Big East & UConn

[paultzman]

Dr. Saturday – Verified account ‏@YahooDrSaturday

AAC commissioner Mike Aresco: "It looks like" some members will leave for the Big 12. http://yhoo.it/2a9QyUh

 

[L J S A]

I wish Texas would sort out its TV issues, because I'd love to see them and Oklahoma move to the Pac-12 before Big 12 gets too watered down.

 

[L J S A]

http://www.cbssports.com/college-fo...ering-by-aac-schools-borderline-embarrassing/

 

[SJU85]

BYU 100 percent belongs there, although in every comments section I've read there seems to be extreme Mormon hatred.

Little surprised at Cincy over Memphis, but Cincy has probably had more outstanding football seasons than Memphis has. But success at both schools is relative. Trying to go up against Oklahoma or Texas most years could get ugly.

BYU makes sense however accommodations would need to be made with their other sports as BYU teams don't play on Sundays.

IMHO BYU and Houston make the most sense but in Houston's case the other Texas schools might be against adding them which would give them a higher recruiting profile in that football fertile and crazed State.

According to this Article at least in UT's case, apparently I was wrong regarding the other Texas schools.

http://www.cbssports.com/college-fo...pread-it-has-invaded-north-carolina-politics/

 

[kranmars]

Dr. Saturday – Verified account ‏@YahooDrSaturday

AAC commissioner Mike Aresco: "It looks like" some members will leave for the Big 12. http://yhoo.it/2a9QyUh

This is exactly why I am 100 percent against throwing Uconn a lifeline with a BE invite. Let them dangle in somewhere in obscurity for all I care. BE hoops is competitive and has a quality product.

I am in the camp that if conference is ever going to expand, it should be of like minded schools.

 

[GardenCity62]

Don't let them in the Big East but schedule home and home series with them because playing before near capacity crowds at MSG will be another step in the SJU rise.
Conn will be desperate to get into a decent league and as one posted last week will promise anything to get in and will immediately start to try to get into a league with football. If the Big East takes them the penalty to leave should be astronomical.

 

[redmannorth]

Don't let them in the Big East but schedule home and home series with them because playing before near capacity crowds at MSG will be another step in the SJU rise.
Conn will be desperate to get into a decent league and as one posted last week will promise anything to get in and will immediately start to try to get into a league with football. If the Big East takes them the penalty to leave should be astronomical.

Start winning big and St. John's and Fordham will be a sell-out. Don't need ConnU on our schedule. Don't help them to recruit the 5 boroughs and LI in any way possible. Let their program die the slow death they deserve. We only need worry about ourselves and all will work out well.

 

[jetstorm]

Don't let them in the Big East but schedule home and home series with them because playing before near capacity crowds at MSG will be another step in the SJU rise.
Conn will be desperate to get into a decent league and as one posted last week will promise anything to get in and will immediately start to try to get into a league with football. If the Big East takes them the penalty to leave should be astronomical.

Start winning big and St. John's and Fordham will be a sell-out. Don't need ConnU on our schedule. Don't help them to recruit the 5 boroughs and LI in any way possible. Let their program die the slow death they deserve. We only need worry about ourselves and all will work out well.

They can go back to the garbage heap the Big East picked them out of!!

 

[room112]

Just to play devil's advocate, say we add UConn, and they eventually leave again in 10 years or whatever. This type of exit wouldn't break up our whole league, and we're in great shape even if they had left again. I just think it makes us stronger with them here.

 

[redfanUpooooooo]

Bringing them back would be great for the league. The expectation must be that they will try to jump ship again when an opportunity arises that is more profitable. A costly escape clause should be a requirement for re-entry. Bring in Dayton with them and settle for a league of 12.

 

[Andrew]

Bringing them back would be great for the league. The expectation must be that they will try to jump ship again when an opportunity arises that is more profitable. A costly escape clause should be a requirement for re-entry. Bring in Dayton with them and settle for a league of 12.

Assuming the Big 12 passes on UCONN, if Cincinatti or Memphis leave that is a big hit to the AAC in basketball. I can't see the AAC letting UCONN play football and not basketball at that point so I don't see any chance UCONN would be able to join the Big East even if both parties mutually agree.

 

[redken]

Bringing them back would be great for the league. The expectation must be that they will try to jump ship again when an opportunity arises that is more profitable. A costly escape clause should be a requirement for re-entry. Bring in Dayton with them and settle for a league of 12.

Can't stand them, but UConn joining the Big East would only make the conference stronger -- which is preferable to making one the power conferences stronger. We shouldn't be so fast to cut off our nose to spite our face. Agree, a super costly escape clause -- and a very hefty entry fee -- would be mandatory. And if they opt out in 10 years, so be it. In the meanwhile, their membership in the BE (along with Dayton or another solid program) would only make the BE, and not one of the Big 5 conferences, stronger.

 

[nycfan]

Bottom line, over the last 20 years Uconn has been a top 3 program at national level with multiple national championships. Our top priority should be to make the Big East as strong as can be. No other program can do that for the BE.

While I don't think UCONN gets into the B12, the B12 expansion could trigger an ACC expansion and in that case I would expect Uconn would end up in the ACC.

 

[Red.Fans]

Bringing them back would be great for the league. The expectation must be that they will try to jump ship again when an opportunity arises that is more profitable. A costly escape clause should be a requirement for re-entry. Bring in Dayton with them and settle for a league of 12.

Can't stand them, but UConn joining the Big East would only make the conference stronger -- which is preferable to making one the power conferences stronger. We shouldn't be so fast to cut off our nose to spite our face. Agree, a super costly escape clause -- and a very hefty entry fee -- would be mandatory. And if they opt out in 10 years, so be it. In the meanwhile, their membership in the BE (along with Dayton or another solid program) would only make the BE, and not one of the Big 5 conferences, stronger.

One of those sounds logical things that you need to dig a little deeper. There is a reason why Yukon's first, second and third choices have spurned them. They see the same logic but they are wiser.

 

[Class of 72]

Bottom line, over the last 20 years Uconn has been a top 3 program at national level with multiple national championships. Our top priority should be to make the Big East as strong as can be. No other program can do that for the BE.

While I don't think UCONN gets into the B12, the B12 expansion could trigger an ACC expansion and in that case I would expect Uconn would end up in the ACC.

I agree regarding Uconn not getting into the Big 12 but mainly because their football program is sinking fast, even in the AAC. They play in a 40,000 seat stadium but their attendance average peaked at 26,000 and is now down to 16,000. The Big 12 is first and foremost a football conference. It may expand by 2 or at most 4 but it has better geographic partner possibilities in Colorado State, BYU, Houston, and Cincinnati.
The ACC just announced its Mega TV deal with Espn for its own network with iron-clad media rights. Although they took basketball schools like Louisville and Syracuse whose football programs are mediocre I doubt they need to add Uconn any longer.
For many years I was a Uconn women's team fan but absolutely hated Jim Calhoun. Uconn to this day will bolt to any Power 5 conference that will have them but who needs them? For me to be amenable to them joining the Big East they would have to either move their football to another conference or sign an iron-clad media rights agreement if they left. Dayton I would add in a heartbeat as their fans travel well and would improve our basketball profile. For the Big East to remain a Power 5 Basketball conference and remain an attractive and profitable media partner it needs to be successful from top to bottom. Villanova proved a non Power 5 football school can win a national championship and with the continued recruitment of top 100 talent there is reason to be optimistic. I begrudgingly agree that a Big East with a Uconn, Villanova, Xavier, St. John's, Providence, Georgetown, Butler, etc. would look more attractive in 10 years when the Fox contract ends and may even bring Espn calling again. Sure we will never earn the 20-30 million per year that the football schools earn but we also do not need to support 80 football scholarships, dozens of football coaches, stadiums, etc., etc. in a sport that in 10 years may be diminished by fewer good players on the high school and collegiate level because it is being deemed too dangerous by parents.
Just my thoughts and not an endorsement of Uconn but the viability is there when Uconn's football bubble bursts.

 

[austour]

Bringing them back would be great for the league. The expectation must be that they will try to jump ship again when an opportunity arises that is more profitable. A costly escape clause should be a requirement for re-entry. Bring in Dayton with them and settle for a league of 12.

Can't stand them, but UConn joining the Big East would only make the conference stronger -- which is preferable to making one the power conferences stronger. We shouldn't be so fast to cut off our nose to spite our face. Agree, a super costly escape clause -- and a very hefty entry fee -- would be mandatory. And if they opt out in 10 years, so be it. In the meanwhile, their membership in the BE (along with Dayton or another solid program) would only make the BE, and not one of the Big 5 conferences, stronger.

One of those sounds logical things that you need to dig a little deeper. There is a reason why Yukon's first, second and third choices have spurned them. They see the same logic but they are wiser.

Yes, the reason is they are football conferences where the basketball revenue is secondary. Doesn't apply to the BE obviously.

 

[Red.Fans]

Bringing them back would be great for the league. The expectation must be that they will try to jump ship again when an opportunity arises that is more profitable. A costly escape clause should be a requirement for re-entry. Bring in Dayton with them and settle for a league of 12.

Can't stand them, but UConn joining the Big East would only make the conference stronger -- which is preferable to making one the power conferences stronger. We shouldn't be so fast to cut off our nose to spite our face. Agree, a super costly escape clause -- and a very hefty entry fee -- would be mandatory. And if they opt out in 10 years, so be it. In the meanwhile, their membership in the BE (along with Dayton or another solid program) would only make the BE, and not one of the Big 5 conferences, stronger.

One of those sounds logical things that you need to dig a little deeper. There is a reason why Yukon's first, second and third choices have spurned them. They see the same logic but they are wiser.

Yes, the reason is they are football conferences where the basketball revenue is secondary. Doesn't apply to the BE obviously.

NCAA football wealth is a myth. It applies to +/- 10 programs. Even within conference for those schools the benefit is not a net profit to everyone else. There are so many other reasons that schools and conferences push football and all athletics. As long as it it funded by taxpayers, the game is to feed the machine. Yukon with unlimited state funds and a massive commitment to infrastructure is bottom line attractive whether it is pulling in 10k to a stadium or 50k.

Aside from that there is an unspoken resentment towards the historical relationship between Yukon and ESPN. Schools with a memory are leery and will always consider it suspect. Yukon is also looked upon nationwide as a dirty player. These things factor no matter how much pragmatists want to ignore them as irrelevant. The ACC has not spurned Yukon for financial reasons and ultimately they'll probably suck them in reluctantly since they increasingly resemble the SEC rather than the Ivy League in terms of standards.

 

[austour]

Bringing them back would be great for the league. The expectation must be that they will try to jump ship again when an opportunity arises that is more profitable. A costly escape clause should be a requirement for re-entry. Bring in Dayton with them and settle for a league of 12.

Can't stand them, but UConn joining the Big East would only make the conference stronger -- which is preferable to making one the power conferences stronger. We shouldn't be so fast to cut off our nose to spite our face. Agree, a super costly escape clause -- and a very hefty entry fee -- would be mandatory. And if they opt out in 10 years, so be it. In the meanwhile, their membership in the BE (along with Dayton or another solid program) would only make the BE, and not one of the Big 5 conferences, stronger.

One of those sounds logical things that you need to dig a little deeper. There is a reason why Yukon's first, second and third choices have spurned them. They see the same logic but they are wiser.

Yes, the reason is they are football conferences where the basketball revenue is secondary. Doesn't apply to the BE obviously.

NCAA football wealth is a myth. It applies to +/- 10 programs. Even within conference for those schools the benefit is not a net profit to everyone else. There are so many other reasons that schools and conferences push football and all athletics. As long as it it funded by taxpayers, the game is to feed the machine. Yukon with unlimited state funds and a massive commitment to infrastructure is bottom line attractive whether it is pulling in 10k to a stadium or 50k.

Aside from that there is an unspoken resentment towards the historical relationship between Yukon and ESPN. Schools with a memory are leery and will always consider it suspect. Yukon is also looked upon nationwide as a dirty player. These things factor no matter how much pragmatists want to ignore them as irrelevant. The ACC has not spurned Yukon for financial reasons and ultimately they'll probably suck them in reluctantly since they increasingly resemble the SEC rather than the Ivy League in terms of standards.

That was true before they each launched a network and the explosion in TV $ for football. Just read about B10 distributing 47-57 million per school in 17/18 from all their TV rights.

 

[redken]

Bringing them back would be great for the league. The expectation must be that they will try to jump ship again when an opportunity arises that is more profitable. A costly escape clause should be a requirement for re-entry. Bring in Dayton with them and settle for a league of 12.

Can't stand them, but UConn joining the Big East would only make the conference stronger -- which is preferable to making one the power conferences stronger. We shouldn't be so fast to cut off our nose to spite our face. Agree, a super costly escape clause -- and a very hefty entry fee -- would be mandatory. And if they opt out in 10 years, so be it. In the meanwhile, their membership in the new BE (along with Dayton or another solid program) would only make the BE, and not one of the Big 5 conferences, stronger.

One of those sounds logical things that you need to dig a little deeper. There is a reason why Yukon's first, second and third choices have spurned them. They see the same logic but they are wiser.

Yes, the reason is they are football conferences where the basketball revenue is secondary. Doesn't apply to the BE obviously.

Precisely. It's all about putting 50,000 to 100,000 fannies in the seats. But if UConn is left standing, basically alone, in the pathetically weakened AAC, then one of the Big 5 will eventually gobble them up strictly on the basis of their basketball program -- one of the elite ones over the past 15 years or so -- and no doubt to keep them out of the burgeoning Big East (think Coach K and his contempt for the former Big East and his desire to destroy it). I'm more concerned about the strength and viability of the BE than I am about punishing UConn for its misguided flirtations with big-time football and for the "sin" of filling the Garden with its fans. Get over it; it's in the past. Adding them to the BE would without question strengthen the conference, its reputation, and its appeal to both a national TV audience and recruits alike. Couldn't care less about their fans filling the Garden; more concerned about our fans filling it ... which looks like it will happen with CM at the helm. Again, let's not cut off our nose to spite our face.

 

[mjmaherjr]

if we ever let them in there better be something like a 50 million dollar exit fee