AAC going to 16, why not?

[UConnDan97]

If the NYC market is so coveted, we'd already be in the P5. Obiviously we (UConn) have a much higher opinion of ourself than either the ACC or B1G do. We need to focus on making the AAC the best conference possible, because we will be here for probably most of our lifetimes.

What I've said is not due to an overtly inflated ego. We aren't in the ACC right now because of BC who fought to keep us out, as well as FSU / Clemson who didn't think we added enough football. We aren't in the B1G because they made the calculation that Jersey had more tv sets and that Rutgers could deliver more of NYC. They were only correct on one of two assumptions.

How am I so sure? Well, because we were literally a coin flip away from being a part of a Midwestern P5 conference (Big12) even though we were seemingly half a world away. They want our market. They want a piece of NYC. They know we can bring it...

 

[UConnDan97]

I think UConn, like Kansas, would be a great addition to the Big10. I agree that Kansas and UConn have very similar athletic profiles. The biggest issue I see is that neither Kansas nor UConn are the main prize in this go around. If we assume that the Big12 is the only vulnerable conference and football is still driving the bus, then Texas and Oklahoma are the real prizes. If Texas is unattainable (I think it is), its Oklahoma or nothing. Kansas does a better job of enticing Oklahoma than UConn does.

If football isn't driving the bus anymore, than all bets are off.

I'm of the opinion that OU and Texas are forever tied to the hip. Yes, there's a lot of distrust there, and I know there are a lot of folks who want OU to give Texas the middle finger. But there aren't a lot of realignment moves that make sense for one without the other.

I think that their per school financial distribution is plenty healthy; bigger than the ACC from the reports I saw. If there is any realignment movement in my opinion, it will be the B1G vs the ACC to shore up the eastern seaboard. The properties there are essentially Notre Dame and UConn. There's really no other school that makes sense in my mind. Anything else is more expansion than realignment (i.e., the Big12 adding teams)...

 

[Adios]

Yes.

He's aware of us and, under the right circumstances, they might have an interest. But if the decide to go with Oklahoma, Kansas is their natural partner. Kansas resume is very similar to ours.

Their fans also travel. Does Kansas or Oklahoma sound like an enticing vacation spot to you?

The SEC is also capable of taking Oklahoma. Easily. Way better fit, too.

 

[Adios]

What I've said is not due to an overtly inflated ego. We aren't in the ACC right now because of BC who fought to keep us out, as well as FSU / Clemson who didn't think we added enough football. We aren't in the B1G because they made the calculation that Jersey had more tv sets and that Rutgers could deliver more of NYC. They were only correct on one of two assumptions.

How am I so sure? Well, because we were literally a coin flip away from being a part of a Midwestern P5 conference (Big12) even though we were seemingly half a world away. They want our market. They want a piece of NYC. They know we can bring it...

They didn't assume Rutgers could bring more TVs in NYC overall. Rutgers was added because it is how the Big Ten expands it's footprint. Slowly.

 

[UConnDan97]

They didn't assume Rutgers could bring more TVs in NYC overall. Rutgers was added because it is how the Big Ten expands it's footprint. Slowly.

Nope. Not true..

 

[Marty Jackson]

I think the AAU thing is not nearly as important as others do. I mean, some of the institution members were actually responsible for Nebraska losing their membership, weren't they?

As for the contiguous thing, it's a good point. But then I'll personally bring a map to Delany and draw a line connecting New Jersey to Connecticut. Shouldn't take too much ink...

aAU is important until it becomes a barrier (i.e. ND).
If they want a particular school, the AAU argument goes away. Until then, it doesn't hurt to keep the AAU aura alive.

 

[CL82]

Their fans also travel. Does Kansas or Oklahoma sound like an enticing vacation spot to you?

The SEC is also capable of taking Oklahoma. Easily. Way better fit, too.

Agree re SEC, but Oklahoma is a nice get for someone. I think their shot at the Big Ten is better than ours in many ways.

I think a bunch of factors came together to royally screw Connecticut. BCU wanting to be the only D1 New England school; our waiting so long to become a D1 football school; FSU's decision to flex it's muscles in the last ACC expansion; ESPN deciding to fund the evisceration of the Big East; Baylor's institutional intolerance toward same-sex couples, etc. all came together in a unique way to keep us out of the P5 Club. I used to be a pretty enthusiastic cheerleader for our chances, but, to be perfectly honest, I don't see a way out for us anymore. I would be delighted to be wrong about that, but unless and until we take advantage of the next paradigm shift, I think we're on the outside looking in.

 

[dogged1]

Agree re SEC, but Oklahoma is a nice get for someone. I think their shot at the Big Ten is better than ours in many ways.

I think bunch of factors came together to royally screw Connecticut. BCU wanting to be the only D1 New England school; our waiting so long to become a D1 football school; FSU's decision to flex it's muscles in the last ACC expansion; ESPN deciding to fund the evisceration of the Big East; Baylor's institutional intolerance toward same-sex couples, etc. all came together in a unique way to keep us out of the P5 Club. Are used to be a pretty enthused cheerleader for her chances, but, to be perfectly honest, I don't see a way out for us anymore. I would be delighted to be wrong about that, but unless and until we take advantage of the next paradigm shift, I think we're on the outside looking in.

Ugh. Another well reasoned argument I can't disagree with. But really, really dislike.
Any ideas what might be the next paradigm? Any hope at all?

 

[CL82]

Ugh. Another well reasoned argument I can't disagree with. But really, really dislike.
Any ideas what might be the next paradigm? Any hope at all?

Not really, but if I were to guess I'd say possibly the trend to conference owned networks. UConn has a solid fanbase, so that could make us attractive in terms of subscribers and our established brand and good regional demographics might make us desirable to advertisers. Another possibility is cable cutting and the move to streamed games again because of the strength of our fan base. The problem is neither of those models approaches the value of the current inflated TV contracts. So we need for the existing deals to run out for there to be a possibility of move for us.

 

[dogged1]

Not really, but if I were to guess I'd say possibly the trend to conference owned networks. UConn has a solid fanbase, so that could make us attractive in terms of subscribers and our established brand and good regional demographics might make us desirable to advertisers. Another possibility is cable cutting and the move to streamed games again because of the strength of our fan base. The problem is neither of those models approaches the value of the current inflated TV contracts. So we need for the existing deals to run out for there to be a possibility of move for us.

So we will be getting out of the AAC just about the same time we will have learned to like the AAC. At this point not sure either of those things could happen.
A conference made of schools all desperate to get out.
Well Billybud did get one thing right(different thread). I am angry.

 

[Adios]

Nope. Not true..

Adding UConn over Rutgers would not have been well received by Big Ten traditionalists, at least.

I ain't worried about Oklahoma having a solid football program. I just know we're definitely in a very good spot. The rest of you can think we're on the outside looking in all you want. We're very strongly being considered by the Big Ten and we're going to find no home in a "P5" setting ever. Ooooooooooook. We're no longer inferior to UMass or Temple. They want to be us now, if anything. So do some P5 schools. (Duh.)

Why am I even bothering to type?

 

[dogged1]

Adding UConn over Rutgers would not have been well received by Big Ten traditionalists, at least.

I ain't worried about Oklahoma having a solid football program. I just know we're definitely in a very good spot. The rest of you can think we're on the outside looking in all you want. We're very strongly being considered by the Big Ten and we're going to find no home in a "P5" setting ever. Ooooooooooook. We're no longer inferior to UMass or Temple. They want to be us now, if anything. So do some P5 schools. (Duh.)

Why am I even bothering to type?

Keep the faith, brother.

 

[Adios]

Keep the faith, brother.

2017 Oklahoma Sooners Football Roster | Ourlads.com

Without access into the state of Texas, Oklahoma is done. Look at what has happened to Nebraska.

If they go into the SEC, they'll be fine. Easily. I'd be assuming the SEC has plans for a North Carolina school and OU.

 

[UConnDan97]

Adding UConn over Rutgers would not have been well received by Big Ten traditionalists, at least.

I ain't worried about Oklahoma having a solid football program. I just know we're definitely in a very good spot. The rest of you can think we're on the outside looking in all you want. We're very strongly being considered by the Big Ten and we're going to find no home in a "P5" setting ever. Ooooooooooook. We're no longer inferior to UMass or Temple. They want to be us now, if anything. So do some P5 schools. (Duh.)

Why am I even bothering to type?

What are you going on about?

Your statement of the B1G choosing Rutgers over UConn because the traditionalists preferrred it is even more outlandish than your theory of the B1G wanting to "keep it slow". The traditionalists hated the Rutgers addition. Not just on social media but in print as well. And I think that they STILL hate it. There's no doubt that most would prefer UConn over Rutgers in their conference.

But that's not why the decision was made. Rutgers was added because of tv sets. Period.

Big Ten Network hits the NYC jackpot worth tens of millions of dollars

"When the Big Ten added Rutgers and Maryland, the college sports world scratched their collective heads. Here were two schools that had little to no previous connection to the conference, a mediocre athletic resume (especially where it counts in football), and a distant geographic relationship with the other Big Ten schools...

...Let’s do a little quick “back of the napkin math” on this massive victory for BTN. At last check, the channel charges a $1.00 fee per subscriber per month for those customers within the conference footprint, which NY/NJ now falls into thanks to Rutgers. Much like the “Is Andy Murray British or Scottish debate,” New Jersey gets to be a part of the NYC metropolitan area seemingly only when it’s convenient to someone looking to make money.

Cablevision has 3.1 million subscribers in the area. Time Warner has a little more than 2.6 million subscribers in New York state, many of them concentrated in the city. New Jersey has a fraction of that at just over 40,000. Let’s just be extra conservative and put the total number of subscribers that will now get BTN at 4 million."

So if the question is "why are you bothering to type", then my answer is "I'm not sure"...

 

[Adios]

What are you going on about?

Your statement of the B1G choosing Rutgers over UConn because the traditionalists preferrred it is even more outlandish than your theory of the B1G wanting to "keep it slow". The traditionalists hated the Rutgers addition. Not just on social media but in print as well. And I think that they STILL hate it. There's no doubt that most would prefer UConn over Rutgers in their conference.

But that's not why the decision was made. Rutgers was added because of tv sets. Period.

Big Ten Network hits the NYC jackpot worth tens of millions of dollars

"When the Big Ten added Rutgers and Maryland, the college sports world scratched their collective heads. Here were two schools that had little to no previous connection to the conference, a mediocre athletic resume (especially where it counts in football), and a distant geographic relationship with the other Big Ten schools...

...Let’s do a little quick “back of the napkin math” on this massive victory for BTN. At last check, the channel charges a $1.00 fee per subscriber per month for those customers within the conference footprint, which NY/NJ now falls into thanks to Rutgers. Much like the “Is Andy Murray British or Scottish debate,” New Jersey gets to be a part of the NYC metropolitan area seemingly only when it’s convenient to someone looking to make money.

Cablevision has 3.1 million subscribers in the area. Time Warner has a little more than 2.6 million subscribers in New York state, many of them concentrated in the city. New Jersey has a fraction of that at just over 40,000. Let’s just be extra conservative and put the total number of subscribers that will now get BTN at 4 million."

So if the question is "why are you bothering to type", then my answer is "I'm not sure"...

No, duh. Thanks man. I already know that. So, what are you doing bothering to type when I already know that, too? They wanted New Jersey AND NYC. Wow, like I didn't know.

Things get dense on this message board. You imply that they could have chosen UConn over Rutgers. Of course they could have. But they didn't and wouldn't. The end.

I'm done with this. You guys can type to yourselves, as usual.

 

[UConnDan97]

No, duh. Thanks man. I already know that. So, what are you doing bothering to type when I already know that, too? They wanted New Jersey AND NYC. Wow, like I didn't know.

Things get dense on this message board. You imply that they could have chosen UConn over Rutgers. Of course they could have. But they didn't and wouldn't. The end.

I'm done with this. You guys can type to yourselves, as usual.

You crack me up, dude. My first reply to you was in response to this below:

They didn't assume Rutgers could bring more TVs in NYC overall. Rutgers was added because it is how the Big Ten expands it's footprint. Slowly.

I simply let you know that this ^^^ is not true. I then went on to link information that further demonstrated that this ^^^ is not true. They [B1G] actually DID assume that Rutgers could bring more TVs in NYC overall! The exact opposite of your statement.

Oh well. I guess I'm the dense one...

 

[dayooper]

2017 Oklahoma Sooners Football Roster | Ourlads.com

Without access into the state of Texas, Oklahoma is done. Look at what has happened to Nebraska.

If they go into the SEC, they'll be fine. Easily. I'd be assuming the SEC has plans for a North Carolina school and OU.

This is one of the biggest CR misnomers out there. UNL was on the down slide before they left. They hadn't won a conference championship since 1999 and their only NC during the Big12 years was a partial in 1997. UNL's glory years were in the Big8 when they didn't have Texas access. UNL based their success on great coaching, partial qualifiers and taking players other teams wouldn't.

UNL is 640 miles from Dallas Texas. Oklahoma is 190 miles. Big difference I'd driving distance. Oklahoma has influence on the Dallas market. UNL doesn't.

Would Oklahoma suffer if they left Texas? Who knows? It's far from a given, though.

 

[Adios]

You crack me up, dude. My first reply to you was in response to this below:



I simply let you know that this ^^^ is not true. I then went on to link information that further demonstrated that this ^^^ is not true. They [B1G] actually DID assume that Rutgers could bring more TVs in NYC overall! The exact opposite of your statement.

Oh well. I guess I'm the dense one...

@UConnDan97, I apologize for being cranky. You mistook what I meant, because I worded myself wrong. I know they assumed they might get more of NYC than UConn. But there's no way Big Ten traditionalists would have accepted us as an addition. As a matter of fact, at that time, we weren't even on the radar. I meant they couldn't care, really. But now they know the market a lot better.

 

[Adios]

This is one of the biggest CR misnomers out there. UNL was on the down slide before they left. They hadn't won a conference championship since 1999 and their only NC during the Big12 years was a partial in 1997. UNL's glory years were in the Big8 when they didn't have Texas access. UNL based their success on great coaching, partial qualifiers and taking players other teams wouldn't.

UNL is 640 miles from Dallas Texas. Oklahoma is 190 miles. Big difference I'd driving distance. Oklahoma has influence on the Dallas market. UNL doesn't.

Would Oklahoma suffer if they left Texas? Who knows? It's far from a given, though.

I forgot about the Big 8 years. I was definitely way off there.

Either way, I am glad Diaco found a job to humiliate himself more with. Poor man has stressed himself into gaining weight already.

 

[UConnDan97]

@UConnDan97, I apologize for being cranky. You mistook what I meant, because I worded myself wrong. I know they assumed they might get more of NYC than UConn. But there's no way Big Ten traditionalists would have accepted us as an addition. As a matter of fact, at that time, we weren't even on the radar. I meant they couldn't care, really. But now they know the market a lot better.

Okay, now I understand what you're getting at.

What I would say to that is: the B1G true traditionalist hated ANY addition. In fact, from talking to some Michigan and OSU fans at my work, it's hard for them to even accept Nebraska, never mind Rutgers or Maryland.

Traditionalists, by definition, hate change. But to the extent that they were going to have to accept a change, I'm feeling pretty certain that they would have accepted UConn much more so than accepting Rutgers...