(04-09-2018 01:12 PM)Bogg Wrote:  

(04-08-2018 10:30 AM)stever20 Wrote:  yeah, that's another thing. Right now, pre-TV deal for AAC, pre Hurley coming in and making an improvement for UConn basketball- is when things are at their best chance for UConn to move to the Big East. If the AAC gets 6-8 million and makes more than the Big East, and Hurley turns around the basketball quickly- the need to move changes rapidly. I think there's folks at UConn that think quite frankly it's almost now or never for UConn to go back to the Big East.

I don't agree, so long as the Big East remains a highest-level basketball conference and retains the tournament in NYC you'll hear noise. The argument will just shift to the AAC not being good enough (which you actually already hear some of).

Depends on the fans.

Man at AState we've got fans mad because we don't put enough into basketball or enough into baseball, even a few complain about women's hoops. Thing is that the fans are putting their ticket money and donations into football so football gets the juice.

I suspect the administration at UConn has a pretty solid idea how much they depend on people being satisfied with hoops vs football and makes their decisions with that factored in.

(04-09-2018 02:24 PM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote:  

(04-09-2018 02:05 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  Yeah, because Wichita, UNLV and especially Gonzaga needed the stage. Being in the Big East helped but it wasn't everything.

The Big East had five different programs (Georgetown, Villanova, UConn, Syracuse and Louisville) win a national championship. Of those programs that you specifically referenced, only UNLV won a national championship - and they were in the Big West when they won.

Somehow, I doubt that UConn has aspirations to be like Wichita, UNLV or Gonzaga. They have had much more success (not so much in the American) than all of those programs combined.

They don't need it though, even with Calhoun's recuits, they won a title out of the American with a 7-seed. They're down right now but it's got nothing to do with the American no more than Gonzaga is great because of the WCC. If UConn was in the WCC they'd be BYU or worse.

(04-09-2018 01:22 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(04-09-2018 01:12 PM)Bogg Wrote:  

(04-08-2018 10:30 AM)stever20 Wrote:  yeah, that's another thing. Right now, pre-TV deal for AAC, pre Hurley coming in and making an improvement for UConn basketball- is when things are at their best chance for UConn to move to the Big East. If the AAC gets 6-8 million and makes more than the Big East, and Hurley turns around the basketball quickly- the need to move changes rapidly. I think there's folks at UConn that think quite frankly it's almost now or never for UConn to go back to the Big East.

I don't agree, so long as the Big East remains a highest-level basketball conference and retains the tournament in NYC you'll hear noise. The argument will just shift to the AAC not being good enough (which you actually already hear some of).

If the money is better in the AAC, and the UConn program is turned around and making noise nationally, that noise will be a lot more muted.

Also, there's a chance with the AAC deal that it goes up a 2nd time when the Big East goes up the next time. So there could be a 2nd bump to keep it ahead of the Big East(if the Big East is able to get a bump up, which isn't a guarantee at all given Fox will be a lot more established in 7 years).

Well, if the money is better in the AAC, then it's an easy decision for UConn to stay there. We wouldn't be having this discussion here.

The whole point is that the money is NOT better in the AAC. That's why we're having this discussion in the first place. The Big East is ahead of the AAC on TV money and (this can't be emphasized enough) that's JUST for basketball.

For starters, I don't buy the assumption that the AAC will get significantly more TV money in the manner that they're fans are hoping. I keep hearing $6 million or $7 million per year from AAC fans, which would translate into approximately a 300% increase compared to what they're getting today. If you can show me other sports properties that can command a 300% increase in this environment, then let me know. Even the mighty Big Ten received about a 125% increase.. and that was based on a vastly outdated 10-year agreement that was signed in the middle of the BCS era and prior to the conference realignment of 2010-2013. So, there's healthy skepticism that the money will be better in the AAC down the road (and remember, for a true apples-to-apples comparison, the AAC actually needs to make significantly more than the Big East because the AAC is covering both football and basketball as opposed to basketball alone).

It comes down to this: does UConn choose more conference money overall (which is the Big East and that's only considering basketball money) with the high risk of independence for football or stay in the AAC for less conference money overall with a lot less risk for football.

THAT is the debate. We can pull out hypotheticals about how Hurley will do or how much the AAC contract might be in a few years until we're blue in the face to fit whatever narrative we want to apply... but what I just described is the actual debate NOW. In that analysis, the Big East is better for basketball and conference TV money with more football risk (and that would be true no matter how well Hurley performs on-the-court) and the AAC is worse for conference TV money with less football risk.

IMHO, as long as UConn has *realistic* P5 dreams, it can't really leave the AAC. How the men's basketball program performs is honestly irrelevant in that analysis. My guess is that UConn still isn't going to give up on that P5 dream as of yet.

However, if UConn *doesn't* have P5 dreams any longer at a certain point, then it also honestly doesn't matter how the men's basketball program performs: the Big East is simply better for them in terms of rivalries, geography and long-term interest. That would apply whether Hurley goes 0-30 or 30-0 with a national title every year for the next 5 years. Unless you're in a P5 league (and in a lot of cases, even if you are already in a P5 league), winning at the highest level actually spurs you to look for a better conference home even more because you have more leverage in the realignment marketplace.

I just don't buy for a second that how Hurley performs has anything to do with whether UConn moves to the Big East. The value of the next AAC TV deal certainly matters and whether UConn believes its football program can get them to a P5 conference in the nearish future (e.g. the next decade) matters even more. The on-the-court record for men's basketball is just temporary and even if UConn has a lot of success with Hurley, that still doesn't mean that the athletic department is happier playing Cincinnati, Temple and Houston as "rivals" (and note that I'm listing the upper tier AAC programs as opposed to using the classic realignment message board sandbagging technique of listing the worst programs in a league) compared to Villanova, Georgetown and St. John's. Those basketball issues that favor the Big East have to be weighed with whether UConn believes its football program can get them to the P5 or not (which is more in favor of staying in the AAC).

All I'm saying...... is that right now, the TV money is worse and the basketball program is down.

in 2 years- both of those could easily be very different.

If the TV money even gets to being even, then when you add in all the CFP money- the money distro for UConn in the AAC would be much greater than in the Big East. AAC got last year for instance about 25 million dollars- so divide by 12 and that's 2 million dollars. Indy BYU/Army/Navy got about 300k. So right now- the money that UConn gets in the AAC is already equal to the money they'd be getting in the Big East(plus indy football). If the AAC TV money goes up- it won't be equal any longer.

(04-09-2018 03:22 PM)stever20 Wrote:  All I'm saying...... is that right now, the TV money is worse and the basketball program is down.

in 2 years- both of those could easily be very different.

If the TV money even gets to being even, then when you add in all the CFP money- the money distro for UConn in the AAC would be much greater than in the Big East. AAC got last year for instance about 25 million dollars- so divide by 12 and that's 2 million dollars. Indy BYU/Army/Navy got about 300k. So right now- the money that UConn gets in the AAC is already equal to the money they'd be getting in the Big East(plus indy football). If the AAC TV money goes up- it won't be equal any longer.

I understand what you're saying and agree that UConn can't really make a great decision until it knows the AAC contract amounts.

However, the realignment poker game can also go the other way. If the next AAC TV contract is a lot less than what UConn anticipated, then their leverage goes way down and the ability to move to the Big East becomes shrouded in a move of desperation as opposed to a move of strength. Additional CFP money is something that the Big East can't offer, but FBS football expenses are also significantly greater so it's a judgment whether those costs are worth chasing the CFP revenue.

Note that this is all assuming that the Big East would take UConn back in the first place (which I'm still skeptical of since as long as UConn has P5 aspirations). This is also assuming that the Big East TV contract simply stays flat once UConn gets added in. Even if the Big East can't renegotiate its current TV contract, the addition of UConn could change things greatly when it's looking for a new contract in a few years and have a much bigger impact on a basketball-focused TV contract as opposed to a football-focused one. UConn plugs into the "network effects" of a strong Big East TV package (where the whole conference is worth more than the sum of its parts) in a way that it doesn't for the AAC in either basketball or football (where the whole conference would be lucky to receive the sum of its parts).

Once again, I'm not saying that UConn is going to leave the AAC. My only point is that UConn is only staying in the AAC because they believe that it's the best chance for them to get *out* of the AAC and into a P5 conference. It has nothing to do with whether UConn actually likes the AAC because they'll frankly *never* like the AAC as a home (whether it's for football or basketball). If/when that P5 dream is ever gone (or more appropriately, the costs of chasing that P5 dream without results become untenable), then that's when both UConn would look to the Big East and, in turn, the Big East would want UConn back.

I don't really think the money's going to be the deciding factor one way or the other - the AAC will get a bump but will almost certainly be comfortably south of $10 million per team, while UConn would get some sort of tv deal as an independent (probably split between Fox and SNY) for a million or three to bring things more or less even. UConn's a school that runs an $80 million AD budget and we're talking about $1-1.5 million either way. It'll be about where the best (in the ADs opinion) place to grow UConn's brand is, not about scraping together an extra 400k.

I will say, if the Big East stays this good in the sport of basketball, it will see even more money than it currently does. That's the power of a men's championship, now realized twice.

While it helps the AAC has some championships to its name, they are UConn's. So, whatever value there potentially is, others benefit from UConn so far more than UConn drafts off others. Again, so far.

I think the AAC can make a lot more money. Then again, I thought they would be able to lock down 5 bids in basketball by now, too. I would also think one of their football teams would have really challenged the football playoff construct...it looks pretty well insulated from non-P5 interlopers.

I agree with Frank that the AAC makes it easier to join a P5, though. Heck, I think joining the Big East would make the ACC the only acceptable alternative for basketball to some of the more active fans.

I just don't see TV money being the dealmaker/breaker for UConn.

UConn self-generates around $34 million. Conference revenue is just not a huge part of their budget. The willingness of fans to buy tickets and donate under each scenario is the real financial determinate.

(04-09-2018 03:54 PM)Bogg Wrote:  I don't really think the money's going to be the deciding factor one way or the other - the AAC will get a bump but will almost certainly be comfortably south of $10 million per team, while UConn would get some sort of tv deal as an independent (probably split between Fox and SNY) for a million or three to bring things more or less even. UConn's a school that runs an $80 million AD budget and we're talking about $1-1.5 million either way. It'll be about where the best (in the ADs opinion) place to grow UConn's brand is, not about scraping together an extra 400k.

I think you are absolutely delusional if you think UConn football could get remotely close to 3 million dollars for football. Major teams for their tier 3 deals don't even get that. Especially with the crap home schedules that UConn will be forced to play. Also, the Big East tv deal is for everything, meaning they'd be forced to scrap their tier 3 deal for basketball.

(04-09-2018 04:15 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  I just don't see TV money being the dealmaker/breaker for UConn.

UConn self-generates around $34 million. Conference revenue is just not a huge part of their budget. The willingness of fans to buy tickets and donate under each scenario is the real financial determinate.

Conference revenue for them represents about 15% of their budget. Remember, they get about 10.8 million a year from the conference. When the realignment fund is exhausted (this year or next)--that will fall to about 4-5 million a school based on current numbers. The key here is that UConn is covering a massive shortfall of about 44 million (assuming your self generation number is correct). That shortfall will be growing to 49 million with the death of the realignment fund. Hard to imagine that can continue indefinitely. Also hard to imagine that every dollar from ant revenue stream possible wont be scrutinized going forward.

(04-09-2018 04:15 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  I just don't see TV money being the dealmaker/breaker for UConn.

UConn self-generates around $34 million. Conference revenue is just not a huge part of their budget. The willingness of fans to buy tickets and donate under each scenario is the real financial determinate.

Marginal dollars can be important. UConn is going to lose Big East legacy money soon, and they have gotten used to having that. That money is built in to budgets.

If new TV deal fails to fill that hole, that could be a serious problem. It's one thing not to have 'extra' money you'd like to have to achieve aspirations, it hurts a lot more to have to cut your current programs because of a drop in revenue.

Two people I go out of my way to avoid hearing ... Jim Calhoun and Doug Gottlieb.

(04-09-2018 04:38 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(04-09-2018 04:15 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  I just don't see TV money being the dealmaker/breaker for UConn.

UConn self-generates around $34 million. Conference revenue is just not a huge part of their budget. The willingness of fans to buy tickets and donate under each scenario is the real financial determinate.

Marginal dollars can be important. UConn is going to lose Big East legacy money soon, and they have gotten used to having that. That money is built in to budgets.

If new TV deal fails to fill that hole, that could be a serious problem.

And UConn moving non-football sports to the Big East would not only cut down travel costs and eliminate home conference games with many opponents that carry limited history/interest to fans, but also (and most importantly) increase the value of the Big East TV deal. In this regard, it would positively effect three big areas that generate more money to their budget (travel costs, ticket sales and TV revenue). Additionally, UConn leaving the AAC would negatively affect their conference value, and there is certainly no G5 member that is able to slide in their place.

Ultimately, I think both UConn and the Big East would make more money from one another than they do when separately. The Big East has an established brand that is synonymous with elite basketball, much like UConn. With many sports writers and commentators publicly speaking on their desire to see UConn back in the Big East, I personally think that the writing is already on the wall...

(04-09-2018 03:12 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(04-09-2018 01:22 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(04-09-2018 01:12 PM)Bogg Wrote:  

(04-08-2018 10:30 AM)stever20 Wrote:  yeah, that's another thing. Right now, pre-TV deal for AAC, pre Hurley coming in and making an improvement for UConn basketball- is when things are at their best chance for UConn to move to the Big East. If the AAC gets 6-8 million and makes more than the Big East, and Hurley turns around the basketball quickly- the need to move changes rapidly. I think there's folks at UConn that think quite frankly it's almost now or never for UConn to go back to the Big East.

I don't agree, so long as the Big East remains a highest-level basketball conference and retains the tournament in NYC you'll hear noise. The argument will just shift to the AAC not being good enough (which you actually already hear some of).

If the money is better in the AAC, and the UConn program is turned around and making noise nationally, that noise will be a lot more muted.

Also, there's a chance with the AAC deal that it goes up a 2nd time when the Big East goes up the next time. So there could be a 2nd bump to keep it ahead of the Big East(if the Big East is able to get a bump up, which isn't a guarantee at all given Fox will be a lot more established in 7 years).

Well, if the money is better in the AAC, then it's an easy decision for UConn to stay there. We wouldn't be having this discussion here.

The whole point is that the money is NOT better in the AAC. That's why we're having this discussion in the first place. The Big East is ahead of the AAC on TV money and (this can't be emphasized enough) that's JUST for basketball.

For starters, I don't buy the assumption that the AAC will get significantly more TV money in the manner that they're fans are hoping. I keep hearing $6 million or $7 million per year from AAC fans, which would translate into approximately a 300% increase compared to what they're getting today. If you can show me other sports properties that can command a 300% increase in this environment, then let me know. Even the mighty Big Ten received about a 125% increase.. and that was based on a vastly outdated 10-year agreement that was signed in the middle of the BCS era and prior to the conference realignment of 2010-2013. So, there's healthy skepticism that the money will be better in the AAC down the road (and remember, for a true apples-to-apples comparison, the AAC actually needs to make significantly more than the Big East because the AAC is covering both football and basketball as opposed to basketball alone).

It comes down to this: does UConn choose more conference money overall (which is the Big East and that's only considering basketball money) with the high risk of independence for football or stay in the AAC for less conference money overall with a lot less risk for football.

THAT is the debate. We can pull out hypotheticals about how Hurley will do or how much the AAC contract might be in a few years until we're blue in the face to fit whatever narrative we want to apply... but what I just described is the actual debate NOW. In that analysis, the Big East is better for basketball and conference TV money with more football risk (and that would be true no matter how well Hurley performs on-the-court) and the AAC is worse for conference TV money with less football risk.

IMHO, as long as UConn has *realistic* P5 dreams, it can't really leave the AAC. How the men's basketball program performs is honestly irrelevant in that analysis. My guess is that UConn still isn't going to give up on that P5 dream as of yet.

However, if UConn *doesn't* have P5 dreams any longer at a certain point, then it also honestly doesn't matter how the men's basketball program performs: the Big East is simply better for them in terms of rivalries, geography and long-term interest. That would apply whether Hurley goes 0-30 or 30-0 with a national title every year for the next 5 years. Unless you're in a P5 league (and in a lot of cases, even if you are already in a P5 league), winning at the highest level actually spurs you to look for a better conference home even more because you have more leverage in the realignment marketplace.

I just don't buy for a second that how Hurley performs has anything to do with whether UConn moves to the Big East. The value of the next AAC TV deal certainly matters and whether UConn believes its football program can get them to a P5 conference in the nearish future (e.g. the next decade) matters even more. The on-the-court record for men's basketball is just temporary and even if UConn has a lot of success with Hurley, that still doesn't mean that the athletic department is happier playing Cincinnati, Temple and Houston as "rivals" (and note that I'm listing the upper tier AAC programs as opposed to using the classic realignment message board sandbagging technique of listing the worst programs in a league) compared to Villanova, Georgetown and St. John's. Those basketball issues that favor the Big East have to be weighed with whether UConn believes its football program can get them to the P5 or not (which is more in favor of staying in the AAC).

Exactly what "environment" are we talking about? The bursting sports values bubble we hear so much about? I have yet to see an ounce of evidence such a bubble burst exists. The Big10 got a 125% increase on a contract that was already one of the largest out there---not to mention it includes less inventory than it did before as more moves to the BTN. The MAC got a 10 fold increase just a couple of years ago. The Sunbelt was renegotiated early for a double the revenue. CUSA, which has been ratings garbage over the last 2 years still managed to double its revenue in just 2 years---and that doesnt include the inventory at BeIn and on ESPN.

Lets also consider that the existing AAC contract was the only existing conference deal that was negotiated under clear duress at the time. The conference was believed to be on the edge of implosion with the Big12 and ACC possibly not done with realignment. The AAC had already lost 15 schools in a year when the deal was being done (and rumors were out there that at least 4 other members were considering leaving). Additionally, the AAC was a conference with no name, no track record, and an incomplete membership (only 11 members). One of its top assets (Navy games) would not be included for another 5 years and its best game (Notre Dame vs Navy) wouldnt be part of the package for 6 years.

Since that time the league has stablized. The league has become the most watched G5 league (by far--its not even close). Navy is now part of the package and Wichita has added interesting basketball inventory. There is now a rating track record. A quick look at relatively similarly performing properties in terms of ratings (MLS Soccer, US Premier Soccer) would indicated that there is every reason to expect a significant increase in AAC value this time around (75 million to 160 million per year is what these properties bring). The low end of the the range represented by MLS soccer would give the AAC a bit over 6 million a school. Frankly, I think a double is the floor as that can pretty much be attained by simply selling CBS-Sports their inventory directly rather than sub-licensing via ESPN.

The travel cost difference isn't anywhere near as great as you think given that the Big East is all the way out to Nebraska now. The TV revenue is a bunk argument given that the CFP money would be lost, making that equal at best RIGHT NOW. And that's before the AAC tv deal is up in 2 years. Ticket Sales- lets see what happens when UConn's program is healthy. The reason why ticket sales sucked this year wasn't the AAC, it was the fact that UConn was a crap team.

I really think if UConn is going to leave for the Big East, it's really got to happen before the AAC TV deal is redone. Because with the increase the AAC will get, that's going to make the money part that much more in favor of the AAC(before you even talk with the 10 million dollar exit fee). I really don't think there's any chance UConn frankly leaves until 2025 at the very earliest.

(04-09-2018 05:03 PM)stever20 Wrote:  The travel cost difference isn't anywhere near as great as you think given that the Big East is all the way out to Nebraska now. The TV revenue is a bunk argument given that the CFP money would be lost, making that equal at best RIGHT NOW. And that's before the AAC tv deal is up in 2 years. Ticket Sales- lets see what happens when UConn's program is healthy. The reason why ticket sales sucked this year wasn't the AAC, it was the fact that UConn was a crap team.

I really think if UConn is going to leave for the Big East, it's really got to happen before the AAC TV deal is redone. Because with the increase the AAC will get, that's going to make the money part that much more in favor of the AAC(before you even talk with the 10 million dollar exit fee). I really don't think there's any chance UConn frankly leaves until 2025 at the very earliest.

UConn sales would be better in the Big East--I dont doubt that. However, I agree with you that the vast majority of the difference between current ticket sales and sales in 2012 is UConn performance.

(04-03-2018 10:07 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

(04-03-2018 10:00 AM)Huskypride Wrote:  

(04-02-2018 02:56 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(04-02-2018 02:34 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(04-02-2018 11:36 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  This is like saying the AAC would keep ECU basketball around if ECU decided to go independent in football. UConn has tremendous brand value in basketball. on the other hand---UConn was playing FCS football less than 20 years ago. Its football brand is far far less developed than their basketball brand. If I were UConn, I'd assume football independence would be necessary in a move to Big East.

ECU really has no brand value of any kind these days, football or basketball.

UConn is UConn, the brand they built in hoops has rubbed off to an extent on football. Plus, they are a good academic school, a flagship, and have easily the biggest athletic budget. Not comparable to ECU in any way.

UConn has absolutely no brand in football. NONE.

As far as your claim that the AAC wouldn't have the right to kick them out- of course they would. They would, and they absolutely would use that right to do just that. And UConn probably knows that. Anyone with a functional brain knows that. But you see, you want UConn in the Big East so bad that you think the AAC would screw themselves to allow UConn to do it. The AAC isn't going to help UConn in any fashion. Why should they?

we still build a program in a power conference and made 5 bowls (4 straight) including the fiesta bowl in like our first 10 years. that's more then a lot of new programs can say...we may not be Michigan but we are a bigger brand then UMass in football...that success still has to mean something.

Bigger brand than UMass in football. Wow, such high standards. Whoop de dam doo.

As a proud alum of ECU let's just take it easy on the Pirates guys (especially Quo even though I'm sure you stand by everything you've stated about us). I know that some of you don't give f... about us & I'm sure a lot of the country doesn't either but I do feel compelled to defend our fine institution and our athletic standing and potential specifically.

Yes, we've been going through a little lull but we're starting to wake up out of our slumber. Basketball will be much improved with Dooley at the helm.





It's put up or shut up time in football. With our toxic AD gone people are beginning to open up their wallets and support the program again. Looks like there's a good chance that ECU's current athletic advisor, Dave Hart, will assume full AD duties after this interim period (He was ECU's AD in 1992 when the Pirates finished #9 in both football polls & subsequently he went on to be the AD for FSU, Alabama & Tenn).

ECU football will be back & ECU has more support football wise than any other school in the AAC. As historically bad (by our standards) as we've been the last 2 years we did still beat UCONN both x we played in football and even pulled out a victory over UCONN basketball last year (not bragging just an interesting fact) and have led the league in attendance. We're just a season removed from defeating NCSU (3rd time in a row) to become the 1st non-p5 school to defeat a single p5 conference 6 consecutive games in football (NCSU 2x, VT 2x, & UNC 2x). We are also currently under construction to create what will be the nicest stadium outside of the p5 & one of the largest OCS (52k capacity).





Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't give a shout out to the #7 nationally ranked ECU baseball team. Yes, down here in the south we do care about baseball & it's a sport that's slowly gaining traction for it's tv appeal.

https://www.ncaa.com/news/baseball/artic...-latest-d1

Yes, I'm biased but I think if looked at objectively, ECU has a lot of value/potential and has enough history as a solid football program to not be summarily dismissed as an afterthought. I believe the ebb & flow of college athletics will soon yield a much more visible and valuable ECU athletic profile than most can imagine at this point in time.

& now that I've got my shameless self-promotion of my university out of the way:

As to this thread, yes UCONN is a valuable brand (perhaps the most valuable in the AAC) but they need us as much as we need them for a lot of the reasons already alluded to in this thread. The AAC contract will soon be renegotiated and will be more than enough to keep them in the fold. Since 2018 began, the AAC has had top 10 teams in football, basketball, women's basketball, as well as baseball (all by different institutions) which not even all the P5 conferences can claim. So the AAC is a very balanced and strong league with a great upside. Maybe I'm not a cynic or as despondent as many on this board. I admittedly prefer to look at the bright side of things (which has its benefits as well as its flaws) and thus I do think that the marriage between UCONN and the AAC will be a fruitful one for all sides given our collective circumstances. After all, most unions are either out of necessity or convenience & that rings true for this discussion as well.

(04-09-2018 05:06 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-09-2018 05:03 PM)stever20 Wrote:  The travel cost difference isn't anywhere near as great as you think given that the Big East is all the way out to Nebraska now. The TV revenue is a bunk argument given that the CFP money would be lost, making that equal at best RIGHT NOW. And that's before the AAC tv deal is up in 2 years. Ticket Sales- lets see what happens when UConn's program is healthy. The reason why ticket sales sucked this year wasn't the AAC, it was the fact that UConn was a crap team.

I really think if UConn is going to leave for the Big East, it's really got to happen before the AAC TV deal is redone. Because with the increase the AAC will get, that's going to make the money part that much more in favor of the AAC(before you even talk with the 10 million dollar exit fee). I really don't think there's any chance UConn frankly leaves until 2025 at the very earliest.

UConn sales would be better in the Big East--I dont doubt that. However, I agree with you that the vast majority of the difference between current ticket sales and sales in 2012 is UConn performance.

I do know a few years ago the difference in conference game attendance was about 500 per game- and the only reason why that was the case was the Temple game there was a big snowstorm. That's the number that you need to look at- conference attendance. Because comparing OOC games quite frankly is apples to oranges- 1 year you might have a great OOC home game, the next you don't.

(04-03-2018 10:00 AM)Huskypride Wrote:  

(04-02-2018 02:56 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(04-02-2018 02:34 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(04-02-2018 11:36 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-02-2018 10:19 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  I think they would. Heck, I wonder if by the conference bylaws they could even kick them out if they wanted? The Navy and WSU precedents could make the difficult, legally and in the eyes of the public.

But yes, the AAC certainly would bluster that if UConn removed their hoops all other sports must go as well, so like you say, they would have to plan for a worst-case scenario of independent football.

This is like saying the AAC would keep ECU basketball around if ECU decided to go independent in football. UConn has tremendous brand value in basketball. on the other hand---UConn was playing FCS football less than 20 years ago. Its football brand is far far less developed than their basketball brand. If I were UConn, I'd assume football independence would be necessary in a move to Big East.

ECU really has no brand value of any kind these days, football or basketball.

UConn is UConn, the brand they built in hoops has rubbed off to an extent on football. Plus, they are a good academic school, a flagship, and have easily the biggest athletic budget. Not comparable to ECU in any way.

UConn has absolutely no brand in football. NONE.

As far as your claim that the AAC wouldn't have the right to kick them out- of course they would. They would, and they absolutely would use that right to do just that. And UConn probably knows that. Anyone with a functional brain knows that. But you see, you want UConn in the Big East so bad that you think the AAC would screw themselves to allow UConn to do it. The AAC isn't going to help UConn in any fashion. Why should they?

we still build a program in a power conference and made 5 bowls (4 straight) including the fiesta bowl in like our first 10 years. that's more then a lot of new programs can say...we may not be Michigan but we are a bigger brand then UMass in football...that success still has to mean something.

You made the Fiesta Bowl with an 8 win record due to tie breakers and was the reason many called for the Big East to lose it's BCS status. It wasn't when WVU and Louisville was winning BCS bowl games. What a feather for your cap.

(04-09-2018 05:03 PM)stever20 Wrote:  The travel cost difference isn't anywhere near as great as you think given that the Big East is all the way out to Nebraska now. The TV revenue is a bunk argument given that the CFP money would be lost, making that equal at best RIGHT NOW. And that's before the AAC tv deal is up in 2 years. Ticket Sales- lets see what happens when UConn's program is healthy. The reason why ticket sales sucked this year wasn't the AAC, it was the fact that UConn was a crap team.

I really think if UConn is going to leave for the Big East, it's really got to happen before the AAC TV deal is redone. Because with the increase the AAC will get, that's going to make the money part that much more in favor of the AAC(before you even talk with the 10 million dollar exit fee). I really don't think there's any chance UConn frankly leaves until 2025 at the very earliest.

The travel should not be understated. The middle point of the Big East with UConn is Northeast Ohio. Creighton would still be the furthest foe, but they are still closer than Wichita State, Tulsa, Houston, SMU and Tulane. The middle point of the American is all the way in Tennessee.





Ticket sales have been trending downward since UConn left the Big East. This past year they averaged 8,732 per game. It was also the first time they did not have a sellout since 1990. You can place blame on the product, the conference affiliation, some combination of both or otherwise. However, in 2006-07, when UConn was down and didn't qualify for postseason, they were still selling out games and getting strong attendance in the Big East. In 1986-87, when they only won nine games, they still got 10k+ crowds against St. Johns, Providence, Georgetown, Seton Hall and Villanova. When they hosted Villanova this past year, they got 15,000 people at the XL. When they hosted Georgetown two years ago, same thing - 15,000 people at the XL.

I do not think you easily diminish the interest of UConn's fan base with its former Big East brethren. The numbers clearly support otherwise. Fans will still come and support programs when teams are down and when there are regional rivalries in-play. In the AAC, UConn has no regional rivals.