Around the Big East

[ADORAZ]

Take the exit fee and wave bye-bye. Win/win.

And don't forget the Tournament credits!

UConn undoubtedly helped the conference this year by beating everyone besides Big East teams. Now if they leave it'll be just in time for the only NYC team to return to glory, while UConn becomes irrelevant losing to teams in middle America just like their AAC days. Can't wait to take over MSG during the BET while a few hundred of their fans travel to Kansas or wherever the Big 12 Tournament is held.

 

[room112]

How will landing Colorado impact Big 12 expansion plans? Don't sleep on UConn

Step one in Big 12 expansion is adding Colorado. Though a Pac-12 school could be targeted next, Brett Yormark also likes the idea of UConn.

theathletic.com

"
In UConn, Yormark sees something that other Big 12 leaders don’t. They think football first and have their doubts that UConn football can become relevant. The recent track record — 27-83 since 2013 — is hard to ignore. They see the success in men’s and women’s basketball as undeniably attractive, but it’s less easy to get them to buy the pitch that UConn adds value for this league, in part because these presidents, chancellors and ADs have spent the past year locked in on trying to land Power 5 football schools.

But Yormark sees an entry point into New York City. He sees a dominant basketball conference and big-time events at Madison Square Garden. He sees a future in which the Big 12 makes more money down the road by decoupling its media rights package and selling its basketball rights separately. Conference sources say he sees a sort of buy-low opportunity here, a bet that the Big 12 investing in UConn over the rest of the decade will drive up the conference’s value. For him, there’s no hesitation. There’s real conviction.

I still don't understand how Storrs CT is an entry point into NYC???

 

[IDRAFT]

Divided by all of the schools the exit fee might not cover a starting backcourt. A great deal for UCONN who used the Big East to bring a dying basketball program back to life. For the Big East members, not nearly worth reanimating Frankenstein.

But what’s done is done. The day they leave will be a great day. On top of all their other negatives the fanbase constantly belittle the league they are in! With both St Johns and Georgetown poised to become the most successful since league realignment the timing is perfect to bid UCONN goodbye.

They are National Champions and I do not dispute they are back as a top program. But the Big East does not need them and they do not fit. Rooting hard that they get a B12 invite.

 

[IDRAFT]

I still don't understand how Storrs CT is an entry point into NYC???

If it’s about the conference tournament sure. There are enough folks in northern Connecticut to fill a ton of seats at MSG or Barclays if they went that way. Especially since those fans will lose the ability to attend away games versus St Johns, Providence, etc., in season.

But for TV? I don’t see them helping much at all. They will be another team from the B12 that NY fans don’t care about. Especially if the recent investments from SJU and Georgetown take root, and I suspect they will.

And that’s basketball. When a UCONN football game airs do the NY ratings beat a test pattern? And football is where the real money is.

I don’t understand why the B12 wants them, I’m just happy that they do.

 

[Amaseinyourface]

If it’s about the conference tournament sure. There are enough folks in northern Connecticut to fill a ton of seats at MSG or Barclays if they went that way. Especially since those fans will lose the ability to attend away games versus St Johns, Providence, etc., in season.

But for TV? I don’t see them helping much at all. They will be another team from the B12 that NY fans don’t care about. Especially if the recent investments from SJU and Georgetown take root, and I suspect they will.

And that’s basketball. When a UCONN football game airs do the NY ratings beat a test pattern? And football is where the real money is.

I don’t understand why the B12 wants them, I’m just happy that they do.

I feel like it’s trending away from them at the moment

 

[ADORAZ]

Divided by all of the schools the exit fee might not cover a starting backcourt. A great deal for UCONN who used the Big East to bring a dying basketball program back to life. For the Big East members, not nearly worth reanimating Frankenstein.

But what’s done is done. The day they leave will be a great day. On top of all their other negatives the fanbase constantly belittle the league they are in! With both St Johns and Georgetown poised to become the most successful since league realignment the timing is perfect to bid UCONN goodbye.

They are National Champions and I do not dispute they are back as a top program. But the Big East does not need them and they do not fit. Rooting hard that they get a B12 invite.

UConn may have always been courted to the Big 12, there were rumors throughout the season that the Big 12 was interested, and their commissioner just took over a year ago. Each Big East team gets $3 million from the exit fee (+ Tournament credits) which is more than a starting backcourt. Not saying it's an ideal situation for the Big East by any means, but it's something.

room112 - I really don't understand their vision, either. UConn may play 2-3 games max per year at MSG. Even if they decide to play Big 12 teams for a home game or two, nobody outside of Kansas would really draw national attention. Compare that to St. John's who will now play probably 10+ games per year at MSG during the regular season and 1-4 more during the BET. The Big 12 has no shot at taking MSG from the Big East, especially since the ACC and Big Ten couldn't with more nearby teams.

It's starting to look more and more like they'll kick the can down the road on UConn and add another Pac 12 team or two. They're in no rush to add UConn, and unless UConn makes another significant leap in football this year then their appeal will fade.

 

[dk423]

I feel like it’s trending away from them at the moment

It will be very funny/awkward if Big 12 ends up getting their clean sweep of the Pac-12 (Colorado, Arizona, Oregon and Arizona State), and leaves UCONN at their altar.

Then, when the ACC eventually collapses, Big 12 adds Pittsburgh/Louisville/NC State/Syracuse for all sports.

Yormark goes to UCONN and invites them -- along with us/Gonzaga/Villanova/Georgetown/Duke -- for non-football + basketball-only membership. Those fans will go nuts.

I think that is the only way the Big 12 can take over NYC + why UCONN would ever fit its mission. It certainly sounds like UCONN is being used to create urgency to the PAC schools. Frankly, assuming there's more money, that would be a very, very difficult thing to say no to as a St. John's fan.

I'm surprised the Big 12 has put themselves in this position.

 

[room112]

UConn may have always been courted to the Big 12, there were rumors throughout the season that the Big 12 was interested, and their commissioner just took over a year ago. Each Big East team gets $3 million from the exit fee (+ Tournament credits) which is more than a starting backcourt. Not saying it's an ideal situation for the Big East by any means, but it's something.

room112 - I really don't understand their vision, either. UConn may play 2-3 games max per year at MSG. Even if they decide to play Big 12 teams for a home game or two, nobody outside of Kansas would really draw national attention. Compare that to St. John's who will now play probably 10+ games per year at MSG during the regular season and 1-4 more during the BET. The Big 12 has no shot at taking MSG from the Big East, especially since the ACC and Big Ten couldn't with more nearby teams.

It's starting to look more and more like they'll kick the can down the road on UConn and add another Pac 12 team or two. They're in no rush to add UConn, and unless UConn makes another significant leap in football this year then their appeal will fade.

Big 12 commish Brett Yormark is quoted as saying he wants to make the conference a national brand. But people in the NYC area don't care about the Big 12 nor will they in the future. Look what happened when they had the ACC and Big 10 tournaments in Brooklyn. Way more tickets were sold for the Big East tournament those years.

 

[IDRAFT]

Big 12 commish Brett Yormark is quoted as saying he wants to make the conference a national brand. But people in the NYC area don't care about the Big 12 nor will they in the future. Look what happened when they had the ACC and Big 10 tournaments in Brooklyn. Way more tickets were sold for the Big East tournament those years.

The price differences on Stubhub were stark. And B10 was MSG - I went to the quarterfinals (which included Michigan) and it was empty. I think I paid $15 for seats around the well-known 114 area.

 

[L J S A]

UConn football would lose 59-0 to a team like Oklahoma St.

Just imagine if Oklahoma were still going to be there.

I think that alone should make the Big 12 pause big time. I would invite Louisville, Pitt, Syracuse, and B.C. before I ever considered UConn.

 

[sjc88]

I still don't understand how Storrs CT is an entry point into NYC???

Very similar to the nonsense Rutgers “sold” the Big Ten. This allowed the Big Ten Network to be a part of TV packages in New York. This is true. Problem is a basic Nevada vs Notre Dame football game gets a better rating than a Rutgers game. It is delusional.

 

[bamafan]

Very similar to the nonsense Rutgers “sold” the Big Ten. This allowed the Big Ten Network to be a part of TV packages in New York. This is true. Problem is a basic Nevada vs Notre Dame football game gets a better rating than a Rutgers game. It is delusional.

LI don’t think they care how many people watch Rutgers games just how many subscribers to their Network

 

[sjc88]

LI don’t think they care how many people watch Rutgers games just how many subscribers to their Network

Correct. Which is the ONLY reason RU is in the Big Ten. I am sitting here on Long Island and have access to the B10 Network because of RU. I don’t know a single RU fan. RU might as well be on the moon. However, the TV rights were the issue.

The funniest thing is the B10 commercial where Rutgers looks like it’s on Wall Street.

 

[room112]

Correct. Which is the ONLY reason RU is in the Big Ten. I am sitting here on Long Island and have access to the B10 Network because of RU. I don’t know a single RU fan. RU might as well be on the moon. However, the TV rights were the issue.

The funniest thing is the B10 commercial where Rutgers looks like it’s on Wall Street.

Rutgers in New Brunswick is at least in the general vicinity of NYC, even though not close. UConn in Storrs is 134 miles from NYC lol. Rutgers is about 40 miles.

 

[sjc88]

Rutgers in New Brunswick is at least in the general vicinity of NYC, even though not close. UConn in Storrs is 134 miles from NYC lol. Rutgers is about 40 miles.

I don’t like either one. Try as they might for financial reasons they are not NY schools.

 

[room112]

I will always remember UConn's first attempt to land in a power conference following their departure from the Big East. This was 7 years ago, and still gives me a laugh. Delusional and of course didn't work!

 

[otis]

I still don't understand how Storrs CT is an entry point into in presale NYC???

It did not provide an entry point when Yukon was in the AAC.

The Yukon fans boat on their website about MSG being its “home court”. Let’s see how many Yukon fans are able to purchase tickets after the StJ’s fans StJohn’s fans buy all (or most) of the tickets through pre-sale now that Pitinomis in charge.

 

[hardytime]

LI don’t think they care how many people watch Rutgers games just how many subscribers to their Network

I’ve been told this is exactly the point. I didn’t understand this at first, because I’m not in the business, etc. But all the Big 10 wanted was their network part of many basic or basic + cable packages in the region. They know no one cares about RU football in downstate NY.

 

[Money]

Correct. Which is the ONLY reason RU is in the Big Ten. I am sitting here on Long Island and have access to the B10 Network because of RU. I don’t know a single RU fan. RU might as well be on the moon. However, the TV rights were the issue.

The funniest thing is the B10 commercial where Rutgers looks like it’s on Wall Street.

Yes, correct. But since RU is in the Big Ten, you and millions of others in the Tri-state area now pay for the B10 Network.

 

[paultzman]

Smart