Now that the UConn to the Big XII has been closed, let's refocus the topic on the ACC and the Big Ten.

When the ACC passed over UConn in favor of Louisville, there were many articles saying that in addition to better football at Louisville, the thinking in the ACC was that they should grab Louisville while they could because UConn would always be there if/when they wanted to expand further. That has changed.

The ACC obviously wants to get into NYC. They're bringing their basketball tournament there in 3 years. But now that the Big Ten has moved east to New Jersey and has opened offices in Manhattan, the "always available" tag doesn't fit UConn any more.

There are now 2 parties potentially interested. Competition creates a whole different dynamic. UConn will obviously go to the one who moves first. When there is another suitor, the warts on their football program don't seem so bad any more.

The Big Ten can create a commanding presence in The tri-state area with 2 state flagships. The ACC with all it's designs on the city, doesn't have a conference member within 200 miles. If they are going to block any future moves by the B1G, they simply must move quickly.

Despite their location outside Hartford, UConn has a statewide presence. The Connecticut border is only 25 miles from NYC. UConn has a satellite campus complete with graduate programs in Stamford, only one town removed from the state line. New Yorkers like my son-in-law have commuted their to get advanced degrees and become part of the UConn family. SW COnnecticut is not only a bedroom community for commuters to NYC, but it is also loaded with corporate HQ's, which employs a lot of NYers. Try driving into CT on I-95 or the Hutchinson River Pkwy any morning. It's bumper-to-bumper.

The point is that all the cross-traffic between CT and NY makes the Huskies the talk of the water cooler in a lot of corporate offices despite the fact that the universities physical location is 100 miles away. The fact is that there's a real UConn presence in the tri-state NYC area.

One of these conferences is going to move on UConn sooner or later. I thought it would be 8-10 years down the road. But the move of the Big ten into NJ and the competition that creates suggests that it will be sooner rather than later. It will be interesting to see who's going to blink first.

It's still football driven. So UCONN is still not the most desirable candidate. If only Randy had stuck around for a few more years they could potentially have some football accolades.

UCONN's bball is fantastic but there are questions as to wether or not it's perceived as one of the top elite schools that their bball alone draws attention, like Kansas.

Anyways, I think UCONN has a bright future and it's definitely one of the most desirable schools in the G5 looking to jump.

(04-14-2014 09:47 AM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  It's still football driven. So UCONN is still not the most desirable candidate. If only Randy had stuck around for a few more years they could potentially have some football accolades.

UCONN's bball is fantastic but there are questions as to wether or not it's perceived as one of the top elite schools that their bball alone draws attention, like Kansas.

Anyways, I think UCONN has a bright future and it's definitely one of the most desirable schools in the G5 looking to jump.

UConn has won two out of the last three Men's BBall championships. I can't imagine that there is still any question as to whether UConn is an elite basketball school. As for their football, is there anyone in the G5 who's football is so good that it outweighs the quality of UConn's hoops?

(04-14-2014 09:53 AM)UpStreamRedTeam Wrote:  

(04-14-2014 09:47 AM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  It's still football driven. So UCONN is still not the most desirable candidate. If only Randy had stuck around for a few more years they could potentially have some football accolades.

UCONN's bball is fantastic but there are questions as to wether or not it's perceived as one of the top elite schools that their bball alone draws attention, like Kansas.

Anyways, I think UCONN has a bright future and it's definitely one of the most desirable schools in the G5 looking to jump.

UConn has won two out of the last three Men's BBall championships. I can't imagine that there is still any question as to whether UConn is an elite basketball school. As for their football, is there anyone in the G5 who's football is so good that it outweighs the quality of UConn's hoops?

There are only two schools whose hoops are good enough that nothing else matters, Kansas and Kentucky. Is UCONN at that level? Some say yes and others still say no. I'm not saying one way or another, but UCONN's football is still the driver and it hurts the school, and the gains associated with having an awesome basketball program.

I think some would argue UCF, and ECU's football programs warrant a bigger consideration for inclusion to the P5 than UCONN's combined programs.

It may not be fair but I think that's the wholistic approach many are taking.

(04-14-2014 09:36 AM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  Now that the UConn to the Big XII has been closed, let's refocus the topic on the ACC and the Big Ten.

When the ACC passed over UConn in favor of Louisville, there were many articles saying that in addition to better football at Louisville, the thinking in the ACC was that they should grab Louisville while they could because UConn would always be there if/when they wanted to expand further. That has changed.

The ACC obviously wants to get into NYC. They're bringing their basketball tournament there in 3 years. But now that the Big Ten has moved east to New Jersey and has opened offices in Manhattan, the "always available" tag doesn't fit UConn any more.

There are now 2 parties potentially interested. Competition creates a whole different dynamic. UConn will obviously go to the one who moves first. When there is another suitor, the warts on their football program don't seem so bad any more.

The Big Ten can create a commanding presence in The tri-state area with 2 state flagships. The ACC with all it's designs on the city, doesn't have a conference member within 200 miles. If they are going to block any future moves by the B1G, they simply must move quickly.

Despite their location outside Hartford, UConn has a statewide presence. The Connecticut border is only 25 miles from NYC. UConn has a satellite campus complete with graduate programs in Stamford, only one town removed from the state line. New Yorkers like my son-in-law have commuted their to get advanced degrees and become part of the UConn family. SW COnnecticut is not only a bedroom community for commuters to NYC, but it is also loaded with corporate HQ's, which employs a lot of NYers. Try driving into CT on I-95 or the Hutchinson River Pkwy any morning. It's bumper-to-bumper.

The point is that all the cross-traffic between CT and NY makes the Huskies the talk of the water cooler in a lot of corporate offices despite the fact that the universities physical location is 100 miles away. The fact is that there's a real UConn presence in the tri-state NYC area.

One of these conferences is going to move on UConn sooner or later. I thought it would be 8-10 years down the road. But the move of the Big ten into NJ and the competition that creates suggests that it will be sooner rather than later. It will be interesting to see who's going to blink first.

Obviously my opinion doesn't mean anything but, there is no question in my mind that UConn will be the next team taken by a P5 conference. The real question is when. Unfortunately for UConn I don't know what the catalyst is for the next realignment.

Even after Maryland and Rutgers, we're still getting comments that "football drives the bus". Maryland football has been an embarrassment in recent years and Rutgers hasn't been the same since Schiano left. But the Big Ten scooped them anyway.

Why?

Because money drives the bus. And when it comes to money, markets matter.

The announcement by the ACC that they will be holding their basketball tournament in NYC in 2017-18 makes it clear that they have designs on NY. Undoubtedly, the Big Ten thinks that the Big Apple is theirs once they grabbed Rutgers.

As we saw with the repeated raids of the Big East by the ACC, a key strategy is to kill off the opposition before they kill you. A move by the Big ten to grab UConn would virtually freeze the ACC out of the Big Apple and make them forever "the visiting team". The ACC knows that. They have to decide if they want to grab UConn before that door is closed on them.

It has to make financial sense for the ACC to add a single school in UConn.

In what manner can UConn's addition to the ACC pay for itself and add to the per team TV payout?

I think that is the issue.

P.S. Melky, did I miss some announcement about the Big 12 not wanting UConn?

(04-14-2014 09:57 AM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  

(04-14-2014 09:53 AM)UpStreamRedTeam Wrote:  

(04-14-2014 09:47 AM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  It's still football driven. So UCONN is still not the most desirable candidate. If only Randy had stuck around for a few more years they could potentially have some football accolades.

UCONN's bball is fantastic but there are questions as to wether or not it's perceived as one of the top elite schools that their bball alone draws attention, like Kansas.

Anyways, I think UCONN has a bright future and it's definitely one of the most desirable schools in the G5 looking to jump.

UConn has won two out of the last three Men's BBall championships. I can't imagine that there is still any question as to whether UConn is an elite basketball school. As for their football, is there anyone in the G5 who's football is so good that it outweighs the quality of UConn's hoops?

There are only two schools whose hoops are good enough that nothing else matters, Kansas and Kentucky. Is UCONN at that level? Some say yes and others still say no. I'm not saying one way or another, but UCONN's football is still the driver and it hurts the school, and the gains associated with having an awesome basketball program.

I think some would argue UCF, and ECU's football programs warrant a bigger consideration for inclusion to the P5 than UCONN's combined programs.

It may not be fair but I think that's the wholistic approach many are taking.

Well UConn's football is better than Kansas and Kentucky and they are already in the P5. I don't know how many more championships UConn needs to win before they are considered elite.

As for ECU and UCF I think there are some major roadblock in their way. Neither is a candidate for the B1G. The ACC already has 4 teams in NC I don't think they are looking for another one. I can't see UCF getting an invite to the ACC with FSU and Miami in the picture. The B12 might want to get to 12 some day, but I can't see them creating a second or third island along with WVU. If the B12 expands I imagine it will be Cincinnati and either BYU or Memphis if they don't want another Texas team. If the SEC really wanted to get to 16 I'm sure they could poach whoever they wanted from the B12 or the ACC.

UCONNs problems:

-they are in a tough spot geographically

-they don't fit in culturally with the b10

-culturally they are an ACC school but can't get in because of the FSU/cuse/bc voting block

-in football they have a number of major cons (ex: history, stadium) and no major pros to offset them

personally If i had to make a list of 5 g5 schools most likely to get a p5 bid ==> uconn wouldn't even be on my list. it is not a slight at uconn as a school or an athletic program because most of their problems are outside of their control.

(04-14-2014 10:47 AM)UpStreamRedTeam Wrote:  

(04-14-2014 09:57 AM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  

(04-14-2014 09:53 AM)UpStreamRedTeam Wrote:  

(04-14-2014 09:47 AM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  It's still football driven. So UCONN is still not the most desirable candidate. If only Randy had stuck around for a few more years they could potentially have some football accolades.

UCONN's bball is fantastic but there are questions as to wether or not it's perceived as one of the top elite schools that their bball alone draws attention, like Kansas.

Anyways, I think UCONN has a bright future and it's definitely one of the most desirable schools in the G5 looking to jump.

UConn has won two out of the last three Men's BBall championships. I can't imagine that there is still any question as to whether UConn is an elite basketball school. As for their football, is there anyone in the G5 who's football is so good that it outweighs the quality of UConn's hoops?

There are only two schools whose hoops are good enough that nothing else matters, Kansas and Kentucky. Is UCONN at that level? Some say yes and others still say no. I'm not saying one way or another, but UCONN's football is still the driver and it hurts the school, and the gains associated with having an awesome basketball program.

I think some would argue UCF, and ECU's football programs warrant a bigger consideration for inclusion to the P5 than UCONN's combined programs.

It may not be fair but I think that's the wholistic approach many are taking.

Well UConn's football is better than Kansas and Kentucky and they are already in the P5. I don't know how many more championships UConn needs to win before they are considered elite.

As for ECU and UCF I think there are some major roadblock in their way. Neither is a candidate for the B1G. The ACC already has 4 teams in NC I don't think they are looking for another one. I can't see UCF getting an invite to the ACC with FSU and Miami in the picture. The B12 might want to get to 12 some day, but I can't see them creating a second or third island along with WVU. If the B12 expands I imagine it will be Cincinnati and either BYU or Memphis if they don't want another Texas team. If the SEC really wanted to get to 16 I'm sure they could poach whoever they wanted from the B12 or the ACC.

I think UCONN's football is maybe on par with those, but those comparisons aren't really useful, they are already P5 and have been in those circles for decades.

I think UCONN could be a potential addition, I think it's probably the most likely candidate but it isn't without its drawbacks.

Football is a proxy for money. When UCONN finds a grove there somebody will jump on them quick.

It's really a matter of opinion as to wether or not UCONN's basketball is good enough on its own to warrant an invite.

(04-14-2014 10:35 AM)TerryD Wrote:  It has to make financial sense for the ACC to add a single school in UConn.

In what manner can UConn's addition to the ACC pay for itself and add to the per team TV payout?

I think that is the issue.

P.S. Melky, did I miss some announcement about the Big 12 not wanting UConn?

The rumor was that UConn was the first choice to join with Syracuse until BC made a stink. I don't think UConn to the ACC is such a wild notion.

(04-14-2014 10:49 AM)john01992 Wrote:  UCONNs problems:

-they are in a tough spot geographically

-they don't fit in culturally with the b10

-culturally they are an ACC school but can't get in because of the FSU/cuse/bc voting block

-in football they have a number of major cons (ex: history, stadium) and no major pros to offset them

personally If i had to make a list of 5 g5 schools most likely to get a p5 bid ==> uconn wouldn't even be on my list. it is not a slight at uconn as a school or an athletic program because most of their problems are outside of their control.

The fact that UCONN isn't even on your "Top 5 G5 Candidates" is as trollworthy as they come. It's pretty much been said by everyone that UCONN is one of the best G5 options, along with BYU and Cincinnati. Whether or not UCONN is worthy enough to get that invite is a more valid question than whether UCONN is a top 5 G5 candidate (which is pure trolling).

I don't want to sound rude, but no one in the p5 conferences care about any of the mid majors. The p5 have all the money and all of the exposure. They are about to get most of the decision msking power.

While Uconn has had some success, the p5 schools don't care that a Butler, Uconn, Dayton, boise, ucf type school wins once in a while. America loves the underdog so th he p5 benefits.

What most likely will happen is that the P5 teams use their huge money advantage to slowly kill off the non power schools. It might take a decade but it will happen.

Also schools like BYU will end up joining the Big 12. Maybe a Cincy? All the others will be one permanent step below the majors.

(04-14-2014 10:57 AM)BE4evah Wrote:  I don't want to sound rude, but no one in the p5 conferences care about any of the mid majors. The p5 have all the money and all of the exposure. They are about to get most of the decision msking power.

While Uconn has had some success, the p5 schools don't care that a Butler, Uconn, Dayton, boise, ucf type school wins once in a while. America loves the underdog so th he p5 benefits.

What most likely will happen is that the P5 teams use their huge money advantage to slowly kill off the non power schools. It might take a decade but it will happen.

Also schools like BYU will end up joining the Big 12. Maybe a Cincy? All the others will be one permanent step below the majors.

Trolls are coming out in full force.

(04-14-2014 09:36 AM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  Now that the UConn to the Big XII has been closed, let's refocus the topic on the ACC and the Big Ten.

When the ACC passed over UConn in favor of Louisville, there were many articles saying that in addition to better football at Louisville, the thinking in the ACC was that they should grab Louisville while they could because UConn would always be there if/when they wanted to expand further. That has changed.

The ACC obviously wants to get into NYC. They're bringing their basketball tournament there in 3 years. But now that the Big Ten has moved east to New Jersey and has opened offices in Manhattan, the "always available" tag doesn't fit UConn any more.

There are now 2 parties potentially interested. Competition creates a whole different dynamic. UConn will obviously go to the one who moves first. When there is another suitor, the warts on their football program don't seem so bad any more.

The Big Ten can create a commanding presence in The tri-state area with 2 state flagships. The ACC with all it's designs on the city, doesn't have a conference member within 200 miles. If they are going to block any future moves by the B1G, they simply must move quickly.

Despite their location outside Hartford, UConn has a statewide presence. The Connecticut border is only 25 miles from NYC. UConn has a satellite campus complete with graduate programs in Stamford, only one town removed from the state line. New Yorkers like my son-in-law have commuted their to get advanced degrees and become part of the UConn family. SW COnnecticut is not only a bedroom community for commuters to NYC, but it is also loaded with corporate HQ's, which employs a lot of NYers. Try driving into CT on I-95 or the Hutchinson River Pkwy any morning. It's bumper-to-bumper.

The point is that all the cross-traffic between CT and NY makes the Huskies the talk of the water cooler in a lot of corporate offices despite the fact that the universities physical location is 100 miles away. The fact is that there's a real UConn presence in the tri-state NYC area.

One of these conferences is going to move on UConn sooner or later. I thought it would be 8-10 years down the road. But the move of the Big ten into NJ and the competition that creates suggests that it will be sooner rather than later. It will be interesting to see who's going to blink first.

Sources, or optimistic hunches?

Connecticut is in New England, not New York. There are plenty of Big Ten alumni in NYC already, so I don't see why adding Connecticut does anything.

As far as the ACC, I was a proponent of UConn to replace Maryland so don't pull the "hater" term out on me. I thought they fit in better with the rest of the schools. As much as UConn is anti-UMass, BC is to UConn...and the Eagles have nested. Remember, you are a New England school with a presence in NYC, not the other way around.

I understand you guys are flying high from the improbable title run, and that's to be expected. I don't see how this is any different than if Memphis or Butler would have won just one more game a few years ago: a great performance by a non-power conference school.

(04-14-2014 10:55 AM)HuskyU Wrote:  

(04-14-2014 10:49 AM)john01992 Wrote:  UCONNs problems:

-they are in a tough spot geographically

-they don't fit in culturally with the b10

-culturally they are an ACC school but can't get in because of the FSU/cuse/bc voting block

-in football they have a number of major cons (ex: history, stadium) and no major pros to offset them

personally If i had to make a list of 5 g5 schools most likely to get a p5 bid ==> uconn wouldn't even be on my list. it is not a slight at uconn as a school or an athletic program because most of their problems are outside of their control.

The fact that UCONN isn't even on your "Top 5 G5 Candidates" is as trollworthy as they come. It's pretty much been said by everyone that UCONN is one of the best G5 options, along with BYU and Cincinnati. Whether or not UCONN is worthy enough to get that invite is a more valid question than whether UCONN is a top 5 G5 candidate (which is pure trolling).

i guess not reading the part where i said it is not a slight at uconn as a school or an athletic program because most of their problems are outside of their control.

the biggest factor working against them is geography. do you really think the b12 sec or pac12 will add them?????

gimmie a break.

(04-14-2014 11:02 AM)john01992 Wrote:  

(04-14-2014 10:55 AM)HuskyU Wrote:  

(04-14-2014 10:49 AM)john01992 Wrote:  UCONNs problems:

-they are in a tough spot geographically

-they don't fit in culturally with the b10

-culturally they are an ACC school but can't get in because of the FSU/cuse/bc voting block

-in football they have a number of major cons (ex: history, stadium) and no major pros to offset them

personally If i had to make a list of 5 g5 schools most likely to get a p5 bid ==> uconn wouldn't even be on my list. it is not a slight at uconn as a school or an athletic program because most of their problems are outside of their control.

The fact that UCONN isn't even on your "Top 5 G5 Candidates" is as trollworthy as they come. It's pretty much been said by everyone that UCONN is one of the best G5 options, along with BYU and Cincinnati. Whether or not UCONN is worthy enough to get that invite is a more valid question than whether UCONN is a top 5 G5 candidate (which is pure trolling).

i guess not reading the part where i said it is not a slight at uconn as a school or an athletic program because most of their problems are outside of their control.

the biggest factor working against them is geography. do you really think the b12 sec or pac12 will add them?????

gimmie a break.

Just because you say "it's not a slight" doesn't mean it isn't one.

As far as your geography point is concerned, every school has "P5 non-starters." Do you see BYU with a chance at anything but the PAC or Big 12? How about UCF/USF in the PAC, B1G, or ACC (already with Miami and FSU)? Does any Mountain West-type school have a chance at anything other than the PAC or Big 12?

Most schools geographically have 2-3 options to begin with.

But keep trolling. You are very good at that.

(04-14-2014 10:52 AM)UpStreamRedTeam Wrote:  

(04-14-2014 10:35 AM)TerryD Wrote:  It has to make financial sense for the ACC to add a single school in UConn.

In what manner can UConn's addition to the ACC pay for itself and add to the per team TV payout?

I think that is the issue.

P.S. Melky, did I miss some announcement about the Big 12 not wanting UConn?

The rumor was that UConn was the first choice to join with Syracuse until BC made a stink. I don't think UConn to the ACC is such a wild notion.

They wouldn't have got in even if BC hadn't been opposed because the number of yes votes isn't close enough for one school to swing the outcome one way or another. Just because BC was the only school to come out and say it publicly doesn't mean they are the only one that vehemently opposes UConn as things stand right now.

(04-14-2014 09:36 AM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  Now that the UConn to the Big XII has been closed, let's refocus the topic on the ACC and the Big Ten.

When the ACC passed over UConn in favor of Louisville, there were many articles saying that in addition to better football at Louisville, the thinking in the ACC was that they should grab Louisville while they could because UConn would always be there if/when they wanted to expand further. That has changed.

The ACC obviously wants to get into NYC. They're bringing their basketball tournament there in 3 years. But now that the Big Ten has moved east to New Jersey and has opened offices in Manhattan, the "always available" tag doesn't fit UConn any more.

There are now 2 parties potentially interested. Competition creates a whole different dynamic. UConn will obviously go to the one who moves first. When there is another suitor, the warts on their football program don't seem so bad any more.

The Big Ten can create a commanding presence in The tri-state area with 2 state flagships. The ACC with all it's designs on the city, doesn't have a conference member within 200 miles. If they are going to block any future moves by the B1G, they simply must move quickly.

Despite their location outside Hartford, UConn has a statewide presence. The Connecticut border is only 25 miles from NYC. UConn has a satellite campus complete with graduate programs in Stamford, only one town removed from the state line. New Yorkers like my son-in-law have commuted their to get advanced degrees and become part of the UConn family. SW COnnecticut is not only a bedroom community for commuters to NYC, but it is also loaded with corporate HQ's, which employs a lot of NYers. Try driving into CT on I-95 or the Hutchinson River Pkwy any morning. It's bumper-to-bumper.

The point is that all the cross-traffic between CT and NY makes the Huskies the talk of the water cooler in a lot of corporate offices despite the fact that the universities physical location is 100 miles away. The fact is that there's a real UConn presence in the tri-state NYC area.

One of these conferences is going to move on UConn sooner or later. I thought it would be 8-10 years down the road. But the move of the Big ten into NJ and the competition that creates suggests that it will be sooner rather than later. It will be interesting to see who's going to blink first.

I think the UConn question gets answered once we know the answer to whether or not conferences will still need divisions to host football championship games. If the divisions requirement is eliminated then nothing is stopping the ACC or Big Ten from growing by only one.

(04-14-2014 11:09 AM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(04-14-2014 10:52 AM)UpStreamRedTeam Wrote:  

(04-14-2014 10:35 AM)TerryD Wrote:  It has to make financial sense for the ACC to add a single school in UConn.

In what manner can UConn's addition to the ACC pay for itself and add to the per team TV payout?

I think that is the issue.

P.S. Melky, did I miss some announcement about the Big 12 not wanting UConn?

The rumor was that UConn was the first choice to join with Syracuse until BC made a stink. I don't think UConn to the ACC is such a wild notion.

They wouldn't have got in even if BC hadn't been opposed because the number of yes votes isn't close enough for one school to swing the outcome one way or another. Just because BC was the only school to come out and say it publicly doesn't mean they are the only one that vehemently opposes UConn as things stand right now.

that is BCs version.

what actually happened:

the ACC wanted cuse. The acc was never seriously considering uconn because SU was never for that idea and wanted pitt as their partner.