density + per household earnings makes the northeast a desirable market. The fact no school in region has won a NC (arguably) since 1959 doesn't change the economics.

 

[upstater]

If Buffalo is the flagship, it was silly of New York to put its flagship university at the point in the state most distant (374 miles) from its population, money, media, and prestige center.

It grew on its own.

It's been gradual. Didn't start out that way. SUNY system is only 50 yrs old.

 

[Fishy]

The marketing move was by an AD and his cohort. It has nothing to do with what I'm talking about.

When UB20/20 went through, Zimpher and her pals pushed it through politically as the flagship. And the money in UB2020 dwarfs anything going to the other campuses. The Pres. of UB runs the Buffalo Billion.

Not sure what Cal-Berkely has to do with anything other than it isn't the flagship of the SUNY system either.

 

[SubbaBub]

I simply don't see it. Does ESPN even televise any college football games in New England?

What makes you think New England is a desirable market for college football?

Thank you for your interest in UConn athletics.

 

[pj]

15 million people, who do watch college football and who pay the same amount - e.g. $5/month for ESPN - for football-showing cable channels as do people in Texas.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

What kind of respect does New England get as far as college football is concerned?

Lets be real. I don't see TV partners putting much value on any of the New England schools. Any idea what the colonial conference TV payout is?

It seems to me that there is just a regional difference in college football interest. That is why state flagship schools in New England have 8k seat stadiums and high schools in Texas hold 20k +. That is just the reality of the situation.

Football is a religion in many states down south, especially areas that do not have a professional sports team(s). Tat said, the Northeast has some decent size stadiums with Yale at 61K from an era when the Northeast was college football plus BC at 45K and UConn at 40K .

I'm also glad that football is not such an emphasis in the Northeast to the point it is down south, like Texas, where districts a prove multimillion dollar football stadiums holding 10K plus while, at the same time, they are cutting classes, teachers, and other academic functions to avoid bankruptcy for said football stadium.

 

[CTMike]

If you take the area between NYC and Boston : population density and money. Because of those two, advertising goes a long ways. In other words, you don't need to pull a giant share to only reach a small total number of people. You can pull a smaller share, reach greater numbers of folks in total, who on average have more spending power. There are a lot more value adds but I've given this troll enough time.

 

[Husky25]

What kind of respect does New England get as far as college football is concerned?

Lets be real. I don't see TV partners putting much value on any of the New England schools. Any idea what the colonial conference TV payout is?

It seems to me that there is just a regional difference in college football interest. That is why state flagship schools in New England have 8k seat stadiums and high schools in Texas hold 20k +. That is just the reality of the situation.

You are so out of your depth, it's unbelievable. and apparently do not you know the definition of a straw man argument.

Just so you are partially informed (because I have no interest in wasting any more time than absolutely necessary in trying to teach Stupid), UConn is on an ESPN channel every single week and I don't mean ESPN3. They may not have the A-team announcers from ABC, but they are indeed on broadcast television. It's in the media contract. Boston College (as much as they are disrespected here), are on TV every single week by virtue of being in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Alumni Stadium (B.C) seats 45,000. Rentschler Field seats 40,000, with the appropriate footings to expand capacity for an additional 15-20,000, and UMass plays half their home games at 68,000-seat Gillette Stadium, while their on-campus venue is renovated to FBS standards.

The only occasion anyone outside the Dakotas ever sees inside the FargoDome is in December and that is only if they make the semi finals of the FCS playoffs.

The Northeast means eyeballs. Fargo means Kristin Rudrud in a wood chipper, terrible Upper Midwest accents, and mistaken geography.

 

[itgoeslike]

What makes you think New England is a desirable market for college football?

You come off as pretty clueless. Demand has a lot to do with match ups, time slots and networks, but with the right product, UConn has already proven it can outdraw/out-revenue many schools in the P5, just as it did when it was in the P6. This season, BYU/UConn and Boise State/UConn drew over a million viewers. The previous year Michigan at UConn (5M+) outdrew Arizona State/Stanford. Sure, Michigan is the main draw, but compare those results with Michigan vs. some other Big Ten teams without the word "State" in it. Whether it's UConn fan support or local fans from other schools, college football has a place in Connecticut—with the potential to grow into something substantially more. Don't be ignorant and/or lazy, look it up.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

.

The Northeast means eyeballs. Fargo means Kristin Rudrud in a wood chipper, terrible Upper Midwest accents, and mistaken geography.

Does Connecticut get a license fee from Fargo for using a wood chipper as a plot to kill someone and hide the evidence?

 

[Kolumbo]

Say, Lou, didya hear the one about the guy who couldn't afford personalized plates, so he went and changed his name to J3L2404?

 

[TruDomGopher]

The Dakotas are already B1G country and there is no additional value to be extracted there. Forget the lines on the map--it's a cultural and geographic thing. The two Dakotas are not North and South, they're east and west, divided by the Missouri river. Eastern Dakota is more or less already owned by Minnesota and, the southeast, by Nebraska. (FWIW, I believe Minnesota and the Dakotas still have tuition reciprocity, too. A lot of the smartest kids from the Dakotas end up in the Twin Cities for school.)

The B1G probably gets as much in carriage fees as they do in either Minnesota or Nebraska. If they don't, the B1G would spend more on lawyers to draw up contracts than they could recoup in revenue. There just isn't enough population base or tvs. There's simply no real value to be extracted there, zip, zero, nada.

 

[whaler11]

The Dakotas are already B1G country and there is no additional value to be extracted there. Forget the lines on the map--it's a cultural and geographic thing. The two Dakotas are not North and South, they're east and west, divided by the Missouri river. Eastern Dakota is more or less already owned by Minnesota and, the southeast, by Nebraska. (FWIW, I believe Minnesota and the Dakotas still have tuition reciprocity, too. A lot of the smartest kids from the Dakotas end up in the Twin Cities for school.)

The B1G probably gets as much in carriage fees as they do in either Minnesota or Nebraska. If they don't, the B1G would spend more on lawyers to draw up contracts than they could recoup in revenue. There just isn't enough population base or tvs. There's simply no real value to be extracted there, zip, zero, nada.

Ironic that North Dakota has value in real life because of what is extracted there.

 

[dayooper]

Ironic that North Dakota has value in real life because of what is extracted there.

It's one of the reasons that gas prices have dropped they way they have.

 

[specialisthusky]

I'm pretty sure this guy is okie lite taking another shot at hanging around the boneyard. Maybe I'm wrong but he reminds me a ton of that poster. "LAFFIN"

 

[CL82]

I simply don't see it.

That is readily apparent.

 

[1999.2004.2011]

I get the feeling this board is very uptight and angry for some reason.

Welcome to the Conference Realignment board!

 

[Fishy]

I get the feeling I am not really welcome.

Self-awareness is a wonderful thing.

Happy trails.

 

[Husky25]

LOL. What I said was 100% true about New England state flagship schools having 8k seat stadiums and playing in the patriot league. There is no straw man argument here. No idea why that upsets you but it is true. That is why the patriot league payout is nothing compared to other conferences.

I never said anything about UConn not being on TV. Stop getting your panties in a wad about Vermont not being on TV. It's a fact. TV partners do not televise many games in the New England area which confirms that there is no real value in the region.

What the...? Who the...? Where? Oh nevermind.

I tried to be rational with you but there seems to be either a disconnect between your eyes and your brain or your brain and your mouth. I don't which and I really don't care to find out...

However, for the 2nd time, Vermont's state population is just over 625,000 and the university does not sponsor an intercollegiate football team. There is no need for a football stadium.

Stadium capacities for the other 5 Flagships are:

Cowell Stadium (UNH - FCS): 10,000
Alfond Stadium (Univ. of Maine - FCS): 10,000
McGuirk Stadium (UMass - Amherst - FBS): 17,000 on campus
Gillette Stadium (UMass - Amherst - FBS): 68,700 off campus
Meade Stadium (Univ. of R.I. - FCS): 6,555
Rentschler Field (UConn - FBS): 40,000

Average seating capacity: 25,376. Even if you include Vermont and only McGuirk Stadium for UMass, Average Capacity is 13,926. Not only can't you say that what you say about New England Flagships schools is 100% true, it is actually 100% false!!!

The Patriot League is FCS level and just started offering scholarships for the first time in about 25 years. None of them are considered flagships.

The straw man that you introduced was moving on from a comparison of the Dakotas and New England ("The reality is that as far as college football TV is concerned the New England market is just as worthless as the Dakotas. Thus why schools like Maine, NH, Delaware, Vermont, etc are a non factor in college football. Heck NDSU has more clout in college football than all of New England combined.")

to

A comparison of Texas to New England ("That is why state flagship schools in New England have 8k seat stadiums and high schools in Texas hold 20k +.")

No one besides you claimed that New England college football competes with Texas.

 

[CL82]

I get the feeling I am not really welcome. That is fine. If you would prefer to only have angry UConn fans posting about how valuavble the NE is for college football so be it. TV partners are not desperately trying to get into the Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire market for good reason. Nobody cares about football up there. In reality BC, Rutgers, and Cuse have little value as far as college football is concerned. Without a conference network Rutgers has little value to a conference either.

It's really bizarre that somehow BC, Rutgers, and Cuse are in a power conference but I suspect that has everything to do with UConn not playing FBS football until recently and confirms my statements about college football not being a big deal in the area. It's just not. This is proven when state flagship schools get outdrawn by high school games in other parts of the country. Different strokes for different folks.

Wow, a new poster makes inflammatory comments repeatedly and then portrays himself as a victim when he gets called on it. I did not see that coming at all.

 

[TruDomGopher]

Let me take a whack at this.

The first component of value is the population base and ability to exploit it via cable fees. It doesn't matter if someone actually watches; they just need to pay the cable bill.

The second component of value is advertising. This does require eyeballs on sets watching. Viewers will show up when the right games show up.

UConn, by every metric, is valuable--and stuck. Personally, it offends all sensibilities to see a school the caliber of UConn in this situation. Because of UConn's geographic positioning, New York's flagship vacuum, and top-tier branding, UConn is the great unclaimed prize in realignment.

Anger on this board? Undoubtedly. And there are some here just to share our support while we wait for the B1G to get over their issues and get UConn on board where they belong.

I, for one, really want to see UConn in the B1G basketball lineup. (Then I plan on hanging around and talking smack when the Gophers play.)