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Presenting UConn in Conference Realignment

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CL82

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No it didn't. It cost more and they split part of it with Fox.


It's why the entire argument is a joke.
I'm sure it is quite a joke down in Bristol, but up in Storrs it's not quite so funny.

They didn't split the Big East with Fox, thought they could have, instead they destroyed the conference and carved of pieces to support the guys they designated to be their flag ship product, the ACC.

The Big East rejecting $1,000,000,000 says it all.

The term of years and number of schools made that offer the worst among the major conferences. In retrospect the Old Big East should have taken it, but at that time no one new that ESPN would fund the dismantling to the greatest basketball conference of all time. It was unheard of for a television network to so blatantly disregard the interests so many public and private institutes of higher education so that it hold onto their market dominance, but it was just business, nothing personal.

So now Connecticut's state university has a TV contract that is worth close to what UConn was getting for SNY to broadcast its woman's basketball games. Who makes up that shortfall in revenue? Connecticut students and taxpayers? You've been done in by a company that was just the recipient of Connecticut taxpayer dollars to expand. Every time you sit wondering whether a couple of early season losses have killed our post season chances, every time that you wonder whether we care going to be able to sustain our athletics program, every time you look at your tax bill and wonder how you can make ends meet, think of our friends down and Bristol and remember that it is all "a joke" to them.
 

whaler11

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For the love of God it's not ESPN keeping UConn out of anything.

The fact that UConn is leftout is the evidence that ESPN is just along for the ride.
 

nelsonmuntz

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Zls is being deliberately obtuse. The billion dollar offer was a low ball, and 14 of the 17 Big East teams essentially doubled their money by rejecting that offer, many of which ESPN paid for itself. That just proves ESPN knew the billion dollar offer was a low ball. I will say that UConn continuing to do business with ESPN is UConn's fault.

It is interesting that the same people arguing that the AAC and being on ESPN for peanuts is such a good idea are the same ones saying UConn is only worth what ESPN is paying it. So Z and rmoore, if UConn is only worth $2 million a year, then why keep the football program open a day longer?
 

RMoore1999

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Zls is being deliberately obtuse. The billion dollar offer was a low ball, and 14 of the 17 Big East teams essentially doubled their money by rejecting that offer, many of which ESPN paid for itself. That just proves ESPN knew the billion dollar offer was a low ball. I will say that UConn continuing to do business with ESPN is UConn's fault.

It is interesting that the same people arguing that the AAC and being on ESPN for peanuts is such a good idea are the same ones saying UConn is only worth what ESPN is paying it. So Z and rmoore, if UConn is only worth $2 million a year, then why keep the football program open a day longer?

Not sure if you’re implying I’m a part of the “AAC and being on ESPN for peanuts is such a good idea” crowd, but my take is simply:

1.ESPN didn’t conspire to coordinate the realignment chess game to exclude UConn from the P5 (but BC, Syracuse, FSU, Clemson and others surely conspired to veto ACC invites).

2.Isolated geography, bad timing and complacent/incompetent UConn leadership over various administrations have severely damaged our case.

3.The AAC is the Bataan Death March for nationally competitive UConn athletics.

4.I remain confident that multiple scenarios exist that will result in UConn eventually re-joining the Club.

5.Dropping football is about the dumbest idea ever proposed in connection with this topic.

FWIW, I also remain unconvinced that the US Government orchestrated 911, that BigFoot is roaming the wilds of North America or that aliens crashed in New Mexico, so perhaps I’m just a stubborn skeptic.
 

pj

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Not sure if you’re implying I’m a part of the “AAC and being on ESPN for peanuts is such a good idea” crowd, but my take is simply:

1.ESPN didn’t conspire to coordinate the realignment chess game to exclude UConn from the P5 (but BC, Syracuse, FSU, Clemson and others surely conspired to veto ACC invites).

2.Isolated geography, bad timing and complacent/incompetent UConn leadership over various administrations have severely damaged our case.

3.The AAC is the Bataan Death March for nationally competitive UConn athletics.

4.I remain confident that multiple scenarios exist that will result in UConn eventually re-joining the Club.

5.Dropping football is about the dumbest idea ever proposed in connection with this topic.

FWIW, I also remain unconvinced that the US Government orchestrated 911, that BigFoot is roaming the wilds of North America or that aliens crashed in New Mexico, so perhaps I’m just a stubborn skeptic.

1. ESPN didn't help. We've seen that money dominates and I firmly believe that if ESPN said it would pay the ACC an extra $100k per team if they took UConn instead of Louisville, they would have taken UConn. For a measly $1.4 mn per year they could have helped out their home state. They chose not to.

2. True.

3. True ... but, we may have a few more years than you realize. The AAC is trying to be competitive, and the focus of realignment is shifting toward local TV markets and basketball from national football brands. That will keep lifting UConn's profile.

4. Yes.

5. Yes.
 
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We're not going to the B1G, guys. Not unless they drop the AAU requirement of which there is little indication that they will do so. So it's the Big XII or ACC or bust, I guess.
Not that I think UConn's going to the B1G, but Delaney's said multiple times that being in the AAU isn't a requirement.
 
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Busjness isn't a charity, you think anyone is going to suggest keeping UConn is some structure because they're alums?

Regardless of what everyone says about ESPN, if UConn made economic sense it would be a priority. If all of this is about football or a major college market UConn offers neither of these. Hopefully they find a nut somewhere, but it is a wish at this point.
Lol at Louisville being a better business acquisition than UConn.
 
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UConn should try to do something innovative to gain interest from other conferences. For example, what about a UCONN - B1G Challenge? It could work like the B1G-ACC Challenge, only UConn would play multiple nonconference games vs. the B1G --- some - if not all - could be at Madison Square Garden. You could do this for men's and women's basketball. Attendance at these games could be compared to attendance at the B1G Tournament in MSG in 2018. You could pick a number of games - lets say 5 - and then the B1G picks its 5 men's and 5 women's teams that will play UConn at MSG each year for the Challenge. Or even 7 games - so the 7 men's teams in the B1G who play would not be the 7 women's teams in the B1G that play in that particular year. That way, every B1G team would have 1 men's or 1 women's basketball game at MSG vs. Connecticut every year. The minus for UConn would be a loss of home games in Storrs, but if you eliminated a neutral site tournament or two, you really don't lose anything in terms of home games.

That is probably the best way to show what kind of pull you might have for the B1G in NYC ----- you need to actually play the B1G in NYC first to show everyone what it can do.
And even if that still doesn't lead to an offer to join the B1G, it can at least give UConn some big name nonconference games to help with strength of schedule and media attention that you won't get playing Tulsa and Tulane.
 
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My department is reflective of the company...it's at least 35% UConn alums/fans, far larger than any other faction.

Get a new schtick.
Busjness isn't a charity, you think anyone is going to suggest keeping UConn is some structure because they're alums?

Regardless of what everyone says about ESPN, if UConn made economic sense it would be a priority. If all of this is about football or a major college market UConn offers neither of these. Hopefully they find a nut somewhere, but it is a wish at this point.
Not a charity and yet, Uof L, and the small privates who have a home in a P-5??? Look if it was a business decision, then it would be solely about the money. The money and the money they get from the fans. So, how then does WakeForest, Vandy, Syracuse, to name a few justify their existence in a P-5. Afterall I never knew a business that had a model that allowed so many exceptions to the model. And the one propping this model up is - primarily ESPN!
 
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That is probably the best way to show what kind of pull you might have for the B1G in NYC ----- you need to actually play the B1G in NYC first to show everyone what it can do.
And even if that still doesn't lead to an offer to join the B1G, it can at least give UConn some big name nonconference games to help with strength of schedule and media attention that you won't get playing Tulsa and Tulane.
Uh...

 
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UConn should try to do something innovative to gain interest from other conferences. For example, what about a UCONN - B1G Challenge? It could work like the B1G-ACC Challenge, only UConn would play multiple nonconference games vs. the B1G --- some - if not all - could be at Madison Square Garden. You could do this for men's and women's basketball. Attendance at these games could be compared to attendance at the B1G Tournament in MSG in 2018. You could pick a number of games - lets say 5 - and then the B1G picks its 5 men's and 5 women's teams that will play UConn at MSG each year for the Challenge. Or even 7 games - so the 7 men's teams in the B1G who play would not be the 7 women's teams in the B1G that play in that particular year. That way, every B1G team would have 1 men's or 1 women's basketball game at MSG vs. Connecticut every year. The minus for UConn would be a loss of home games in Storrs, but if you eliminated a neutral site tournament or two, you really don't lose anything in terms of home games.

That is probably the best way to show what kind of pull you might have for the B1G in NYC ----- you need to actually play the B1G in NYC first to show everyone what it can do.
And even if that still doesn't lead to an offer to join the B1G, it can at least give UConn some big name nonconference games to help with strength of schedule and media attention that you won't get playing Tulsa and Tulane.

Sounds good to me
 
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That is probably the best way to show what kind of pull you might have for the B1G in NYC ----- you need to actually play the B1G in NYC first to show everyone what it can do.
We did that in March. Delaney was there. What's the next box to tick? How about being .500 against B1G schools in FB...check. Play in BCS bowl....done. Winning national championships in multiple sports...check. Beating top 5 hockey programs....got that done too. There's not much more to do on the actual playing fields that UConn hasn't done to demonstrate it not only belongs in a P5 but is more competitve than most other P5's.
 

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UConn should try to do something innovative to gain interest from other conferences. For example, what about a UCONN - B1G Challenge? It could work like the B1G-ACC Challenge, only UConn would play multiple nonconference games vs. the B1G --- some - if not all - could be at Madison Square Garden. You could do this for men's and women's basketball. Attendance at these games could be compared to attendance at the B1G Tournament in MSG in 2018. You could pick a number of games - lets say 5 - and then the B1G picks its 5 men's and 5 women's teams that will play UConn at MSG each year for the Challenge. Or even 7 games - so the 7 men's teams in the B1G who play would not be the 7 women's teams in the B1G that play in that particular year. That way, every B1G team would have 1 men's or 1 women's basketball game at MSG vs. Connecticut every year. The minus for UConn would be a loss of home games in Storrs, but if you eliminated a neutral site tournament or two, you really don't lose anything in terms of home games.

That is probably the best way to show what kind of pull you might have for the B1G in NYC ----- you need to actually play the B1G in NYC first to show everyone what it can do.
And even if that still doesn't lead to an offer to join the B1G, it can at least give UConn some big name nonconference games to help with strength of schedule and media attention that you won't get playing Tulsa and Tulane.

I know that you are trying to help and are probably not too familiar with all things UCONN (I'd be the same way if I posted on OSU's board, to be honest), but if there is one single thing that UCONN does not need to prove, it's our ownership of Madison Square Garden and the excitement/electricity our teams bring to New York City when we play there. Ticket prices for this Regional sold for 4x as much as Final Four / National Championship Game tickets thanks, in large part, to UCONN fans flooding the market. UCONN's history at MSG can only come close to being matched by Syracuse and, even still, UCONN gets the edge (thanks in large part to last year's Regional Finals).

But I do understand your point: UCONN should be marketing itself MORE as New York's team instead of allowing itself to take a back seat to other schools making the same claims. Bringing 16-18+K fans to Yankee Stadium to watch two horrible teams play in late November is another positive. Unfortunately for us, we haven't been given the opportunity to play at Yankee when 1) we've been competitive and 2) against top competition like some of our regional r1vals have so we can't use that as springboard towards self-promotion in the same way that RU and Cuse did. However, after our solid showing against Army (in the stands, not on the field) there is not a doubt in my mind that if UCONN ever played a bowl game at Yankee, the game would outdraw the majority of attendance figures posted there.
 

pj

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UConn should try to do something innovative to gain interest from other conferences. For example, what about a UCONN - B1G Challenge? It could work like the B1G-ACC Challenge, only UConn would play multiple nonconference games vs. the B1G --- some - if not all - could be at Madison Square Garden. You could do this for men's and women's basketball. Attendance at these games could be compared to attendance at the B1G Tournament in MSG in 2018. You could pick a number of games - lets say 5 - and then the B1G picks its 5 men's and 5 women's teams that will play UConn at MSG each year for the Challenge. Or even 7 games - so the 7 men's teams in the B1G who play would not be the 7 women's teams in the B1G that play in that particular year. That way, every B1G team would have 1 men's or 1 women's basketball game at MSG vs. Connecticut every year. The minus for UConn would be a loss of home games in Storrs, but if you eliminated a neutral site tournament or two, you really don't lose anything in terms of home games.

That is probably the best way to show what kind of pull you might have for the B1G in NYC ----- you need to actually play the B1G in NYC first to show everyone what it can do.
And even if that still doesn't lead to an offer to join the B1G, it can at least give UConn some big name nonconference games to help with strength of schedule and media attention that you won't get playing Tulsa and Tulane.

B1GOSU for B1G Commissioner!

This is a fantastic idea. In fact I've had it myself but wouldn't dare put so forward such a pro-UConn proposal. It would be a great series, the B1G would get to test-drive a UConn in the B1G arrangement, and UConn would get the additional strength of schedule we need to make up for our AAC powderpuffs.

Since the idea has been broached, let me add one more wrinkle. A B1G-UConn football challenge. We play 9 games per year and the winner goes to the Rose Bowl.
 

pj

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We did that in March. Delaney was there. What's the next box to tick? How about being .500 against B1G schools in FB...check. Play in BCS bowl....done. Winning national championships in multiple sports...check. Beating top 5 hockey programs....got that done too. There's not much more to do on the actual playing fields that UConn hasn't done to demonstrate it not only belongs in a P5 but is more competitve than most other P5's.

If you're good, nothing wrong with proving it over and over again. You should be delighted at the chance.
 
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without Getty Oil and Budwiser there was no ESPN. Not CT govt. Hell, Bristol was the backup choice (really great call Southington).
Your response to the OP was ignorant and uncalled for.
Hopefully your sober now and you could possibly extend an apology.
For the love of God it's not ESPN keeping UConn out of anything.

The fact that UConn is leftout is the evidence that ESPN is just along for the ride.
So ESPN and its parent are innocent victims of Conferene greed.
Interesting hypothesis. Backed up by what?
You apparently never watched ESPN as they used their forum to systematically destroy the BiG East and by proxy the University of Connecticut.
In a three year period during our APR episode.
The future ,present,and past suspension were their narrative regarding UConn.
I may have missed it but they never explained that that possible offense was applied retroactively to take full advantage of a bad year. It was a prime example of NCAA personal vindictiveness.. Even though our experience was fodder for their anti- NCAA campaign to insure P5 automy. They have used everything in their power to hurt us. ESPN creates the story
I don't care how many Alumni work there. Collectively they have no voice.
We did that in March. Delaney was there. What's the next box to tick? How about being .500 against B1G schools in FB...check. Play in BCS bowl....done. Winning national championships in multiple sports...check. Beating top 5 hockey programs....got that done too. There's not much more to do on the actual playing fields that UConn hasn't done to demonstrate it not only belongs in a P5 but is more competitve than most other P5's.
UConn football has to show that it's viable.
If we're where top 3 or 4 in the AAC .
We would be at the top of the waiting list.
 

whaler11

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Your response to the OP was ignorant and uncalled for.
Hopefully your sober now and you could possibly extend an apology.

So ESPN and its parent are innocent victims of Conferene greed.
Interesting hypothesis. Backed up by what?
You apparently never watched ESPN as they used their forum to systematically destroy the BiG East and by proxy the University of Connecticut.
In a three year period during our APR episode.
The future ,present,and past suspension were their narrative regarding UConn.
I may have missed it but they never explained that that possible offense was applied retroactively to take full advantage of a bad year. It was a prime example of NCAA personal vindictiveness.. Even though our experience was fodder for their anti- NCAA campaign to insure P5 automy. They have used everything in their power to hurt us. ESPN creates the story
I don't care how many Alumni work there. Collectively they have no voice.

UConn football has to show that it's viable.
If we're where top 3 or 4 in the AAC .
We would be at the top of the waiting list.

ESPN didn't destroy the Big East - the ACC did.

The evidence is pretty clear. They pay hundreds of millions of additional dollars now than they did prior to conference realignment - while still having pretty much the same properties.

So either they are really dumb or they weren't in control of everything that happened. They don't seem dumb to me.
 
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The Big East, and their Commissioner, destroyed the Big East.

A hybrid conference that limped along with Catholic basketball schools, a few schools to whom football was important, and a smorgasbord athletic participation was doomed to eventual failure.

Teams will leave one situation for another if their perceived needs are better served.

Just as the great majority of AAC teams were once CUSA teams, the Big East became a feeder for the ACC. If a conference appears to be on the bottom rung, teams will move up if at all possible....(thus the SEC not needing a GOR),

The BE was doomed years ago by bad decisions, a basketball first philosophy, and a Commissioner who failed to read the future portents regarding football contracting.
 

Fishy

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The Big East died because ESPN killed it on behalf of conference that they owned lock, stock and barrel.

Was the ACC better than the Big East on the football field? No. The Big East won bigger and better bowls.

Basketball court? Not even close.

Did the Big East have better markets? Yes.

But the Big East wasn't ESPN's house brand. The ACC never, ever lived up to its ESPN promotion - that's pretty clear to anyone with eyes.

So ESPN incentivized the demise of the Big East - that's how it works these days.
 
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I think there were more moving parts than ESPN conspiring to destroy a conference...Miami wanted to be in the conference with their main in state rival, and Shalala wanted Syracuse with them.

Both Cuse and BC wanted to jump ship (VT was an accident that delayed Cuses's entrance).

Once Miami and VT left...the BE was really not the same conference.
 

Fishy

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Another hayseed telling us what the Big East was or wasn't.

Stop - you don't know what you're talking about.

The problem was that the Big East failed to die - it still won BCS games almost as fast as the ACC lost them and it still won national championships.

ESPN was overpaying for an ACC that didn't do what it was promoted to do - that's why they had to keep coming back to the Big East. (What Shalala wanted didn't mean a thing without ESPN writing a check.)

The ACC needed all of ESPN's money and however many raids to get out of the Big East's shadow.
 

Dooley

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Once Miami and VT left...the BE was really not the same conference.

Yeah, it got better. While Miami and VT went on a reputation slides (Miami moreso than VT) after their Championship Games as Big East members, the Big East replaced those schools with Cincinnati, Louisville, USF and UCONN (also replacing Temple). WVU took over as the weight bearing football member and found more BCS success than the entire ACC conference combined. UCONN won multiple hoops titles and helped the Big East become the best basketball conference in the country.

The subtractions that really killed the Big East was Syracuse and Pitt - the same wave that UCONN was ticketed out but replaced by Pitt, thanks to Boston College and ESPiN. It was that departure that included a charter member (Syracuse) that created a mass panic by all remaining members of the Big East to find escape pods. It was at that point that WVU, Louisville, UCONN, and Cincinnati started screaming and running along the Titanic deck tops looking for empty spots on fleeing escape vessels. Syracuse was part of an effort by Big East football schools to try to strengthen football. Once ESPiN's lowball offer was turned down, the writing was on the wall and they knew they had to leave. UCONN was the original partner with them but BC objected over turf wars and ESPiN didn't fight too hard for us when they offered up Pitt as a quick Plan B.

The ironic thing is that had the conference's football playing members successfully persuaded the league's hoops-only Catholic 7 schools that football was the pre-cursor to league stability, not basketball, then the Big East could have added a few schools and, quite possibly, been the 5th P and not the ACC. But as we all know, it didn't pan out that way and everyone, including the Catholic 7 dregs like Seton Hall, Providence and St John's, profited except UCONN. The Big East was, by most measurable metrics (bowl records, BCS records, basketball titles, markets), a better conference than the ACC. But the ACC didn't have a Catholic 7 problem and could act unanimously in trying to kill off their top competition. With ESPiN's help, they obviously succeeded.
 
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