(02-18-2017 08:10 PM)Phil Lacio Wrote:  

(02-18-2017 09:57 AM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(02-18-2017 09:40 AM)bearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  

(02-18-2017 05:35 AM)BJUnklFkr Wrote:  This is a bi-weekly podcast done by Cincinnati local sports guy Richard Skinner, with Bearcat Journal (247 for UC) publisher Chad Brendel, and Xavier's publisher Rick Broering (sp??). It goes into detail about how far along UConn is into this, and apparently the MAC will welcome them with open arms for FB-only. This also explains why Wichita State has been floated as an AAC addition.

https://soundcloud.com/user-529029600

They seemed rather convinced that UConn will leave when the exit fee money is gone. Fox will up the contract for the Big East to grab UConn. The American will then add Wichita State. The question becomes what about number 12 for football. The top two choices have to be BYU and Army for football but what if the American can't grab one of those schools?

Best case scenario is this:

West: BYU, Houston, SMU, Tulane, Memphis, Tulsa

East: Navy, ECU, Temple, Cincinnati, USF, UCF

Second best scenario puts Army in the league. Outside of full blown expansion there isn't a single entity that changes the game for the league other than Army and BYU.

Losing UConn would be a blow but adding Wichita State with either BYU or Army as a football probably does lead to a decent TV deal. Conference tournament in basketball almost has to be in Cincinnati or Memphis every season due to shift in geography combined with arena quality.

If that came to pass for UConn, then they probably should drop to FCS.

No matter what basketball does, football remains the front door to any American FBS university.

As such, by joining the MAC they would have the same issue that is haunting a lot of arrogant Rice fans in CUSA... Namely they would be seen as institutional peers with Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, Bowling Green, Buffalo, etc.

Buffalo is an AAU institution, bro.

(02-19-2017 08:49 AM)BJUnklFkr Wrote:  

(02-18-2017 08:10 PM)Phil Lacio Wrote:  

(02-18-2017 09:57 AM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(02-18-2017 09:40 AM)bearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  

(02-18-2017 05:35 AM)BJUnklFkr Wrote:  This is a bi-weekly podcast done by Cincinnati local sports guy Richard Skinner, with Bearcat Journal (247 for UC) publisher Chad Brendel, and Xavier's publisher Rick Broering (sp??). It goes into detail about how far along UConn is into this, and apparently the MAC will welcome them with open arms for FB-only. This also explains why Wichita State has been floated as an AAC addition.

https://soundcloud.com/user-529029600

They seemed rather convinced that UConn will leave when the exit fee money is gone. Fox will up the contract for the Big East to grab UConn. The American will then add Wichita State. The question becomes what about number 12 for football. The top two choices have to be BYU and Army for football but what if the American can't grab one of those schools?

Best case scenario is this:

West: BYU, Houston, SMU, Tulane, Memphis, Tulsa

East: Navy, ECU, Temple, Cincinnati, USF, UCF

Second best scenario puts Army in the league. Outside of full blown expansion there isn't a single entity that changes the game for the league other than Army and BYU.

Losing UConn would be a blow but adding Wichita State with either BYU or Army as a football probably does lead to a decent TV deal. Conference tournament in basketball almost has to be in Cincinnati or Memphis every season due to shift in geography combined with arena quality.

If that came to pass for UConn, then they probably should drop to FCS.

No matter what basketball does, football remains the front door to any American FBS university.

As such, by joining the MAC they would have the same issue that is haunting a lot of arrogant Rice fans in CUSA... Namely they would be seen as institutional peers with Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, Bowling Green, Buffalo, etc.

Buffalo is an AAU institution, bro.

lol

My use of "bro" is sardonic in nature.

(02-18-2017 09:40 AM)bearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  

(02-18-2017 05:35 AM)BJUnklFkr Wrote:  This is a bi-weekly podcast done by Cincinnati local sports guy Richard Skinner, with Bearcat Journal (247 for UC) publisher Chad Brendel, and Xavier's publisher Rick Broering (sp??). It goes into detail about how far along UConn is into this, and apparently the MAC will welcome them with open arms for FB-only. This also explains why Wichita State has been floated as an AAC addition.

https://soundcloud.com/user-529029600

They seemed rather convinced that UConn will leave when the exit fee money is gone. Fox will up the contract for the Big East to grab UConn. The American will then add Wichita State. The question becomes what about number 12 for football. The top two choices have to be BYU and Army for football but what if the American can't grab one of those schools?

Best case scenario is this:

West: BYU, Houston, SMU, Tulane, Memphis, Tulsa

East: Navy, ECU, Temple, Cincinnati, USF, UCF

Second best scenario puts Army in the league. Outside of full blown expansion there isn't a single entity that changes the game for the league other than Army and BYU.

Losing UConn would be a blow but adding Wichita State with either BYU or Army as a football probably does lead to a decent TV deal. Conference tournament in basketball almost has to be in Cincinnati or Memphis every season due to shift in geography combined with arena quality.

The nbe isn't pulling in enough ratings to justify the 5mil they get know so why would fox pour even more money into it?

(02-16-2017 01:23 PM)UConnHusky Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 02:18 PM)Ocalabull Wrote:  Basketball is irrelevant compared to football.
Also, I can't speak for UC but USF does not give a **** about UConn and wouldn't schedule an on going series with essentially a less than G4 opponent.

And this thinking, folks, is why the AAC is doomed as a conference. G5 football is irrelevant. The ONLY, and I repeat ONLY, reason for any of our schools to make football a priority is to increase the chances of actually leaving the AAC for a P5 conference. In a P5 conference, football definitely drives the bus. In the G5? We don't have access to playing for a national title and we don't make real money (which is why all of our schools are all gradually going in the red). Spoiler Alert: the P5 is never going to let the AAC into the club and become the P6.

So, we can be one of two things:
1) the tallest midget with middling basketball (what we are now)
2) a great basketball conference who also happens to be the tallest midget (what we should strive to become)

If the Big East has shown us anything, it is that basketball DOES matter! They make more money than us per school as a basketball only conference. We should strive to be as good (or better) than them and make more money on basketball. That will help subsidize football because there is no money in G5 football.

UConn sees the writing on the wall. They are fully committed to football. However, once the conference realignment carousel stops spinning for good in 2024, they need to be ready if they are on the outside looking in with the rest of the AAC. At that point, the AAC would be better off pinning its future on basketball than football, since being the tallest midget may be nice, but it still doesn't pay $$$.

UConn wants to be in a conference that is also committed to basketball. If that is the AAC, then UConn would probably stay and the conference would gradually make more money as it improves. But, if the AAC wants to be delusional and dream only football dreams as the tallest midget with their nose pressed to the glass of the P5, then UConn is out. We can't afford to make no money and be delusional while we watch our basketball dry up in a conference where the member schools just don't get it.

Regarding "<The new Big East> make more money than us per school as a basketball only conference" you have to add context. 12 years for $500M is $41.6M per year. AAC's 7 year $126M is $18M per year, but when you add in $20M+ for CFP money and $6M for bowl money AAC football money is $45M per year.
If you are an eleventh nBE school dividing that up versus eleven AAC schools without you, it is more money per year per school.
Even if you don't factor in both changing to eleven schools, the per school money is a difference of less than 1% of Navy's athletic budget, and less than that for UConn's $70M athletic budget. Navy reportedly got $4.5M from the city of Jacksonville for this year's Navy-ND game.
The biggest nBE athletic budget number I have seen is Nova at $39M. That is below the AAC median. Sure, it goes farther without football costs, but it just doesn't seem to me like BE would be trading up for any AAC school.

Moreover, I think we fundamentally disagree on the AAC upside in football come 2024.
It is an uphilll climb, but the AAC does have a chance to be on the inside looking out come 2024. That's the whole point of the P6 info ops campaign. No one expects the contract-bowl-conferences to take a pay cut to let us in, but we can be on the right side of the next BIG shift if we keep pace with them and continue to separate from the G4. We are doing both of those things.

Does the AAC have more leverage in (re)negotiation if basketball is strong? Of course. But even if UConn and Memphis are in a down year or two,they have brand value in basketball.

Overall, the trajectory of the all-sport AAC is positive.
Just because the nBE hit the powerball (because FoxSports needed a brandname as a tentpole at launch), UConn or others shouldn't derail a positive path to sink all their money into lottery tickets.

(02-15-2017 11:05 AM)HuskyU Wrote:  http://www.fanragsports.com/cbb/rothstei...expansion/

Shockingly this is true. Rothstein has legit sources. Aresco needs to act on Wichita and someone else. Time is now.

is Rothstein as good as you say?

Add Gonzaga, St. Mary's, WSU, and the nBE has nothing on the American anymore; neither would the ACC.

(02-20-2017 05:14 AM)Phil Lacio Wrote:  Add Gonzaga, St. Mary's, WSU, and the nBE has nothing on the American anymore; neither would the ACC.

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(02-20-2017 05:14 AM)Phil Lacio Wrote:  Add Gonzaga, St. Mary's, WSU, and the nBE has nothing on the American anymore; neither would the ACC.

I'm pretty sure everyone would still prefer the ACC both in basketball and football hahaha

UConn is not going anywhere

(02-20-2017 08:09 AM)Comet Wrote:  

(02-20-2017 05:14 AM)Phil Lacio Wrote:  Add Gonzaga, St. Mary's, WSU, and the nBE has nothing on the American anymore; neither would the ACC.

I'm pretty sure everyone would still prefer the ACC both in basketball and football hahaha

I meant in basketball only.

(02-15-2017 11:31 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  XU would probably block any such effort. Moreover, I don't think we were ever really beloved by the basketball schools when we were in the Big East (with the exception of Marquette and DePaul who we have history with). It's no coincidence we have not played any of those schools or have them on future schedules since the split.

that's pretty sobering. we certainly didn't water down the league. the gang just liked to be together. it was something pretty special. i'm pretty surprised more titles didn't come out of that league.

Where's UConn going? No where. http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-husk...olumn.html

(02-18-2017 09:12 PM)Stookey57 Wrote:  I think if we get a lousy increase teams will be looking elsewhere

Sent from my SM-J700T using CSNbbs mobile app

But really, where is there to look? UConn has the Big East and FBS indepedence as an option. (I'm well aware of the drawbacks of that option, but maybe it's on the table in Storrs.) Navy could go back to independence and keep their TV money.

But for the rest of you guys, even with $0 in TV money and lots of ESPN games--or $3M a year on a non-ESPN network, what's the better option? MAC? CUSA? Mountain West? Sun Belt? FBS indy? Are those somehow better in a way I'm not seeing?

Y'all can look, but I don't think you find anything better than what you've got (short of another round of P5 expansion.)

IF that sounded negative, phrase it this way--you are the most attractive non-P5 FBS conference, even without a big increase in your TV contract.

The conference has positioned itself very nicely for its next contract negotiations.

MBB & WBB National Championships
NY6 Bowl Championships
High profile wins against other P5 Champions in FB
Strong Television ratings

The AAC record stacks up well with other P5 conferences. Trying to compare it with other leagues that accomplish nothing and don't have the TV ratings profile is really apples to oranges.

Unlike his negotiations after the breakup, Commish Aresco has a robust profile to monetize. And after the Big 12 stood down, he can offer stability.

Here's a thread from the UConn Rivals board with some good banter.

https://connecticut.forums.rivals.com/th...east.5987/

This Husky had just talked to Dave Benedict after the Rothstein bit was put out there.

"I just got back from FB meeting with Dave Benedict @ the Rent tonight. He called the current Uconn/BE stuff, the one guy at CBS is putting out, ...... " Fake News "

(02-20-2017 09:47 AM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  The conference has positioned itself very nicely for its next contract negotiations.

MBB & WBB National Championships
NY6 Bowl Championships
High profile wins against other P5 Champions in FB
Strong Television ratings

The AAC record stacks up well with other P5 conferences. Trying to compare it with other leagues that accomplish nothing and don't have the TV ratings profile is really apples to oranges.

Unlike his negotiations after the breakup, Commish Aresco has a robust profile to monetize. And after the Big 12 stood down, he can offer stability.

I think reality is that ESPN is hemorrhaging money, and while we should objectively get paid more based on what we've done relative to the current contracts in place, I don't know that the market will support that. If Fox and NBC even bid, they may well bid low, knowing that ESPN is unlikely to bid much higher than current, and even if they do outbid ESPN, we are back at having to decide whether the loss of publicity is worth it.

I am legitimately concerned that based on the rate at which ESPN is losing money, and which therefore means that FS1 and NBCS are losing subscribers (though less valuable based on their rate), means that we may not get any increase and a decrease is a legitimate possibility.

I would really like to see Aresco working to get Turner in on our game. They have the cable distribution and at least some interest in sports. If we were highlighting Turner (i.e., TNT and TBS), we wouldn't be buried on some channel that a good chunk of the population doesn't get - NBCS or CBSCS. Those two only make sense if we are getting on some other network they own - NBC should be our choice if they will put games on the peacock before and after Notre Dame. CBS is basically a non-starter since we'll never get games on the main network over the SEC. I'm not sure FS1 is well distributed enough to consider, but if Fox overbids, and maybe if we can get a few games onto Fox itself, that would be worth considering. Otherwise, it seems to me that it's ESPN unless Turner takes the plunge on a relatively inexpensive property.

(02-20-2017 09:47 AM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  The conference has positioned itself very nicely for its next contract negotiations.

MBB & WBB National Championships
NY6 Bowl Championships
High profile wins against other P5 Champions in FB
Strong Television ratings

The AAC record stacks up well with other P5 conferences. Trying to compare it with other leagues that accomplish nothing and don't have the TV ratings profile is really apples to oranges.

Unlike his negotiations after the breakup, Commish Aresco has a robust profile to monetize. And after the Big 12 stood down, he can offer stability.

I think reality is that ESPN is hemorrhaging money, and while we should objectively get paid more based on what we've done relative to the current contracts in place, I don't know that the market will support that. If Fox and NBC even bid, they may well bid low, knowing that ESPN is unlikely to bid much higher than current, and even if they do outbid ESPN, we are back at having to decide whether the loss of publicity is worth it.

I am legitimately concerned that based on the rate at which ESPN is losing money, and which therefore means that FS1 and NBCS are losing subscribers (though less valuable based on their rate), means that we may not get any increase and a decrease is a legitimate possibility.

I would really like to see Aresco working to get Turner in on our game. They have the cable distribution and at least some interest in sports. If we were highlighting Turner (i.e., TNT and TBS), we wouldn't be buried on some channel that a good chunk of the population doesn't get - NBCS or CBSCS. Those two only make sense if we are getting on some other network they own - NBC should be our choice if they will put games on the peacock before and after Notre Dame. CBS is basically a non-starter since we'll never get games on the main network over the SEC. I'm not sure FS1 is well distributed enough to consider, but if Fox overbids, and maybe if we can get a few games onto Fox itself, that would be worth considering. Otherwise, it seems to me that it's ESPN unless Turner takes the plunge on a relatively inexpensive property.

(02-20-2017 12:33 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  

(02-20-2017 09:47 AM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  The conference has positioned itself very nicely for its next contract negotiations.

MBB & WBB National Championships
NY6 Bowl Championships
High profile wins against other P5 Champions in FB
Strong Television ratings

The AAC record stacks up well with other P5 conferences. Trying to compare it with other leagues that accomplish nothing and don't have the TV ratings profile is really apples to oranges.

Unlike his negotiations after the breakup, Commish Aresco has a robust profile to monetize. And after the Big 12 stood down, he can offer stability.

I think reality is that ESPN is hemorrhaging money, and while we should objectively get paid more based on what we've done relative to the current contracts in place, I don't know that the market will support that. If Fox and NBC even bid, they may well bid low, knowing that ESPN is unlikely to bid much higher than current, and even if they do outbid ESPN, we are back at having to decide whether the loss of publicity is worth it.

I am legitimately concerned that based on the rate at which ESPN is losing money, and which therefore means that FS1 and NBCS are losing subscribers (though less valuable based on their rate), means that we may not get any increase and a decrease is a legitimate possibility.

I would really like to see Aresco working to get Turner in on our game. They have the cable distribution and at least some interest in sports. If we were highlighting Turner (i.e., TNT and TBS), we wouldn't be buried on some channel that a good chunk of the population doesn't get - NBCS or CBSCS. Those two only make sense if we are getting on some other network they own - NBC should be our choice if they will put games on the peacock before and after Notre Dame. CBS is basically a non-starter since we'll never get games on the main network over the SEC. I'm not sure FS1 is well distributed enough to consider, but if Fox overbids, and maybe if we can get a few games onto Fox itself, that would be worth considering. Otherwise, it seems to me that it's ESPN unless Turner takes the plunge on a relatively inexpensive property.

There has literally been no instance where a stable FBS conference (in other words, a conference NOT ravaged by realignment) received a pay cut. In fact, in every instance, a stable FBS conference has always seen a pay increase. The new 2016 Big10 deal will more than double the Big10 value.

ESPN is facing a situation where they have lost 50% of their Big10 inventory. The top AAC games are pulling P5-ish ratings. Those games are the perfect games to fill those holes. ESPN actually needs those AAC games now and cant afford to lose them. They would rather not risk that loss nor do they want to risk a possible bidding war. ESPN has a strong motivation to do an early AAC extension that locks up that valuable inventory. Its not deals like the AAC that are ESPn's problem. Even at 3 or 4 times our current price, we are still a great programming value when our ratings and contract cost are compared to the P5.

ESPN knows what they are doing. They passed on half the Big10 and will extend the AAC deal to fill those old Big10 slots at a fraction of the Big10 cost. Even if they pay the AAC 5 times more than they do now---the strategy literally will still annually save ESPN hundreds of millions a year. You have to look at the big picture to understand the strategy.

(02-15-2017 11:09 AM)malenko2 Wrote:  I wonder if UCONN tries independence for football if this actually happens.

I have been lead to believe over the years that this would be required (or dropping down to FCS), but I'm getting some push-back on another thread. I've tried to back it up by going to the googles and looking for the NCAA regs that state this, but I cannot find it. Can anyone clue me in, or is this one of those urban legends that has no basis in fact?

(02-21-2017 01:43 PM)geosnooker2000 Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 11:09 AM)malenko2 Wrote:  I wonder if UCONN tries independence for football if this actually happens.

I have been lead to believe over the years that this would be required (or dropping down to FCS), but I'm getting some push-back on another thread. I've tried to back it up by going to the googles and looking for the NCAA regs that state this, but I cannot find it. Can anyone clue me in, or is this one of those urban legends that has no basis in fact?

You can be a football only member of one FBS conference and play olympic sports in a difference D1 conference (even another FBS conference). The only requirement is that the FBS conference must have at least 8 teams that also play Olympic sports against one another. It doesn't matter to the NCAA where members #9 through #12 play their Olympic sports.