My thoughts on why we didn't get a Big 12 invite:
1) Better options arose for the Big 12 as the Pac 12 collapsed. The 4 corner schools have athletic history with many of the Big 12 schools.
2) Geography. As much as Yormack wants a NY presence, the 4 corner schools are a more natural fir for the Big 12.
3) Lack of recent football success for UConn and not much history of playing FBS football.
4) Perception that UConn doesn't value football. UConn was one of 2 schools that cancelled the football season in 2020.
5) The lack of measurable TV ratings for football to help determine UConn's football value. Being on CBSSN is great, but the channel ratings are not measured by Nielsen.
I'm not advocating this, but look at what Cincinnati did during COVID. They shut down men's soccer to save ~$750k and invested the savings into paying Luke Fickell more money. Look at UConn. Mora is paid ~$1.5 million (slightly less than what PP earned back in 2011!), Hurley is going to be paid $5 million plus, and Geno makes ~$3 million. Granted, Hurley and Geno have accomplished a lot, but at no P5 school is the football coach paid less than both the men's and women's basketball coach. It's pretty clear that basketball is more important than football.
People say that UConn WILL invest more in football if we get a P5 invite. That is not how it works when a G5 team wants to move up. They invest in football BEFORE getting the P5 invite.
What should UConn do right now? Announce an increase in the investment in football. Increase salaries for coaches, etc. How to fund it? Since we have an athletic department deficit, the athletic department has to raise the money from donors and through ticket sales. And, we need to pack the Rent. The athletic department needs to go to every company in Connecticut and push ticket sales. The athletic department needs to call every alumnus in the Northeast and ask them to buy football tickets and explain why football is important to the athletic department. Give free tickets to Connecticut state workers,... Finally, win games!