UConn to BE Rumors

[Herman Cain]

The "major public university" emphasis is what I find most difficult to understand. While UConn is highly regarded as a university (generally ranked among the top 100 nationally), they're nowhere close to P5 schools when it comes to resources.

UConn has compared itself to the University of Michigan -- a consensus Top 30 school nationally with a $9 billion budget and an endowment of $12 billion. UConn, meanwhile, has a $2.4 billion budget (roughly a quarter the size of Michigan's) and an endowment of $450 million (a 20-to-1 difference).

Or, as stated in the podcast, UConn has been spending like a P5 school when they're not a P5 school in any way, shape or form.

Why would Connecticut legislators and university officials believe that reaching a similar level is a realistic goal? How was Division IA football alone going to be the deciding factor in elevating the university -- especially in an area of the country where you can count the number of successful, high-level football programs on one hand? That list pretty much begins and ends with Syracuse and Boston College. I guess you could include Rutgers if you really want to. Beyond that, schools like Penn State and Maryland are a stretch (central Pennsylvania and the Chesapeake Bay are hundreds of miles from the northeastern United Sates).

UConn has made some very questionable decisions regarding football over the past 20+ years. I'll be very interested to see what they do moving forward.

I think U Conn football was built on a lousy foundation. Specifically, the decision to have their stadium off campus. I realize the stadium was a gift . However ,they had plenty of land around Storrs and could have built an attractive stadium that would have served as a focal point for tail gates and bringing alumni and other supporters to the University .

Over time a decent football tradition could have been built up . An attractive environment makes it easier to recruit. I don't think they could have been a powerhouse but it would have been possible to have a winning record consistently with a better footing on campus.

[The Sultan]

It would have helped if they hired a decent coach after Edsall left too.

[Mr. Nielsen]

https://twitter.com/blauds/status/1154750274461949957

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Next season it is!

[StillAWarrior]

Next season it is!

Fantastic!

[GoldenWarrior11]

$17 million seems like a lot, but when you factor in the American withholding $5 million in league payouts this year, $6 million in payouts next, and UConn being forced to pay $1 million annually for six years (total = $17 million), it doesn't look like a bad deal at all. 

UConn fans are even saying that they are getting P5 regional opponents (likely Rutgers, BC, Syracuse and Pittsburgh) reaching out about playing.  They will be just fine. 

[asdfasdf]

Does this mean they will be playing in the Big East for the 19/20 season, or 20/21?

[MarquetteDano]

Does this mean they will be playing in the Big East for the 19/20 season, or 20/21?

20/21.

[Herman Cain]

Great news.

[Mr. Nielsen]

The conference is said to have sought a much higher exit fee while UConn tried to negotiate something closer to $15 million or below. The sides eventually found a compromise, which involves maintaining an aspect of their partnership: UConn has agreed to schedule four home-and-home basketball series with AAC teams, men's or women's. No teams or years have been assigned.

[brewcity77]

UConn has agreed to schedule four home-and-home basketball series with AAC teams, men's or women's. No teams or years have been assigned.

Good god, was the American losing 120 straight against the UConn women not enough for them?

[We R Final Four]

When your average attendance triples when any AAC women's team plays UConn.....no one cares if they win the game. Having the opportunity to schedule UConn women (and losing by 40 points) is the win.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Good god, was the American losing 120 straight against the UConn women not enough for them?

I would think the H/H on the women's side would be USF. Memphis is rumored on the men's side.

[Herman Cain]

So now U Conn can tell 2020 recruits they will be playing in the Big East next year .  They should be coming into the league with some real momentum now.

[We R Final Four]

Yay!

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I would think the H/H on the women's side would be USF. Memphis is rumored on the men's side.

I saw article last week that Penny Hardaway was pissed about UConn leaving.
I can see this as a reason why.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

UConn officially leaving AAC in 2020, paying $17 million exit fee

https://www.ctinsider.com/uconn/nhregister/article/UConn-officially-leaving-AAC-in-2020-14178493.php?sid=5baaacf72ddf9c545d737065&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newhavenregister_ctinsider

Jeff Jacobs: UConn pays for a 2020 exit from the AAC
Jeff Jacobs

ttps://www.ctinsider.com/sports/jeffjacobs/nhregister/article/Jeff-Jacobs-UConn-pays-for-a-2020-exit-from-the-14179369.php?sid=5baaacf72ddf9c545d737065&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newhavenregister_ctinsider

[SaveOD238]

A little off topic, but I saw a post on r/Collegebasketball on Reddit about St. Thomas (MN) possibly making the jump to D1.  This is what one of the commenters said:

"I have a family member that is in the upper administration at St. Thomas (non-athletic). What their bosses are telling big donors is that the long term plan is to try to join the Big East. The athletic director at St. Thomas has huge aspirations for the school and was formally at Penn State. I know for a fact that people at St. Thomas have always been upset that other regional comparison universities, specifically Creighton and Marquette, are national known for their sports teams even though their academics are comparable to St. Thomas.

However the catch to joining the Big East would to be heavily invest in Basketball, which St. Thomas is strong at the D3 level but obviously that's not Big East level. This would obviously require a huge increase in the budget. There is also talk about jumping up to D1 to join a mid major league that would allow for football to continue, which this post would suggest. Normally a school transitioning to D1 takes many many years but St. Thomas is hoping to bypass this and wants to use that the got voted out of the MIAC for being too good as the reason for an NCAA waiver."

[The Sultan]

A little off topic, but I saw a post on r/Collegebasketball on Reddit about St. Thomas (MN) possibly making the jump to D1.  This is what one of the commenters said:

"I have a family member that is in the upper administration at St. Thomas (non-athletic). What their bosses are telling big donors is that the long term plan is to try to join the Big East. The athletic director at St. Thomas has huge aspirations for the school and was formally at Penn State. I know for a fact that people at St. Thomas have always been upset that other regional comparison universities, specifically Creighton and Marquette, are national known for their sports teams even though their academics are comparable to St. Thomas.

However the catch to joining the Big East would to be heavily invest in Basketball, which St. Thomas is strong at the D3 level but obviously that's not Big East level. This would obviously require a huge increase in the budget. There is also talk about jumping up to D1 to join a mid major league that would allow for football to continue, which this post would suggest. Normally a school transitioning to D1 takes many many years but St. Thomas is hoping to bypass this and wants to use that the got voted out of the MIAC for being too good as the reason for an NCAA waiver."

That sounds good and all, but that is a long, long road to travel down.  Even if they are admitted into D1, they are going to have to latch onto a conference at the lowest levels and work their way up.  And are they going to keep their football team?

Schools like the University of Denver show that even with a good location and solid resources, becoming a school worthy of a high major invite is very, very difficult.

[brewcity77]

A little off topic, but I saw a post on r/Collegebasketball on Reddit about St. Thomas (MN) possibly making the jump to D1.  This is what one of the commenters said:

"I have a family member that is in the upper administration at St. Thomas (non-athletic). What their bosses are telling big donors is that the long term plan is to try to join the Big East.

I get the aspiration, but that's frankly an unrealistic goal. No high major program is a recent addition to D1. Even Butler has been D1 since the 1930s. Have any A-10 or MVC program been D1 less than 40 or 50 years?

Unless they have a multigenerational plan, this is a pointless goal. Joining the Summit in hopes of jumping to the Horizon is far more realistic. Getting to the Big East before 2060 is pie in the sky, and who knows what the D1 landscape will look like by then.

[The Lens]

A little off topic, but I saw a post on r/Collegebasketball on Reddit about St. Thomas (MN) possibly making the jump to D1.  This is what one of the commenters said:

"I have a family member that is in the upper administration at St. Thomas (non-athletic). What their bosses are telling big donors is that the long term plan is to try to join the Big East. The athletic director at St. Thomas has huge aspirations for the school and was formally at Penn State. I know for a fact that people at St. Thomas have always been upset that other regional comparison universities, specifically Creighton and Marquette, are national known for their sports teams even though their academics are comparable to St. Thomas.

However the catch to joining the Big East would to be heavily invest in Basketball, which St. Thomas is strong at the D3 level but obviously that's not Big East level. This would obviously require a huge increase in the budget. There is also talk about jumping up to D1 to join a mid major league that would allow for football to continue, which this post would suggest. Normally a school transitioning to D1 takes many many years but St. Thomas is hoping to bypass this and wants to use that the got voted out of the MIAC for being too good as the reason for an NCAA waiver."

Have heard the same thing from a buddy who is not connected, just has siblings / nieces nephews who are Tommies.  It is apparently real talk up there.

[MomofMUltiples]

Interesting - but I thought they were kicked out of MIAC because their football program was running up the score by 60 points or more against the vast majority of their competition.  Tommy football is huge - why would they want to join a non-football conference like the Big East?  It's great to dream big, but they would be better off joining a low- or mid-major D1 conference with football.

[Galway Eagle]

By my count the only successful transition was Belmont. And that was pretty low manjor and relying on one coach. If they were to magically get invited to high major they'd be looking at at least what 3 or 4 years of being a joke till they even had D1 level athletes to compete with DePaul.

[brewcity77]

By my count the only successful transition was Belmont. And that was pretty low manjor and relying on one coach. If they were to magically get invited to high major they'd be looking at at least what 3 or 4 years of being a joke till they even had D1 level athletes to compete with DePaul.

And even Belmont has been D1 for more than 20 years and would need to make 2 jumps to get to the Big East, assuming they could get a MVC invite first.

Further, St Thomas would have to not just climb the ladder, but show why they're more valuable than a Dayton, SLU, VCU, or any of the other myriad programs that would sell their souls for that invite.

[The Lens]

And even Belmont has been D1 for more than 20 years and would need to make 2 jumps to get to the Big East, assuming they could get a MVC invite first.

Further, St Thomas would have to not just climb the ladder, but show why they're more valuable than a Dayton, SLU, VCU, or any of the other myriad programs that would sell their souls for that invite.

Being in the 15th largest DMA positions them well above Dayton, SLU, VCU, etc. 

Re: Football, maybe their football aspiration is to be Villanova.