(11-22-2011 02:22 PM)AtlanticLeague Wrote: (11-22-2011 02:15 PM)Murph1 Wrote: (11-22-2011 11:58 AM)brista21 Wrote: I'm not sure why everyone assumes UConn will be joining the Irish should they join the ACC. If UConn couldn't get the votes the first time because of BC what makes everyone think it'll happen the second time. It could just as easily be Rutgers or even Temple or some other darkhorse candidate.
The ACC may be less inclined to listen to DeFlip after his embarrassing anti-UConn rant, then subsequent apology.
With that said, it could indeed be Rutgers just as easily as UConn, but I like our chances.
Outside of basketball, what does UConn offer that trumps Rutgers?
I really don't care about the overall ACC discussion, but I will address some of the bad data that has been presented here.
Oh where do we start?
- Two blue blood basketball programs. UCONN men won 3 national titles and women's program won 7. Both are huge money makers for the school. UCONN women's basketball generate more revenue than half of the D1A football program.
- Academics. UCONN is ranked #58 on USWR and RU now #68. Our president wants up to be a top 10 public university in the country. We are #19 right now. Acceptance rate at UCONN also has go down in the 40% range. It is harder to get accepted into UCONN than Pitt, SU and RU. UCONN is moving closer to UNC and UVA range. UCONN's ranking has been climbing slowly while RU is declining slowly. Schools are going in different directions.
- Way better overall athletic program. Since 2005, UCONN has won something like 45 BE championships to RU's 8 or something.
- UCONN does not just bring basketball. We have a growing football program with top facilities. A top ranked soccer team. Top ranked baseball team, field hockey team and many other national caliber Olympic sports. Baseball team was in CWS and top ranked soccer team is in the middle of NCAA tournament right now. UCONN has way better overall athletic program than RU, Pitt and SU.
- Since joining the BE and just 8 years, UCONN has tied for two BE championships. UCONN has a bowl record of 3-2 with a trip to the Fiesta Bowl. UCONN is 4-4 against Pitt and 6-2 against SU.
- State of CT actually care about UCONN with investments of $2.3B ongoing investment. State of CT just started a $1B medical research project with UCONN. RU, on the other hand, is in deep financial trouble. You want to talk about research? Well there is $1B medical research for you.
- A state flagship university that actually carries the entire state. UCONN can bring entire state of 3.6M people. Other programs might sit in a larger state, but most people in that state don't care about them.
- CT sits right between NYC and Boston. Fairfield County with 1M people is actually part of NYC TV market in addition to New Haven/Hartford TV market.
- ESPN is in our backyard. NBC Sports/Comcast just moved their HQ to CT as well with creation of over 1000 jobs.
- Way stronger overall Athletic program financially. UCONN's $65M per year annual budget put it in the top 4 in the ACC right now. RU's $55M is behind. UCONN is also way ahead of both Pitt and SU. UCONN has higher overall athletic budget than Vtech.
- There is a reason why SNY signed a deal with UCONN giving it most exposure across the tri-states. Why? Because we actually deliver eyeballs. SNY got some of the highest ratings due to UCONN being on TV. Some other programs might sit in a bigger state, but no one cares about them.
There are more but I will leave it for now. Yeah, we don't offer much