Nah...I do think that UConn, Coach K, and the general blog media were unaware of how much football impacted the ESPN contract. Even Swofford said he was taken by surprise.
If you are thinking ACC basketball you are thinking "UConn would be a great get".
But when Dean Jordan, Managing partner of the Wasserman Media Group, started working with ESPN on behalf of the ACC...the ACC office quickly realized that the future of the conference revolved around football.
And, yes, some football schools had been saying that. Jordan was no amateur and the Presidents listened...FSU was actually recalcitrant about signing up for a long term deal...Jordan and Swofford flew in and met individually with each Trustee to convince them
Dean Jordan led Wasserman’s successful media rights representation of the College Football Playoff, the University of Notre Dame, the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12. He also directed Wasserman’s efforts with both media and non-media related engagements for clients such as the United States Golf Association, NASCAR, Major League Soccer, United States Tennis Association, United States Olympic Committee.
When Jordan and ESPN talked...all had to listen. DeFillipo was very close to the truth when he said...."ESPN told us what to do."