Why aren't we in Big East for all sports -football?

[Silk City]

The addition of Butler today got me thinking...

What is the a reason we aren't just going football-only in the AAC and keeping all other sports in the Big East (or at least basketball.) I understand it's still not perfect but I think it would give maximum exposure to the basketball team with a more traditional league that appears to be stronger overall (especially after the Ville leaves the AAC).

Of course the AAC would want us for everything, but in a year we will be the strongest overall athletics program in the league, so it could be worth trying to leverage that into a deal. At this point we should be looking long term and an AAC football schedule/Big East bball schedule with attractive OOC games should keep both programs in the best shape they can be while we ride out this mess.

I'm sure there is an answer to this, but I'm just curious. Apologize if the question has come up already on here

 

[specialisthusky]

Because they want nothing to do with UCONN

 

[sportsart]

Welcome Punxsutawny Phil. How have you been?

 

[UCFBfan]

The addition of Butler today got me thinking...

What is the a reason we aren't just going football-only in the AAC and keeping all other sports in the Big East (or at least basketball.) I understand it's still not perfect but I think it would give maximum exposure to the basketball team with a more traditional league that appears to be stronger overall (especially after the Ville leaves the AAC).

Of course the AAC would want us for everything, but in a year we will be the strongest overall athletics program in the league, so it could be worth trying to leverage that into a deal. At this point we should be looking long term and an AAC football schedule/Big East bball schedule with attractive OOC games should keep both programs in the best shape they can be while we ride out this mess.

I'm sure there is an answer to this, but I'm just curious. Apologize if the question has come up already on here

The Big East hated the schools who played football. They are a basketball centric conference and don't want schools who play FBS football in their conference. That's the short answer to our question. Also, you are going on the assumption that the AAC would be ok with UConn as a football only member. I would bet neither conference would like that arrangement.

 

[itgoeslike]

Hey, let's cut him some slack. Go ahead and finish asking your question Mr. Manuel.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Aside from the fact the Big East wouldn't take us for basketball and the AAC wouldn't take us for football? Nothing really.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Because the fans on this site would rather wallow in misery (current AAC) or fantasy (big 10) than consider realistic alternatives that might actually help the program.

 

[whaler11]

Because the fans on this site would rather wallow in misery (current AAC) or fantasy (big 10) than consider realistic alternatives that might actually help the program.

Yeah the realistic solution of the Big East who didn't want them and the football conferences who wouldn't take just one program.

 

[pj]

I think the AAC would take us football only rather than not have us, but they could make us give up the exit fee riches to go football only.

The Big East would probably take us too, since our basketball teams add so much value, but they would know we would be leaving at the first opportunity and wouldn't like the instability, so we couldn't expect preferential terms.

I think it could happen, but not for ~3 years until the exit fee money at the AAC starts running down. Our best option is to collect AAC + exit fee money, see if the AAC develops into a quality football conference, and prepare alternatives for 3-4 years down the road.

 

[weyuo]

Three years from now I would like to see a Big East / AAC basketball challenge and I'll bet you the AAC will come out on top. Keep in mind the the boat anchors that dragged the Big East down before(Providence, Seton Hall, Depaul, usually St. Johns) are still going to be dragging the Big East down. Who does the Big East have that could compete for a top 25 spot? Butler, maybe Georgetown, maybe Marquette. Other than that you have a basketball conference seriously injured by the departure of UCONN, Cuse, Louisville, Cincy, Notre Dame and recently struggling Pitt. In the long run UCONN is better off where they are and the competition both in and out of conference will be good enough to keep them ranked as a top 10 team basketball wise. Give the new league a chance.

 

[The Funster]

Because the fans on this site would rather wallow in misery (current AAC) or fantasy (big 10) than consider realistic alternatives that might actually help the program.

Right, like killing football. /sarcasm

 

[Husky25]

Right, like killing football. /sarcasm

But at least the Big East isn't a mid-major because, you know, the have the name. Athletic departments with razor thin budgets have nothing to do with it as long as "Big East" is scrawled across the top of the foul lane.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

 

[junglehusky]

Because the fans on this site would rather wallow in misery (current AAC) or fantasy (big 10) than consider realistic alternatives that might actually help the program.

UConn playing olympic sports in the so-called Big East is a fantasy, too. *stabs own eyes out*

 

[Marty Jackson]

Because the fans on this site would rather wallow in misery (current AAC) or fantasy (big 10) than consider realistic alternatives that might actually help the program.

The program.......

What is The Program? Men's basketball?

This is the typical response from bb fans. Kill FB for the sake of bb.

This is such a slanted view. You realize long term this will castrate uconn athletics forever.

 

[CTGoonie]

For the last 25 years the Big East was considered one of the best two b-ball conferences in the land. Uconn wasn't always the reason for this but it was the biggest and baddest. You can make the argument that Uconn's success elevated every other BE team during that period. I predict a slow but steady decline of the Catholic 7 and a rise of the AAC teams from my Uconn-centric point of view and then hopefully an an invite for Uconn somewhere else.

 

[gioff23]

i can think of $25 million reasons we stayed in American

 

[NickyNewark]

The addition of Butler today got me thinking...

What is the a reason we aren't just going football-only in the AAC and keeping all other sports in the Big East (or at least basketball.) I understand it's still not perfect but I think it would give maximum exposure to the basketball team with a more traditional league that appears to be stronger overall (especially after the Ville leaves the AAC).

Of course the AAC would want us for everything, but in a year we will be the strongest overall athletics program in the league, so it could be worth trying to leverage that into a deal. At this point we should be looking long term and an AAC football schedule/Big East bball schedule with attractive OOC games should keep both programs in the best shape they can be while we ride out this mess.

I'm sure there is an answer to this, but I'm just curious. Apologize if the question has come up already on here

@Is it wise to spread our resource's?

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

The AAC is UConn's only option.

If it's still the only option 5 years from now, ESPN will burn.

 

[itgoeslike]

Because the fans on this site would rather wallow in misery (current AAC) or fantasy (big 10) than consider realistic alternatives that might actually help the program.

If Connecticut was only about basketball that could be true, but it is much more than that. The NBE would provide UCONN with some known regional rivalries, but little else. Additionally, one could make a reasonable argument that a league with UCONN, Memphis, Cincinnati, Temple and Louisville (this year only) is more competitive than the NBE. While there is disappointment associated with UCONN's conference situation, I don't think the NBE is a long-term viable solution.

 

[freescooter]

Three years from now I would like to see a Big East / AAC basketball challenge and I'll bet you the AAC will come out on top. Keep in mind the the boat anchors that dragged the Big East down before(Providence, Seton Hall, Depaul, usually St. Johns) are still going to be dragging the Big East down. Who does the Big East have that could compete for a top 25 spot? Butler, maybe Georgetown, maybe Marquette. Other than that you have a basketball conference seriously injured by the departure of UCONN, Cuse, Louisville, Cincy, Notre Dame and recently struggling Pitt. In the long run UCONN is better off where they are and the competition both in and out of conference will be good enough to keep them ranked as a top 10 team basketball wise. Give the new league a chance.

I think this is so on the money, though I'm not as confident as you are about the top 10 in basketball thing. But the top schools in the Big East benefited mightily form playing the football schools. It helped recruiting, it helped RPI,ithelped SOS, it helped with prestige. When you have over half your conference games against top 50 RPI teams, that means you can pad you schedule to insure you have eye-popping win-loss record year in and year out. that isn't possible anymore. people don't get just how beneficial it is to be able to go 10-2 or 11-1 non-conference. It helped in just about any way you can think of. And Providence, Seton hall, St Johns, Depaul, believe what you want, they are not going to invest in their programs any more than they did in the past. They will continue to be anchors. And it will get tougher and tougher for that conference to remain relevant for very much the same reasons it will be for the AAC teams. You play one tough non-conference team on the road in the old Big East and it was something. But now they, and we, will have to play a couple, as well as upgrade the overall quality of non-conference games. And get less credit for conference wins.

 

[Adios]

Isn't it weird the only two Catholic Big East schools that sponsor FCS-level football programs are associate members of the AAC for women's rowing?

 

[NickyNewark]

Isn't it weird the only two Catholic Big East schools that sponsor FCS-level football programs are associate members of the AAC for women's rowing?

@Butch,are you implying something?

 

[Adios]

@Butch,are you implying something?

We need to stop crying about the Big East.

 

[freescooter]

Because the fans on this site would rather wallow in misery (current AAC) or fantasy (big 10) than consider realistic alternatives that might actually help the program.

Nelson, I think you just don't get it. UConn is one of the top college basketball schools in the country, arguably top 2-3, certainly top 10. That isn't arguable. We're clearly the top womens program, not even top 2-3, clear #1. And what did that get us? Who knows whether we'll ever get out of the AAC or whether the AAC will ever develop a higher level of football. Clearly better than the MAC now. But if we are to have any hope of going forward, this is the only option we have. The basketball side is eh, but realistically so is the Big East. Probably a little better. I'd put Memphis, UConn, Cincy and Temple against the top 4, I guess Georgetown, Marquette, Xavier, Villanova/Butler(though who knows what they'll do) any day. Providence, St Johns, Seton Hall DePaul are what they are and while one of them will likely emerge as the best of the rest, they'll never be much more than they are.

 

[DFW HOYA]

I think UConn would be a great addition and a hedge against the ESPN-led hegemony to declare MSG as its sovereign territory.

However, I think UConn senior administrators were hesitant to walk away from the AAC money while Big East officials were suspicious that UConn would still jump at the next offer that came down the road. How loyal would Storrs be to the Big East if the Big 12 called tomorrow?

As a result, the ESPN/ACC has UConn where they want them so there is no need to add a school right now, and programs will suffer as a result.

As to the post above asking why Georgetown and Villanova have women's rowing, these are the only two Big East schools along or adjacent to a major river where rowing programs typically flourish and there were insufficient BE schools with a program. Georgetown and Villanova have men's rowing but it is not an NCAA sport.