Key tweets, and it's all gone to Hell.

[Dooley]

I don't think lawsuits are the answer. What I'd like to see a not-so-subtle reminder from our elected state officials that the hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks have come on the backs of Connecticut taxpayers...many of whom are UConn alumni and/or fans. Something I would really like to see is an offer of tax credit on UConn's portion cost to be added to an ESPN produced Power conference league.

 

[06029]

You are a lawyer... A case couldn't be made to sue them?

ESPN has data and revenue projections to every team and what they add to every conference and they present to the conferences that make the decision. Are people suggesting they cook the numbers in Uconn's favor? I am sure Disney shareholders and the Disney board would love that.

If you bother to do the math and the economic benefit of ESPNs tax breaks and the total jobs and incremental effect on only Central CT it is huge. If you want to blame ESPN then start blaming NBC Sports that got tax break to be in Stamford. Or how about any of the other tax break companies under Malloy that could have been used to bribe ESPN. Especially the hedge funds.

This board has become one big circle jerk. UConn is the only option. Every other school is dogs hit. How can people not see how clearly superior Uconn is? Dissension is not permitted. If Uconn is passed over blame ESPN, the AD, the prez, Obama, Trump, FedEx.

There clearly are negatives on Uconn for the Big 12, the ACC an the B1G just like every other school in the mix. At the end of the day, it is the schools that decide and their logic and rationale may be lost by every fan of the schools that don't get in. If TX and OU thinks Storrs sucks, don't blame ESPN. Blame TX and OU.

 

[WestHartHusk]

ESPN has data and revenue projections to every team and what they add to every conference and they present to the conferences that make the decision. Are people suggesting they cook the numbers in Uconn's favor? I am sure Disney shareholders and the Disney board would love that.

If you bother to do the math and the economic benefit of ESPNs tax breaks and the total jobs and incremental effect on only Central CT it is huge. If you want to blame ESPN then start blaming NBC Sports that got tax break to be in Stamford. Or how about any of the other tax break companies under Malloy that could have been used to bribe ESPN. Especially the hedge funds.

This board has become one big circle jerk. UConn is the only option. Every other school is dogs hit. How can people not see how clearly superior Uconn is? Dissension is not permitted. If Uconn is passed over blame ESPN, the AD, the prez, Obama, Trump, FedEx.

There clearly are negatives on Uconn for the Big 12, the ACC an the B1G just like every other school in the mix. At the end of the day, it is the schools that decide and their logic and rationale may be lost by every fan of the schools that don't get in. If TX and OU thinks Storrs sucks, don't blame ESPN. Blame TX and OU.

Did you get it all out buddy?

 

[noeynox]

Dissent is permitted, and so is pointing out that you sound like a .

If you go expansion candidates boards, uconn is dogs hit, so if that is what someone wants to read they could certainly do,that there and not whine here.

 

[Alum86]

ESPN has data and revenue projections to every team and what they add to every conference and they present to the conferences that make the decision. Are people suggesting they cook the numbers in Uconn's favor? I am sure Disney shareholders and the Disney board would love that.

If you bother to do the math and the economic benefit of ESPNs tax breaks and the total jobs and incremental effect on only Central CT it is huge. If you want to blame ESPN then start blaming NBC Sports that got tax break to be in Stamford. Or how about any of the other tax break companies under Malloy that could have been used to bribe ESPN. Especially the hedge funds.

This board has become one big circle jerk. UConn is the only option. Every other school is dogs hit. How can people not see how clearly superior Uconn is? Dissension is not permitted. If Uconn is passed over blame ESPN, the AD, the prez, Obama, Trump, FedEx.

There clearly are negatives on Uconn for the Big 12, the ACC an the B1G just like every other school in the mix. At the end of the day, it is the schools that decide and their logic and rationale may be lost by every fan of the schools that don't get in. If TX and OU thinks Storrs sucks, don't blame ESPN. Blame TX and OU.

You say blame ESPN but then say don't. Do not really know where you stand.

 

[Dooley]

ESPN deserves every ounce of ire it gets from UConn fans after they make statements to the affect of "adding G5 schools will water down the conference". For most schools, yes that is correct. But when UConn is lumped in with these bottom feeders with AD budgets about 1/2 ours, that's when our brand and reputation are put at risk. That devalues our product and puts any future attempts to get out of this trash heap at serious risk.

Tax credit for UConn entry seems fair. First, it's not like a FedEx buying Memphis into the conference with lousy metrics. Second, we support a $30M/yr payout. Only BYU can say the same. If ESPN adds BYU and UConn, the two most valuable brands and only schools who can support a $30M/yr payout, and they get a tax credit on UConn's portion of the payout, it would be like ESPN is paying for 1 or 1.5 schools. To me, that's a win-win for the B12, ESPN, FOX (gets to come east), BYU, and UConn.

UC, Memphis, Houston, UCF, USF, CSU, Boise...all of them have serious work to do to get to a P5 payout point at $30M/yr. All of them are in the $30-$50M/yr AD budget range and have some form of deficiency in athletics, academics, or market penetration (namely - do they own their home market?). BYU and UConn are the only two that check all of the boxes, so to speak.

 

[WestHartHusk]

If you go expansion candidates boards, uconn is dogs hit, so if that is what someone wants to read they could certainly do,that there and not whine here.

Thanks for quoting me before I edited , I realized that post was a bit harsh.

 

[FDNY99]

ESPN has data and revenue projections to every team and what they add to every conference and they present to the conferences that make the decision. Are people suggesting they cook the numbers in Uconn's favor? I am sure Disney shareholders and the Disney board would love that.

If you bother to do the math and the economic benefit of ESPNs tax breaks and the total jobs and incremental effect on only Central CT it is huge. If you want to blame ESPN then start blaming NBC Sports that got tax break to be in Stamford. Or how about any of the other tax break companies under Malloy that could have been used to bribe ESPN. Especially the hedge funds.

This board has become one big circle jerk. UConn is the only option. Every other school is dogs hit. How can people not see how clearly superior Uconn is? Dissension is not permitted. If Uconn is passed over blame ESPN, the AD, the prez, Obama, Trump, FedEx.

There clearly are negatives on Uconn for the Big 12, the ACC an the B1G just like every other school in the mix. At the end of the day, it is the schools that decide and their logic and rationale may be lost by every fan of the schools that don't get in. If TX and OU thinks Storrs sucks, don't blame ESPN. Blame TX and OU.

If you look at who gets the blame for not being in the ACC around here it's not too hard to figure it out! This board has "become one big circle jerk"? How long have you had season tickets to UConn sports...and donated money to the athletic department? Or better yet..how about this...if this board and the rantings of UConn fans who have bought in with their hard earned $$ to support the school don't seem to suit your fancy I have a VERY EASY solution for you: Leave and don't let the door hit you in the a s s on the way out.

 

[ninety-nine]

So, I went to a boxing match last night, and a conference realignment message board broke out! Ba-da-bing.

 

[FDNY99]

You say blame ESPN but then say don't. Do not really know where you stand.

I don't think he does either

 

[djct1999]

It's easy. Help get us in or get out.

 

[Waquoit]

ESPN is the man. We can't let the man keep us down.

If we want to be the man, we have to beat the man.

 

[Alum86]

ESPN deserves every ounce of ire it gets from UConn fans after they make statements to the affect of "adding G5 schools will water down the conference". For most schools, yes that is correct. But when UConn is lumped in with these bottom feeders with AD budgets about 1/2 ours, that's when our brand and reputation are put at risk. That devalues our product and puts any future attempts to get out of this trash heap at serious risk.

Tax credit for UConn entry seems fair. First, it's not like a FedEx buying Memphis into the conference with lousy metrics. Second, we support a $30M/yr payout. Only BYU can say the same. If ESPN adds BYU and UConn, the two most valuable brands and only schools who can support a $30M/yr payout, and they get a tax credit on UConn's portion of the payout, it would be like ESPN is paying for 1 or 1.5 schools. To me, that's a win-win for the B12, ESPN, FOX (gets to come east), BYU, and UConn.

UC, Memphis, Houston, UCF, USF, CSU, Boise...all of them have serious work to do to get to a P5 payout point at $30M/yr. All of them are in the $30-$50M/yr AD budget range and have some form of deficiency in athletics, academics, or market penetration (namely - do they own their home market?). BYU and UConn are the only two that check all of the boxes, so to speak.

UDM Doolz. Thanks for the homework on this. If it is BYU and Cincy in a 2 team only scenario we know it is perception, not reality.

 

[CL82]

ESPN deserves every ounce of ire it gets from UConn fans after they make statements to the affect of "adding G5 schools will water down the conference". For most schools, yes that is correct. But when UConn is lumped in with these bottom feeders with AD budgets about 1/2 ours, that's when our brand and reputation are put at risk. That devalues our product and puts any future attempts to get out of this trash heap at serious risk.

Tax credit for UConn entry seems fair. First, it's not like a FedEx buying Memphis into the conference with lousy metrics. Second, we support a $30M/yr payout. Only BYU can say the same. If ESPN adds BYU and UConn, the two most valuable brands and only schools who can support a $30M/yr payout, and they get a tax credit on UConn's portion of the payout, it would be like ESPN is paying for 1 or 1.5 schools. To me, that's a win-win for the B12, ESPN, FOX (gets to come east), BYU, and UConn.

UC, Memphis, Houston, UCF, USF, CSU, Boise...all of them have serious work to do to get to a P5 payout point at $30M/yr. All of them are in the $30-$50M/yr AD budget range and have some form of deficiency in athletics, academics, or market penetration (namely - do they own their home market?). BYU and UConn are the only two that check all of the boxes, so to speak.

Why should we have to buy our entry. Did 'cuse? Did Pitt. ESPN is the architect of misfortune and the financier of our despair. They have suffered no consequence for that. Working to give us a soft landing is the least they should do.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

UConn's economic impact on CT > ESPN so they can go suck a wang

 

[Dooley]

Why should we have to buy our entry. Did 'cuse? Did Pitt. ESPN is the architect of misfortune and the financier of our despair. They have suffered no consequence for that. Working to give us a soft landing is the least they should do.

I know, I hear you. It would sahq. Different economic times, I suppose. Cuse and Pitt got off the derailment early. The supply/demand is really not in our (or any G5) favor any more. And it's only going to get much worse the longer we are trapped.

 

[Jimdish255]

ESPN has data and revenue projections to every team and what they add to every conference and they present to the conferences that make the decision. Are people suggesting they cook the numbers in Uconn's favor? I am sure Disney shareholders and the Disney board would love that.

If you bother to do the math and the economic benefit of ESPNs tax breaks and the total jobs and incremental effect on only Central CT it is huge. If you want to blame ESPN then start blaming NBC Sports that got tax break to be in Stamford. Or how about any of the other tax break companies under Malloy that could have been used to bribe ESPN. Especially the hedge funds.

This board has become one big circle jerk. UConn is the only option. Every other school is dogs hit. How can people not see how clearly superior Uconn is? Dissension is not permitted. If Uconn is passed over blame ESPN, the AD, the prez, Obama, Trump, FedEx.

There clearly are negatives on Uconn for the Big 12, the ACC an the B1G just like every other school in the mix. At the end of the day, it is the schools that decide and their logic and rationale may be lost by every fan of the schools that don't get in. If TX and OU thinks Storrs sucks, don't blame ESPN. Blame TX and OU.

You act as though ESPN is crunching the numbers to maximize revenue for the Big12 when what they are actually doing is balancing their own interests against the cost of future B12 stability. The entire premise collapses on that misrepresentation.

 

[jostar1]

Joseph Duarte ‏@Joseph_Duarte · 5h5 hours ago  Bastrop, TX
. @UHouston banks on joining big leagues to 'sustain' athletics spending
UH banks on joining big leagues to 'sustain' athletics spending

Last June, when reports of a possible Big 12 expansion surfaced, Khator wrote to UH vice president of intercollegiate athletics Hunter Yurachek: "We need to get going fast."

UH officials spent weeks drafting and perfecting a brochure, which touted UH's academic and athletic strengths, to give to officials in the bigger conferences.

Khator conducted in-person meetings with eight of the 10 Big 12 university presidents, and Yurachek met in person or had phone calls with every Big 12 athletic director. Khator and Yurachek conducted an in-person meeting with Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany in Chicago. Yurachek met with Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott in San Francisco.

Khator exchanged at times flattering emails with several university leaders in the Big 12, including Fenves at UT and E. Gordon Gee at West Virginia, who visited UH's main campus last November.

"Just writing to say hello in case you are in Houston, let me know," Khator wrote to TCU chancellor Victor Boschini in February. "The football season turned out very interesting for both of us. I loved your game against Baylor particularly. In any event, it would be lovely to see you again."

In a September 2015 email exchange, Kansas State president Kirk Schulz congratulated Khator on UH's football win over Louisville.

"A nice statement for your football program," wrote Schulz, who has since left for Washington State.

Late last year, Khator asked her chief of staff to have UH's communications team send holiday cards to all of the Big 12 presidents, Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby and Big Ten commissioner Delany.

Costly athletics arms race

Emails show UH leaders firmly engaged in a competitive arms race among colleges to best position themselves for an invite to the elite athletic conferences. In June 2015, Memphis - another contender for a Big 12 spot - tweeted about a major announcement regarding new football and basketball venues. UH athletics director Yurachek wrote to Khator: "We need to push forward and formally announce a Hofheinz (Pavilion) renovation in the next 3-6 months." By November, UH announced plans for a $60 million renovation of its basketball arena that is set to begin this spring.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

We need Houston to be a viable #4 option. No way they are in if its 2. No way we're out if it's 4. At least that's IMHO.

 

[JMick]

....

UH officials spent weeks drafting and perfecting a brochure, which touted UH's academic and athletic strengths, to give to officials in the bigger conferences.

yeah that 6 year graduation rate of 48% is something to be proud about.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

UConn's economic impact on CT > ESPN so they can go suck a wang

Malloy should walk into ESPN's office and tell them that at 4MM subscriber losses a year, ESPN is looking like a bad bet for the state. ESPN needs to give Connecticut a reason to support them.

 

[The Viking]

ESPN has data and revenue projections to every team and what they add to every conference and they present to the conferences that make the decision. Are people suggesting they cook the numbers in Uconn's favor? I am sure Disney shareholders and the Disney board would love that.

If you bother to do the math and the economic benefit of ESPNs tax breaks and the total jobs and incremental effect on only Central CT it is huge. If you want to blame ESPN then start blaming NBC Sports that got tax break to be in Stamford. Or how about any of the other tax break companies under Malloy that could have been used to bribe ESPN. Especially the hedge funds.

This board has become one big circle jerk. UConn is the only option. Every other school is dogs hit. How can people not see how clearly superior Uconn is? Dissension is not permitted. If Uconn is passed over blame ESPN, the AD, the prez, Obama, Trump, FedEx.

There clearly are negatives on Uconn for the Big 12, the ACC an the B1G just like every other school in the mix. At the end of the day, it is the schools that decide and their logic and rationale may be lost by every fan of the schools that don't get in. If TX and OU thinks Storrs sucks, don't blame ESPN. Blame TX and OU.

ESPN pulls strings on realignment. How hard they pull is up to them and their own interests. Where the hell have you been for the last 5 years?
Are you a BC fan? Trying to remember.

 

[coachcap]

Malloy should walk into ESPN's office and tell them that at 4MM subscriber losses a year, ESPN is looking like a bad bet for the state. ESPN needs to give Connecticut a reason to support them.

Malloy has no leverage. If he walks into ESPN's offices with a smoking gun, Disney will:
a. laugh in his face
b. pull the plug & rebuild in Charlotte & broadcast out of Manhattan

 

[FfldCntyFan]

yeah that 6 year graduation rate of 48% is something to be proud about.

I believe what they emphasized was that nearly all of their students have a HS diploma.

 

[FDNY99]

ESPN pulls strings on realignment. How hard they pull is up to them and their own interests. Where the hell have you been for the last 5 years?
Are you a BC fan? Trying to remember.

Yeah he is...HUGE Addazio supporter! I'm thinking @06029 took my advice and hit the bricks...and doesn't spend any $$ out of his pocket to support UConn sports like the rest of us on here.