UConn to BE Rumors

[Nukem2]

What is the benefit to MU and other BE teams?  Seems like this is a better thing for UCONN then the other BE teams.  If might help the league as a whole a bit but so what?  The league has done just fine on it own so far.  Does MU get more money or what out of this?

As another poster noted,  the move to a 20 game conference season is huge relative to future scheduling. 

[Warrior of Law]

This results in one additional conference game at home, and one additional road conference game.  It would seem the loss of at least one "buy" game.  Just curious what the anticipated lost revenue from a buy game gets absorbed with higher revenue/reduced costs elsewhere.

[Mr. Nielsen]

With the Big Ten, ACC and the Pac-12 doing or moving in playing 20 conference games is the future. The Big East needs to be in that future. You are adding 20 conference games to it's leagues schedule. You will be getting rid of 20 cupcake games to the non-conference schedule. UConn is a national brand in men's and women's basketball. With the things I listed, are huge to FOX SPORTS. $$$$$$$

As a season ticket holder, moving to 10 conference home games is outstanding! Goodbye Grambling State, hello Connecticut.

[Cheeks]

Generally I am with you on not wanting to get back together with these people.

The issue here is that the other major leagues are going to 20 game conference schedules. Which means fewer good non con opportunities over time.  Big East needs to maintain its position relative to other leagues. Right now we can dictate the terms of the deal and that may not be the case a few years from now.

AAC has been picking up momentum and it's not the worst place for U Conn. Their league has a bumbling commissioner who essentially threw U Conn under the bus to get a TV deal that disproportionately benefitted  teams like East Carolina , Tulane etc. and most importantly keeps UCF Football in the fold.  Big East gets a nice benefit from the AAC lack of competence and inherent instability.


Part of any  deal has to be a penalty and other restrictions to minimize the disruption of U Conn football . Those strictures  are very much a possibility at this point.

Herman, I love you brother but disagree on Aresco.  First, he is a UConn alum from their law school.  He is not trying to throw them under the bus.  Tufts grad, very smart (Phi Beta Kappa)...I worked with him for years when he was at CBS Sports.  He has an obligation for the entire conference, not just UConn....that's what a Commissioner is supposed to do, what's best for the entire conference.  He just got a billion dollar deal for those schools.  He is stuck with a patchwork group of schools with one foot out the door and harking back to days long ago who still think the glory days are here.  That is an impossible position to be in, but you do the best you can which he has.  If UConn feels they were thrown under the bus, they can blame themselves for the position they put themselves in with the decisions they made that got them in this spot in the first place.

[Loose Cannon]

It seems a bit odd, especially as I'm not religious, but I feel the goals of the current teams in the league align very well. Mostly Catholic, all religious in nature, smaller schools, adding a big state school that has always had their eyes on the Big 10 or ACC feels like such an outlier.

I don't know, this Big East feels like a family, and UConn's not part of that. Hell, their ambitions were as instrumental in the divorce 6 years ago as anyone. I don't trust them and feel like they're largely just a surplus name that gets people excited because of an era that is over.

We will never be THAT Big East again. The monster that was is gone. And from a stability point, I have concerns about chasing it. Sure, today it's just UConn, but maybe in a year it's UConn and Cincy, then more AAC programs, then the league that we deliberately left in the first place.

UConn isn't here because UConn isn't like us. UConn isn't here because UConn thought they didn't need us. I don't get why people are so anxious to get back into bed with them.

Yep, this is the way I feel.  When things turn favorable for UConn they will be the first to leave the Big East.

[Cheeks]

Yep, this is the way I feel.  When things turn favorable for UConn they will be the first to leave the Big East.

First off, Big East has to vote to let them in....likely a foregone conclusion.  To prevent what you are concerned about they should require a media grant of rights provision which I suspect may already exist.  That puts a major penalty on a school leaving and is enforceable by law.  The thing with UConn is... where are they going to go with crap football?  Who is going to take them?

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Yep, this is the way I feel.  When things turn favorable for UConn they will be the first to leave the Big East.

Val is pretty smart. Gotta imagine there are going to be some ridiculous buyout clauses.

[The Sultan]

Yep, this is the way I feel.  When things turn favorable for UConn they will be the first to leave the Big East.

Then the conference can cash their check and move on.  Conference memberships aren't permanent.  It works until it doesn't.  In the meantime, it works for everyone.

[TallTitan34]

Don't like it.

As brew said they aren't like us (current ten).

[The Sultan]

Don't like it.

As brew said they aren't like us (current ten).

You don't leave good options on the table just to keep everyone the same. 

The WCC added BYU a few years ago under similar circumstances.  It is hard to argue that it hasn't worked for the conference.  And eventually they may leave due to football - and that's OK.

[Johnny B]

Religious affiliation of a school shouldn't be relevant imo. People have personal religious/ non religious views. just keep it at that.

[The Lens]

This is the best day for Marquette basketball since we beat Miami in 2013.  UConn is a national brand much stronger than any school in the Big East.  This is manna from heaven.  If you don't see the value, I'm frankly a little worried about how you perceive the National sports landscape.

[The Lens]

Some of us do, some don't.  We are entitled to our opinions and our hope people are playing the right way, within the rules.  You must be a Buzz fan, eh?

I am a Buzz fan but that's not really relevant.  Creighton is smack dab in the middle of this latest college hoops scandal and you're worried about UConn being squirmy?  We run a clean program and we can usually beat the so called cheaters.  I guess I don't see the concern.  Come tourney time you're going to play everyone. Might as well get prepped in conference. 

[Cheeks]

This is the best day for Marquette basketball since we beat Miami in 2013.  UConn is a national brand much stronger than any school in the Big East.  This is manna from heaven.  If you don't see the value, I'm frankly a little worried about how you perceive the National sports landscape.

Nice dig at Wojo and Buzz puffery.   

Nova has a better national brand currently than UConn.

[forgetful]

The UConn AD thinks he has a bigger wanker then he really does, so they were frustrated.  They also do not get the concept of incremental exposure on ESPN+ and Aresco had to publicly set UConn and others straight on this at a press conference.  I'm sure that didn't sit well with them.

The latest AAC deal was for $1 billion, which wasn't a bad deal for the schools they have.

It wasn't a bad deal, but it was way less than they wanted, and less than they needed to be able to weather football expenses/debt.

The problem for UCONN is that having its basketball games on SNY is huge for recruiting, donations, exposure, and reputation. The new deal gutted those opportunities to appease the football side, e.g. UCF.

Not saying who was wrong or right, just saying that is what precipitated this move.

[Cheeks]

I am a Buzz fan but that's not really relevant.  Creighton is smack dab in the middle of this latest college hoops scandal and you're worried about UConn being squirmy?  We run a clean program and we can usually beat the so called cheaters.  I guess I don't see the concern.  Come tourney time you're going to play everyone. Might as well get prepped in conference.

I am waiting to see what exactly is going on with Creighton.  There have been instances of asst coaches doing things that allegedly the head coach didn't know about....I can think of several just in the last decade at MU.  Creighton got into trouble with Benoit Benjamin back in the day, too.

UConn with Jim at the helm was squirmy as hell for a long time.  Sorry, I don't see the parallels between the two yet, but let's see how it plays out.

UConn, it was their business practice day to day to act as they did.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.yahoo.com/amphtml/news/ncaab--jim-calhoun-s-conflicted-legacy-at-uconn-includes-plenty-of-wins--controversy.html

[79Warrior]

Nice dig at Wojo and Buzz puffery.   

Nova has a better national brand currently than UConn.

Perhaps. But now we have another one.

[Loose Cannon]

First off, Big East has to vote to let them in....likely a foregone conclusion.  To prevent what you are concerned about they should require a media grant of rights provision which I suspect may already exist.  That puts a major penalty on a school leaving and is enforceable by law.  The thing with UConn is... where are they going to go with crap football?  Who is going to take them?

Well all that being true, I believe that UConn has shown that Football is the real tail that wags this dog.  And right now the tail is bruised and not wagging, and its seems like they continue to throw money into it, of course its nice to have Mama State to help.  When health returns, I  think the BE gets a Dear John letter.

As for buy out protection, I didn't think I'd see the days of 100 million $ pro players.  If they really want  out  they will find a way.  Donors, networks, Political friends, etc.

But, the strongest feeling I have is the Chemistry, it seem their is out of sync with us.

Oh well Progress is our most important problem.

[Billy Hoyle]

As a season ticket holder, moving to 10 conference home games is outstanding! Goodbye Grambling State, hello Connecticut.

More likely a home and home (e.g. Vandy) is gone. You'll still have to pay for Grambling.

[Cheeks]

It wasn't a bad deal, but it was way less than they wanted, and less than they needed to be able to weather football expenses/debt.

The problem for UCONN is that having its basketball games on SNY is huge for recruiting, donations, exposure, and reputation. The new deal gutted those opportunities to appease the football side, e.g. UCF.

Not saying who was wrong or right, just saying that is what precipitated this move.

Understood, but what UConn wanted and what the market would bear to bail them out are two different things.  UConn hasn't had a grasp on financial reality or their value in the eco system for quite some time.  Maybe this finally gets them pointed to the proper reality, but that means writing down football in a big way.

[Cheeks]

Well all that being true, I believe that UConn has shown that Football is the real tail that wags this dog.  And right now the tail is bruised and not wagging, and its seems like they continue to throw money into it, of course its nice to have Mama State to help.  When health returns, I  think the BE gets a Dear John letter.

As for buy out protection, I didn't think I'd see the days of 100 million $ pro players.  If they really want  out  they will find a way.  Donors, networks, Political friends, etc.

But, the strongest feeling I have is the Chemistry, it seem their is out of sync with us.

Oh well Progress is our most important problem.

It's not just a buyout with grant in rights....they have to leave their earned credits and media dollars with the conference, too.  It is a double poison pill.  Yes, someone will come to the aid, but it will hurt plenty and comes with an opportunity cost.

Because we played with them in the old Big East I am not worried about fit too much.

[The Sultan]

Understood, but what UConn wanted and what the market would bear to bail them out are two different things.  UConn hasn't had a grasp on financial reality or their value in the eco system for quite some time.  Maybe this finally gets them pointed to the proper reality, but that means writing down football in a big way.

Pretty much what this says.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/columnist/dan-wolken/2019/06/22/uconn-rejoining-big-east-aac-means-given-up-on-football/1536302001/

[Cheeks]

More likely a home and home (e.g. Vandy) is gone. You'll still have to pay for Grambling.

Yup.  People don't get the revenue side here.  Home and aways do not help as much on the revenue side, plus coaches and programs want a few cupcake wins.  Those aren't going away and thus the non conf games will take the hit.

[The Lens]

Yup.  People don't get the revenue side here.  Home and aways do not help as much on the revenue side, plus coaches and programs want a few cupcake wins.  Those aren't going away and thus the non conf games will take the hit.

Exactly, we might not have any more home & homes outside of Bucky but UConn is a name that MKE recognizes and will outperform a K State or UGA game.  Adding UConn to the home sked every year is a fantastic thing.  Not to mention adding another road game on the East Coast.

[Lennys Tap]

Who cares?  We've been on the right side of rivalries for a long time and held our own.

My God we play in a conference with Creighton right now.

Chico is a selective squirmer - squirmed during Buzz for stuff he ignored under Crean. His fandom doesn't reach back to Al, but if he was honest he would squirm even more about that era.

When we played in a conference with UCONN, Louisville and Syracuse it was awesome.