So here is the question for UConn.....
The B1G will only add schools that can add to the pot of gold.
The one thing Penn State, Nebraska, Maryland and Rutgers have in common is that they all added to the monetary value of the TV contracts. Now that each school will be making between $50/$60 million in total revenues each year, is UConn capable of adding to that?
It would seem very few schools are going to be able to contribute additional money to the pot of gold that is the B1G.
I think the next tv contract was purposefully designed to only last six years so that the B1G can target some big schools with expansion to join as teams 15 and 16 when GOR's expire in the not too distant future (I'm looking at you Oklahoma).
Unfortunately, I now think that our B1G hopes are all but dashed. We are not AAU; an obstacle that was always there. Now, we are not worth $50M/yr. We had an argument at $30M/yr, albeit very slim. But at $50M/yr, we are officially priced out. There are only a handful of schools that are in that new ballpark that also fit in with the B1G culture and/or expansion plans: Notre Dame, Texas, UNC, FSU, and OU. My guess is that NBC Comcast will win the 2nd half of the B1G bid and figure out the logistics of rolling Notre Dame's current deal in with B1G TV. Who knows how many more they will add in the near future and how many in the distant future. UConn's "P2" hopes rely on either of the following,
none of them are very likely:
1. a Hail Mary from the B1G/ND who want to continue their push into the northeast. Would have to include ND wanting to bring along someone from the northeast with them (ready yourself for another arm wrestling match against BC);
2. ESPN/SEC response to the aggressive FOX/B1G markets push and add UConn to gain partial share of northeast and boost basketball profile;
*The more likely scenario for UConn is hope that we are able to hitch a ride on a newly formed allegiance of leftover conference after the B1G/SEC have completed their B12 and ACC raids. This would still be better than the AAC garbage we currently play in, but far from the elite money that powerhouse athletic departments like Rutgers, Purdue, Iowa, Indiana, Northwestern, Minnesota, and Vanderbilt will generate.
The Big AACC Conference (16 members):
The Big East 3.0 division: BC, UConn, Cuse, Pitt, WVU, Miami, Louisville, Cincinnati
The Big 12 3.0 division: TCU, Baylor, KSU, ISU, TT, OSU, BYU, Houston
This conference would probably be valued around $20M/yr per school for football and hoops, if I had to guess. Allow schools to bid out their own T3 rights for a few extra pennies to the highest bidder. FB plays each division member and 3 cross-division games per year. Allows for scheduling 2 OOC games. Hoops plays everyone home and away. Olympic sports farmed out to regional conferences.
If UConn can't hitch a ride in the Big AACC conference, then we should probably give up scholarship sports altogether and go "Public Ivy" route. Use the Rent as a 5K race course 1 or 2x per year. Use Gampel as the official home of our Graduation ceremonies with improved tiles for graduation day photos! Use the XL as Baby Rangers Station. Use Dunkin Donuts Park as the official summertime drunken blackout venue where us Husky fans/alumni can reminisce about the times we "almost got to play competitive sports in our state".
Yes, I'm a bit bummed.