Attackcoog
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RE: [split] UConn football deal with CBS Sports Network
(05-11-2020 10:20 PM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote: (05-11-2020 08:20 PM)stxrunner Wrote: (05-11-2020 03:54 PM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote: Dave Benedict, with what the UConn athletic department has acheived in the past 12 months, has arguably been one of the top-performing ADs in the country.
While I do agree he has done the best job possible, and deserves credit for staying organized and on point, I think this is spinning it a little far.
Quote:In that time frame, Benedict has several seasons worth of opponents lined up, reacquired regional programs like Syracuse and Boston College to the schedule (with UMass and Army are annual matchups), gained P5 matchups at home against Duke, UNC, Purdue and NC State
UConn scheduled Boston College, Duke, Purdue, and NC State all before their move to the Big East. The already had these games in the AAC. Definitely deserves credit for putting together a passable schedule on short notice, but their home slate is pretty dreadful for quite a while and they had to compensate multiple teams to split up their already scheduled series.
Quote:lined-up buy games (over $1 million each annually) at Clemson, Michigan, Tennessee and Ohio State
Most teams in the country can get these games. It's not hard to get a payday from these schools. Most teams don't do it with any frequency because it makes it impossible to schedule home and homes. Again, they could have done this in the AAC. The move to the Big East precipitates the need for it now because of the lost revenue specifically on the football side.
Quote:and, now, found a new and better home (CBS Sports Network has 50 million+ subscribers) for its games than it was originally to have had (ESPN+ has under 10 million subscribers)
This is certainly a better home for UConn football as their stature within the league would have relegated most/all of their games on ESPN+. That said, they are getting paid pretty much peanuts, and were forced into a potential 8 year deal on that little money just to get on national TV. It's reminiscent of the deal Aresco made for the AAC back in 2014 (the need to sacrifice $$$ to get exposure).
Quote: - all while substantially cutting down travel costs (which was easily over $7 million annually - almost identical amount it was to be making under the new AAC TV deal) and associating its top athletics brand (basketball) with an identifiable and geographic power basketball conference.
UConn was not spending $7m on travel costs. By their own estimates, I've seen as much as $2m floating around. That seems high, but is somewhat plausible when considering all their sports. That said, their new schedule has the need for a fair amount of travel in football anyway. They get more paydays in the form of guaranteed games, but again, that wouldn't be incremental revenue then.
Look, this isn't a bad deal at all for UConn. I see what they are trying to do. Let's just try and stay on the ground here. There is already enough overreaching on the AAC board already. This isn't some landmark deal that is going to save UConn football. The money still isn't there.
Who are the other ADs in the country that was put together a highly respectable independent schedule for the following season in less than a year's time? Many predicted that UConn would need a waiver because they'd end up playing so many FCS teams (they are only playing one this year). Many predicted UConn would have a schedule like Liberty or New Mexico State (they clearly will not). Benedict has really made a name for himself throughout this entire process, and likely positioned himself for a strong P5 AD job in the coming years.
You're also selling the OOC buy games short. Which non-P5 program has numerous OOC games against former national champions in the coming years? And these aren't just casual buy games against the likes of Kansas State, Minnesota, Washington State or Vanderbilt. Blue bloods like Clemson, Michigan, Ohio State and Tennessee can get anyone they choose for buy games; why pick a non-P5 in the NE? Clearly, Benedict worked some of his magic there.
With regards to TV revenue, again, many predicted UConn would struggle to get any money/exposure as an independent. The money is on par with the SBC/C-USA, however the exposure is greater (and, once again, CBSN has more subscribers than ESPN+, which is another huge win). Most importantly, fans/viewers from their region will be able to watch their games (while also likely preserving their SNY relationship - which wasn't to be had they stayed in the AAC).
Finally, with regards to travel costs, you're misinformed. UConn spent over $9 million this past year on travel alone (https://dailycampus.com/stories/2020/5/1...m-covid-19). In 2018, it was $7.3 million (https://www.courant.com/sports/hc-sp-uco...story.html). Had they remained in the AAC, the television revenue alone would have compensated for their significant travel annually. Returning to the Big East cuts down that number big-time.
Overall, with this move to the Big East, this is very much part of a landmark deal for UConn athletics; it is going to save their athletics programs, and why Dave Benedict has done one of the best jobs in the country as a D1 AD in the past year.
The Travel costs savings of 2 million for UConn is probably misleading. First, some of those costs dont change at all. For instance, Womens Field Hockey was already playing in the Big East. The AAC doesnt play hockey---so UConn mens hockey and womens hockey travel costs remain unchanged in Hockey East. Golf, Track and Field, Tennis, swimming, and diving generally operate as limited meets---so travel to a single central point is the standard and cost are not going to change much in those sports. Basically, almost all the travel savings will have to come from football, basketball, soccer, softball, and baseball. Ive looked at the football schedule and I doubt much if any savings is going to come from there. I think its little more than AD spin to claim there is 2 million in savings that can be squeezed out of those remaining 4 sports. We'll see how it goes---but Im skeptical.
(This post was last modified: 05-12-2020 09:44 AM by Attackcoog.)
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