They had one good season when their schedule was such a joke they went 12-6 in the Big East and sat on the bubble.
They generate no local interest, never mind national interest. They add nothing to the value of the television deal.
Same could be said for Boise State the 1st year they won 10 games. You act like nothing changes, the Gipper movie had Villanova as one of the big time football powers. If VCU and Butler can win why can't USF and Houston do the same? A big time Houston program would capture a lot of press in Texas; UCF beat Uconn. Takes a couple of recruits to win a lot of games. 10 years ago were you predicting BCU would be the 5th best team (being generous) in Mass.
You know there can only be 25 teams in the top 25 right? And there are 35o Div 1 basketball teams. And other schools give out scholarships. And a league with Uconn, Louisville, Cin, Georgtown, Marquette isn't half bad at the top end and with Memphis, St Johns, Houston, USF and UCF aren't half bad in the middle and Depaul and Providence and Seton Hall and Rutgers and SMU as bottom feeders is better than a lot of leagues middle teams.
In the NBA draft and tv negotiations got to sell potential. UCF and USF graduate loads of students each year. Play in MSG, on TV, income gets you coaches and facilities, playing to the "lack of respect" card - we'll see in a few weeks what someone with actual money thinks of the value of the nnbe basketball. BE has hired some pretty good professionals, get a weak deal and proves your point as don't think it will be due to lack of execution.