Uconn to rejoin the BE?

[Tugg Speedman]

Is anyone reading Brent's memo that the BE is a crappy conference????

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/rubin-conn-vincing-case-hoop-champs-rejoin-big-east-article-1.1750178

Convincing case for NCAA Tournament champion UConn to rejoin Big East
UConn is not a big-time football school. But it is a big-time basketball school, one of the very best. Let’s take a look at what prioritizing basketball and seeking a reunion with the Big East might bring.

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Tuesday, April 8, 2014, 10:18 PM

The University of Connecticut has the top college basketball team in the nation once again. It is time for its administration to finally embrace that it has become one of the nation’s great hoops powerhouses and stop pretending to be so many other things in order to chase football money.

Monday’s 60-54 win over heralded Kentucky gives UConn four national championships in 16 seasons and two in the last four. It’s a basketball destination, built by Jim Calhoun and seamlessly continued by Kevin Ollie. It stands with Kansas, Kentucky, UCLA, Indiana, North Carolina and Duke. Connecticut’s roster has players from both coasts and everywhere in between, evidence of its reach.

Football drives so much in college sports, but it should not be steering UConn. Its administration should play to its strength and make basketball the higher priority in athletics. Find a decent place for your football program and seek what would surely be a welcome reunion with the Big East.

First let’s look at where prioritizing football has taken UConn. It’s now a member of the American Athletic Conference, which is quickly weakening as Louisville departs and East Carolina, Tulane and Tulsa arrive for next season. The schools in the AAC have a television contract for football and basketball that reportedly brings them about $2 million annually. The football conference is seen as weak. Worse, so is the basketball conference.

The AAC regular-season and tournament champion (Louisville) got only a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The shifts in conference membership could mean that UConn has to play a half-dozen Top 25 teams in non-conference games to get a respectable NCAA Tournament seeding.

It’s no secret that Connecticut wants out of the AAC and hopes to be invited to the ACC or the Big 12, whose TV contracts bring in at least $15 million-$20 million per school annually. But it really doesn’t have something that will enhance either conference’s football product.

The Huskies play in a 40,000-seat stadium, don’t have a track record of success and people outside the state don’t turn on televisions to watch them. They wouldn’t bring the Big 12 the Boston or New York cable markets.

UConn is not a big-time football school.

But it is a big-time basketball school, one of the very best. Let’s take a look at what prioritizing basketball and seeking a reunion with the Big East might bring. We’ll begin with two weekends ago.

 UConn played the East Regional at Madison Square Garden and it was a phenomenal scene. It owned the Garden again the way it did on many nights when it played in the Big East Tournament and against St. John’s. Huskies fans relished it. And a Big East get-together could make that a regular thing and renew many of the rivalries the fans longed for this season when the Huskies were playing the likes of Houston, and will ache for even more next season.

The Big East claims to be content with 10 members, but there are rumblings it would welcome the Huskies back. Something was missing from the conference without them. The Garden would surely love it. And both would be served by keeping the Big East’s tournament a premier ticket, even when the ACC holds its tournament at Barclays Center in 2017-18.

But wait, there’s more.

There’s money that UConn seems to crave in this idea, too. The Big East television deal pays members about double what the AAC schools get, about $4 million annually.

And it would mean that nearly every Huskies basketball game would be on national television, which is where the school should want its best asset showcased.

Options for the football program could be reasonable. UConn could be a football-only member in a conference. Or it could play as an independent, which is a slightly harder road, but games with Army or Navy could be good for the fan base.

More than three decades ago Connecticut used basketball as its guiding light, joined the Big East and there was nothing to regret. It needs to look in the mirror, see how basketball makes it beautiful, and try to do that once more.

[GoldenWarrior11]

The ONLY way UCONN would ever rejoin the Big East would be because of the burden of travel for olympic sports AND the necessity to either drop or move down their football program (which, IMO, is not happening within the next 10 years).

Sending their non-football and non-basketball teams could be a problem when other conference schools are located in Houston, SMU, Tulsa, Tulane, UCF, and USF.  I'm not a travel agent, but that sounds AWFUL for their teams.  I think Temple is their closest conference mate at the moment. 

Look at West Virginia and the Big XII.  I believe Oliver Luck even said that WVU got a special scheduling agreement with the conference so that the teams were not going to and from the Southwest every other night.  It's a tough act on the students. 

[Hards Alumni]

Don't let them in if they keep D1 football.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Thanks for posting Heisenberg.   I was actually going to post earlier in the week, but I got busy.  They were discussing on WFAN one afternoon also. 
("UConn needs to find a place to park it's football program.  They need the Big East and the Big East needs them.")


I'll throw this out-of-the box idea out there. 
* Football aside, the Big East would obviously want them.  Besides basketball, they also offer other very good sports programs that fit the BE very well (soccer, for example).
* FOX Sports would obviously pony up more money for UConn, so everyone can keep their $4mil per year basketball money.
* UConn football is not dreadful and it actually competitive.
* Where to park football?  Not the MAC, as UMass is already leaving as it had to choice to join the MAC for all sports or leave after 4-5 years.  I don't see them offering anything different for UConn.
* West Virgina is already squawking about excessive travel in the Big XII conference.
* UConn for all sports to the Big XII isn't happening for the same reason as the WVU issues and they won't bring enough additional TV money, so that everyone ends up with at least the same or more pay-out.
* So what if the Big XII takes them for football only and they offer some other university TBD the same deal so they get to 12 teams.  The Big XII can now have a conference championship game.  UConn agrees to take the same amount of money they get from the AAC ($2mil) and agrees to play each season a number of basketball games against Big XII opponents.  A conference championship game may very well cover the UConn and other team TBD payout.  (UConn men vs. Kansas or Texas, UConn women vs Baylor)

    * The current full-time Big XII members keep the same payout.
    * Big XII other sports don't have to deal with any new travel.
    * WVU get some reduced travel for football.
    * UConn football remains relevant (somewhat) and they won't hurt the Big XII either.
    * The Big East picks up one (probably 2) high profile members for basketball that will help FS1, the Tournament at MSG, the RPI, etc.
    * UConn gets a much bigger payout between football & basketball.
    * Big XII gets some marquee games on their basketball schedule.
    * Maybe include a Big East - Big XII basketball challenge.  (Doesn't FS1 carry Big XII football games?)

The other team could be Cincinnati (the BE has Xavier now, so I don't know from the BE perspective?) or UMass (their football team is dreadful, and would hurt Big XII football in the short term for sure, but it does get the Big XII into Boston area and does give WVU another team geographically close).  Or someone else like Memphis (although their football isn't much better than UMass).
My out-of-the box thought.

[MU82]

Hard to believe BE decision-makers would welcome a large public school with D1 football that would jump immediately at the chance to join the B1G or ACC and has recently been penalized for poor academics.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Why would the Big 12 take Uconn for football only?  What benefit does Big 12 get?

[Tugg Speedman]

Join the BE for everything but football. 

Become independent in Football (poor man's ND).

That is about the only way they could make the BE work.  And this is not realistic.

[frozena pizza]

Hard to believe BE decision-makers would welcome a large public school with D1 football that would jump immediately at the chance to join the B1G or ACC and has recently been penalized for poor academics.

All those national championships maybe?  If they went independent in football and joined the BE for the other sports I think this would be a great move.  The BE has already said they want to go to 12 teams - adding UConn and St. Louis would be perfect.  If UConn jumps at some point, it's not the end of the world.  It's much different having one school with a football program than half the conference.

[Texas Western]

U Conn will eventually join the ACC or Big Ten .  They just have to wait for the next round of changes. My sense is the Big Ten wil eventually bring in Kansas and they will pair that with an offer to U Conn. ACC waiting to see how litigation with Maryland is resolved before making next steps .

[GoldenWarrior11]

The Big XII will be staying at 10 for the foreseeable future, unless it adds a team that gives each of the teams (specifically the Longhorn Network) more money.  The only realistic school (based on location, prestige and market) is BYU - and they aren't going anywhere because they get tons of money from their TV deal.  They SHOULD have just gone for an eastern block with West Virginia, Louisville, and Cincinnati in 2012, but it's too late for that now.

TV markets are what drove the latest round of expansion.  For the Big East, it's not necessarily about adding the location that adds the biggest market, it's about who is the best fit.  The perfect school adds the right institution (private), in the right location (big city), that has a clear emphasis towards elite basketball (no threat to jump to another conference).  Right now, I would say that only Saint Louis is the clear addition.

The Big East has the luxury of waiting out the realignment period (which appears to be coming to a close) and selecting based on these needs, rather than adding out of survival that doomed the Old Big East.  

It could quite possibly be that the Big East will wait out and hope for UCONN.  Realistically speaking, if UCONN continues to falter in football, the school may (MAY) decide to say, "We are a basketball-first school.  Let's abandon the football dream and pump all of our resources into basketball."  However, IMO, if Duke can manage a respectable football program, then so can UCONN.  I don't see a second marriage at all in the future.

[Farley36]

What on earth does UConn offer any of the BCS conferences?  They make decisions on football only.  From a football point of view UConn generates no revenue for these conferences, their stadium is tiny, they do not bring a big tv market to the table, etc..   Sure they'd be a nice addition from a basketball perspective but that's an after thought for the ACC, Big 10, and Big 12.  UConn is either staying in the AAC which could end up killing them even in bball or they need to find something to do with football and rejoin the Big East in other sports.  My guess is they don't see this and will stick with the AAC believing that it's only a matter of time until a BCS conference comes calling.  Only when it's too late will they realized the error of their ways and by then they will just be once great basketball power.  

[ChicosBailBonds]

U Conn will eventually join the ACC or Big Ten .  They just have to wait for the next round of changes. My sense is the Big Ten wil eventually bring in Kansas and they will pair that with an offer to U Conn. ACC waiting to see how litigation with Maryland is resolved before making next steps .

Big Ten is not adding UConn.  Not with those academics.  It is not happening.  They aren't part of the AAU.  End of story.

KU could join the Big Ten, it has been talked about many times.  The thought process was KU and Mizzou at one point, but the SEC got Mizzou first.  However, the grant of rights the Big 12 members signed goes until 2024, meaning if KU or anyone leaves the Big 12 for other conferences they are giving up a ton of revenue and the conference they go to isn't getting it either.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Big Ten is not adding UConn.  Not with those academics.  It is not happening.  They aren't part of the AAU.  End of story.

KU could join the Big Ten, it has been talked about many times.  The thought process was KU and Mizzou at one point, but the SEC got Mizzou first.  However, the grant of rights the Big 12 members signed goes until 2024, meaning if KU or anyone leaves the Big 12 for other conferences they are giving up a ton of revenue and the conference they go to isn't getting it either.

UConn is expecting an AAU invite.  They meet the AAU criteria with recent changes in the system and the university ranking is very good (#57 USN) and has climbed to be a Top 20 public university (#19, up from #27).

[SaveOD238]

I grew up in CT, so I would love to have UConn back in our conference.  Ideally, uconn would drop football altogether and come back to us (and we would take them with open arms), but I just don't see that happening.  (Heck, I'd even take Memphis in the same deal)

The biggest reason is that Connecticut has a bit of an inferiority complex.  Sandwiched between New York and Boston, CT (and Hartford specifically) just wants to play with the big boys.  Losing the Whalers was a huge blow.  So was the Patriots to Hartford flirtation.  Both of those moves in the mid-late 90s led to the promotion of the UConn football team (which plays across the river from downtown Hartford, not in Storrs), which took a lot of public investment.  I do not see the whole city/state just giving up on their dream of hitting the big time.

Of course, they should be happy that they have 13 combined championships in men's and women basketball over the last 20 years.  Alas...

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I grew up in CT, so I would love to have UConn back in our conference.  Ideally, uconn would drop football altogether and come back to us (and we would take them with open arms), but I just don't see that happening.  (Heck, I'd even take Memphis in the same deal)

The biggest reason is that Connecticut has a bit of an inferiority complex.  Sandwiched between New York and Boston, CT (and Hartford specifically) just wants to play with the big boys.  Losing the Whalers was a huge blow.  So was the Patriots to Hartford flirtation.  Both of those moves in the mid-late 90s led to the promotion of the UConn football team (which plays across the river from downtown Hartford, not in Storrs), which took a lot of public investment.  I do not see the whole city/state just giving up on their dream of hitting the big time.

Of course, they should be happy that they have 13 combined championships in men's and women basketball over the last 20 years.  Alas...

Very well stated.

[Hards Alumni]

Big Ten is not adding UConn.  Not with those academics.  It is not happening.  They aren't part of the AAU.  End of story.

KU could join the Big Ten, it has been talked about many times.  The thought process was KU and Mizzou at one point, but the SEC got Mizzou first.  However, the grant of rights the Big 12 members signed goes until 2024, meaning if KU or anyone leaves the Big 12 for other conferences they are giving up a ton of revenue and the conference they go to isn't getting it either.

+1  KU could head to the B1G, and then the Big12 could become what it should be... all Texas and OK teams adding SMU, Houston and another... UTEP or Rice?.  WVU, KSU, and ISU head to the AAC to replace SMU and Houston (and Rutgers which is B1G bound).  Even trade for conferences that make more sense.

WVU cuts down on travel expenses tremendously, but obviously loses some conference notoriety.  I think this balances the conferences, and makes the AAC more valuable as a conference than it was... There is an obvious weakening of the Big12, but with those new teams added from Texas there is plenty of room to grow.

This shakes the conferences out to:

Big12
Texas
SMU
Texas Tech
Baylor
Oklahoma
OK State
TCU
Houston
UTEP?  Rice?  Both?

AAC
UCF
Louisville
WVU
UConn
Iowa State
Cincinnati
USF
Temple
Memphis
KSU

B1G adds
KU
Rutgers

[ChicosBailBonds]

UConn is expecting an AAU invite.  They meet the AAU criteria with recent changes in the system and the university ranking is very good (#57 USN) and has climbed to be a Top 20 public university (#19, up from #27).

If they get that, it is one domino for sure.  That being said, the AAU and Uconn rumors have been going around now for at least 5 years if not much longer.  It's an invitation only club.  Maybe it happens.  I know they have been trying and it has been put out there as a public goal of theirs.  It should be and kudos to them for making the effort.  I'm just of the mindset I'll ultimately believe it when it happens.  Here's an example going back to 2010.  http://blogs.courant.com/uconn_football/2010/05/uconn-and-the-aau.html

On the athletics side, I still don't see where they add any value on the $$ side.  They bring very little to the Northeast in football ratings, basketball ratings don't mean a lot in the grand scheme of things, not compare to football anyway.  Yes, they have men's and women's hoops, solid soccer, but the only market they add is Hartford (NY DMA already covered with Rutgers). 

The one big thing they do have going for them is no grant of rights with the AAC, which makes their movement much easier.

[keefe]

The biggest reason is that Connecticut has a bit of an inferiority complex. 

Is it the whole state? I thought it was just Greenwich...

[Tums Festival]

+1  KU could head to the B1G, and then the Big12 could become what it should be... all Texas and OK teams adding SMU, Houston and another... UTEP or Rice?.  WVU, KSU, and ISU head to the AAC to replace SMU and Houston (and Rutgers which is B1G bound).  Even trade for conferences that make more sense.

WVU cuts down on travel expenses tremendously, but obviously loses some conference notoriety.  I think this balances the conferences, and makes the AAC more valuable as a conference than it was... There is an obvious weakening of the Big12, but with those new teams added from Texas there is plenty of room to grow.

This shakes the conferences out to:

Big12
Texas
SMU
Texas Tech
Baylor
Oklahoma
OK State
TCU
Houston
UTEP?  Rice?  Both?

AAC
UCF
Louisville
WVU
UConn
Iowa State
Cincinnati
USF
Temple
Memphis
KSU

B1G adds
KU
Rutgers

Louisville is going to the ACC next year.

[warriorchick]

Don't mess withe Big East brand:

Private. Great basketball tradition. Strong academics. No football.

[Hards Alumni]

Louisville is going to the ACC next year.

Fair enough.  Replace Louisville with nearly any top A-10 team.

[MU82]

All those national championships maybe?  If they went independent in football and joined the BE for the other sports I think this would be a great move.  The BE has already said they want to go to 12 teams - adding UConn and St. Louis would be perfect.  If UConn jumps at some point, it's not the end of the world.  It's much different having one school with a football program than half the conference.

I understand what you're saying and I mostly agree. But I'm trying to think from an administrator's perspective.

Poor academics. Public school. Focus on D1 football.

It just doesn't add up.

[PBRme]

You are all missing the most important question

But what would UConn joining the BE mean to Dayton's chances of joining the BE

[keefe]

But what would UConn joining the BE mean to Dayton's chances of joining the BE

Dayton who?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

UConn would be SO much more profitable if they didn't have football. They may come to their senses eventually but until then, no deal

[chapman]

Do I want the school that has won 2 of the last 4 championships in our conference? 

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

UConn would be SO much more profitable if they didn't have football. They may come to their senses eventually but until then, no deal

I would bet their football program brings in more dollars than basketball.  To give perspective on how valuable football is......  the Kentucky football program brings 3x more revenue than the basketball program.  

[EnderWiggen]

I would bet their football program brings in more dollars than basketball.  To give perspective on how valuable football is......  the Kentucky football program brings 3x more revenue than the basketball program.  

That is extremely depressing, if true. 

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

That is extremely depressing, if true. 

I lied, it's closer to 2x as much.  Here's an article from 2011.  It shows the Marquette revenues.  Apparently, Kentucky basketball is hurt by the fact that Adolph Rupp Arena doesn't have any luxury boxes.  Louisville and MU basketball are more profitable than Kentucky

http://businessofcollegesports.com/2011/06/20/which-football-and-basketball-programs-produce-the-largest-profits/

[ChicosBailBonds]

Do I want the school that has won 2 of the last 4 championships in our conference? 

Depends if you want the baggage that goes with it.  Some will, some won't.

[warriorchick]

I lied, it's closer to 2x as much.  Here's an article from 2011.  It shows the Marquette revenues.  Apparently, Kentucky basketball is hurt by the fact that Adolph Rupp Arena doesn't have any luxury boxes.  Louisville and MU basketball are more profitable than Kentucky

http://businessofcollegesports.com/2011/06/20/which-football-and-basketball-programs-produce-the-largest-profits/

Rupp is a pit... it's basically a '70's-era high school gym with 23,000 seats in it.  Talk about a place that needs a new arena....

[77ncaachamps]

Don't mess withe Big East brand:

Private. Great basketball tradition. Strong academics. No football.

This. Not to be elitist but the profile fits the schools and any prospective school needs to fit the profile.

The growing pains have been hard to swallow, but in the long run, it's the league's only key to success.

At best, we'll be close to the old BE. At worst, we're the WCC.

[EnderWiggen]

Don't mess withe Big East brand:

Private. Great basketball tradition. Strong academics. No football.

Agree with all of that except for the private part, which i don't think matters as much as we all think.  I would prefer private, but I would also be great with UConn if they dropped football. Hell, I would be ok with VCU.  I just don't want to be tied to schools that are tied to football.

[Groin_pull]

Don't mess withe Big East brand:

Private. Great basketball tradition. Strong academics. No football.

Private. Great Solid basketball tradition. Strong Decent academics. No football.

A little more accurate now.

[warriorchick]

I would prefer private, but I would also be great with UConn if they dropped football.

This will never happen.

[Jet915]

UCONN has invested way too much money already into football. They are gonna ride it out for atleast 5-6 years hoping that their football becomes respectable while they are still getting old Big East money. If their football still sucks and their old Big East money runs out and they still haven't gotten a BCS offer in those 5-6 years, then that is when they will consider jumping to the Big East IMO.

[bradley center bat]

UConn just played in the Fiesta Bowl not to long ago.

[ChicosBailBonds]

UConn just played in the Fiesta Bowl not to long ago.

Correct, because the Big East was an AQ conference at the time so the Big East champion was going to play in a quality BCS bowl game.  They were 8-4 that year prior to being blown out in the Fiesta Bowl with losses to Temple, Michigan, Rutgers and Louisville.

[EnderWiggen]

This will never happen.

oh yea, this was all completely hypothetical.  I think they *might* eventually drop it, but it won't happen anytime soon.

[Eldon]

I have heard that even the crappy conferences like CUSA and MAC, etc. still turn a profit on football, regardless of how terrible they are compared to the likes of the SEC.  Is this true?  Does a school like, say, Akron make a profit from football?  If so, is it a big profit?

UNC-Charlotte just built a brand new stadium from scratch.  I find it hard to believe that they will ever recoup that cost.  But admittedly I am ignorant and hence my question

[forgetful]

I would bet their football program brings in more dollars than basketball.  To give perspective on how valuable football is......  the Kentucky football program brings 3x more revenue than the basketball program.  

UCONN football loses money.  On paper they make it look exactly even, so $0 profit.  That means (because of how most public Universities work) that they syphon money from other accounts to balance the funds. 

Most Universities lose a lot of money on football.  The reported profits by most are modified through creative accounting.

[Texas Western]

If they get that, it is one domino for sure.  That being said, the AAU and Uconn rumors have been going around now for at least 5 years if not much longer.  It's an invitation only club.  Maybe it happens.  I know they have been trying and it has been put out there as a public goal of theirs.  It should be and kudos to them for making the effort.  I'm just of the mindset I'll ultimately believe it when it happens.  Here's an example going back to 2010.  http://blogs.courant.com/uconn_football/2010/05/uconn-and-the-aau.html

On the athletics side, I still don't see where they add any value on the $$ side.  They bring very little to the Northeast in football ratings, basketball ratings don't mean a lot in the grand scheme of things, not compare to football anyway.  Yes, they have men's and women's hoops, solid soccer, but the only market they add is Hartford (NY DMA already covered with Rutgers). 

The one big thing they do have going for them is no grant of rights with the AAC, which makes their movement much easier.

In the New York market no one cares about Rutgers.  U Conn is a much bigger name in the TV market. That name recognition in the NY Market  is what they would bring to the Big Ten. If this happened they would also likely schedule a handful of their football games in Yankee Stadium. Also the configuration of the campus is very much like a Big Ten School. All that said I still think they would only get in the Big if the Big was able to get Kansas first. Sort of the same way Rutgers got in off of Maryland jumping from the ACC.  My sense is that the U Conn administration will wait it out to see if a Big Ten or ACC invite happens before going to the Big East. A Big East move would likely be paired with them taking football down a notch, which would probably offset the financial gain of a better TV contract.

Also I think the Big East needs to let its double round robin format keep playing out. I believe this is going to be what make our conference one of the most exciting year in and year out. It really allows the fans to recognize the opponents players coaches etc.  

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Correct, because the Big East was an AQ conference at the time so the Big East champion was going to play in a quality BCS bowl game.  They were 8-4 that year prior to being blown out in the Fiesta Bowl with losses to Temple, Michigan, Rutgers and Louisville.

I've said it before.  If their coach wasn't already out the door before the game maybe he would have been a little more focused on the game.  As soon as the game ended he was on a plane to Maryland for the head coach position.  No one had any idea he was leaving.

[ChicosBailBonds]

In the New York market no one cares about Rutgers.  U Conn is a much bigger name in the TV market. That name recognition in the NY Market  is what they would bring to the Big Ten. If this happened they would also likely schedule a handful of their football games in Yankee Stadium. Also the configuration of the campus is very much like a Big Ten School. All that said I still think they would only get in the Big if the Big was able to get Kansas first. Sort of the same way Rutgers got in off of Maryland jumping from the ACC.  My sense is that the U Conn administration will wait it out to see if a Big Ten or ACC invite happens before going to the Big East. A Big East move would likely be paired with them taking football down a notch, which would probably offset the financial gain of a better TV contract.

Also I think the Big East needs to let its double round robin format keep playing out. I believe this is going to be what make our conference one of the most exciting year in and year out. It really allows the fans to recognize the opponents players coaches etc.  

Not for football, and that's what drives ratings.  Quite frankly, neither does that well, but Rutgers does better.

At the end of the day, the Big Ten television contract payment doesn't particularly care.  The ratings matter for advertising, but not for carriage fees per se that the MSO's have to pay.  Rutgers delivers NY for the Big Ten in that capacity, so adding UConn doesn't do anything for carriage fees other than adding the state of CT.  That's nice, but its a drop in the bucket quite frankly. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

I've said it before.  If their coach wasn't already out the door before the game maybe he would have been a little more focused on the game.  As soon as the game ended he was on a plane to Maryland for the head coach position.  No one had any idea he was leaving.

Maybe, but they were 8-4 going into the game, played in the fairly soft Big East....not convinced they would have done much against Oklahoma that year regardless of where the coaching staff focus was at. 

[bradley center bat]

Correct, because the Big East was an AQ conference at the time so the Big East champion was going to play in a quality BCS bowl game.  They were 8-4 that year prior to being blown out in the Fiesta Bowl with losses to Temple, Michigan, Rutgers and Louisville.

Ya, what's your point? The Big East has been a AQ conference in the BCS era.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Ya, what's your point? The Big East has been a AQ conference in the BCS era.

My point was they were the tallest midget in the circus and got to go to the Fiesta Bowl due to the AQ status.  UCONN may have been the softest team to go to the Fiesta Bowl since it became a big time bowl.  One could make an argument it was the softest team since the 1970's.  Someone had to go from the Big East.

[Nukem2]

UCONN football loses money.  On paper they make it look exactly even, so $0 profit.  That means (because of how most public Universities work) that they syphon money from other accounts to balance the funds. 

Most Universities lose a lot of money on football.  The reported profits by most are modified through creative accounting.

Cooking the books with transfer pricing straight out of the cost accounting books.  Of course, that does not reflect contributions to a school due to the sport.  Whatever floats one's boat.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I would bet their football program brings in more dollars than basketball.  To give perspective on how valuable football is......  the Kentucky football program brings 3x more revenue than the basketball program.  

Those numbers aren't quite accurate. As someone else pointed out, schools siphon money from other accounts to make their numbers look better. More importantly, there are several hidden costs of football. For example, because they spend so much money on football, they need to spend equal money on women's sports. So if you pay 50 million on football (which is barely profitable, if at all) that's another 50 million you have to spend on women's sports (all of which lose money, besides basketball). Cut football and you can 100 million of costs.

The numbers in this example are made up. I have no idea what uconns football costs are

[bilsu]

I have heard that even the crappy conferences like CUSA and MAC, etc. still turn a profit on football, regardless of how terrible they are compared to the likes of the SEC.  Is this true?  Does a school like, say, Akron make a profit from football?   If so, is it a big profit?

UNC-Charlotte just built a brand new stadium from scratch.  I find it hard to believe that they will ever recoup that cost.  But admittedly I am ignorant and hence my question

It would not be hard to envision Akron making a profit at football. I sure they spend a lot less on recruiting than UW does and they probably pay their coaches a lot less too. UW football brings in way more dollars, but they also spend way more money.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

In the New York market no one cares about Rutgers.  U Conn is a much bigger name in the TV market. That name recognition in the NY Market  is what they would bring to the Big Ten. If this happened they would also likely schedule a handful of their football games in Yankee Stadium. Also the configuration of the campus is very much like a Big Ten School. All that said I still think they would only get in the Big if the Big was able to get Kansas first. Sort of the same way Rutgers got in off of Maryland jumping from the ACC.  My sense is that the U Conn administration will wait it out to see if a Big Ten or ACC invite happens before going to the Big East. A Big East move would likely be paired with them taking football down a notch, which would probably offset the financial gain of a better TV contract.

Also I think the Big East needs to let its double round robin format keep playing out. I believe this is going to be what make our conference one of the most exciting year in and year out. It really allows the fans to recognize the opponents players coaches etc.  

The B1G is not like other Conferences. They don't care about brand recognition. They want new markets. And because of the B1G network, it doesn't matter if uconns is more popular, Rutgers has the bigger tv market. Also, gotta have that way status....or be as good as Nebraska in football

[forgetful]

Cooking the books with transfer pricing straight out of the cost accounting books.  Of course, that does not reflect contributions to a school due to the sport.  Whatever floats one's boat.

Nukem, that is the million dollar question and one that admittedly I often neglect.  I know several small schools that gave up football (or basketball), because they were losing money on them.

They later brought them back, because they saw a marked decline in applications (enrollment…tuition) and a decline in donations. 

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

On the same subject, I forgot to post, I heard a radio discussion 2 weeks that the Prudential Center in Newark was trying to lure The Big10 Conference tournament.

[warriorchick]

Cooking the books with transfer pricing straight out of the cost accounting books.  Of course, that does not reflect contributions to a school due to the sport.  Whatever floats one's boat.

Exactly.  I have several MU acquaintances who believe the amount Marquette spends on basketball is "shameful" and that the university should spend that money on things like need-based scholarships and increased public safety instead. They drive me insane because they just don't get it.  It's not a zero-sum game.

[Sir Lawrence]

Exactly.  I have several MU acquaintances who believe the amount Marquette spends on basketball is "shameful" and that the university should spend that money on things like need-based scholarships and increased public safety instead. They drive me insane because they just don't get it.  It's not a zero-sum game.

Spot on. 

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Interesting read today from the Hartford Business Journal.  Nothing new as it's already known that football steers the boat.  UConn looking to earn more from FB.  Even mentions the "what if" of UConn dropping football.  The article online has a $ comparison chart with UConn to other universities on FB, BB & WBB.

http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/20140428/PRINTEDITION/304249936

Despite basketball glory, UConn must look to football to boost athletics business
Brad Kane

Winning two college basketball national championships in two days drove revenue, visibility, and economic development for UConn and Connecticut, but for the university to reach the financial success of big-time athletics programs it will have to focus on football, experts say.

To drive more revenue, UConn Athletic Director Warde Manuel wants to add another 10,000 seats to Rentschler Field — home of the university's football team — sometime in the next 10 years, generating an additional $2 million in ticket revenue.

Such a major infrastructure investment to expand the facility's seating by 25 percent would have to be driven by ticket demand, which only will come if the team is performing at a top level, Manuel said.

Last season UConn football, which posted a 3-9 record, drew an average of 22,024 fans, down 5 percent from a year earlier, according to data from the Capital Region Development Authority. That number represents patrons who actually showed up at the turnstile. UConn put last year's average football attendance at 34,676.

Regardless, the poor performance on the field led to the firing of head coach Paul Pasqualoni.

"Football takes time, and it depends how the new staff is doing with the system that is in place," Manuel said. "My hope in the next 10 years is that we have reached the point where we are consistently competing for championships, which will drive more demand and higher ticket prices."

Because football weighs so heavily on the college sports landscape, UConn will either need to leave the American Athletic Conference (AAC) or decide to become a basketball-specialty school, said Fred Carstensen, director of the Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis. That decision will become particularly important as college football moves toward a new playoff system and major conferences, like the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and Big Ten, push for their own super division so they can play by their own rules.

"You want to be in the big four [or five] leagues because they are going to dominate the new football playoff and get the television revenue," Carstensen said. "If any of the AAC schools are going to be successful in football, they are going to jump to one of the big four conferences."

Football money

UConn football generated $11.1 million in revenue in fiscal 2012-2013, more than the men's and women's basketball teams combined, according to the U.S. Office of Postsecondary Education, which tracks athletic program spending.

Football also had higher expenses than basketball, but an examination of regional and national big-time college athletics programs shows their revenues and margins are driven by football. Syracuse, for example, earned $33.2 million in football revenue in fiscal '12-13; Boston College raked in $22.9 million; Duke earned $24.1 million; and Texas made $109.4 million.

"We have had a successful formula, even in football," said Manuel, who was an associate athletic director at Michigan and an athletic director at Buffalo before joining UConn. "We are three years removed from playing in a [Bowl Championship Series] game."

Even though UConn football did not make a bowl game last season, Manuel said the program is on the upswing with new head coach Bob Diaco, a former defensive coordinator from traditional football powerhouse Notre Dame.

The heart of generating additional revenue is growing Rentschler Field in East Hartford to a 50,000-seat stadium, something the current design can accommodate with limited rehabilitation, Manuel said.

Global Spectrum, which manages Rentschler Field and the XL Center in Hartford, is more than willing to look at a stadium expansion once ticket demand calls for it, said Chris Lawrence, Global's general manager.

Global has never had anything other than passing discussions about expanding the facility and doesn't have a cost estimate for the project, Lawrence said. That would all come after UConn consistently starts drawing more fans to its six-to-eight home games each year.

"Obviously, they are an up-and-coming program with Coach Diaco coming in," Lawrence said.

XL Center upgrades

Meanwhile, with both UConn basketball programs reaching the peak of the NCAA, Manuel said he wants to maximize the revenue each team generates. UConn will continue to split its basketball home games between Gampel Pavilion in Storrs and the XL Center in downtown Hartford, but the university wants to see more improvements at the Hartford venue, he said.

The XL Center is undergoing $35 million in state-funded renovations to update its mechanical systems, improve concession systems, modernize concourses, add high-definition scoreboards, and create special loge boxes in the lower seating area to give customers a slightly more private experience, Lawrence said.

Global is doing a good job with the current renovations, Manuel said, but UConn would like to see club-level seating and suites in the lower bowl of the arena.

"Those are things that really help to increase revenue," Manuel said.

Despite UConn's desire for suites, the loge boxes are going to have to be the solution for now, Lawrence said, because the arena doesn't have the capability for suites without some major renovations.

The UConn men's hockey team, which is joining the high profile Hockey East Association in 2014-15, also plans to play games at XL Center.

Even without suites, the two national championships from the men's and women's basketball teams will help the athletic department get more donations for scholarships and teams, and keep up a winning tradition at the school, Manuel said.

National championships don't necessarily drive attendance spikes, but UConn will see better recruiting for all its sports because athletes are attracted to scools with a history of winning, Manuel said.

"The feeling that I have after winning both basketball [championships] is that we are in position that other schools are saying, 'We should be more like UConn,'" Manuel said. "If it helps the governor attract a business to the state, that makes me even prouder."

The publicity and brand awareness built by the basketball teams' tournament runs has a multi-million dollar impact on the visibility of the region and the state, said Peter DeMallie, immediate past chairman of the Connecticut Central Regional Tourism District.

"Husky Nation is a tremendous positive method to get out the message of excellence and success," DeMallie said. "The overall pride in the region and the state is enhanced among the community and the alumni."

Because of the way college basketball championships are awarded, a team that is even marginally successful in the regular season will be accepted into the postseason tournament to play for the national championship, Carstensen said.

Because men's basketball coach Kevin Ollie can tell recruits they can compete for a title every year at UConn, that should ensure the program is excellent for the foreseeable future, Carstensen said. The women's team has been the model of excellence in its sport for the past 15 years.

"Basketball, as you know though, has declined significantly as the driver in college sports. It's football," Carstensen said. "It is hard to see how much they are going to get in terms of television revenue."

Back when UConn was in the Big East, it received about $3 million annually in television contracts (from football and basketball), which was 85 percent lower than the members of other major conferences like the ACC and the Big Ten, according to the NCAA.

After the Big East broke up and UConn formed the American Athletic Conference with nine other schools, television revenue has fallen to about $2 million per year.

Even though AAC schools have won the last two NCAA men's basketball championships (UConn and Louisville, which is leaving the conference next year), it's hard to imagine TV revenues increasing significantly because of the lack of football powerhouses in the conference, Carstensen said. The next round of television contracts will be dominated by the teams that consistently compete for entry to the four-team football playoff starting next season.

"The American Athletic Conference is cobbled together, and I wouldn't expect the AAC to be particularly stable, because of the upcoming football playoffs," Carstensen said.

Even though a switch to a power conference might be more lucrative, Manuel said UConn isn't going to worry about things beyond its control and will work to add value to the AAC.

"I am always going to put UConn in the best position possible," Manuel said.

Even if UConn wanted to switch conferences, two of the likely destinations — the ACC and the Big Ten — might not be achievable, Carstensen said. UConn sued Boston College when BC left the Big East for the ACC, and now BC could block any attempt by UConn to join the ACC, Carstensen said.

When the Big Ten expanded to include Rutgers and Maryland in 2012, it chose those schools because it gave the conference access to two large media markets: New York and Washington D.C.

Also, Maryland, Rutgers and the rest of the Big Ten schools are members of the exclusive Association of American Universities, a 60-school nonprofit comprised of the best research institutions. UConn is not a member of that association and would have to see significant dividends from its latest research investments to be considered a top public research university, Carstensen said.

"The challenge that UConn has in joining one of these conferences is you have hostility in one direction and a problem with status in another direction," Carstensen said.

UConn could go another way: de-emphasize its football program, try to be a basketball-specific school, and grow its revenue by helping make the AAC a preeminent basketball conference like the Big East used to be, Carstensen said.

"In the long run, this is a really profound challenge for the university," Carstensen said.

UConn, though, plans on pursuing consistent excellence in football, Manuel said. The AAC might not seem like a power player in football now, but the success of the school's basketball teams shows that the young conference is headed in the right direction.

"It is immensely helpful because it builds success throughout the department," Manuel said. n

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

They learned nothing from the BEast. They will continue to chase football money instead of focusing on their strengths.

Its kind of sad to me that UConn gets 1 million less in TV revenue for both basketball and football than Depaul does for basketball alone.

[Windyplayer]

Exactly.  I have several MU acquaintances who believe the amount Marquette spends on basketball is "shameful" and that the university should spend that money on things like need-based scholarships and increased public safety instead. They drive me insane because they just don't get it.  It's not a zero-sum game.

One could argue that those extra dollars spent on MU basketball generate more money for the institution as a whole to spend on things like needs-based scholarships and other academic-centered initiatives. Without poring over financial records, it's impossible to ascertain the exact impact MU basketball has on MU's bottom line, but safe to say, without baskebtall, MU doesn't have nearly as much money as it does now to put back into the institution and its students. I'm sure one could argue diminishing returns with regard to spending on the basketball program, but nobody really knows for sure...well, maybe a few.

[warriorchick]

One could argue that those extra dollars spent on MU basketball generate more money for the institution as a whole to spend on things like needs-based scholarships and other academic-centered initiatives. Without poring over financial records, it's impossible to ascertain the exact impact MU basketball has on MU's bottom line, but safe to say, without baskebtall, MU doesn't have nearly as much money as it does now to put back into the institution and its students. I'm sure one could argue diminishing returns with regard to spending on the basketball program, but nobody really knows for sure...well, maybe a few.

That was my point. Are you agreeing with me? 

[Windyplayer]

That was my point. Are you agreeing with me? 

Yep, I didn't spend enough time reading the post that you responded to.

[bradley center bat]

Its kind of sad to me that UConn gets 1 million less in TV revenue for both basketball and football than Depaul does for basketball alone.

Reason is the start up of Fox Sports One.

[GoldenWarrior11]

I honestly don't see UCONN ever dropping or moving football to get back to the Big East (even though I feel it is a perfect fit).

However, I honestly do not see either the Big Ten or ACC offering an invite within the next 10 years either.  Boston College's animosity towards UCONN has been well documented, so they for sure would be against an invite (not to mention FSU and Clemson being against any weak football addition).  UCONN also is not an AAU member, which will prevent them from getting an invite from the Big Ten (and before it gets brought up, yes, Nebraska is no longer an AAU member - but they WERE when they were invited). 

If they want to continue to hold out hope for an invite, best of luck to them.  However, in college sports, you are judged by the strength of your conference, and if UCONN is adamant about staying with Tulane, Tulsa, East Carolina, etc., then they will drift further and further away from the island of P5.

[GGGG]

One of the reasons I think conference movement has died down is because the conferences have all tied themselves up into long term media rights contracts...one one huge exception.

The Big Ten's deal ends with ABC/ESPN after the 2015-16 year.  And boy have they set themselves up to be paid.  With no other major college rights deal expiring until well into the next decade, and with networks like Fox and NBC desperate to fill up their sports programming, there have been estimates that they will exceed $30M per year per school...perhaps go up as high as $40M.

BTW, I would love for Fox to win those rights.  I think it would help bring eyeballs to FS1 and FS2 during college basketball season.  And don't sell them short - they already have a relationship with the B10 in the BTN and the championship game.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

One of the reasons I think conference movement has died down is because the conferences have all tied themselves up into long term media rights contracts...one one huge exception.

The Big Ten's deal ends with ABC/ESPN after the 2015-16 year.  And boy have they set themselves up to be paid.  With no other major college rights deal expiring until well into the next decade, and with networks like Fox and NBC desperate to fill up their sports programming, there have been estimates that they will exceed $30M per year per school...perhaps go up as high as $40M.

BTW, I would love for Fox to win those rights.  I think it would help bring eyeballs to FS1 and FS2 during college basketball season.  And don't sell them short - they already have a relationship with the B10 in the BTN and the championship game.

That would be fascinating wouldnt it? That would be a massive get for FS1

[ChicosBailBonds]

One of the reasons I think conference movement has died down is because the conferences have all tied themselves up into long term media rights contracts...one one huge exception.

The Big Ten's deal ends with ABC/ESPN after the 2015-16 year.  And boy have they set themselves up to be paid.  With no other major college rights deal expiring until well into the next decade, and with networks like Fox and NBC desperate to fill up their sports programming, there have been estimates that they will exceed $30M per year per school...perhaps go up as high as $40M.

BTW, I would love for Fox to win those rights.  I think it would help bring eyeballs to FS1 and FS2 during college basketball season.  And don't sell them short - they already have a relationship with the B10 in the BTN and the championship game.

Fox already owns 51% of Big Ten Network.  There is a strong relationship with Fox and Big Ten already.  That being said, Big Ten Disney relationship is also incredibly strong and has been going on for many decades.  At the end of the day, Big Ten (as you correctly point out) is going to get paid and paid large.  Having Fox around only drives the cost up, whether they get it or not.

[GGGG]

Fox already owns 51% of Big Ten Network.  There is a strong relationship with Fox and Big Ten already.  That being said, Big Ten Disney relationship is also incredibly strong and has been going on for many decades.  At the end of the day, Big Ten (as you correctly point out) is going to get paid and paid large.  Having Fox around only drives the cost up, whether they get it or not.

I agree.  I just think it would be helpful for the BE's television partner to get the B10.  And adds more legitimacy to Fox Sports as a network.

[Tums Festival]

One of the reasons I think conference movement has died down is because the conferences have all tied themselves up into long term media rights contracts...one one huge exception.

The Big Ten's deal ends with ABC/ESPN after the 2015-16 year.  And boy have they set themselves up to be paid.  With no other major college rights deal expiring until well into the next decade, and with networks like Fox and NBC desperate to fill up their sports programming, there have been estimates that they will exceed $30M per year per school...perhaps go up as high as $40M.

BTW, I would love for Fox to win those rights.  I think it would help bring eyeballs to FS1 and FS2 during college basketball season.  And don't sell them short - they already have a relationship with the B10 in the BTN and the championship game.

Very similar situation to when the Fox network first bid on the NFL. No one really thought they were a player until they outbid mighty CBS.

[Atticus]

They learned nothing from the BEast. They will continue to chase football money instead of focusing on their strengths.

Its kind of sad to me that UConn gets 1 million less in TV revenue for both basketball and football than Depaul does for basketball alone.

UConn isn't "focusing on their strengths?"

Bwahahaha

Let's see....who won the women's basketball title this year?

Who won the men's title this year?

Who is building a practice facility for its basketball teams right now?

Oh, I know....this is where you cite the DoE numbers. Gee...if they spent more money then, of course, they would have more titles in M and W basketball than any other school in the country since 99. Oh wait....

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

UConn isn't "focusing on their strengths?"

Bwahahaha

Let's see....who won the women's basketball title this year?

Who won the men's title this year?

Who is building a practice facility for its basketball teams right now?

Oh, I know....this is where you cite the DoE numbers. Gee...if they spent more money then, of course, they would have more titles in M and W basketball than any other school in the country since 99. Oh wait....

Sigh. You again. Never said they would have more titles. Said they would make more money. Also, haven't been talking about what they have done in the past, I'm talking about what they will be doing in the future. If you think being associated with the AAC won't hurt them in the long run, I don't know what to tell you. And finally, yes, more money does equal stronger program. It's not the only factor but it is a factor.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Very similar situation to when the Fox network first bid on the NFL. No one really thought they were a player until they outbid mighty CBS.

Disney Chair & CEO Bob Iger appeared on Fox Business' "Opening Bell With Maria Bartiromo" and discussed the rising cost of sports rights. Iger: "On one hand, I'm concerned about the escalating costs of sports rights, (but) on the other hand, it makes it harder for new entrants to come into the market." He said ESPN has "faced more competition to buy sports rights,” and said escalating rights fees have “actually probably lowered the growth rate of ESPN.” Iger: “But it also makes it very, very hard for new entrants in the marketplace, of which there are a few. For them to even come close to buying the profile of events that ESPN has they'd have to invest billions of dollars and lose probably hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars in the process." Iger was asked about the rising sub costs for ESPN: "We actually believe that as ESPN has invested more in the quality of its product and also adding new experiences like mobility to the equation, that the price-to-value relationship for ESPN, both to the distributor and to the consumers, is still very, very high. We don't take it lightly. I know there's been a lot of noise in the marketplace. A lot of that has come as a result of the regional sports networks buying sports rights for extremely high costs and trying to pass those costs onto the consumer. That is a concern to us."

NEW DEALS: Bartiromo noted the company’s new affiliate deals and asked what was "left in terms of putting that piece of business to bed." Iger: "We have a few more to go, the biggest one being with DirecTV, which we're just starting to engage with on that. We've had no problems extending our deals (because we have) good relationships, the most recent one being with the Dish Network, for instance. It was a comprehensive deal, it was very complicated and it took a long time, but it was without the public stress or strife that some companies have experienced in negotiating long-term deals and we’re confident we'll be able to come to an arrangement with DirecTV and that will get us pretty far in terms of the total distribution profile … for ESPN" ("Opening Bell With Maria Bartiromo," Fox Business, 4/30).