AAC Contract Prediction

[gampelcrazies]

Why do you think the school upgraded football?!?!?!?

Because they thought it would get them into the acc or big ten. But lots of things have changed since. God forbid conference realignment happens again (which it will), UConn is left out, and the big east no longer needs UConn. Then what do we do?

 

[CL82]

Because they thought it would get them into the acc or big ten. But lots of things have changed since. God forbid conference realignment happens again (which it will), UConn is left out, and the big east no longer needs UConn. Then what do we do?

That leaking tourniquet reference above is an equally apt description of the Big East, except the rate of the bleeding is faster.

 

[billybud]

Tie a tourniquet and it may save your life...but cost you a limb.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

More like a leaking tourniquet. It won't save your life, but it will slow the rate at which you are dying.

Leaking tourniquet is grossest pair of words in the English language.

 

[djct1999]

Yeah let’s go to the Big East and be the just like Seton Hall. You remember Seton Hall? Me neither.

Yeah, my bad. AAC basketball is killing it since 2015.

 

[StunningSteve]

Yeah, my bad. AAC basketball is killing it since 2015.

UConn and Memphis haven't been "killing it" since 2015.

No league in America kills it when their bellcows don't perform like bellcows.

All things considered, AAC basketball stepped up. Programs have been built while UConn was down at places that would under normal circumstances have been relying on UConn to perform.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Yeah, my bad. AAC basketball is killing it since 2015.

Totally not the point. Especially at 4mm less a year

 

[Husk1881]

Because they thought it would get them into the acc or big ten. But lots of things have changed since. God forbid conference realignment happens again (which it will), UConn is left out, and the big east no longer needs UConn. Then what do we do?

If UConn at any point in the next 10 years decides to give up on football. The big east would find a spot. So I wouldn’t dwell on the what if’s

 

[CL82]

Leaking tourniquet is grossest pair of words in the English language.

Oh, not by a long shot.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Oh, not by a long shot.

You’re probably right. Very icky visual though. After watching Donnie Darko where they say “cellar door” is the most beautiful pair of words my buddy and I came up with some heinous ones.

 

[gtcam]

If there are openings at the P5 level, be it the ACC, SEC, B1G or Big12, football success, regardless of what some say, will be a huge determination. It is the sport that stirs the money pot. Right now, 3 teams in the AAC that have the edge are UCF, Cinci and USF with Memphis as an outside 4th option. UConn football is just not at the spot that would allow the university to be deemed acceptable. Does UConn have other qualities that are better than these schools? Sure - academics, blueblood basketball etc.
But, again, football is the attraction
Hopefully RE2 can get the program up to snuff before 2025

 

[Kenny11]

DAZN would give each school much more than 10M per year

 

[CL82]

If there are openings at the P5 level, be it the ACC, SEC, B1G or Big12, football success, regardless of what some say, will be a huge determination. It is the sport that stirs the money pot. Right now, 3 teams in the AAC that have the edge are UCF, Cinci and USF with Memphis as an outside 4th option. UConn football is just not at the spot that would allow the university to be deemed acceptable. Does UConn have other qualities that are better than these schools? Sure - academics, blueblood basketball etc.
But, again, football is the attraction
Hopefully RE2 can get the program up to snuff before 2025

Don't forget geography and demographics they are big part of what UConn brings to the table.

 

[UConnMike04]

I always wondered if this was a possibility:

Put all sports, except football in the Big East. Have an agreement with the AAC to keep football there, for roughly half of the yearly contract, and in return schedule 3 or more OOC basketball games with the AAC (Cincy and Memphis, and rotate the opponents the other years). This way we would still get the $4 mil from the BE as a full member and $3-4 mil as a partial member from the AAC.

Keeps basketball afloat in a better league, MSG, etc and allows us to keep football where it is with a partial member payout.

 

[Dizzy21]

I always wondered if this was a possibility:

Put all sports, except football in the Big East. Have an agreement with the AAC to keep football there, for roughly half of the yearly contract, and in return schedule 3 or more OOC basketball games with the AAC (Cincy and Memphis, and rotate the opponents the other years). This way we would still get the $4 mil from the BE as a full member and $3-4 mil as a partial member from the AAC.

Keeps basketball afloat in a better league, MSG, etc and allows us to keep football where it is with a partial member payout.

So the AAC is going to say "hey, take all your national championship programs out of here, we don't want your success in this league and we will give you money for your really crap football team that can't even win 2 games"?

 

[Adios]

Because they thought it would get them into the acc or big ten. But lots of things have changed since. God forbid conference realignment happens again (which it will), UConn is left out, and the big east no longer needs UConn. Then what do we do?

And who's saying UConn will be left out? Only our fans.

 

[Adios]

I always wondered if this was a possibility:

Put all sports, except football in the Big East. Have an agreement with the AAC to keep football there, for roughly half of the yearly contract, and in return schedule 3 or more OOC basketball games with the AAC (Cincy and Memphis, and rotate the opponents the other years). This way we would still get the $4 mil from the BE as a full member and $3-4 mil as a partial member from the AAC.

Keeps basketball afloat in a better league, MSG, etc and allows us to keep football where it is with a partial member payout.

You don't think someone already brought that idea up?

 

[gampelcrazies]

And who's saying UConn will be left out? Only our fans.

With what has happened the last 10 years, what makes you believe we will be the lucky ones?

 

[Adios]

With what has happened the last 10 years, what makes you believe we will be the lucky ones?

Let's see, even the Big 12 found us of interest but not Memphis one bit. And here we got posters who are not college presidents saying they are of more interest now.

How difficult is it to understand how valuable the Connecticut market is to corporations? Really?

Ever hear of paying dues? That's what UConn is doing before it's in a final destination.

 

[Guapo]

8 million sounds much better than 4 million, but can someone please tell me how much it costs to run the football program? (This is a serious question, not rhetorical)

 

[Fishy]

The UConn to the Big East rumors should just die on their own...because it’s not happening.

When you hear the Big East commissioner talking about an 11th school and schools reaching out to her...none of that involves UConn. They’re all A10 schools

 

[billybud]

8 million sounds much better than 4 million, but can someone please tell me how much it costs to run the football program? (This is a serious question, not rhetorical)

... Between 2005 and 2017, expenditures for the AD grew 70% from $47 million to $80 million.
... During this same period, despite numerous high-profile achievements in women’s and men’s basketball, earned revenues increased by less than 10%.
... Fairly stagnant revenues meant that most (83%) of the $33 million increase in the Athletics' budget has been subsidized by UConn; an additional $8.3 million comes from mandatory student fees.
... UConn’s football team was the team with the largest deficit in absolute dollar terms, requiring a subsidy of $7.5 million for 2014.

Even the women's basketball team was subsidized...

Report on UConn athletic finances...
https://senate.uconn.edu/wp-content...Senate-UBC-Report-on-AD-Subsidy-to-Senate.pdf

 

[CL82]

This is an interesting piece from that report:

Keep in mind that UConn lumps non-sport expense items in it's budget. Not all programs do. That pumps up the numbers a bit.

 

[djct1999]

Totally not the point. Especially at 4mm less a year

I get your point about anti-Big East. You responded to UConn being in no mans land. It is. Even at 8mm per. The AAC is not sustainable long term, and even with good Memphis and UConn basketball teams, it never will be.

 

[Zissou]

This deal is middle of the fence. Not enough to pay for football, but enough promise to not do anything else with football.

The AAC and most football conferences always have had a mindset that football drives the dollars, so a "football only" membership in the AAC could make sense. There is already the Navy precedent. Pay ~80% of the revenue to UConn for football, and let the rest of the program go Big East. Lower costs for Non-Rev sports, much better basketball conference, regional opponents, and still keep football.

But what about the Men's and Women's basketball programs? Although UConn offers its own following for its own women's program, no one else values the women's game as there is low viewer interest. The AAC is already on record as putting a low value on Men's Basketball.

When the Big East is talks about a possible 11th team, I think they are only talking about UConn. I can't see adding Dayton, VCU, or Wichita State. UConn would bring value.

The process forward for UConn should now include talks with the Big East. The bar is set for the AAC deal with ESPN. What would Fox do for renewing the Big East contract early if UConn were to join? How much money is on the table in early renewal?