AD David Benedict: UConn 'in a very good situation' as college conference realignment swirls

[huskymedic]

Worth a read if you have access…




-> But Benedict does see potential for Randy Edsall’s program to, in one way or another, eventually partner with a group of programs as opportunities arise and the college landscape takes shape.

“I still think there’s a place down the road, and with what’s happening, for a larger group of independent football programs,” Benedict said. “Why can’t we have a group of independents form an independent conference and have bowl tie-ins? You never go to sleep on that stuff. You have to be constantly thinking and talking to people and checking the pulse. I’m hopeful that there’s going to be more opportunity down the road relative to that situation.

“I really do believe that football can and should be treated differently. Because it just doesn’t make sense anymore to have a football program determine where all the other sports play, geographically. And as we know, there are a lot of universities that are in conferences that don’t make sense, geographically.” <-

… more football program discussion within the article

 

[SubbaBub]

DB is right that FB is/has separated itself from the remainder of college athletics. Only MBB is barely maintaining the tiniest bit of relevance in the larger conversations and only becuase the NCAA controls the tournament media contracts.

If the P4 can get their hands on that, then it's game over for the NCAA.

That will take some doing now that any school can make deep runs if they get a player or two.

The alternative is to separate FB entirely as DB mentioned. Form a 20-40 team FB superleague where all the money and bowl tie-ins go. These teams would essentially be independents. You can ca them the SEC allinance and B1G alliance if you want but if they uncouple from the conferences leaving them to govern the rest of the sports, they can pick up most of the better brands from the non-P2.

The have nots will whine and complain for a while but if the B12 leftovers go it alone, because that is better financially, it wont be long before the others follow suit.

A whole lot of inertia still needs to be overcome, but that may be the end result.

 

[Rumrunner]

UConn is only in a "very good situation" if compared, to say, CCSU. Long range, unless you have your head in the sand, the amount of money the P5, P4, whatever iteration emerges of the superschools, will dwarf the money that those outside the superleagues get. It's going to be impossible to compete with these schools for top facilities, top talent and top coaching. The bleed through to basketball will occur at some point. If/when the schools leave the NCAA and its stranglehold on men's basketball revenue, then it will be lights out as a top competitor in basketball. And now, since money can buy you top talent with the NIL, the resources that these superschools will possess will magnify the divide. A better, and more accurate, way to characterize UConn's current position, is "it could be worse", but in no way is it in a "very good situation."

 

[Pudge]

UConn is only in a "very good situation" if compared, to say, CCSU. Long range, unless you have your head in the sand, the amount of money the P5, P4, whatever iteration emerges of the superschools, will dwarf the money that those outside the superleagues get. It's going to be impossible to compete with these schools for top facilities, top talent and top coaching. The bleed through to basketball will occur at some point. If/when the schools leave the NCAA and its stranglehold on men's basketball revenue, then it will be lights out as a top competitor in basketball. And now, since money can buy you top talent with the NIL, the resources that these superschools will possess will magnify the divide. A better, and more accurate, way to characterize UConn's current position, is "it could be worse", but in no way is it in a "very good situation."

pffft

We are in basically in the same situation as we were in 2004. We really weren't destined to be Alabama or USC or Notre Dame ... we had a whiff of that. To say we are CCSU is stupid. WE ARE a MAJOR STATE UNIVERSITY. A BRAND. That box now has about 40 others in it - Football wise. Hoop? We actually are unique in MBB + WBB. WE are the Top State U. in New England; a regional near the elite academic network. The money is never gonna be in the top 25 as football goes. However, I am not guaranteeing Mississippi State or Washington State nor Vanderbilt nor Northwestern nor Duke an annuity in perpetuity there either.

Benedict accurately tells our state and fanbase the lay of the land ... and you puked all over it. WE sit back and hope the Syracuse, BC, Maryland, Rutgers apples fall so we can play a geographically sound schedule. And we Indpendent Conference ourway for awhile.

 

[Storrs South]

UConn is only in a "very good situation" if compared, to say, CCSU. Long range, unless you have your head in the sand, the amount of money the P5, P4, whatever iteration emerges of the superschools, will dwarf the money that those outside the superleagues get. It's going to be impossible to compete with these schools for top facilities, top talent and top coaching. The bleed through to basketball will occur at some point. If/when the schools leave the NCAA and its stranglehold on men's basketball revenue, then it will be lights out as a top competitor in basketball. And now, since money can buy you top talent with the NIL, the resources that these superschools will possess will magnify the divide. A better, and more accurate, way to characterize UConn's current position, is "it could be worse", but in no way is it in a "very good situation."

Couple points:

• Basketball and football are two entirely different things when it comes to program development. One player can impact a program in basketball, something football doesn't have. You can give all the money in the world to the SEC, but there are still way too many talented basketball players to go to the same 20-30 schools. Basketball also necessitates way less investment.
• Sure LSU has become more relevant because of money via football, but LSU's rise along with Alabama and Arkansas has coincided with Cuse, Pitt, and Notre Dame (and UConn in the AAC) falling off from being consistent top 25 contenders. It's a zero sum game, but the biggest losers in basketball were those that lost their regional identity and lost their prominence in their conference to Duke and UNC who run the show in the ACC.
• The players, at least today, are not being directly paid, so whether the school gets $50 million or $100 million has no bearing on the players. These are state universities we are talking about, they are billion dollar entities, a practice facility of $30 million just means delaying building a new dorm and these facilities are largely built by donors anyway (see Burton and Werth) so the money matters from an accounting standpoint but it doesn't seem to matter in practice.
• If players starting getting paid by schools, the Vanderbilts, Northwesterns, and Stanfords probably will eject themselves from competing on the Division 1 level altogether, especially when the environment eventually comes that they can't coast off of Alabama, OSU, and USC's backs. This will open up spots for more state universities that do invest in that level of the sport gain additional prominence (i.e. those bigger football brands).
• The inevitability is 15 years from now anyone that isn't a major football power is not going to have a seat at the table in football (SEC + OSU + Michigan +PSU + USC + Notre Dame, etc.) That leaves 40-50 other schools that will be realigning, likely back into more regional alliances. The SEC (and the Big 10 possibly) are trying to recreate the NFL model, Cuse, Pitt, Duke, Kansas are not going to be included in that model.
• In other words, UConn is on more stable ground in the Big East than most schools in the P5 as constituted today. They may enjoy cashing checks earned by OU, UT, FSU, and Clemson today, but that won't last beyond 2036. This is not the end, this is only the beginning.
• It's clear where this is heading and letting the strength of the AD (basketball) guide the path forward instead of being stuck in football no man's land of the AAC is better place to be to build up the brand again, stimulate fan/alumni interest, and establish itself again as the prominent brand of the northeast. That's how you take advantage of NIL.

 

[hank970]

Worth a read if you have access…




-> But Benedict does see potential for Randy Edsall’s program to, in one way or another, eventually partner with a group of programs as opportunities arise and the college landscape takes shape.

“I still think there’s a place down the road, and with what’s happening, for a larger group of independent football programs,” Benedict said. “Why can’t we have a group of independents form an independent conference and have bowl tie-ins? You never go to sleep on that stuff. You have to be constantly thinking and talking to people and checking the pulse. I’m hopeful that there’s going to be more opportunity down the road relative to that situation.

“I really do believe that football can and should be treated differently. Because it just doesn’t make sense anymore to have a football program determine where all the other sports play, geographically. And as we know, there are a lot of universities that are in conferences that don’t make sense, geographically.” <-

… more football program discussion within the article

A conference of independents... a contradiction in terms, an oxymoron coined by a moron.

I'm waiting for another gem from Benedict, something like, "If life hands you lemons, make furniture."

 

[Husky25]

DB is right that FB is/has separated itself from the remainder of college athletics. Only MBB is barely maintaining the tiniest bit of relevance in the larger conversations and only becuase the NCAA controls the tournament media contracts.

If the P4 can get their hands on that, then it's game over for the NCAA.

That will take some doing now that any school can make deep runs if they get a player or two.

The alternative is to separate FB entirely as DB mentioned. Form a 20-40 team FB superleague where all the money and bowl tie-ins go. These teams would essentially be independents. You can ca them the SEC allinance and B1G alliance if you want but if they uncouple from the conferences leaving them to govern the rest of the sports, they can pick up most of the better brands from the non-P2.

The have nots will whine and complain for a while but if the B12 leftovers go it alone, because that is better financially, it wont be long before the others follow suit.

A whole lot of inertia still needs to be overcome, but that may be the end result.

Who do the 20-40 super teams play? Each other? The 'Bamas, LSUs, and tOSUs rely on the Vanderbilts and Illinois's to pad their records. 20-40 team super league introduces too much parity at the top. Coaches use program domination for recruiting.

 

[Chin Diesel]

A conference of independents... a contradiction in terms, an oxymoron coined by a moron.

I'm waiting for another gem from Benedict, something like, "If life hands you lemons, make furniture."

I think it was more awkwardly worded than it was a bona fide Diacoism.

Basically saying the Independents can present a slate of teams for bowls to choose from for the games and also allows for some scheduling opportunities. Maybe more of the Article of Confederation than a Constitution. Of course, those Articles didn't work out so well, did they?

 

[pepband99]

A conference of independents... a contradiction in terms, an oxymoron coined by a moron.

I'm waiting for another gem from Benedict, something like, "If life hands you lemons, make furniture."

Ok tough guy - have a better word for a group of schools collectively working towards scheduling and bowl tie-ins?

If it walks/quacks/etc.

 

[superjohn]

UConn is only in a "very good situation" if compared, to say, CCSU. Long range, unless you have your head in the sand, the amount of money the P5, P4, whatever iteration emerges of the superschools, will dwarf the money that those outside the superleagues get. It's going to be impossible to compete with these schools for top facilities, top talent and top coaching. The bleed through to basketball will occur at some point. If/when the schools leave the NCAA and its stranglehold on men's basketball revenue, then it will be lights out as a top competitor in basketball. And now, since money can buy you top talent with the NIL, the resources that these superschools will possess will magnify the divide. A better, and more accurate, way to characterize UConn's current position, is "it could be worse", but in no way is it in a "very good situation."

If those colleges overplay their hand like that it will be lights out for the NCAA tournament.

 

[Pudge]

I guess the disturbing thing that keeps coming up ... the neverending whine from those who can't get past our leaving the AAC conference. That - to me - was a no brainer. Big East is better for Hoop and 15 other sports. And the current landscape - if your read correctly - is going to result in other major Name Universities with the same status as us. A Conference? No. Leftovers with minor TV money. Benedict is saying opportunities are coming: this I believe. Football separate from the other UConn sports in a AD

 

[metsfan2323]

Does anyone know why we refuse to schedule New Mexico State? I think it was mentioned once that we would never play them but never explained why. I'd rather see them than a second FCS opponent in one season.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Worth a read if you have access…




-> But Benedict does see potential for Randy Edsall’s program to, in one way or another, eventually partner with a group of programs as opportunities arise and the college landscape takes shape.

“I still think there’s a place down the road, and with what’s happening, for a larger group of independent football programs,” Benedict said. “Why can’t we have a group of independents form an independent conference and have bowl tie-ins? You never go to sleep on that stuff. You have to be constantly thinking and talking to people and checking the pulse. I’m hopeful that there’s going to be more opportunity down the road relative to that situation.

“I really do believe that football can and should be treated differently. Because it just doesn’t make sense anymore to have a football program determine where all the other sports play, geographically. And as we know, there are a lot of universities that are in conferences that don’t make sense, geographically.” <-

… more football program discussion within the article

Dave is 100% right on football aspect. It is not making sense for UConn football to be in the Big 10 for football, they will get killed. But every other sport UConn plays ins Big Ten caliber.

So, because of one sport, UConn has to go to the AAC and hurt their other sports? That makes zero sense.

Maximize your sports. UConn should be in ACC/Big Ten/Big East, but it can't compete at the top of the Big 10 and ACC. Neither can Kansas.

 

[metsfan2323]

It is not making sense for UConn football to be in the Big 10 for football, they will get killed.

He didn't actually say that did he? I hope you are just grossly misinterpreting his message.

 

[Hoophound]

He didn't actually say that did he? I hope you are just grossly misinterpreting his message.

I don't think it was meant that way. I also think we will be able to compete with the the bottom 1/2, maybe even bottom 2/3's of the Big Ten with a fully mature and stocked Randy Edsall program. We used to do it and he's bringing in solid talent again now.

 

[Guapo]

Couple points:

• Basketball and football are two entirely different things when it comes to program development. One player can impact a program in basketball, something football doesn't have. You can give all the money in the world to the SEC, but there are still way too many talented basketball players to go to the same 20-30 schools. Basketball also necessitates way less investment.
• Sure LSU has become more relevant because of money via football, but LSU's rise along with Alabama and Arkansas has coincided with Cuse, Pitt, and Notre Dame (and UConn in the AAC) falling off from being consistent top 25 contenders. It's a zero sum game, but the biggest losers in basketball were those that lost their regional identity and lost their prominence in their conference to Duke and UNC who run the show in the ACC.
• The players, at least today, are not being directly paid, so whether the school gets $50 million or $100 million has no bearing on the players. These are state universities we are talking about, they are billion dollar entities, a practice facility of $30 million just means delaying building a new dorm and these facilities are largely built by donors anyway (see Burton and Werth) so the money matters from an accounting standpoint but it doesn't seem to matter in practice.
• If players starting getting paid by schools, the Vanderbilts, Northwesterns, and Stanfords probably will eject themselves from competing on the Division 1 level altogether, especially when the environment eventually comes that they can't coast off of Alabama, OSU, and USC's backs. This will open up spots for more state universities that do invest in that level of the sport gain additional prominence (i.e. those bigger football brands).
• The inevitability is 15 years from now anyone that isn't a major football power is not going to have a seat at the table in football (SEC + OSU + Michigan +PSU + USC + Notre Dame, etc.) That leaves 40-50 other schools that will be realigning, likely back into more regional alliances. The SEC (and the Big 10 possibly) are trying to recreate the NFL model, Cuse, Pitt, Duke, Kansas are not going to be included in that model.
• In other words, UConn is on more stable ground in the Big East than most schools in the P5 as constituted today. They may enjoy cashing checks earned by OU, UT, FSU, and Clemson today, but that won't last beyond 2036. This is not the end, this is only the beginning.
• It's clear where this is heading and letting the strength of the AD (basketball) guide the path forward instead of being stuck in football no man's land of the AAC is better place to be to build up the brand again, stimulate fan/alumni interest, and establish itself again as the prominent brand of the northeast. That's how you take advantage of NIL.

Well said

 

[Drew]

Does anyone know why we refuse to schedule New Mexico State? I think it was mentioned once that we would never play them but never explained why. I'd rather see them than a second FCS opponent in one season.

I’ve chatted with someone in the know on the NMSU side and it was stated UConn doesn’t want to play them due to distance and location. I agree with you I’d like to play them annually though as they’re a fellow independent that we could schedule later in the season for what is almost an automatic W.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Dave is 100% right on football aspect. It is not making sense for UConn football to be in the Big 10 for football, they will get killed. But every other sport UConn plays ins Big Ten caliber.

So, because of one sport, UConn has to go to the AAC and hurt their other sports? That makes zero sense.

Maximize your sports. UConn should be in ACC/Big Ten/Big East, but it can't compete at the top of the Big 10 and ACC. Neither can Kansas.

He didn't actually say that did he? I hope you are just grossly misinterpreting his message.

LOL. What he is saying is that the sports are different. Football is different as far as geography, needs, cost, revenue, every other sport kind of gets taken along for the ride.

What Dave is saying is that football should be separate than the other sports.

What I am saying is he is right.

there is no reason that Kansas/UConn basketball should not be in power leagues. For football? Both those programs probably don't belong in the top leagues in the country.

The issue is football upending all the other NCAA sports and hurting those other sports tremendously. Football literally ruined the Big East three times.

 

[JohnFSilver]

I’ve chatted with someone in the know on the NMSU side and it was stated UConn doesn’t want to play them due to distance and location. I agree with you I’d like to play them annually though as they’re a fellow independent that we could schedule later in the season for what is almost an automatic W.

Just no reason to play NMSU. Cost, no fan travel, no recruiting. That's a tough one.

 

[Drew]

Just no reason to play NMSU. Cost, no fan travel, no recruiting. That's a tough one.

Largely agree with this but I could argue that I’d much rather be playing them in the coming years than SJSU, Fresno, Utah State, etc. UConn needs winnable games- playing NMSU in addition to UMass and a FCS gets you halfway to bowl eligibility. Any team who’s season O/U is 2 wins when there are 2 games against FCS teams on the slate for this year could use another easy game on the schedule going forward.

I’m sure someone will respond to this and say “Yeah but who’s to say they can’t beat any of those teams you mentioned?!” And to that I’d say they’re 27.5 point underdogs in week 1 this year to Fresno State.

I’m sure someone will respond to that above quote and say “well that line is crazy we’ve improved a bunch in our time off lifting!!” And to that I will say “well are you putting a wager on UConn +27.5 since you feel so strongly about it?”

And at that point there will be crickets.

 

[noeynox]

I think it was more awkwardly worded than it was a bona fide Diacoism.

Basically saying the Independents can present a slate of teams for bowls to choose from for the games and also allows for some scheduling opportunities. Maybe more of the Article of Confederation than a Constitution. Of course, those Articles didn't work out so well, did they?

A scheduling alliance is all it is.

 

[uchusky32]

“Yeah but who’s to say they can’t beat any of those teams you mentioned?!”

they’re 27.5 point underdogs in week 1 this year to Fresno State.

"well that line is crazy we’ve improved a bunch in our time off lifting!!”

well are you putting a wager on UConn +27.5 since you feel so strongly about it?”

 

[John Greene]

Summary: Many schools in the future may find themselves in a position similar to that which UConn faced.

Not stated: In the meantime they will be collecting 10's of millions of dollars that UConn will not.

 

[whalerfan]

I'd go see UConn v NMSU. I think it would be a pretty cool road trip.

 

[Stinger92860]

I’m sure someone will respond to that above quote and say “well that line is crazy we’ve improved a bunch in our time off lifting!!” And to that I will say “well are you putting a wager on UConn +27.5 since you feel so strongly about it?”

Yep and the over on wins. I may lose but I feel strongly about it. I only wish I could get Leicester City odds.