ACC votes to add Stanford, Cal, SMU: Conference presidents approve expansion to 18 schools

[ucp990411]

Can’t wait for that big ACC match up of Cal at SMU. Or anybody at SMU for that matter.

 

[BigTenFan]

That's interesting. I know a few local (to Connecticut) Indiana grads (one mid 20's, one mid 30's, one early 50's) who all have a serious hatred for Purdue. Did you feel betrayed when they chose the school or is it not a universal feeling among Hoosiers?

No - I still hate Purdue....in sports
But both my kids in Engineering.
I think there is a mutual respect in state for academics but not once they they play sports.
UConn really has a lot to be proud of. They have done an incredible job with the University and obviously basketball - 5 rings in 25 years is unbelievable! Still waiting for #6 in Bloomington....it's been a long and painful journey

 

[pj]

Conference realignment isn’t done yet and the geographical misfit of some of these newly formed conferences is so dumb that it’s not gonna hold up long term. I also think the future of media is going to move toward single teams vs. single conferences. The top of the top football schools like Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Clemson, etc are subsidizing their conferences and at some point they could pull a Texas or Notre Dame and opt to strike their own media contract deal. Streaming is only going to further drive this. These decisions are now clearly not being made with clear heads and I’m not sure what the ACC has against UConn, but honestly I think we will end up in a better spot than most of these ACC teams.

I also think that when the shift from cable to streaming occurs, the rationale for conference media deals will go away. The streaming services will offer content bundles, but the college sports component can be a random assortments of schools, the key thing is to have something for everyone / every part of the country, it doesn't have to be comprehensive content, just enough to motivate a subscription in conjunction with the other content.

In that world, the streaming services want to have some sports content from every geographic region. In the northeast, for college sports, there is the B1G, the ACC, and a collection of Northeast independents / Big East. UConn can sell its football as part of the 3rd grouping. As long as there are at least 3 streaming services, UConn will be paid competitively.

Meanwhile, all these legacy cable deals, eg the contracts which say that every Texas cable system has to pay the ACCN in-state rate if a Texas school joins the ACC, are going to go away. When that occurs, the value of a school like SMU goes way down, at the same time that its payout from the ACC goes up. There will be a strong incentive for the existing arrangements to be dissolved.

UConn has to hang on in major sports including football for another 7-10 years, but it will be paid well when everything sorts itself back out to rationality.

 

[Lefty2one]

I don't bat an eye at realignment anymore, though I did laugh at this round of news. I would be irate at all of this if I were a college football fan but I am not. This stuff has to suck if you're a fan of any good Big 10 or ACC program (or any Pac-12 school). Huge watered-down conferences with no rivalry history or geographic sense. But hey, we have money! Sounds fun. I am curious to see where things are in a decade after these fluid batshit crazy conferences go by the wayside.

We've been through this so many times and we've been told so many times that we're in a doomsday scenario and yet, lo and behold, life goes on.

 

[upstater]

Purdue is no nonsense University
Same tuition for 12 consecutive years- limited scholarships....hi value hi outcome school

I'm sorry. I meant subsidy for athletics by the academic side.

 

[upstater]

Both are true, there a couple of tiers of Academic Excellence awards, not need based. UConn pulls kids away from the IVIES routinely. Need based packages are a mix of grants, loans and work study. Percentages have changed over time.
UPSTATER, you are UConn grad and teach/work at UB?

No, I grew up in Connecticut and went to a lot of basketball games as a kid and teen. Always been a UConn bball fan.

I've taught at UB for about 16 years now.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I don't know how it all works but I know some happy dads that their kids chose UConn. One of them is a Syracuse dad and UConn hater, he said what UConn offered was too great for his son to even think about Syracuse.

An I have a friend who is a huge UConn guy. His son went to Syracuse much more cheaply than UConn would have been (accepted to both). It was a bargain for him. We can all share anecdotes but what each school offers each kid is pretty varied and individualistic. Can’t fault anyone for their decision, unless they go to St John’s.

 

[Steve UConn72]

Athletics is included under the General University Fee which for 2023-2024 is $785/semester.

The first Athletic Annual Report released ?Wednesday has this blurb/slide:

“How Athletics Uses Student Fees​

The Division of Athletics is one of several departments on campus that receives a portion of its funding through student fees.

Other departments on campus that receive partial funding through student fees include Recreational Services, One Card Office, Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, Student Activities and Student Union, and the Off-Campus Student Services Office. In FY23, $5.6 million in student fees were allocated to athletics for services and value provided to the student body:

• Tickets to all UConn athletic events are free.
• Athletics facilities are made available rent-free for a variety of student run organizations and events.
• Hundreds of students are provided employment opportunities throughout the department.
• The Division of Athletics pays the student fees for its student-athletes on scholarship.
• Operating costs related to student-section management, including security, as well as the overall maintenance and upkeep of shared facilities from rentals.”

Granted, I went to UConn back in the dark ages (1968-72). I think the total cost per semester for the first three years was about $550-600 and there was no tuition for in-state students. $200 out of state fee. Other than room and board, there was a small "student activity fee" ($25, I think) and maybe another small charge or two plus books. The University began charging tuition my senior year (1971-72),, and I think it was around $1000. I lived off campus that year, so my cost from the school probably stayed roughly the same. So four years at UConn at a total of about $5000, plus books. Of course, you could by a new car for well under $4000 back then, too, and the median family income in 1970 was a little under $10,000.

 

[Rocktheworld]

I dont know about this one, NC State is probably around the 35th best team in the country, losing by 10 to them is a very respectable effort, I have my raised my optimism for this season after the game. I think it is unreasonable to expect this team this year to be a top team

Whereas if you’re NC State you’re saying besides one giant play it was 24-7 and there was a notable difference between UConn’s first and remaining drives. They pretty much shut us down.

I think the best thing about the game was we held a solid team to 24.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

An I have a friend who is a huge UConn guy. His son went to Syracuse much more cheaply than UConn would have been (accepted to both). It was a bargain for him. We can all share anecdotes but what each school offers each kid is pretty varied and individualistic. Can’t fault anyone for their decision, unless they go to St John’s.

Or BC.

 

[superjohn]

An I have a friend who is a huge UConn guy. His son went to Syracuse much more cheaply than UConn would have been (accepted to both). It was a bargain for him. We can all share anecdotes but what each school offers each kid is pretty varied and individualistic. Can’t fault anyone for their decision, unless they go to St John’s.

Sure but I don't think Uconn is some weird outlier, they cost a lot and dole out money like everyone else. It would be nice if it was cheaper but it goes along with the state. The state is one of the most expensive in every single category, it also compensates people at the highest levels.

I do like the Red Storm dig...

 

[HooperScooper]

Big college sports is about to be professional. Here's further evidence.

Florida State University has been working with JPMorgan as it explores options to bring in funding from institutional investors, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The discussions have been ongoing in recent months, and Sixth Street Partners has expressed interest as an investor, the person said.

Florida State University taps JPMorgan to help find potential investors

Florida State University has been looking for opportunities to join other conferences and exit the Atlantic Coast Conference division of the NCAA.

www.cnbc.com

 

[Yardigan]

Big college sports is about to be professional. Here's further evidence.

Florida State University has been working with JPMorgan as it explores options to bring in funding from institutional investors, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The discussions have been ongoing in recent months, and Sixth Street Partners has expressed interest as an investor, the person said.

Florida State University taps JPMorgan to help find potential investors

Florida State University has been looking for opportunities to join other conferences and exit the Atlantic Coast Conference division of the NCAA.

www.cnbc.com

"about to be"??

 

[Derucky]

While not the end of the world, there is no way to put a good spin on this for UConn. The ACC looked at us, knows the value we add, and added three programs on the other side of the continent, 2 of which have never won anything of note in the last 50-60 years.

I don't think UConn should have taken a deal like SMU got, but as far as we know, it was never offered to UConn. I think the window to grab a big linear deal has closed for UConn, but UConn football needs a schedule, and everyone seems to hate us.

BC started this whole thing for ego and money because only West Virginia could get anything big-time done on the field, and they wanted to be elitst. So they sold out to the corrupt political and financial powers that be like they ungrateful institution they are. They opened the floodgates to all this bs and haven't gotten anything done on the field or court, along with the other teams that left the Big East. They still have a weird sort of resentment against UConn because of the basketball success, so it's like, well, your football isn't in a major conference, nyah, nyah, nyah...at this point, they can take their sorry conference and shove it where the sun don't shine. We're perfectly fine as an independent until a REAL conference comes calling.

 

[huskymedic]

Big college sports is about to be professional. Here's further evidence.

Florida State University has been working with JPMorgan as it explores options to bring in funding from institutional investors, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The discussions have been ongoing in recent months, and Sixth Street Partners has expressed interest as an investor, the person said.

Florida State University taps JPMorgan to help find potential investors

Florida State University has been looking for opportunities to join other conferences and exit the Atlantic Coast Conference division of the NCAA.

www.cnbc.com

Article from this morning:

 

[HooperScooper]

Article from this morning:

I guess it was inevitable. Wherever there is a chance to make money, private equity finds opportunities.

 

[upstater]

Sure but I don't think Uconn is some weird outlier, they cost a lot and dole out money like everyone else. It would be nice if it was cheaper but it goes along with the state. The state is one of the most expensive in every single category, it also compensates people at the highest levels.

I do like the Red Storm dig...

It's an outlier. Every recent study I ever read points out that there is little scholarship aid at the big publics. This story is written monthly by the Chronicle of Higher Education. People are encouraged to compare private U. prices after Aid versus public schools which rarely give aid. For instance, only 13% at Penn State even receive scholarships and aid, though PSU touts that 63% receive aid, but they count the 60% who take out loans as "aid." PSU's number is typical for state institutions.

 

[Cnsmith]

The attitudes of some people on this board are hard to take. Is what happened to UConn in realignment a positive? Of course not, but you learn to move forward. People talk about revenue shortfalls, but did anyone notice there were 35k tickets distributed for the football game on Thursday? Of course there were freebies,... But, I think UConn did <$2 million in football ticket sales last year. What if you had 30k paying customers (not including students) to football games at an average of $30/ticket. That's $900k per game times 6 equals $5.4 million per year. Fill the Rent, and revenues will increase.

There are many options to raise revenues going forward. Increase attendance at all sports, hockey, soccer, football, basketball; make donations a focus and dramatically increase athletic giving; Increase reach out to potential corporate sponsors; figure out a way to monetize UConn+. Put it on cable systems in Connecticut and charge for it, maybe $0.25 to $0.50 per month; Figure out a way to monetize the naming of Gampel;....

Some will accuse me of being a pollyanna, but in my business career, I have never seen a company succeed when they thought the obstacles were too steep and they decided they couldn't compete. And, don't say there is nothing you can do. Buy a ticket to a game, rally your friends and family to attend a game, buy a UConn T-shirt, watch games on TV to improve ratings, donate $25 to the athletic department,...

Are you serious. $30 per ticket for every seat at an UConn Football game? Wow you are a dreamer.

 

[Cnsmith]

not unimaginable, hopefully true

True if we take a SMU deal.

 

[huskyfan224]

No - I still hate Purdue....in sports
But both my kids in Engineering.
I think there is a mutual respect in state for academics but not once they they play sports.
UConn really has a lot to be proud of. They have done an incredible job with the University and obviously basketball - 5 rings in 25 years is unbelievable! Still waiting for #6 in Bloomington....it's been a long and painful journey

Have tons of friends who are IU fans, still can’t believe they love Woodson so much. He’s not a bad coach, but he isn’t the answer there in my opinion.

Painter makes me laugh as well

 

[husky99]

1 football king
2 all other sports are 4th tier.
3 we are a small market
4 small market.. (new york, Boston and providence are not truly adopting us)
5 we are a national name but for basketball (see #2)

 

[Rocktheworld]

1 football king
2 all other sports are 4th tier.
3 we are a small market
4 small market.. (new york, Boston and providence are not truly adopting us)
5 we are a national name but for basketball (see #2)

There are only so many consistent national brands where people from other parts of the country follow the team. There are maybe 10 total, and many have fallen out of national following due to not being good for a while like FSU and Miami. College sports is still mostly regional in that way. So trying to be a “big market” is a false hope that very few programs (OSU, Michigan, USC, Texas, Bama, and a few others) have achieved. Especially when you have a relatively small alumni base as UConn has, compared to those big programs. I would bet our average graduating class over the last 20 years has been about 5k. Plenty of people who are generally sport conscious know that UConn is good as basketball, but do they care to rep UConn with what they wear? Do they make sure to tune in to UConn games? Probably not, because it’s college basketball, which is way way behind football, as you rightly point out. The only real problem regarding our “market” is the region itself, which doesn’t care much for college sports when there are great pro sports in NY and Boston. I don’t think it’s a mistake that states like Kansas and Kentucky care a lot about their successful basketball programs lol

We need to at least build momentum with the football program such that we get a seat at the table when the NCAA rapture happens; and it’s going to one day. Everything will fall in place, with a good coach, from there. Look at TCU and Baylor who are set. You just have to be competent on the field so the games are watchable, and you therefore are a contributor to good tv contracts.

 

[Ha Who]

ACC adding Stanford, Cal, SMU feels like a new low in college sports

Even in a college sports industry that struggles to find the bottom, ACC expansion is a new low. A thriving conference does not run toward this.

www.usatoday.com

 

[Excalibur]

An I have a friend who is a huge UConn guy. His son went to Syracuse much more cheaply than UConn would have been (accepted to both). It was a bargain for him. We can all share anecdotes but what each school offers each kid is pretty varied and individualistic. Can’t fault anyone for their decision, unless they go to St John’s.

When paying for a commodity, it tends to be the best choice to pay the least.

 

[Dove]

Don't disagree with your argument, just don't know when the cost in general or athletic fees specifically bite us in the butt. How long do you hold a losing stock before you divest and say I made a bad decision, cut your losses and run? My guess with the "Athletic Investment" shouldered by the students, we "divest" or "cut our losses" when kids stop coming to UConn because of the athletic fees, and cost in general. When will that be????

20 minutes.