Top markets for the game

[upstater]

Top 10 highest rated markets for last night's game
1 Louisville 46.3
2 Hartford-New Haven 32.4
3 Cincinnati 28.2
4 Dayton 22.8
5 Columbus, OH 21.5
6 Memphis 21.2
7 Indianapolis 20.7
8 Nashville 19.9
9 Knoxville 18.6
10 Raleigh-Durham 18.4

For years now we've debated why Louisville is the top market in college basketball. Now, Louisville compared to many markets is actually pretty small, but the ratings for bball are high. Why? I have no doubt a lot of Cardinal fans watched the national championship, but when you look at those Ohio numbers alongside the Ville number, the only conclusion I can draw is that Wildcat nation is huge and watches TV. This goes to show that much of the popularity of college bball in Ville is due to UK fans.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Top 10 highest rated markets for last night's game
1 Louisville 46.3
2 Hartford-New Haven 32.4
3 Cincinnati 28.2
4 Dayton 22.8
5 Columbus, OH 21.5
6 Memphis 21.2
7 Indianapolis 20.7
8 Nashville 19.9
9 Knoxville 18.6
10 Raleigh-Durham 18.4

For years now we've debated why Louisville is the top market in college basketball. Now, Louisville compared to many markets is actually pretty small, but the ratings for bball are high. Why? I have no doubt a lot of Cardinal fans watched the national championship, but when you look at those Ohio numbers alongside the Ville number, the only conclusion I can draw is that Wildcat nation is huge and watches TV. This goes to show that much of the popularity of college bball in Ville is due to UK fans.

I thought the same thing looking at those numbers.

 

[ScottBonz]

Anyone know what we carried in Boston or NYC?

 

[freescooter]

Having lived briefly in Cincinnati, I can tell you that Kentucky fans totally dominate in that part of the state of Kentucky which is just over the river from Cincy. Its not even close with Cincinnatti or Louisville, at least it wasn't. If you wanted to rank the support in the State of KY, as well as some border regions I would guess, its #UK followed by everyone else. Kentucky has a huge statewide radio network of more than 30 stations including stations in Cincinnati, West Virginia, Tennessee and Indiana. UL has 11, but they tend to be smaller stations and there are gaps. The only one outside Kentucky is one in Cincinnatti. Just to give it perspective, kentucky has not one but 2 stations in Louisville.

 

[businesslawyer]

Part of it is UK, but part of it is that the traditional heartland of basketball, before everyone turned to the inner cities for players, was the Kentucky--Indiana--southern Ohio -- Tennessee region. Along with Tobacco Road.

My guess is ratings for college basketball there are just stronger than elsewhere regardless of who is playing.

 

[UConn9604]

My guess is ratings for college basketball there are just stronger than elsewhere regardless of who is playing.

Right. It's like Birmingham: college football ratings are always high there regardless of who is playing, and for Auburn or Alabama games, ratings are through the roof.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Having lived briefly in Cincinnati, I can tell you that Kentucky fans totally dominate in that part of the state of Kentucky which is just over the river from Cincy. Its not even close with Cincinnatti or Louisville, at least it wasn't. If you wanted to rank the support in the State of KY, as well as some border regions I would guess, its #UK followed by everyone else. Kentucky has a huge statewide radio network of more than 30 stations including stations in Cincinnati, West Virginia, Tennessee and Indiana. UL has 11, but they tend to be smaller stations and there are gaps. The only one outside Kentucky is one in Cincinnatti. Just to give it perspective, kentucky has not one but 2 stations in Louisville.

I would have thought that this was obvious. Louisville is a huge college sports town. That we can all agree on. But the reason isn't UL. It's UK, Cinci, Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame, Ohio State, plus UL and a host of other schools nearby. In a place like Hartford or New Haven, you have UConn grads, and then everybody else went to some private school or to a school like CCSU which doesn't have a following for its sports teams. Louisville is surrounded by successful D1 programs and it stands to reason that it has alumns of all of them, UK obviously most prominently. Hell, even the smaller stature schools nearby are schools like Evansville, Dayton, Miami, Ball State etc. It really is a college sports hub.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Curious, I wonder if the ‘big’ cities are hampered by the fact that man fans go out to watch a game versus stay at home in watch. For example, there had to be 800 folks at the UConn alumni game watch in New York City Sunday night, myself and several friends included.

 

[freescooter]

Part of it is UK, but part of it is that the traditional heartland of basketball, before everyone turned to the inner cities for players, was the Kentucky--Indiana--southern Ohio -- Tennessee region. Along with Tobacco Road.

My guess is ratings for college basketball there are just stronger than elsewhere regardless of who is playing.

Yes. that's true. Kentucky, Indiana, places like that basketball has a long tradition. In a sense its part of their identity. On the other hand Kentucky's pull goes far beyond Kentucky. As I said, they have a 30 station network that stretches from southern Indiana, to Nashville into Ohio and West Virginia coal country. They have a tv network that's similar in its extensive coverage. We have SNY. They have something like 8 tv stations throughout the state and into those same areas that we have to carry their games. Part of it is a matter of history, but they are a beheamoth.

 

[okielite]

I'm surprised that there are not more markets in your region on that list. I know everybody likes to talk about how huge the TV markets are in the NE but they never seem to do well when I see these rankings for college sports. I think the reality is that they are huge markets but are more pro sport focused and college sports are down the list of popularity for some reason.

Here is a comparison of the top CFB markets from a couple of years ago. I could not find the most current list but I assume it is similar. Interesting to see the cities that made both lists, obviously very college focused towns.

Top 25 CFB Markets
No. 1 Birmingham: 5.9 rating
No. 2 Oklahoma City: 4.3 rating
Columbus: 4.3 rating
No. 4 Greenville: 4.1 rating
No. 5 New Orleans: 3.4 rating
Atlanta: 3.4 rating
No. 7 Jacksonville: 3.3 rating
Tulsa: 3.3 rating
No. 9 Las Vegas: 3.2 rating
No. 10 Knoxville: 3.0 rating
No. 11 Dayton: 2.8 rating
No. 12 Greensboro: 2.7 rating
Austin: 2.7 rating
Charlotte: 2.7 rating
Fort Myers: 2.7 rating
No. 16 Pittsburgh: 2.5 rating
Nashville: 2.5 rating
Norfolk: 2.5 rating
Memphis: 2.5
No. 20 Cleveland: 2.4
No. 21 Orlando: 2.3
No. 22 Raleigh-Durham: 2.2
West Palm Beach: 2.2
Detroit: 2.2
No. 25 Cincinnati: 2.0
Richmond: 2.0
Portland 2.0
Kansas City: 2.0
Tampa-St. Petersburg: 2.0

 

[upstater]

I'm surprised that there are not more markets in your region on that list. I know everybody likes to talk about how huge the TV markets are in the NE but they never seem to do well when I see these rankings for college sports. I think the reality is that they are huge markets but are more pro sport focused and college sports are down the list of popularity for some reason.

Here is a comparison of the top CFB markets from a couple of years ago. I could not find the most current list but I assume it is similar. Interesting to see the cities that made both lists, obviously very college focused towns.
Top 25 CFB Markets
No. 1 Birmingham: 5.9 rating
No. 2 Oklahoma City: 4.3 rating
Columbus: 4.3 rating
No. 4 Greenville: 4.1 rating
No. 5 New Orleans: 3.4 rating
Atlanta: 3.4 rating
No. 7 Jacksonville: 3.3 rating
Tulsa: 3.3 rating
No. 9 Las Vegas: 3.2 rating
No. 10 Knoxville: 3.0 rating
No. 11 Dayton: 2.8 rating
No. 12 Greensboro: 2.7 rating
Austin: 2.7 rating
Charlotte: 2.7 rating
Fort Myers: 2.7 rating
No. 16 Pittsburgh: 2.5 rating
Nashville: 2.5 rating
Norfolk: 2.5 rating
Memphis: 2.5
No. 20 Cleveland: 2.4
No. 21 Orlando: 2.3
No. 22 Raleigh-Durham: 2.2
West Palm Beach: 2.2
Detroit: 2.2
No. 25 Cincinnati: 2.0
Richmond: 2.0
Portland 2.0
Kansas City: 2.0
Tampa-St. Petersburg: 2.0

The reason for the popularity of pro sports up north is simple. It's because of the longterm success of those pro sports teams. They've been around since forever.

Also, I wonder what the carriage rates are for 3rd tier rights down south. In Conn., a piddling station that carries the Mets and UConn charges more than $2.50 a sub on basic cable across the entire state.

 

[okielite]

The reason for the popularity of pro sports up north is simple. It's because of the longterm success of those pro sports teams. They've been around since forever.

Also, I wonder what the carriage rates are for 3rd tier rights down south. In Conn., a piddling station that carries the Mets and UConn charges more than $2.50 a sub on basic cable across the entire state.

So the universities in the NE have not been around for 100+ years? I don't think that is the problem. I think the people in the NE don't like college football or really college sports in general. The TV ratings confirm this.

With UConn in the NC all the TV markets in the NE should have had good ratings like all the regions around Kentucky did. Unfortunately they did not tune in according to the TV ratings that were posted. I know you claim to own NY but why were there no NY ratings on the list? Literally UConn only had 1 market in the top 10 list, the other 9 are much closer to Kentucky.

If you can't pull the markets of the NE with a NC BB game against Kentucky it is highly unlikely that you would pull the NE markets for football. That needs to change.

Do you have rights to any BB, FB, or WBB games on your tier 3 deal that you get paid 2.50 a sub for?

 

[upstater]

So the universities in the NE have not been around for 100+ years? I don't think that is the problem. I think the people in the NE don't like college football or really college sports in general. The TV ratings confirm this.

With UConn in the NC all the TV markets in the NE should have had good ratings like all the regions around Kentucky did. Unfortunately they did not tune in according to the TV ratings that were posted. I know you claim to own NY but why were there no NY ratings on the list? Literally UConn only had 1 market in the top 10 list, the other 9 are much closer to Kentucky.

If you can't pull the markets of the NE with a NC BB game against Kentucky it is highly unlikely that you would pull the NE markets for football. That needs to change.

Do you have rights to any BB, FB, or WBB games on your tier 3 deal that you get paid 2.50 a sub for?

The universities in the north that dominated sports for many years (and drew 100,000 fans to games while the southern schools were drawing much fewer) decided to deemphasize sports and concentrate on academics. You're wrong about the college sports culture up here.

Let me put it this way. The ratings show college bball is very popular in Louisville. And yet, UConn makes 2x as much on licensing for TV rights and all revs associated with it as Louisville does, and the ratings for bball especially make it the top program on TV in the state. How do you know there were poor ratings for bball in the northeast? And UConn never claimed to OWN NYC. In case you didn't know, this is a 23 million person market. No one owns it, no one ever will. But to compare it to Louisville? We're talking a market that is 20x as big. A 40 rating in Louisville is like a 2 rating in NYC. No, scratch that. It's like a 1 rating given the affluence of the market in NYC here the per capita income is twice that of Louisville.

My god, you spun this one as hard as you could to make UConn look bad. UConn has CT and part of NYC. No one here ever claimed UConn has Boston, nor that the market extended beyond this region, nor is anyone comparing UConn basketball to Kentucky nasketball.

Do you realize the standard you are setting? Kentucky basketball? Are you serious?

 

[okielite]

The universities in the north that dominated sports for many years (and drew 100,000 fans to games while the southern schools were drawing much fewer) decided to deemphasize sports and concentrate on academics. You're wrong about the college sports culture up here.

Let me put it this way. The ratings show college bball is very popular in Louisville. And yet, UConn makes 2x as much on licensing for TV rights and all revs associated with it as Louisville does, and the ratings for bball especially make it the top program on TV in the state. How do you know there were poor ratings for bball in the northeast? And UConn never claimed to OWN NYC. In case you didn't know, this is a 23 million person market. No one owns it, no one ever will. But to compare it to Louisville? We're talking a market that is 20x as big. A 40 rating in Louisville is like a 2 rating in NYC. No, scratch that. It's like a 1 rating given the affluence of the market in NYC here the per capita income is twice that of Louisville.

My god, you spun this one as hard as you could to make UConn look bad. UConn has CT and part of NYC. No one here ever claimed UConn has Boston, nor that the market extended beyond this region, nor is anyone comparing UConn basketball to Kentucky nasketball.

Do you realize the standard you are setting? Kentucky basketball? Are you serious?

Well the TV ratings and attendance seem to confirm my believe about the region, do you have any data that supports your statements?

I have no idea what your real numbers are but I have heard all kinds of information given. someone said the AAC payout was 6 million per team, then other said it was 2, which seems about right. Lots of other numbers have been thrown around but I have not seen proof to confirm any are true.

I know the NC game which featured a prominent NE team had 1 market in the top 10. With 23 million people around you there should have been 3-4 more markets form the NE, but there was not. Apparently few of these 23 million people tuned in. If they dont' tune in for a NC game featuring one of their teams, it is doubtful that they tune in for regular season games.

Now you are making comments about the per capita income?? JFC, Who cares, if they don't go to the game or watch it on TV what does it matter? That's right, it doesn't.

Yes, many UConn fans claim to own NY, in fact there are even threads about it on the board. Not sure why you are denying that.

If 4 NC's in 15 years don't make you a blue blood BB program I dont' know what does. Your strategy is interesting. On one had you know you are a blue blood BB program but then you act like you can't hold a candle to Kentucky? Makes no sense.

I didn't spin anything. I looked at the TV ratings your own fan posted. Hard to spin TV ratings, they are what they are. Facts are facts, get over it and stop acting like I am trying to make UConn look bad. I'm being realistic after looking at the numbers.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Well the TV ratings and attendance seem to confirm my believe about the region, do you have any data that supports your statements?

I have no idea what your real numbers are but I have heard all kinds of information given. someone said the AAC payout was 6 million per team, then other said it was 2, which seems about right. Lots of other numbers have been thrown around but I have not seen proof to confirm any are true.

I know the NC game which featured a prominent NE team had 1 market in the top 10. With 23 million people around you there should have been 3-4 more markets form the NE, but there was not. Apparently few of these 23 million people tuned in. If they dont' tune in for a NC game featuring one of their teams, it is doubtful that they tune in for regular season games.

Now you are making comments about the per capita income?? JFC, Who cares, if they don't go to the game or watch it on TV what does it matter? That's right, it doesn't.

Yes, many UConn fans claim to own NY, in fact there are even threads about it on the board. Not sure why you are denying that.

If 4 NC's in 15 years don't make you a blue blood BB program I dont' know what does. Your strategy is interesting. On one had you know you are a blue blood BB program but then you act like you can't hold a candle to Kentucky? Makes no sense.

I didn't spin anything. I looked at the TV ratings your own fan posted. Hard to spin TV ratings, they are what they are. Facts are facts, get over it and stop acting like I am trying to make UConn look bad. I'm being realistic after looking at the numbers.

Facts. The UConn women got a 29.3 in CT, a 4.6 in Providence and a 4.5 in NYC. That 4.5 dwarfs what Kentucky did for the men. Let that sink in.

 

[upstater]

Well the TV ratings and attendance seem to confirm my believe about the region, do you have any data that supports your statements?

What statements? That NYC has 20x as many people as Louisville/ You really want confirmation about that?

Or that the Yale Bowl used to be jampacked for games back when Yale was nationally relevant.

I have no idea what your real numbers are but I have heard all kinds of information given. someone said the AAC payout was 6 million per team, then other said it was 2, which seems about right. Lots of other numbers have been thrown around but I have not seen proof to confirm any are true.

Go to the USA Today database here for numbers about individual school budgets: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/schools/finances/

I know the NC game which featured a prominent NE team had 1 market in the top 10. With 23 million people around you there should have been 3-4 more markets form the NE, but there was not. Apparently few of these 23 million people tuned in. If they dont' tune in for a NC game featuring one of their teams, it is doubtful that they tune in for regular season games.

Sigh. You're not getting it. 23 million is ONE SINGLE MARKET. We don't have rinky-dinky markets up here like you have down there. There's actually very little free space between metropolitan areas up here. This is why you have one behemoth market with 23 million people in it. It's not 23 million people spread around multiple markets. It's one single market. And the truth is, the market is actually much bigger than 23m. 23m is the number of people living in the NYC metro area. The NYC TV market extends beyond that.

Now you are making comments about the per capita income?? JFC, Who cares, if they don't go to the game or watch it on TV what does it matter? That's right, it doesn't.

You can't be serious. This is the #1 thing any ad agency cares about. ESPN exists to sell ads. You're damn straight they care about income evels. It's the whole point of advertising.

Yes, many UConn fans claim to own NY, in fact there are even threads about it on the board. Not sure why you are denying that.

Show me.

If 4 NC's in 15 years don't make you a blue blood BB program I dont' know what does. Your strategy is interesting. On one had you know you are a blue blood BB program but then you act like you can't hold a candle to Kentucky? Makes no sense.

UConn doesn't have 1/4 of the fans Kentucky does. No one does. It would be like comparing Oklahoma to Texas.

I didn't spin anything. I looked at the TV ratings your own fan posted. Hard to spin TV ratings, they are what they are. Facts are facts, get over it and stop acting like I am trying to make UConn look bad. I'm being realistic after looking at the numbers.

You obviously don't understand what you are looking at when you see ratings. It's not only the size of the market that's important, but the income level of the demographic, then there's the share, and then there's the size of the market. If 99% of the people in Louisville watch college bball but there are only 1 million people there only 10,000 of whom will be buying an XBox One this year, Microsoft will probably be more interested in advertising in the New York market where 5% of the 23 million people watched the college bball game and 20,000 of that 5% are in the market for an XBox One. This is where the MONEY comes from.

 

[husky210]

That 4.5 in NYC is over a million TV sets in that market. Over a million. What is a million TV sets in the Louisville market? A 40?

And that was a womens game!

Anyone find the numbers for New York on the men's?

 

[storrsroars]

Facts. The UConn women got a 29.3 in CT, a 4.6 in Providence and a 4.5 in NYC. That 4.5 dwarfs what Kentucky did for the men. Let that sink in.

Actually it was 4.6 in NYC too. And 2.8 nationally. To get a sense of the national ratings, last year's Stanley Cup finals averaged a 3.3. This year's Cuse/Duke game, 4th highest rated regular season game in ESPN history, drew a 2.9 nationally (but only a 2.8 in the NYC market, so one could draw the conclusion that the UConn women outdraw the Cuse men in NYC).

Can't find anything on the men's game for NYC yet. Might have to wait till the weekend or Monday for official ratings.

 

[okielite]

You obviously don't understand what you are looking at when you see ratings. It's not only the size of the market that's important, but the income level of the demographic, then there's the share, and then there's the size of the market. If 99% of the people in Louisville watch college bball but there are only 1 million people there only 10,000 of whom will be buying an XBox One this year, Microsoft will probably be more interested in advertising in the New York market where 5% of the 23 million people watched the college bball game and 20,000 of that 5% are in the market for an XBox One. This is where the MONEY comes from.

So if what you say is correct then UConn should easily have some of the most valuable TV rights in the country, much more valuable then say schools in states with smaller markets and lower average income. The problem is that next year Louisville will get close to 20 million for its' TV rights and UConn will get whatever the AAC pays (which people on this board say is between 2 and 5 million per year). That is what does not make sense to me. Obviously there is something that is not being taken into account to cause what should be one of the most valuable teams get a paycheck that is below 60+ schools, many of which are not located in high income states or states with big TV markets.

Please understand I am simply trying to understand what the issue is that's holding UConn back. Reading this site all the information makes it seem like UConn would be a home run add for any power conference, bug for some reason that has not happened. I know you like to believe that UConn was simply overlooked for no reason and that all the data available suggest UConn should be a power conference team but I don't buy that. I think when these conferences expanded they looked at each school closely and likely were coached by TV partners such as ESPN. I think there is something that caused other schools to move up before UConn. Something that is holding UConn back. ESPN conspiracy? That would seem weird since they are located in Connecticut but anything is possible with them. Is it TV ratings? You guys seem to think the TV ratings for UConn are some of the best in the country. TV markets, you guys seem to think you have good penetration in the large markets of the NE. Is it just the FB program holding things back? According to you guys the FB program has great facilities and puts many players in the NFL. Is it just FB TV ratings or fan support that is the problem? Overshadowed by other schools in the region? Student support at games? Is it about AAU and the research $? I really don't know. I do however think that there is a darn good reason why. The sooner UConn figures out the problem, the sooner they can address it and hopefully get it fixed. Pretending that everyone else is stupid not to realize how valuable you are and that UConn deserves to get in the B1G over Rutgers is not going to help the situation. Comparing Rutgers AD to yours is not going to help you get in the B1G.

I know this is a really sensitive situation for your fans but please keep a level head. Typically in these situations fans freak out and start with all sort of personal attacks because they dont' want to be realistic and admit that there is likely a good reason why things happened the way they did. If all you can handle is sunshine pumping and the constant we deserve to be in the B1G, this article says we are better than Rutgers, this article said theB1G made a huge mistake, this article says UConn controls NYC, etc... just understand that that saying stuff is not going to change anything. Figuring out what is holding UConn back and addressing it would likely be more productive.

What need to change to increase value to TV partners so you will be more valuable to power conferences?
What changes can be made to the FB program to increase its' value to TV partners?
What can you do to increase attendance and get waaay more students to attend games?
What needs to change to cause power conference school presidents to want to add UConn?

 

[upstater]

So if what you say is correct then UConn should easily have some of the most valuable TV rights in the country, much more valuable then say schools in states with smaller markets and lower average income. The problem is that next year Louisville will get close to 20 million for its' TV rights and UConn will get whatever the AAC pays (which people on this board say is between 2 and 5 million per year). That is what does not make sense to me. Obviously there is something that is not being taken into account to cause what should be one of the most valuable teams get a paycheck that is below 60+ schools, many of which are not located in high income states or states with big TV markets.

It's not hard to understand. Louisville vs. NC State makes for better TV than UConn vs. ECU. One team is in the ACC and the other is the AAC. What more do you need to know? Heck, the third tier rights of our women's program alone are worth $2m. This is what SNY was paying UConn. It's not a secret that UConn is woefully underpaid.

Please understand I am simply trying to understand what the issue is that's holding UConn back. Reading this site all the information makes it seem like UConn would be a home run add for any power conference, bug for some reason that has not happened.

We've explained it to you 1,000 times, so why would you write this? "But for some reason." We know the reasons. UConn is effectively blackballed from the ACC by our ex-BE partners because they want to see the program die, and Uconn simply didn't have the profile the B1G wante especially with regard to AUU.

I know you like to believe that UConn was simply overlooked for no reason and that all the data available suggest UConn should be a power conference team but I don't buy that. I think when these conferences expanded they looked at each school closely and likely were coached by TV partners such as ESPN. I think there is something that caused other schools to move up before UConn. Something that is holding UConn back. ESPN conspiracy? That would seem weird since they are located in Connecticut but anything is possible with them. Is it TV ratings? You guys seem to think the TV ratings for UConn are some of the best in the country. TV markets, you guys seem to think you have good penetration in the large markets of the NE. Is it just the FB program holding things back? According to you guys the FB program has great facilities and puts many players in the NFL. Is it just FB TV ratings or fan support that is the problem? Overshadowed by other schools in the region? Student support at games? Is it about AAU and the research $? I really don't know. I do however think that there is a darn good reason why. The sooner UConn figures out the problem, the sooner they can address it and hopefully get it fixed. Pretending that everyone else is stupid not to realize how valuable you are and that UConn deserves to get in the B1G over Rutgers is not going to help the situation. Comparing Rutgers AD to yours is not going to help you get in the B1G.

You totally ignore all the things we've been saying. Hello, BC blackballed us! Why would we take you seriously if you ignore the most basic stuff?

 

[upstater]

That 4.5 in NYC is over a million TV sets in that market. Over a million. What is a million TV sets in the Louisville market? A 40?

And that was a womens game!

Anyone find the numbers for New York on the men's?

A million TV sets in Louisville can't be done. There are 674k TV households in the Louisville market.

More people watched the UConn women in New York City than watched the Kentucky men in Louisville.

And this is what we're trying to get through to our Okie friend here.

 

[okielite]

You totally ignore all the things we've been saying. Hello, BC blackballed us! Why would we take you seriously if you ignore the most basic stuff?

I have no idea if BC blackballed you from the ACC. Do you have any proof of this? Do you think that is the only thing that prevented the ACC from adding you?
I find it somewhat hard to believe that TV partners and all the members of the ACC wanted to add you but BC voted no and shut the whole deal down. I have a hard time believing that BC has that much power in the ACC. I have a hard time believing that 1 fairly unimportant school can decide who the conference adds. But I could be wrong.

What about the B1G? Did a school blackball you there too? What do you think is holding them back?

 

[specialisthusky]

I have no idea if BC blackballed you from the ACC. Do you have any proof of this? Do you think that is the only thing that prevented the ACC from adding you?
I find it somewhat hard to believe that TV partners and all the members of the ACC wanted to add you but BC voted no and shut the whole deal down. I have a hard time believing that BC has that much power in the ACC. I have a hard time believing that 1 fairly unimportant school can decide who the conference adds. But I could be wrong.

What about the B1G? Did a school blackball you there too? What do you think is holding them back?

"The ACC first targeted Syracuse, then UConn. But Boston College had major objections to UConn, stemming from BC's move from the Big East to the ACC in 2005, some nasty comments and a lawsuit.
BC athletics director Gene DeFilippo seemingly confirmed what many had been reporting/presuming over the past month -- that BC blocked UConn from receiving an invite to the ACC.

"We didn't want them in,'' DeFilippo told the Globe. "It was a matter of turf. We wanted to be the New England team.''

http://content.usatoday.com/communi...llege-athletic-director-gene-defilippo-espn/1
At least you're going down swinging.

 

[upstater]

I have no idea if BC blackballed you from the ACC. Do you have any proof of this? Do you think that is the only thing that prevented the ACC from adding you?
I find it somewhat hard to believe that TV partners and all the members of the ACC wanted to add you but BC voted no and shut the whole deal down. I have a hard time believing that BC has that much power in the ACC. I have a hard time believing that 1 fairly unimportant school can decide who the conference adds. But I could be wrong.

What about the B1G? Did a school blackball you there too? What do you think is holding them back?

I already explained that UConn is perhaps not fit for the B1G. No one here has made an outstanding case that we deserve it. As for the ACC, we compare ourselves to our former conference mates. That why UConn fans make this argument. Others have provided links to the BC blackball below, but if you want to read another 100+ articles on it, just google "Defillippo and UConn."

 

[okielite]

A million TV sets in Louisville can't be done. There are 674k TV households in the Louisville market.

More people watched the UConn women in New York City than watched the Kentucky men in Louisville.

And this is what we're trying to get through to our Okie friend here.

So if you have stellar TV ratings for FB, WBB, and BB then what do you think is holding up the move to a power conference if it 's not TV ratings?

You can't be perfect and valuable in every way yet shunned from power conferences, that makes no sense. That is what I am trying to get through to my UConn friends here. There is a reason.

I'm not sure if you dont' know or don't want to say but without a doubt there is a reason Maryland and Rutgers were added to the B1G and UConn was not. There is a reason Louisville was added to the ACC and UConn was not. Pretending that there is no reason and that the decisions were just mistakes makes little sense. Something is preventing TV partners from telling power conferences to add UConn. I just dont' know what it is.