UConn to BE Rumors

[GoldenWarrior11]

AAC is primarily a football conference and that is where the league and the schools are putting their emphasis. Football is where the TV money is and has the ability to draw alumni support , so focusing on football  is their league's best course of action. AAC has been showing solid success at the individual program level in football. They had 3 top 25 teams this year and plenty of bowl teams.  The league negotiated an improved TV contract because of football ( although  still nowhere near the P5 deals).

Basketball for the AAC is for the most part going to be a function of the handful of schools that put a heavy emphasis on the sport. As pointed out above, too many anchors for AAC  basketball league to expand beyond what it is.  Now that U Conn has left the basketball league can go to a 20 game double round robin format.  That schedule format will probably benefit the top tier teams in their basketball league as they will have more winnable conference road games. One big flaw in the TV contract with ESPN is that most of the AAC basketball games are going to be on ESPN+, so their visibility for Basketball goes down.

The AAC is definitely a football-first conference, for sure.  However, while there are several strong, self-sufficient programs (i.e. UCF, Houston, Memphis, Cincinnati, USF), there are also programs that simply have repeatedly struggled on the field (ECU and Tulsa) and others that simply do not have the necessary fan support (SMU, Tulsa, Tulane).  What's funny about the AAC TV deal is that it still is not as much as the overall deal the Big East (hybrid) turned down in 2010.  Unfortunately for Cincinnati and USF, they very much got the Houston/SMU treatment went the SWC disbanded in the 90's; they were left behind while other conference mates found greener pastures. 

In basketball, if the AAC does move to a round-robin format, it will cause irreparable harm to the top-level teams.  That means they will be forced to play teams like ECU, Tulane, UCF, USF and SMU twice, home and away.  They will seriously damage their tournament resumes, win or lose, simply because those programs are regularly outside the top-100, and - in the case of the ECU/Tulane - outside the 200s.  The AAC was creatively wise in its flex scheduling (keeping top-ranked teams scheduled together, and only allowing them to play bottom teams once).  Couple that with their unique SEC scheduling challenge, they have been able to creatively and artificially lift their top-ranked teams a bit higher due to that.  A R/R would destroy that IMO. 

In retrospect, especially with the Big 12 CCG game being granted a few years ago, the AAC made a huge mistake in inviting ECU and Tulsa along as full members (IMO, I think Tulane was also a mistake, but at least they appear to be making progressions in football).  Neither has performed in football and/or basketball, and both are essentially eating a chunk of the pie that is not very big to begin with. 

[SaveOD238]

It's amazing, that of the 16 teams in the Big East prior to 2013, only 2 remain in the AAC (which is, legally speaking, the same organization).  Neither of those schools was in the Big East before the 2005 expansion.

AAC: Cincinnati, USF
Big East: UConn, Providence, St Johns, Seton Hall, Villanova, Georgetown, Marquette, DePaul
ACC: Louisville, Pitt, Syracuse, Notre Dame
Big 12: West Virginia
Big Ten: Rutgers

Temple has the longest Big East history of the current AAC teams, having played football in the Big East in the 1990s.

[The Sultan]

It's amazing, that of the 16 teams in the Big East prior to 2013, only 2 remain in the AAC (which is, legally speaking, the same organization).  Neither of those schools was in the Big East before the 2005 expansion.

AAC: Cincinnati, USF
Big East: UConn, Providence, St Johns, Seton Hall, Villanova, Georgetown, Marquette, DePaul
ACC: Louisville, Pitt, Syracuse, Notre Dame
Big 12: West Virginia
Big Ten: Rutgers

Temple has the longest Big East history of the current AAC teams, having played football in the Big East in the 1990s.

Wow.  That is actually pretty incredible.  To be fair though, Temple was slated to join the BE as a full member in summer 2013 and had already joined back for Football.

[Goatherder]

Wow.  That is actually pretty incredible.  To be fair though, Temple was slated to join the BE as a full member in summer 2013 and had already joined back for Football.

True, but so had Memphis, UCF, SMU, and Houston.  I recall when Houston received an invite.  Their fans were ecstatic.  "We'll be playing Georgetown!"  Georgetown was probably the biggest or least most recognizable name for Houston fans.  What they did not get was that Georgetown did not want to play them.  I do not recall the exact order the teams came in.  I recall that Temple and Memphis were announced at the same time.  I assume most of the pre-expansion membership voted to take them.  I am not sure about the rest.  I know that the Catholic 7 were not at all happy about adding Tulane, and that might have been the last straw.  But formal names aside, the newcomers were never going to be part of the Big East.  Even USF was a stretch at best.  They only got in because the football teams needed to recruit Florida and BC unexpectedly left for the ACC, so they got in for everything else as well. 

[Billy Hoyle]

True, but so had Memphis, UCF, SMU, and Houston.  I recall when Houston received an invite.  Their fans were ecstatic.  "We'll be playing Georgetown!"  Georgetown was probably the biggest or least most recognizable name for Houston fans.  What they did not get was that Georgetown did not want to play them.  I do not recall the exact order the teams came in.  I recall that Temple and Memphis were announced at the same time.  I assume most of the pre-expansion membership voted to take them.  I am not sure about the rest. I know that the Catholic 7 were not at all happy about adding Tulane, and that might have been the last straw. But formal names aside, the newcomers were never going to be part of the Big East.  Even USF was a stretch at best.  They only got in because the football teams needed to recruit Florida and BC unexpectedly left for the ACC, so they got in for everything else as well.

Yep, Tuland what triggered Larry Williams and led him to get the Catholic Seven on board to start the process of leaving. The amusing part was that his daughter had just started working in the athletic department at Tulane when he went on the radio and ripped the addition of Tulane.

"I was not pleased that we issued an invitation to Tulane without any diligence to what effect that would have on our basketball product, the draw on our RPI and other such things."

[Galway Eagle]

I thought it was ECU that broke the camels back? Either way I remember thinking "great! Temple and Memphis legit. Houston has some great history... Tulsa has some respectable mid major success though not being Big East level..." then screaming at Tulane ECU UCF SMU etc.

[The Sultan]

It was Tulane. ECU wasn't invited until after C7 announced their departure.

[Galway Eagle]

It was Tulane. ECU wasn't invited until after C7 announced their departure.

Thanks, some things you try to block out from memory

[GoldenWarrior11]

It was Tulane. ECU wasn't invited until after C7 announced their departure.

From my understanding, while the ADs were not on board at all for Tulane as a full-member, the Presidents were obviously in support of it (academic status) and the (then) Big East was being reassured by its (then) commissioner that the acquisition of major media markets (i.e. Houston, Dallas, Orlando, Memphis, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Tampa Bay, Chicago, New York City, Washington D.C., etc.) would recoup the lost value when Syracuse, Pittsburgh, West Virginia et al left.  That is what got the C7 to hold their noses at the time.

When it was quickly learned that the new contract offer from ESPN was peanuts, the C7 then began looking at separating and looking for its own TV deal (as, if we aren't going to be making the big money, let's at least put the best basketball league together with like-minded institutions).  Tulane is naturally used as the scapegoat, but I really feel that it was what was being sold by the (then) conference leadership that didn't end up happening as the biggest reason why the C7 left.

Also, FWIW, the C7 also held the belief that ECU would inevitably become a full-member (they originally were a football-only member).  That would have been yet another basketball anchor to try and work with.  Yuck. 

[Dawson Rental]

AAC still has plenty of solid programs without UConn.  The conference's biggest problem is they are very weak after you get past the likes of Wichita, Houston and Memphis.

I wonder if Wichita should still be mentioned in that company. Their resurgence was begun when they hired Marshall as bball coach. Now that a majority(?) of his team has transferred amid complaints about abusive coaching can he get Wichita back to where it has been?

[Billy Hoyle]

True, but so had Memphis, UCF, SMU, and Houston.  I recall when Houston received an invite.  Their fans were ecstatic.  "We'll be playing Georgetown!"  Georgetown was probably the biggest or least most recognizable name for Houston fans.  What they did not get was that Georgetown did not want to play them.  I do not recall the exact order the teams came in.  I recall that Temple and Memphis were announced at the same time.  I assume most of the pre-expansion membership voted to take them.  I am not sure about the rest.  I know that the Catholic 7 were not at all happy about adding Tulane, and that might have been the last straw.  But formal names aside, the newcomers were never going to be part of the Big East.  Even USF was a stretch at best.  They only got in because the football teams needed to recruit Florida and BC unexpectedly left for the ACC, so they got in for everything else as well.

Also, Boise State and San Diego State were going to become football-only members.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

UConn advertising for season BB tickets.
They are running radio ads also.

[#UnleashSean]

From my understanding, while the ADs were not on board at all for Tulane as a full-member, the Presidents were obviously in support of it (academic status) and the (then) Big East was being reassured by its (then) commissioner that the acquisition of major media markets (i.e. Houston, Dallas, Orlando, Memphis, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Tampa Bay, Chicago, New York City, Washington D.C., etc.) would recoup the lost value when Syracuse, Pittsburgh, West Virginia et al left.  That is what got the C7 to hold their noses at the time.

When it was quickly learned that the new contract offer from ESPN was peanuts, the C7 then began looking at separating and looking for its own TV deal (as, if we aren't going to be making the big money, let's at least put the best basketball league together with like-minded institutions).  Tulane is naturally used as the scapegoat, but I really feel that it was what was being sold by the (then) conference leadership that didn't end up happening as the biggest reason why the C7 left.

Also, FWIW, the C7 also held the belief that ECU would inevitably become a full-member (they originally were a football-only member).  That would have been yet another basketball anchor to try and work with.  Yuck.

Talking about anchors.. How did DePaul end up getting an invite/ 

[WhiteTrash]

Talking about anchors.. How did DePaul end up getting an invite/ 

Agreed but last year they were pretty good.  Someone has to finish last. If the P5 in football pulls out of the NCAA, some good programs accustomed to 9-10 wins will have 7-8 wins. .500 is always the result across the board.

[GooooMarquette]

UConn becomes first FBS team to cancel football season because of coronavirus

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29600577/uconn-becomes-1st-fbs-team-cancel-football-season-due-coronavirus

Nice first step on the road to the FCS....

[Coleman]

UConn becomes first FBS team to cancel football season because of coronavirus

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29600577/uconn-becomes-1st-fbs-team-cancel-football-season-due-coronavirus

Nice first step on the road to the FCS....

Didn't have much of a choice. 4-6 games were already going to be cancelled due to other conferences cancelling non-conference games.  What's the point of keeping a season to play 6 games?

I will be curious to see what they do long term. Staying independent is not viable for them.

[SaveOD238]

UConn becomes first FBS team to cancel football season because of coronavirus

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29600577/uconn-becomes-1st-fbs-team-cancel-football-season-due-coronavirus

Nice first step on the road to the FCS....

This feels like the first step towards no football, even.

[fjm]

UConn becomes first FBS team to cancel football season because of coronavirus

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29600577/uconn-becomes-1st-fbs-team-cancel-football-season-due-coronavirus

Nice first step on the road to the FCS....

So Covid was created by UCONN to help them eradicate their football program after joining the BEast?

[Lennys Tap]

UCONN gave up football a long time ago.

[GooooMarquette]

This feels like the first step towards no football, even.

Agreed. The other schools will eventually go that way; it was just easier for UConn to be the first major school because they had lost half their schedule anyway.

[DFW HOYA]

This feels like the first step towards no football, even.

UConn needs to play football. 48 of the 50 flagship state schools in the US play football, Alaska and Vermont excepted. It would look very weak if Southern Connecticut and Central Connecticut can play the sport but the flagship university cannot.

On a secondary issue, I would like to see UConn schedule the other three Big East football schools in its non-conference rotation. There are issues which would limit this, of course, but it's worth considering.

[The Sultan]

UConn needs to play football. 48 of the 50 flagship state schools in the US play football, Alaska and Vermont excepted. It would look very weak if Southern Connecticut and Central Connecticut can play the sport but the flagship university cannot.

On a secondary issue, I would like to see UConn schedule the other three Big East football schools in its non-conference rotation. There are issues which would limit this, of course, but it's worth considering.

UConn should drop to FCS

[Nukem2]

UConn should drop to FCS

Yes.  It's options are very limited in a Covid world. UConn does have a bit of a window in the post-vaccine world, but it's a very narrow window.

[WhiteTrash]

UConn should drop to FCS

I disagree.  UCONN  as a FBS school is a stronger BE member.  That said, I'm not a Conneticut resident or alum. Perhaps some of you are and have a dog in the fight. This is a non issue to 99% of BE fans not from UCONN.

[JWags85]

UConn needs to play football. 48 of the 50 flagship state schools in the US play football, Alaska and Vermont excepted. It would look very weak if Southern Connecticut and Central Connecticut can play the sport but the flagship university cannot.

On a secondary issue, I would like to see UConn schedule the other three Big East football schools in its non-conference rotation. There are issues which would limit this, of course, but it's worth considering.

CCSU is FCS, as mentioned, which is a very different financial proposition. And SCSU is D2 so they aren't even relevant to the discussion.

Otherwise I agree. UCONN is a pretty natural fit for the Colonial for football with Nova, and then could add GTown and Butler non con