(02-15-2017 02:28 PM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote:  The issue with the American adding non-football members, and with their current contract, is that it dilutes an already low media deal. Even if the media deal goes up with ESPN (or Fox, or whomever), it isn't going up astronomically - those schools by themselves don't dramatically increase the value of the conference. You need to provide enough financial incentive for schools like Wichita State, Dayton and VCU to come over, while also increasing the conference's revenue to justify the additions. The core schools won't accept schools just for the sake of improving basketball, unless they are given more money to do so. The American has clearly decided to be a football-first league (rightfully so).

The other issue is that historically strong programs like Memphis, UConn, Tulsa and Temple have not been themselves these past few years. If they go back to their regular output, in addition to SMU and Cincinnati, the AAC is a solid basketball league. It's ECU, Tulane, UCF and USF that need need to pick things up (UCF made a home run hire with Dawkins, they are definitely on the right path).

the program to watch is Wichita. The MVC deal right now is putrid. Like literally I think if memory serves me right, they pay ESPN to cover the MVC. So anything just about would be an upgrade for Wichita.

Really, the same goes for the A10.

(02-15-2017 02:29 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 02:25 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 02:05 PM)stever20 Wrote:  I wonder if this may be a ploy to get ESPN to put more money in the AAC and not lose UConn to Fox. The timing is interesting right after the UConn women's game on Monday night that got 1.229 million viewers.

Except any increase isn't going to compete with the Big East amount and it doesn't help UConn by still being in the AAC when UConn could be in a Power basketball conference which the AAC is not.

The Big East is making 4 million per school per year. The AAC right now is making around 2 million. Why wouldn't ESPN bump it up some to keep a valuable property from leaving to Fox?

Probably because they wouldn't want to give the other 10 members an extra 2 million dollars to keep UConn.

(02-15-2017 02:29 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 02:25 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 02:05 PM)stever20 Wrote:  I wonder if this may be a ploy to get ESPN to put more money in the AAC and not lose UConn to Fox. The timing is interesting right after the UConn women's game on Monday night that got 1.229 million viewers.

Except any increase isn't going to compete with the Big East amount and it doesn't help UConn by still being in the AAC when UConn could be in a Power basketball conference which the AAC is not.

The Big East is making 4 million per school per year. The AAC right now is making around 2 million. Why wouldn't ESPN bump it up some to keep a valuable property from leaving to Fox?

Is UConn really that valuable to ESPN? To get the AAC to $4 million each they would have to add some $22 million extra? Are they worth that much? If they are that valuable then the Big East could get even more with UConn added and maybe even get an additional $1 million/school bumping up to $5 million.

(02-15-2017 02:29 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 02:25 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 02:05 PM)stever20 Wrote:  I wonder if this may be a ploy to get ESPN to put more money in the AAC and not lose UConn to Fox. The timing is interesting right after the UConn women's game on Monday night that got 1.229 million viewers.

Except any increase isn't going to compete with the Big East amount and it doesn't help UConn by still being in the AAC when UConn could be in a Power basketball conference which the AAC is not.

The Big East is making 4 million per school per year. The AAC right now is making around 2 million. Why wouldn't ESPN bump it up some to keep a valuable property from leaving to Fox?

Because ESPN is bleeding too much money?

Because the Big East commands bigger markets with schools in those markets?

I'm glad if UConn is doing this. ESPN has not been that great to them or their conference(s) over the years. Fox has been quite clear and repetitive in its point that it wants more content and volume in both the Big East and Big XII, and it will pay more to all for it. It's ESPN that wants to be a bit more conservative, but UConn finds itself stuck on the wrong side of all of this seemingly every time.

(02-15-2017 02:18 PM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  In regards to UConns exit fees and wait time would that still stand if they are dropping their FB to FCS?

I think they should do it. It's much more likely that the ACC doesn't expand soon and if it does it does so because the Big XII dissolves and much more attractive options become available. I don't think they have a realistic path to P5 membership. At leats in the Big East they stay a power in BBall.

Or UConn could be like Rutgers and search the country for real criminals to beef up their worse than struggling football team!

(02-15-2017 02:41 PM)connecticutguy Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 02:18 PM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  In regards to UConns exit fees and wait time would that still stand if they are dropping their FB to FCS?

I think they should do it. It's much more likely that the ACC doesn't expand soon and if it does it does so because the Big XII dissolves and much more attractive options become available. I don't think they have a realistic path to P5 membership. At leats in the Big East they stay a power in BBall.

Or UConn could be like Rutgers and search the country for real criminals to beef up their worse than struggling football team!

Okay butthurt UConn fan who looks for slights when they are not there. Reality check, UConn is in a s**** situation.

Grow up and stop being so defensive.

(02-15-2017 02:21 PM)Carolina_Low_Country Wrote:  To make us a 4-5 bid league we need to add Wichita State, Dayton, and VCU. It will kill off the A-10 and MVC and make them one bid leagues most years. It would also make Cinci and UConn happy in basketball and create more depth. Cincinnati may not be happy with Dayton in the conference but it would be a great rivalry game and really make our conference more close nit. Same goes for VCU and East Carolina, and Wichita State and Tulsa

I don't think losing VCU and Dayton kills off the A10 from being a 2-3 bid league. Granted, this year is a down year and those two are the only teams capable of at-large bids. Rhode Island, Davidson, St. Louis, St. Joes's, and St. Bona will be back. UMass has a top 25 recruiting class playing their freshman year. If the A10 were to lose programs, they shouldn't expand/replace them.

(02-15-2017 02:35 PM)stever20 Wrote:  the program to watch is Wichita. The MVC deal right now is putrid. Like literally I think if memory serves me right, they pay ESPN to cover the MVC. So anything just about would be an upgrade for Wichita.

Really, the same goes for the A10.

Really, ESPN pays the A10 5Mill a year and then factor in NCAA credits. With the uneven distribution, if you've earn a credit in the past 6 years, your combine payout with TV is around 1 million.

I've never heard of fanrag. It looks like an op-ed/blog site. Uconn has 2 teams in the BE now. It would not surprise me if they had some kind of conversation about this. Doesn't necessarily mean they are negotiating.

I don't see this as a negative for Uconn but I don't see it as a positive. They are going to pay $10 million to get out of the AAC and probably some reduced payout from the BE.

I think Uconn would be better off staying in the AAC, dominating basketball the way Kentucky dominates basketball in the SEC, and work on building their football brand.

(02-15-2017 02:24 PM)Tigersmoke3 Wrote:  You can go and eff yourself instead of ignorantly trying to downplay Memphis Tiger bball.

My comment was purely about geography, not the strength of those programs. I will amend my post to clarify as such.

(02-15-2017 02:28 PM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote:  The core schools won't accept schools just for the sake of improving basketball, unless they are given more money to do so.

UNLESS, they've either been told or have figured out that either: 1) they won't get anything close to the same money unless they add another strong bball school, or 2) they just plain aren't going to get anything close to the same money.

(02-15-2017 11:29 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  UConn can realistically compete for national championships in basketball. UConn knows it's out of the picture for national championships in football. So the priority has to be to do what's best for basketball. I see a move coming.

UConn won a Men's national championship in the AAC. Their performance recently has not been conference related.

(02-15-2017 03:01 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 11:29 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  UConn can realistically compete for national championships in basketball. UConn knows it's out of the picture for national championships in football. So the priority has to be to do what's best for basketball. I see a move coming.

UConn won a Men's national championship in the AAC. Their performance recently has not been conference related.

Recruiting and conference affiliation has a lot to do with it. Especially when there is a power house basketball conference with the big name that still resounds in the Big East.

(02-15-2017 03:01 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 11:29 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  UConn can realistically compete for national championships in basketball. UConn knows it's out of the picture for national championships in football. So the priority has to be to do what's best for basketball. I see a move coming.

UConn won a Men's national championship in the AAC. Their performance recently has not been conference related.

Keep in mind that they won that 2014 NC with players primarily recruited by Jim Calhoun to play in the old Big East. Ollie reaped the rewards but things have trended downhill since then. Their issues may be due to coaching, it may be recruiting, it may be the conference. It's probably a little bit of each.

That being said, basketball is UConn's bread an butter. It's in their best interest to protect their most valuable asset. Moving to the NBE would be a smart move, especially if they can broker a deal for placement of their football team in FBS.

(02-15-2017 02:53 PM)Wolfman Wrote:  I've never heard of fanrag. It looks like an op-ed/blog site. Uconn has 2 teams in the BE now. It would not surprise me if they had some kind of conversation about this. Doesn't necessarily mean they are negotiating.

I don't see this as a negative for Uconn but I don't see it as a positive. They are going to pay $10 million to get out of the AAC and probably some reduced payout from the BE.

I think Uconn would be better off staying in the AAC, dominating basketball the way Kentucky dominates basketball in the SEC, and work on building their football brand.

Yeah if they were dominating the AAC like UK dominates the SEC then sure, but thats not how things are working in reality.

(02-15-2017 03:12 PM)TopperCard Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 03:01 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 11:29 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  UConn can realistically compete for national championships in basketball. UConn knows it's out of the picture for national championships in football. So the priority has to be to do what's best for basketball. I see a move coming.

UConn won a Men's national championship in the AAC. Their performance recently has not been conference related.

Keep in mind that they won that 2014 NC with players primarily recruited by Jim Calhoun to play in the old Big East. Ollie reaped the rewards but things have trended downhill since then. Their issues may be due to coaching, it may be recruiting, it may be the conference. It's probably a little bit of each.

That being said, basketball is UConn's bread an butter. It's in their best interest to protect their most valuable asset. Moving to the NBE would be a smart move, especially if they can broker a deal for placement of their football team in FBS.

Recruiting has been fine, it is coaching. They are still getting good players. Also UConn can dominate the American like they do in women's basketball and be a top 10 team it is just coaching. Conference is not holding Gonzaga back.

(02-15-2017 03:01 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 11:29 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  UConn can realistically compete for national championships in basketball. UConn knows it's out of the picture for national championships in football. So the priority has to be to do what's best for basketball. I see a move coming.

UConn won a Men's national championship in the AAC. Their performance recently has not been conference related.

I agree, but in any year where UConn men's basketball is down, they would still have the regional geography and Big East tournament in NYC to sell and fall back on. In a down year playing USF, Tulane, East Carolina, etc. - programs that not only have struggled in basketball historically, but, more importantly, programs that UConn has absolutely zero history, rivalries, or tradition with to sell to fans and alumni - that's a tough sell to any AD of UConn (especially coming from conference that routinely played Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Boston College, West Virginia, Villanova, St. Johns, Georgetown, et al.).

Bottom line, is the AAC helping or advancing UConn's athletic brand and reputation? I don't have that answer, but I would say if they feel it is not helping them advance their athletics programs (or even if they feel the American is a temporary stopgap for a better conference membership down the road), then why not pursue going back to the Big East?

(02-15-2017 03:12 PM)TopperCard Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 03:01 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 11:29 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  UConn can realistically compete for national championships in basketball. UConn knows it's out of the picture for national championships in football. So the priority has to be to do what's best for basketball. I see a move coming.

UConn won a Men's national championship in the AAC. Their performance recently has not been conference related.

Keep in mind that they won that 2014 NC with players primarily recruited by Jim Calhoun to play in the old Big East. Ollie reaped the rewards but things have trended downhill since then. Their issues may be due to coaching, it may be recruiting, it may be the conference. It's probably a little bit of each.

That being said, basketball is UConn's bread an butter. It's in their best interest to protect their most valuable asset. Moving to the NBE would be a smart move, especially if they can broker a deal for placement of their football team in FBS.

UCONN is still pulling in top10 classes in the AAC just like Memphis is going to next recruiting cycle and I'll assume cincy is also. I'll repeat 2 down seasons in bball doesn't define a conference especially when that conference has a recent championship , and who knows how far and underrated cincy or SMU will go this season,,,just saying

(02-15-2017 03:23 PM)Carolina_Low_Country Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 03:12 PM)TopperCard Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 03:01 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 11:29 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  UConn can realistically compete for national championships in basketball. UConn knows it's out of the picture for national championships in football. So the priority has to be to do what's best for basketball. I see a move coming.

UConn won a Men's national championship in the AAC. Their performance recently has not been conference related.

Keep in mind that they won that 2014 NC with players primarily recruited by Jim Calhoun to play in the old Big East. Ollie reaped the rewards but things have trended downhill since then. Their issues may be due to coaching, it may be recruiting, it may be the conference. It's probably a little bit of each.

That being said, basketball is UConn's bread an butter. It's in their best interest to protect their most valuable asset. Moving to the NBE would be a smart move, especially if they can broker a deal for placement of their football team in FBS.

Recruiting has been fine, it is coaching. They are still getting good players. Also UConn can dominate the American like they do in women's basketball and be a top 10 team it is just coaching. Conference is not holding Gonzaga back.

If you think UCONN can dominate the AAC like that with Memphis and Cincy in it, then that proves that ecu fans really don't know anything about college bball

(02-15-2017 03:28 PM)Tigersmoke3 Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 03:12 PM)TopperCard Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 03:01 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 11:29 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  UConn can realistically compete for national championships in basketball. UConn knows it's out of the picture for national championships in football. So the priority has to be to do what's best for basketball. I see a move coming.

UConn won a Men's national championship in the AAC. Their performance recently has not been conference related.

Keep in mind that they won that 2014 NC with players primarily recruited by Jim Calhoun to play in the old Big East. Ollie reaped the rewards but things have trended downhill since then. Their issues may be due to coaching, it may be recruiting, it may be the conference. It's probably a little bit of each.

That being said, basketball is UConn's bread an butter. It's in their best interest to protect their most valuable asset. Moving to the NBE would be a smart move, especially if they can broker a deal for placement of their football team in FBS.

UCONN is still pulling in top10 classes in the AAC just like Memphis is going to next recruiting cycle and I'll assume cincy is also. I'll repeat 2 down seasons in bball doesn't define a conference especially when that conference has a recent championship , and who knows how far and underrated cincy or SMU will go this season,,,just saying

Well...for the conference in the past 2 years there have been no AAC teams in the Sweet 16. With the AAC being a 2 bid conference this season, that helps UConn's case with a Big East the is going to be at 4 or 5 bids this year again.

(02-15-2017 03:38 PM)Tigersmoke3 Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 03:23 PM)Carolina_Low_Country Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 03:12 PM)TopperCard Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 03:01 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(02-15-2017 11:29 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  UConn can realistically compete for national championships in basketball. UConn knows it's out of the picture for national championships in football. So the priority has to be to do what's best for basketball. I see a move coming.

UConn won a Men's national championship in the AAC. Their performance recently has not been conference related.

Keep in mind that they won that 2014 NC with players primarily recruited by Jim Calhoun to play in the old Big East. Ollie reaped the rewards but things have trended downhill since then. Their issues may be due to coaching, it may be recruiting, it may be the conference. It's probably a little bit of each.

That being said, basketball is UConn's bread an butter. It's in their best interest to protect their most valuable asset. Moving to the NBE would be a smart move, especially if they can broker a deal for placement of their football team in FBS.

Recruiting has been fine, it is coaching. They are still getting good players. Also UConn can dominate the American like they do in women's basketball and be a top 10 team it is just coaching. Conference is not holding Gonzaga back.

If you think UCONN can dominate the AAC like that with Memphis and Cincy in it, then that proves that ecu fans really don't know anything about college bball

I do not think they can my point was that it is not the conference holding them back. If they were in the Big East they would be having the same issues it is coaching. We do need some more depth in our conference though VCU, Dayton, and Wichita State will give us that.