UCONN fans are starting to get real nervous.....

[KipsBayEagle]

http://the-boneyard.com/threads/8-183.101699/

This is not the only thread on Uconn boards expressing these sentiments.  Uconn alum are getting real nervous.  Attendance is down drastically.  The team's play is poor.  The conference is failing.  Not only is there no invite from a power conference coming, their athletic program is deteriorating at a rate that would not make them a viable candidate.

Add this to the school's athletic financial meltdown.  On the books, Uconn breaks even with a athletics program that both generated and expended 72 million dollars.  However, athletics is subsidized by student fee's of 28 million dollars.  (3,000 of fees per student)

I think after this basketball season uconn might start lobbying for membership in the big east.  There have been a million threads about this, but uconn alumni have reached their breaking point and are starting to notice an impending disaster for their athletic program.

[MUBigDance]

They need to get rid of football...I really think the Basketball Identity of the Big East is a key attribute. Would be nice to revive old rivalries before we all forget them but they have to do it the new Big East way.

and even if they do...do they get a shot over Dayton and the others who already fit our format better?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

UConn is the only school we would currently expand for. Only thing stopping them is football but the tide is slowly turning there.

I would love to add UConn, keep the double round robin, play twenty conference games and get rid of Houston Baptist and Western Carolina on the schedule.

[KipsBayEagle]

UConn is the only school we would currently expand for. Only thing stopping them is football but the tide is slowly turning there.

I would love to add UConn, keep the double round robin, play twenty conference games and get rid of Houston Baptist and Western Carolina on the schedule.

It's just mathematics and knowledge at this point.  The simple math is that at this rate the current athletic expenditure at Uconn can't continue.  A 28 million subsidy in the AAC will turn into a 30 million next year, 31 the next and so on.  It will eventually get to a level that just can't be ignored.

The knowledge is increasing too.  Real Sports on HBO and USA Today did a story on the budget deficits of all but a handful of BCS schools that received a lot of national press.  The fees being paid are also becoming so high (3,000 for a Uconn student going to a STATE school) that people can't just turn a blind eye to it.

When those two hit the right level, Uconn will be ready to drop football and lobby for membership in the big east.

[Marcus92]

Right now UConn looks like the 5th best team in a 1- or 2-bid conference.

It's possible that the Huskies men's basketball program isn't what it once was under Calhoun — and never will be again. UConn had a grand total of 1 NCAA appearance between 1967 and 1990. They've missed the tournament 2 out of the past 4 seasons since Ollie took over. What's UNLV been since Tarkanian? A nothing program in a nowhere conference.

Too bad, so sad. I honestly don't think we need them.

[Jay Bee]

S U P E R

[KipsBayEagle]

S U P E R

I disagree, this is relevant to Marquette basketball and the future of the Big East.  The plain language of the description of the SuperBar states "All things non-bball related." 

[naginiF]

Right now UConn looks like the 5th best team in a 1- or 2-bid conference.

It's possible that the Huskies men's basketball program isn't what it once was under Calhoun — and never will be again. UConn had a grand total of 1 NCAA appearance between 1967 and 1990. They've missed the tournament 2 out of the past 4 seasons since Ollie took over. What's UNLV been since Tarkanian? A nothing program in a nowhere conference.

Too bad, so sad. I honestly don't think we need them.

Let's not start judging a programs worth off the last 4 seasons.  I'm not a big fan of their institution or their own inflated sense of worth, but their program is bigger than the last 4 years and will definitely be back at some point.

Also agree - SuperBar

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Right now UConn looks like the 5th best team in a 1- or 2-bid conference.

It's possible that the Huskies men's basketball program isn't what it once was under Calhoun — and never will be again. UConn had a grand total of 1 NCAA appearance between 1967 and 1990. They've missed the tournament 2 out of the past 4 seasons since Ollie took over. What's UNLV been since Tarkanian? A nothing program in a nowhere conference.

Too bad, so sad. I honestly don't think we need them.

X, Butler, and Creighton's programs were all elevated once they got the Big East tag. I think the Big East tag would help revitalize UConn. Their sports across the board have declined since moving the AAC. Even UConn women's basketball looks beatable these days.

[Benny B]

I would love to add UConn, keep the double round robin, play twenty conference games and get rid of Houston Baptist and Western Carolina on the schedule.

I am not sure that this is in line with FS1's goals, which is programming.  By adding one member and going to 20 conference games, you'd be taking away two home OOC contests from each school.

Assuming current format of 10 teams, an 18-game conference season and a 10-game OOC schedule, with teams playing an average of 2 games away from home (exclusive of exempt tourney).

10 teams x 18 games / 2 (because it takes two conference teams to play 1 conference game) = 90 Conference Games
2 + 4 + 2 + 1 = 9 Conference tournament games
10 teams x 8 OOC games = 80 OOC games
Total = 174 games (i.e., to which Fox has the rights... even if they sell them off)

Now, let's go to 11, 20, and 8.
11 x 20 / 2 = 110 Conference
3 + 4 + 2 + 1 = 10 Conference tournament
11 x 6 = 60 OOC
Total = 180 games

So going to an 11-20 schedule would earn the conference 6 more games (with TV rights)

But if we kept the conference schedule at 18 with 11 teams...
11 x 18 / 2 =  99
3 + 4 + 2 + 1 = 10
11 x 8 = 88
Total = 197 games

Someone else check my math here.  Nevertheless... far be it for me to surmise what might be in the Fox contract, but I would suspect that any automatic increase in annual revenue from adding a member (or members) would be pegged to the prospect of 23 more programming opportunities, not 6.

[forgetful]

The $30M a year budget losses each year are not unique to UCONN, but most of the AAC, and often excludes the cost of scholarships.  If they would be willing to drop football, UCONN would be a very logical choice and adding them would still allow a double round robin with a 20 game schedule.  Would it be worthwhile though to consider going to 12 and having two divisions if others would drop football.  Choices from the AAC would include:

Memphis
Cincinnati
SMU

(excluding Houston who will never give up football and Temple who would likely be vetoed by Nova')

Choices from the A10 would include:

Dayton
VCU
St. Louis

One would have to assume that adding Memphis, Cincinnati, SMU or UCONN would bring in more $$$'s, not so sure about the A10 schools.  Would it be worth it if they dropped football.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

A good point Benny. I honestly don't know Fox' opinion on the matter. I would hope that Fox would value the quality of the added conference games over the quantity of the subtracted games against cupcakes. I honestly don't know what would be more valuable for them. I gotta think that they could replace those buy games against cupcakes with something that would draw more eyeballs than Depaul vs. Drake.

[Babybluejeans]

I wonder how much UConn has invested in things like stadium leases, programming, contracts, etc. that would prevent them from scrapping football. I can't imagine that program is ever going to be competitive in FBS.

[GGGG]

My guess is that part of the bonds to pay for the stadium are dependent on football attendance.  If that is the case, they can't just simply drop football because they have bills to pay - unless the operating loss is THAT big.

[Golden Avalanche]

Right now UConn looks like the 5th best team in a 1- or 2-bid conference.

It's possible that the Huskies men's basketball program isn't what it once was under Calhoun — and never will be again. UConn had a grand total of 1 NCAA appearance between 1967 and 1990. They've missed the tournament 2 out of the past 4 seasons since Ollie took over. What's UNLV been since Tarkanian? A nothing program in a nowhere conference.

Too bad, so sad. I honestly don't think we need them.

I'd love to miss the Tournament two of Wojo's first four seasons if we won a National Title in that time span.

[77ncaachamps]

As the flagship state school, I do not see them dropping FB.

Hell, the least populated states Wyoming, Vermont and North Dakota have flagship state school D-1 FB teams!

[Dawson Rental]

I'd love to miss the Tournament two of Wojo's first four seasons if we won a National Title in that time span.

Especially the way that UConn won that title, not at all unlike 1977 at MU.  Unexpected titles are the most fun titles.

[#UnleashSean]

Right now UConn looks like the 5th best team in a 1- or 2-bid conference.

It's possible that the Huskies men's basketball program isn't what it once was under Calhoun — and never will be again. UConn had a grand total of 1 NCAA appearance between 1967 and 1990. They've missed the tournament 2 out of the past 4 seasons since Ollie took over. What's UNLV been since Tarkanian? A nothing program in a nowhere conference.

Too bad, so sad. I honestly don't think we need them.

So your saying that the big East doesnt need Marquette. Because Uconns pedigree in the last 4 years is better then ours.

[We R Final Four]

Right now UConn looks like the 5th best team in a 1- or 2-bid conference.

It's possible that the Huskies men's basketball program isn't what it once was under Calhoun — and never will be again. UConn had a grand total of 1 NCAA appearance between 1967 and 1990. They've missed the tournament 2 out of the past 4 seasons since Ollie took over. What's UNLV been since Tarkanian? A nothing program in a nowhere conference.

Too bad, so sad. I honestly don't think we need them.

National Champs '99 '04 '11 and '14. National Champs. They cut down the nets.

So they have won the National Title 2 out of the last 6 years. That hardly equates to a nobody.
So they have been down the last few years, so what? Have they slipped into oblivion never to be seen or heard from again?
A nothing program in a nowhere conference is a limited view. Not where they want to be I agree, but not the death penalty.
If we miss the tourney 4 years in a row, just think what Husky fan will be thinking of us over at UConnscoop. Unlike that nothing program, we haven't won NCs in the last 40 years.

[Herman Cain]

1.U Conn will not drop football
2. U  Conn waiting for ACC invite
3. U Conn will be admitted in Next ACC expansion
4. Contract renewal for current AAC will be materially better

Source: Top Brass at ESPN and ACC network

[GGGG]

1.U Conn will not drop football
2. U  Conn waiting for ACC invite
3. U Conn will be admitted in Next ACC expansion
4. Contract renewal for current AAC will be materially better

Source: Top Brass at ESPN and ACC network

Why would the ACC expand again and why hasn't it done so already?

[Dr. Blackheart]

1.U Conn will not drop football
2. U  Conn waiting for ACC invite
3. U Conn will be admitted in Next ACC expansion
4. Contract renewal for current AAC will be materially better

Source: Top Brass at ESPN and ACC network

That renewal happens in 2020.  So with five years at a $28 million loss per year, that ESPN deal must be really sweet for UCONN.  Much better than the bountiful $2 million per school today per year.  So, that is  $10 mil in TV revenue balanced against $140 million is subsidized losses over five years.  Sounds like a good plan for CT taxpayers and UCONN students.

https://ucf.rivals.com/news/aresco-american-deserves-more-tv-revenue

[SaveOD238]

I have a personal bias here, since I grew up a Huskie fan in Connecticut (my first MU game was the 41 pointer from Novak)

That said, I think that the short term value of UConn for even 2 or 3 seasons would be worth it for the Big East.  If they got an ACC invite later, so be it.  We could go back to 10 and be happy as we are now.

[wadesworld]

I have a personal bias here, since I grew up a Huskie fan in Connecticut (my first MU game was the 41 pointer from Novak)

That said, I think that the short term value of UConn for even 2 or 3 seasons would be worth it for the Big East.  If they got an ACC invite later, so be it.  We could go back to 10 and be happy as we are now.

That is the worst thing that could happen to the BE.

[Herman Cain]

That renewal happens in 2020.  So with five years at a $28 million loss per year, that ESPN deal must be really sweet for UCONN.  Much better than the bountiful $2 million per school today per year.  So, that is  $10 mil in TV revenue balanced against $140 million is subsidized losses over five years.  Sounds like a good plan for CT taxpayers and UCONN students.

https://ucf.rivals.com/news/aresco-american-deserves-more-tv-revenue

College revenue and accounting is arbitrary and political in nature. 3000 per student fee at U Conn could just as easily be part of tuition.  Look at MU they mark up the dorms big time the first two years but show a lower tuition cost than some other schools.