AAC Media Contract details

[DFW HOYA]

"We're not dropping or downgrading football anytime soon, if what the incoming president says is accurate. We're a flagship state university. I can't think of any others that don't have a football program at some level. "

Vermont and Alaska-Fairbanks are the only state flagship schools without football.

For six years, I've told anyone who asked that UConn would be a slam-dunk for the Big East. Maybe not anymore.

Ten teams is working for the Big East, and a move to 12 isn't a hot topic. The Big East tournament sold out every session, even the woeful Wednesday games (thanks in large part to St. John's making a return appearance) and the need for an 11th team is predicated upon if and when a reasonably strong 12th team is out there. Right now, there isn't.

If UConn has a tag-team partner that would come along (UMass?), maybe it's a discussion, but a 12th in St. Louis or Dayton or Richmond adds nothing to the equation, financially or otherwise.

My guess is that UConn will eat the deficits and swing for the fences in hopes for another round of realignment, settling for what is left of the Big 12 after Texas and Oklahoma go to the Pac-14. (If that doesn't work, can you just buy out DePaul?)

 

[Travelman6]

Tulane is a good school...#44 in USNWR...

In the south...behind Duke, Virginia, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, UNC, GT, and U of F in USNWR.

How Much Attention Should You Pay To U.S. News' College Rankings?

 

[JMick]

"We're not dropping or downgrading football anytime soon, if what the incoming president says is accurate. We're a flagship state university. I can't think of any others that don't have a football program at some level. "

Vermont and Alaska-Fairbanks are the only state flagship schools without football.

For six years, I've told anyone who asked that UConn would be a slam-dunk for the Big East. Maybe not anymore.

Ten teams is working for the Big East, and a move to 12 isn't a hot topic. The Big East tournament sold out every session, even the woeful Wednesday games (thanks in large part to St. John's making a return appearance) and the need for an 11th team is predicated upon if and when a reasonably strong 12th team is out there. Right now, there isn't.

If UConn has a tag-team partner that would come along (UMass?), maybe it's a discussion, but a 12th in St. Louis or Dayton or Richmond adds nothing to the equation, financially or otherwise.

My guess is that UConn will eat the deficits and swing for the fences in hopes for another round of realignment, settling for what is left of the Big 12 after Texas and Oklahoma go to the Pac-14. (If that doesn't work, can you just buy out DePaul?)

But 11 gives you a double round robin on a 20 game conference schedule. Why would you want 12?

 

[superjohn]

They’re behind Emory, too.

So 10th best school. Pretty good.

Georgia Tech is wild to me. I felt like when I was in school, it was known as a huge huge dumb dumb school. But I also drank a lot back then so.

They have them at 11th but they don't rank Creighton (Ivy of the Midwest) and other schools in the South who are considered better than Tulane.

The lists that include all the schools have Tulane at like 17th or 18th best school in the South.

 

[jdb50]

Aresco is an idiot for agreeing to the long term of this contract. The AAC fans are being shaken down for money to keep ESPN's cash flow up. A clause should have been put in the contract to give the AAC more money if the cash coming to ESPN went up by a certain amount. What other conferences have taken this deal? Was Aresco being water boarded?

 

[Towney007]

But 11 gives you a double round robin on a 20 game conference schedule. Why would you want 12?

I think the Big East would figure it all out just fine.

 

[Towney007]

They have them at 11th but they don't rank Creighton (Ivy of the Midwest) and other schools in the South who are considered better than Tulane.

The lists that include all the schools have Tulane at like 17th or 18th best school in the South.

Which list is that? I’m honestly asking because I haven’t seen it.

Creighton is the #1 regional school in the Midwest. They don’t rank regionals on the big lists do they?

 

[UCDaveD]

Lol if UConn wanted in the Big east Val Ackerman would sprint up to Storrs to get the papers signed.

 

[CL82]

No, because if we drop our disaster of a football program we go back to the big east where we don't have to travel crazy amounts to play away games. Attendance gets an uptick because we are with good basketball schools.

Not so much. Do you know the current Big East teams?

Wisconsin, Nebraska, Illinois, Indian and Ohio aren't exactly the bus trips are they? Note that all the Big East are privates and all but one are Catholic institutions. We are not a good fit for this conference at all.

Their game are broadcast on FS1 and FS2 so the exposure is bad and they make less money than we do.

But other than that, it's a great decision mothball our stadium and Shenkman and Burton and guarantee that we won't be a P5 institution.

Geesh I am so tired of the uninformed droning on about this.

 

[superjohn]

Which list is that? I’m honestly asking because I haven’t seen it.

Creighton is the #1 regional school in the Midwest. They don’t rank regionals on the big lists do they?

Those regional school lists mean nothing, Providence and Fairfield get ranked #1 regional schools. Schools like Amherst and Williams blow them away as do a bunch of other northeast schools. They have High Point ranked as the #1 regional school in the South.

The other lists I posted list Davidson, University of Richmond, and Washington & Lee ahead of Tulane. They aren't even listed on this US News and World Reports list.

 

[gampelcrazies]

Not so much. Do you know the current Big East teams?
View attachment 41530
Wisconsin, Nebraska, Illinois, Indian and Ohio aren't exactly the bus trips are they? Note that all the Big East are privates and all but one are Catholic institutions. We are not a good fit for this conference at all.

Their game are broadcast on FS1 and FS2 so the exposure is bad and they make less money than we do.

But other than that, it's a great decision mothball our stadium and Shenkman and Burton and guarantee that we won't be a P5 institution.

Geesh I am so tired of the uninformed droning on about this.

Looking at the list of teams you just posted wants me in that conference more.

 

[DAC17]

They're not going to spend anymore money on football. While it seems shortsighted, spending more money on football when you have a $40 million deficit at a state university where the state's economy and budget is flirting with a death spiral is so unpractical and frankly tone deaf, I'm not even sure where to begin.

And that's a significant investment for what, basically? A 5% shot we get a call from a P5 conference *in the next 3 years*? While you never say never, a P5 invite is so unlikely at this point that it isn't worth the investment. That's basically what the 'invest in football' crowd is trying to sell, here. And that's *assuming* a P5 conference even WANTS to expand.

So you need there to actually be a real, legitimate reason for expansion which right now given how quickly the gap erupted between them and the G5, it makes more sense to poach each other's members than it does to grab anything from the AAC - so just being in this conference already bumps you further back in the line automatically. Then you're competing against everyone else - and we're going to do that WITHOUT the NYC TV contract? It's like thinking you've got a shot to win the Super Bowl, even though you aren't a player on each team and you're ticket is in the upper bowl.

And it's been said before - the University can't keep up with this spending. Period. There isn't three more years without SNY and even with it... there's probably not three more years.

Wow; best posting I've seen on this board in a long time. Anyone who thinks that UConn football attendance and market relevance is going to get us to a P5 level in the next few years is really kidding themselves. And the fiscal reality of the state's position is horrific. Just as with a lot of other things in the budget, there are going to need to be big cuts in the next few years. Hell; we can't even get most people to pay an extra couple of hundred bucks a year for tolls or higher gas taxes to maintain and improve our roads and bridges, that everyone drives on. Most people are not UConn football fans... This will be low on the "spend money" priority list. Sorry if that doesn't sit well with most.

 

[superjohn]

But 11 gives you a double round robin on a 20 game conference schedule. Why would you want 12?

Big East would take UConn in a heartbeat and we they would bring the conference a significant upgrade in money, eyeballs, and national cred.

 

[whaler11]

But 11 gives you a double round robin on a 20 game conference schedule. Why would you want 12?

because odd numbers means someone doesn’t play on the weekend. but yeah i agree

 

[buddy]

I wonder why ESPN actively wants to end the sports program of the flagship program in it's state? Maybe they don't like the taxes, maybe they think the fans are ungrateful. None of it makes much sense. ESPN + state officials + UConn officials should have easily gotten us into a P5 instead, we have a landing page on ESPN+.

ESPN has benefited by multiple tax breaks from the taxpayers dollars of CT. UConn officials flubbed the opportunity to get UConn into the ACC in 2011-2012. ESPN has been involved in the demise of UConn athletics. What makes you think it will change. They want BC and Cuse to be the P5 representatives of the Northeast. UConn's early success in the final years of the Big East was a threat to these schools that needed to be snuffed out. They have succeeded. The stupid legislators of Ct continue to support tax breaks to ESPN when it is costing the State University tens of millions of dollars in revenues lost by not being in the ACC.

 

[buddy]

This is sad just watching us wither away these last few years.

Guys don’t forget, donate, donate, donate!!!

Seems like it is just throwing money away now.

 

[LBird33]

They're not going to spend anymore money on football. While it seems shortsighted, spending more money on football when you have a $40 million deficit at a state university where the state's economy and budget is flirting with a death spiral is so unpractical and frankly tone deaf, I'm not even sure where to begin.

And that's a significant investment for what, basically? A 5% shot we get a call from a P5 conference *in the next 3 years*? While you never say never, a P5 invite is so unlikely at this point that it isn't worth the investment. That's basically what the 'invest in football' crowd is trying to sell, here. And that's *assuming* a P5 conference even WANTS to expand.

So you need there to actually be a real, legitimate reason for expansion which right now given how quickly the gap erupted between them and the G5, it makes more sense to poach each other's members than it does to grab anything from the AAC - so just being in this conference already bumps you further back in the line automatically. Then you're competing against everyone else - and we're going to do that WITHOUT the NYC TV contract? It's like thinking you've got a shot to win the Super Bowl, even though you aren't a player on each team and you're ticket is in the upper bowl.

And it's been said before - the University can't keep up with this spending. Period. There isn't three more years without SNY and even with it... there's probably not three more years.

Maybe they can put tolls in the rent. When you go get beer or go to the restroom there’s a toll fee. LoL

 

[Ha Who]

Since the thread is all over the place, can I bring another thing up making my blood boil? Did Senator Murphy go to the Blumenthal school of publicity? Why is a senator from a small state taking the lead on paying athletes? Why not Alabama or Florida or North Carolina? I feel like going after UConn myself after reading this

 

[UConnNick]

Ok, but what I want to know is, why are the schools mentioned in @zls44 's post (Houston, Memphis, SMU, Tulane) the parties driving the bus of the entire deal?

Why wasn't UCONN/Cincy et al right there too?

Because Aresco was trying to smoke this horseshit deal by us?

 

[Towney007]

Because Aresco was trying to smoke this horseshit deal by us?

I think it's because they're the schools he thinks he can keep.

Long story, short - we're probably the school that wants out of this conference the most and would leave the quickest given the circumstances. I'd say ditto for Cincinnati. UCF is probably the most appealing add to a major conference at this point you'd think, so that's probably why they're not there, either.

Memphis wasn't even invited to present at the Big XII gig, so they're on the outside. SMU and Tulane are probably life partners at this point. Houston's hoops program goes back to sleep once Sampson is gone, their football program is what it is... they're probably here forever, too.

I mean basically, Rice and Middle Tennessee State are probably more valuable in those talks at this point then we'd be.... seeing as they're probably more likely to be in this conference in 3-4 years than we are.

 

[whaler11]

I think it's because they're the schools he thinks he can keep.

Long story, short - we're probably the school that wants out of this conference the most and would leave the quickest given the circumstances. I'd say ditto for Cincinnati. UCF is probably the most appealing add to a major conference at this point you'd think, so that's probably why they're not there, either.

Memphis wasn't even invited to present at the Big XII gig, so they're on the outside. SMU and Tulane are probably life partners at this point. Houston's hoops program goes back to sleep once Sampson is gone, their football program is what it is... they're probably here forever, too.

I mean basically, Rice and Middle Tennessee State are probably more valuable in those talks at this point then we'd be.... seeing as they're probably more likely to be in this conference in 3-4 years than we are.

Herbst was head of the President’s group when they added Tulane and Tulsa - the single stupidest thing the league has done. Would it matter if UConn was involved?

 

[huskymedic]

 

[superjohn]

Herbst was head of the President’s group when they added Tulane and Tulsa - the single stupidest thing the league has done. Would it matter if UConn was involved?

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Not so much. Do you know the current Big East teams?
View attachment 41530
Wisconsin, Nebraska, Illinois, Indian and Ohio aren't exactly the bus trips are they?

Geesh I am so tired of the uninformed droning on about this.

Before you call others uninformed, check the facts:

Average distance from Storrs to a Big East opponent: 591.6 miles
Average distance from Storrs to a AAC opponent: 1,214 miles

A full travel schedule in the Big East (1 game at each opponent in 20-game round robin) would be 5,916 total miles.
A full travel schedule in the AAC (what UConn played this year) was 10,081 total miles, or 1,120 miles per trip.

Neither total factors in distance to the conference tournament, which adds another ~1,700 miles to Dallas, ~1,200 miles to Memphis or Orlando in the AAC, or ~135 to MSG in the Big East.

8 AAC opponents are >1000 miles away
2 Big East opponents are >1000 miles away

5 Big East opponents (half the league) are under 400 miles away and are bussable.
1 AAC opponent is under 600 miles away and is bussable.

There are 5 AAC opponents further than the furthest Big East opponent.
There are 8 AAC opponents further than the 2 furthest Big East opponents.



In sum, there is absolutely zero truth to the talking point that the travel problem in the AAC would not be significantly helped in the Big East.

 

[CL82]

Before you call others uninformed, check the facts:

Average distance from Storrs to a Big East opponent: 591.6 miles
Average distance from Storrs to a AAC opponent: 1,214 miles

A full travel schedule in the Big East (1 game at each opponent in 20-game round robin) would be 5,916 total miles.
A full travel schedule in the AAC (what UConn played this year) was 10,081 total miles, or 1,120 miles per trip.

Neither total factors in distance to the conference tournament, which adds another ~1,700 miles to Dallas, ~1,200 miles to Memphis or Orlando in the AAC, or ~135 to MSG in the Big East.

8 AAC opponents are >1000 miles away
2 Big East opponents are >1000 miles away

5 Big East opponents (half the league) are under 400 miles away and are bussable.
1 AAC opponent is under 600 miles away and is bussable.

There are 5 AAC opponents further than the furthest Big East opponent.
There are 8 AAC opponents further than the 2 furthest Big East opponents.



In sum, there is absolutely zero truth to the talking point that the travel problem in the AAC would not be significantly helped in the Big East.

The myth that there isn't a travel time issue is just that - a myth. Are you really bragging about about an average distance of just under 600 miles away. 600 miles is "bussable"? Would you really put the team on a bus for 8-10 hours? I hope you are never the AD either.

Here's the thing getting on a plane is getting on plane. I'd suggest that at 600 miles per hour the difference in travel time and impact on the team is minimal compared to hassle of getting to the airport, staying over night in hotels etc.

But you missed the main points of my post. The benefit of the nominal travel savings are entirely outweighed by the smaller media contract, much, much smaller exposure being on FS1 and FS2 and by the de facto admission that we consider ourselves a mid major by joining a league of small, private and largely Catholic schools.