An alternate view: UConn to B1G 2016 via hockey affiliation

[Huskybite]

SB Nation; Land-Grant Holy Land--> 3/10/2016

http://www.landgrantholyland.com/20...the-big-12-has-the-greatest-opportunities-for

 

[coachcap]

The writer wants to add UCONN as a hockey affiliate. Does that mean hockey only? If so, that's a deal breaker. You want our hockey programs, you take the whole athletic department. Otherwise, why leave the best hockey conference in the country?
Now if he's endorsing annexing the whole athletic department into the B1G: Carry on!

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Highly doubt it happens.

 

[ct06111]

you have to wonder:
Why did UConn play ASU 3x times this year? 1 in CT, 1 away, and 1 @ Desert Hockey Classic?
Can't remember, but somewhere in non-key thread, one of the Twitter folk said UConn higher ups were giddy @ Minnesota vs UConn hockey game.

I agree with above, I would much rather stay in hockey east (the best conference in hockey) than just join the B1G for hockey only.
the entire AD or nothing.

Edit: I wonder if they'll go to the B1G so they don't have to build a new barn on campus.
Will the B1G have an on-campus facility requirement?

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

you have to wonder:
Why did UConn play ASU 3x times this year? 1 in CT, 1 away, and 1 @ Desert Hockey Classic?

ASU was in a transition year with no conference affiliation so they needed the games, also probably more to get on good terms with a P5 athletic department. The B1G isn't happy with six, but I can't imagine coaches at the power B1G hockey schools would be happy to add one deadweight program in ASU and one that's also still in its relative infancy.

 

[Waquoit]

What does moving hockey to the B1G do for UConn, besides nothing?

 

[MattMang23]

The writer mentioned UConn could be contracted for a certain number of B1G football and basketball games per year.

UConn: OK for football, we'll take Ohio State and Michigan at the Rent and we will go to Penn St. In basketball we will take Indiana at home and Michigan State on the road.

B1G: No. You get Rutgers... In everything...

 

[Fishy]

There is no reason for UConn to even consider moving hockey to the Big Ten.

We're in a better league now and if we want to schedule Big Ten teams in other sports, we'll schedule Big Ten teams in other sports.

 

[huskypantz]

The writer mentioned UConn could be contracted for a certain number of B1G football and basketball games per year.

As long as it's 18 games in basketball and 9 in football, let's do it.

 

[FDNY99]

As long as it's 18 games in basketball and 9 in football, let's do it.

You forgot to add a full share conference revenue check.

 

[Sea Goat]

SB Nation; Land-Grant Holy Land--> 3/10/2016

http://www.landgrantholyland.com/20...the-big-12-has-the-greatest-opportunities-for

In a very perverse way, this evidences the same quality of reasoning which caused the B1G to add Rutgers as a strategic move. Obviously this clueless doesn't understand that we are in the best hockey conference already and would only grudgingly move hockey to the B1G if we were drafted for all sports. We are desperate, but not that desperate...

 

[Ldandy]

God forbid we further dilute the rest of our historic conference by allowing additional full members. I mean why wouldn't UCONN jump at the opportunity to join a hockey conference that is in no way a better situation than the one they currently find themselves a part of? Typical myopic Midwest thinking. SMDH.

 

[pj]

Getting a share of the BTN revenue, plus B1G OOC games in major sports, would be a good offer just to move the hockey program to a slightly inferior league (mostly due to longer travel). But if UConn is that attractive, why not invite us for all sports, or all but football with a Notre Dame type deal so we can move football to independent status? It makes no sense to give up sense for a hockey-only presence when a little bit more gets all sports.

 

[SubbaBub]

Hockey is a small part of the overall university resume. It may or may not (likely not) more valuable to the B1G than WBB. The B12 or ACC couldn't give a rip about hockey. If you are looking to put a number on it, it MIGHT give us the nod over Ga Tech, but that would be about it because I'm sure Ga Tech has the resources to field a B1G level hockey team it they needed to do that.

In short, hockey has about as much influence in CR as the quality of the Dairy Bar ice cream.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

The only way a hockey-only invite to the B1G would make sense is if there is an imminent belief that an all-sports one would be as well. If we were so fortunate to receive a B12 invite, we absolutely under no circumstances should ever accept a hockey-only B1G invite. The only reason to leave at that point is if Delaney calls up with an all-sports invite. That said, I really don't see the B1G making the offer to begin with.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Football to independent status? Stay off the opiates!

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Hockey has value to the B1G; but, UConn basketball is the golden fleece of UConn athletics. Why would the B1G leave that on the table for the XII unless this is would be a 'temporary' arrangement in that the B1G expects the XII to fold and then can add UConn across the board at a later date?

 

[NickyNewark]

Hockey has value to the B1G; but, UConn basketball is the golden fleece of UConn athletics. Why would the B1G leave that on the table for the XII unless this is would be a 'temporary' arrangement in that the B1G expects the XII to fold and then can add UConn across the board at a later date?

I don't see OU/KU staying long under any circumstances...even UT might leave..

 

[Rappin'Rodney]

UConn hangin' around the front page of the bigten.org for the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships:

 

[Stinger92860]

If we help deliver a B12N, either the league stays intact or we prove out true worth. I like our chances, if given a chance.

 

[jimva]

The sentiment to take all or nothing by some posters is disturbing to me. Get our foot in the door anyway we can. Remember the decision not to do the home and away series with Note Dame because they wouldn't play in east Hartford? Wouldn't we love to have that opportunity back?

 

[Dooley]

The sentiment to take all or nothing by some posters is disturbing to me. Get our foot in the door anyway we can. Remember the decision not to do the home and away series with Note Dame because they wouldn't play in east Hartford? Wouldn't we love to have that opportunity back?

You are comparing apples to oranges. The Hockey East is the unquestioned top college hockey conference in the country. The IceBus plays against nationally ranked opponents every single week. Leaving Hockey East for the B1G Hockey conference would be like a SEC school taking its football program out and putting it in the AAC.

There are only 2 scenarios that UConn should be receptive to leaving HE for the B1G:

1. it leads to full-time, all-in, B1G membership in the near future;
2. the B1G is somehow able to secure a hockey TV contract that would provide an annual revenue that is higher than our AAC deal (probably more likely)...AND...word leaks that several of the top HE programs are on-board with leaving too (BU, BC, etc).

 

[Fishy]

1) The top schools are never leaving Hockey East. That would be like leaving the SEC for the ACC. Makes zero sense.

2) If the answer to the question "will this lead to invite in all sports" is anything but a concrete "yes", UConn should turn down any Big Ten hockey offer in the first phone call.

Going Big Ten in hockey only would hurt our hockey program and shouldn't be entertained at any price other than full membership. We don't need their hypothetical affiliate offer.

 

[Ldandy]

B1G Hockey is pretty darn good, so the comparison of The AAC to The SEC is a stretch. That said outside of UCONN receiving a promise of full membership in the conference, joining B1G Hockey makes zero sense. The benefit is all on the conference's end with increased inventory and further reach in The Northeast. UCONN would get more travel and less rivalries. As A PSU Alum who has always supported a UCONN Bid into the conference, run don't walk away from this offer if it comes.

Edit- The ideal but unrealistic scenario would be to somehow add UCONN and ND as full members. It would sew up NYC and most of the Northeast for eternity and create great football, basketball, and hockey content.

Football
PSU, UMD, RU, UC
OSU, UM, IL, NW
ND, MSU, PU, IU
UNL, IA, UW, MN

Swap out NW and IU if ND wants a Chicago game every other year. IL v. NW and PU v. IU could be protected crossovers. Nice and neat. The B1G is making so much money off of this that they lose interest in moving South. The ACC remains in tact and total Armageddon could be averted.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

B1G Hockey /= AAC. It's a good league with some of the most historically dominant programs. That said, many of them are in a significant downswing and are at a crossroads in various ways. Michigan will need to replace their coach very soon when Red retires, and Wisconsin, MN, and State all are under pressure to fire their coaches. It's definitely a step down from Hockey East, but nowhere near as bad as the AAC.

That said, it doesn't make much sense for either side to make this partnership happen. If the B1G is going to add a hockey-only member, North Dakota is the most obvious addition for a multitude of reasons. For UConn, it's added travel, a minor step down in competition, another recruiting hurdle (kids don't want to play every conference game 500-1,500 miles away every time), and while it'd be nice to have a formal relationship with the B1G if it's not linked to an all-sports invite, there's little to gain.