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

[businesslawyer]

yeah ledecky and kerri walsh wouldve signed up to swim and play volleyball in the west coast conference. k.

And you know they would have in Big XII?

Stanford will figure it out. I don't rule out for a second they might not end up considering the Big XII. They might also pursue a Big Ten slot even if they don't get to share in the TV money.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

And you know they would have in Big XII?

Stanford will figure it out. I don't rule out for a second they might not end up considering the Big XII. They might also pursue a Big Ten slot even if they don't get to share in the TV money.

That is the most likely outcome. They will take a lesser payment and join the B1G.

 

[huskymedic]

Gosh it must suck to be those schools knowing your partners were conspiring against you. Wonder what that feels like?

 

[CL82]

So would the likes of UNC and Virginia move their sports to a P2 only to lose their fan base. Not to mention in spite of revenue, how many do not make a profit? Also, what’s more important to the fan base? Winning or AD profitability?

I'm not so sure that changing conferences necessarily destroys a fanbase. I am confident, however, that the inability to compete at the highest levels of the sport does destroy a fanbase.

People always mention money, but throwing more money at others who have more money than you becomes futile and won’t produce wins.

I'm struggling to understand that verbiage, but profit maximization is for the vast majority of organizations the reason why they exist. So the pursuit of more profits is never futile, and is often critical to continued existence. I think that's the case in athletics right now. The Pac 12 got a deal that was worth, minimally five times what we make in the big east. It wasn't sufficient to hold that organization together given the fact that the next closest competitor is making nearly 8 times what we make in the Big East.

 

[Exit 4]

Netflix - you got an e-z script here to work with - let's go!

 

[huskymedic]

 

[GoConn]

Is there any chance the ACC would expand now or would we need to wait until a team like FSU/Clemson leaves?

 

[NH Husky]

I'm not so sure that changing conferences necessarily destroys a fanbase. I am confident, however, that the inability to compete at the highest levels of the sport does destroy a fanbase.


I'm struggling to understand that verbiage, but profit maximization is for the vast majority of organizations the reason why they exist. So the pursuit of more profits is never futile, and is often critical to continued existence. I think that's the case in athletics right now. The Pac 12 got a deal that was worth, minimally five times what we make in the big east. It wasn't sufficient to hold that organization together given the fact that the next closest competitor is making nearly 8 times what we make in the Big East.

Let me rephrase.
In the realm of sports fans, they are not cheering on their schools to be the most profitable, there are cheering on theirs schools to beat other schools, especially ones where they have a personal grudge against. Beating BC felt so good last year. The do realize that more money is needed to achieve the winning goals but whether it comes from ESPN or some billionaire alumni doesn’t matter. And, to thump their chests, they’d love others to see it and acknowledge they are the best.

At least that’s how I see it.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

“We basically had a 400 percent increase (in network revenue),” Delany says of the Maryland/Rutgers impact. “We went from about $50 million a year to about $200 million a year annual average value. That makes everybody’s eyes pop.”

Doesn't sound like it was a terrible decision to me.

Rutgers had the steepest hill to climb of anyone. They have made - and continue to make - improvements and investments into their facilities. Will it work? Who knows. Doesn't really matter. Not every addition can be a grand slam. Some of these schools have to pile up the losses because not everyone can go 12-0. Every conference needs bottom feeders to feed the middle-tier and top-tier teams.

Rutgers is also hamstrung by the fact that most of their Board and their very active Unions idolize Princeton, not Penn St. Thus, any athletic decisions are a fraught with internal politics.

 

[CL82]

Let me rephrase.
In the realm of sports fans, they are not cheering on their schools to be the most profitable, there are cheering on theirs schools to beat other schools, especially ones where they have a personal grudge against. Beating BC felt so good last year. The do realize that more money is needed to achieve the winning goals but whether it comes from ESPN or some billionaire alumni doesn’t matter. And, to thump their chests, they’d love others to see it and acknowledge they are the best.

At least that’s how I see it.

I hear you and agree, somewhat, but in the end teams need to be competitive financially in order to compete at the highest levels. That's the issue.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Gosh it must suck to be those schools knowing your partners were conspiring against you. Wonder what that feels like?

 

[NH Husky]

I hear you and agree, somewhat, but in the end teams need to be competitive financially in order to compete at the highest levels. That's the issue.

I agree.

By the way. I’ve got a couple tickets to the World Chess Championships I’m trying to scalp. First $10m takes the pair. Anyone? Anyone?

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Cal: Endowment: $6.9 billion (2022)/UConn $602 million

Stanford $36 Billion

 

[don356]

Is there any chance the ACC would expand now or would we need to wait until a team like FSU/Clemson leaves?

I really wonder with the ACC revenue sharing issues whether they could garner enough support to add anyone? Not an easy situation, with a leader as well who doesn't seem to have a good diplomatic relationship with some of the critical players.

 

[Rufus]

These things are on an as-need-to-know basis until finalized. Oregon and Washington were negotiating their way into the B1G and couldn't let on they were leaving until it was finalized.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

Is there any chance the ACC would expand now or would we need to wait until a team like FSU/Clemson leaves?

I think the ACC leftovers would be beyond stupid if they don't want to expand now. However, they are tied to the dumb long-term contract they signed with ESPN, and there isn't an automatic clause to pay the new team(s) more money pro rata so that will have to be negotiated with ESPN.

The question isn't if the ACC would like to expand or not, the real question is if ESPN is interested in paying some money to get some extra inventory. I am not sure what is the worth of UCONN, but our men's and women's basketball content got to be worth something.

 

[HobokenHusky]

Call me naive, but I still think something is up - as a university we at least think there is still a move to be made here. It seems dire in this instant but in the grand scheme of things if something happens by December you look back on it in 10 years and don't even remember the gap.

Like others have said - in a world moving to subscriptions our basketball brand is an eye catcher - even if our fanbase is regional, we are a marquee name for opponents, and a matchup with Uconn vs [insert blue blood or hot team] makes for compelling viewing.

Football in another animal seems to be a drawback in the current moment, but it also exists, which keeps us in the running at least. As others have said if we can show at least stability you hope a conference is willing to (maybe reluctantly) take the chance on the football side of things to get the basketball.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think the ACC leftovers would be beyond stupid if they don't want to expand now. However, they are tied to the dumb long-term contract they signed with ESPN, and there isn't an automatic clause to pay the new team(s) more money pro rata so that will have to be negotiated with ESPN.

The question isn't if the ACC would like to expand or not, the real question is if ESPN is interested in paying some money to get some extra inventory. I am not sure what is the worth of UCONN, but our men's and women's basketball content got to be worth something.

Yeah, it's all about ESPN. But ESPN was willing to pay for UConn in the Big XII. So it should be possible. ESPN gets better value for UConn in the ACC and shuts the Big XII out of the east.

 

[kemba]

ACC has proven they don’t value us and we do nothing to convince any school with big 10 or sec options to keep us. They’d probably finally take us as a replacement after schools leave but not before

 

[Luna]

Right now the perception is P5 > G5. Like it or not, regardless of athletic budget or the success of our sports teams, we are "G5" and therefore perceived as inferior. The four corners school made more geographic sense, if not strategic sense. They were a familiar choice by people who don't understand our program, our fan base, our history and our potential. I understand the decision, even if I don't agree with it.

I'm not sure that they "hurt their brand" so much as missed on an opportunity to maximize it.

The big east is not G5

 

[upstater]

Cal: Endowment: $6.9 billion (2022)/UConn $602 million

Endowments can't be used on Sports. Whatever donated money goes to sports is already included in fundraising revenues.

Cal has a bad debt profile

 

[ZooCougar]

Yes Cal and Stanford Oly sports are now nerfed because clocks and time in pools and tracks work differently in P5 conferences.

 

[CL82]

The big east is not G5

Good point. Connecticut is an unaffiliated independent. I don't think that's better if your name isn't Notre Dame.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[HuskyHawk]

Reminder: ACC is at 15. I suggested adding Cal, Stanford and UConn to get to 18. Makes them much stronger if any school manages to buy their way out.