Dooley
Done with U-con athletics
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$40M in exit fees so far and counting...
1) WVU paid $20M and they're gone. I assume that the money has been split already.
2) TCU paid $5M and they're gone. I also assume this money has been split.
3) Pitt and Cuse negotiated $7.5M each but I'm not sure if this has been paid and split already or if they will be required to pay after the spring seasons are over and the money will be split by the teams still committed to the Big East (i.e. - UConn, Cincinnati, USF)
Here is what needs to be settled and split (but for how much, between who, and when are the questions)...
4) RU has sued the Big East but will likely come to an agreement somewhere between the Pitt/Cuse and WVU exit fees (my guess: $12-$15M) to get out early
5) UL will likely negotiate an early exit fee like everyone else, I'd estimate in the $12M range
6) Boise St. will pay around $5M, although Boise officials state there are some sort of loopholes to pay a lower amount
7) C7 negotiations over the Big East name and conference units.
Here is what will likely need to be settled and split soon...
8) any combination of Houston, SMU, SDSU exit fee
9) possibly Notre Dame split from Olympic sports early??
So, my question, in hopes of finding a silver lining and logical (read: financial incentive) reason to remain patient in the CR shuffle: when can UConn begin pocketing some of this dough? Have they already begun pocketing dough? What does UConn intend to do with this dough? By my calculations, future exit fees will be split by remaining members UConn, Cincinnati, USF and possibly Temple. If the potential dollars negotiated for splits 4-9 above are around where I think they might be around, UConn could be looking at a payday of around $10M-$20M (assuming they are still a member of the Big East).
$10-$20M in addition to what UConn was already going to receive from Big East revenue and current TV deals this year isn't all that bad. UConn likely need 1-2 years to become attractive an attractive AAU invite, improve football profile (getting to a bowl game with our 2013 schedule is a MUST to prove UConn can play and beat good competition), get hockey off the ground, and get out from under the APR shadows that men's hoops is currently under. I think one thing that we can all agree on is that CR is FAR from over. So, while we wait for the CR circles to spin in our favor, UConn can pocket some "big conference" money while not being in a big conference and use the time (and money) to enhance its own profile. It might even be possible that by the time UConn's shoulder is tapped, they might not have to pay a dime for a Big East exit fee if there is no Big East name (I'd strongly assume that all leftover members would strongly oppose a large exit fee in any new conference affiliation).
So to recap:
- UConn probably needs 1-2 years to: gain AAU acceptance, strengthen football, re-establish men's hoops in postseason play
- many, many schools owe UConn (Cincinnati and USF too) lots of money for being picked first
- all conference TV contracts and new TV Networks are in the works and will be doled out in the 1-5 years, meaning CR is far from over and UConn will no doubt be selected at some point (B1G or ACC)
- by the time UConn is selected, there may not be a Big East exit fee if there is not a Big East conference to pay it to
It may be my New Year's Eve spirit morphing into some ridiculous and ill-placed optimism about the future, but I think UConn is in a position of strength here. CR is like a dividend paying stock...UConn is being paid to wait and improve its image/profile while others are paying to get out early without the opportunity to improve their lousy images/profiles. Rutgers football = Chicago Cubs; Louisville academics = illiterate and unemployed graduates; C7 schools (all except G'Town) = parasitic hoops programs that haven't won in decades or ever; Pitt and Cuse = same as UConn, mediocre football with subpar attendance, etc. TV is always going to want a presence in the northeast and UConn is in a great location to deliver a big chunk of the northeast area. There is no question that UConn will eventually end up in the B1G or ACC. But I'm starting to think it might be a blessing to be last picked. Use the time and enemy money to strengthen our own house and position for the B1G, knowing that the ACC (or an equivalent picked over conference) will always be there.
1) WVU paid $20M and they're gone. I assume that the money has been split already.
2) TCU paid $5M and they're gone. I also assume this money has been split.
3) Pitt and Cuse negotiated $7.5M each but I'm not sure if this has been paid and split already or if they will be required to pay after the spring seasons are over and the money will be split by the teams still committed to the Big East (i.e. - UConn, Cincinnati, USF)
Here is what needs to be settled and split (but for how much, between who, and when are the questions)...
4) RU has sued the Big East but will likely come to an agreement somewhere between the Pitt/Cuse and WVU exit fees (my guess: $12-$15M) to get out early
5) UL will likely negotiate an early exit fee like everyone else, I'd estimate in the $12M range
6) Boise St. will pay around $5M, although Boise officials state there are some sort of loopholes to pay a lower amount
7) C7 negotiations over the Big East name and conference units.
Here is what will likely need to be settled and split soon...
8) any combination of Houston, SMU, SDSU exit fee
9) possibly Notre Dame split from Olympic sports early??
So, my question, in hopes of finding a silver lining and logical (read: financial incentive) reason to remain patient in the CR shuffle: when can UConn begin pocketing some of this dough? Have they already begun pocketing dough? What does UConn intend to do with this dough? By my calculations, future exit fees will be split by remaining members UConn, Cincinnati, USF and possibly Temple. If the potential dollars negotiated for splits 4-9 above are around where I think they might be around, UConn could be looking at a payday of around $10M-$20M (assuming they are still a member of the Big East).
$10-$20M in addition to what UConn was already going to receive from Big East revenue and current TV deals this year isn't all that bad. UConn likely need 1-2 years to become attractive an attractive AAU invite, improve football profile (getting to a bowl game with our 2013 schedule is a MUST to prove UConn can play and beat good competition), get hockey off the ground, and get out from under the APR shadows that men's hoops is currently under. I think one thing that we can all agree on is that CR is FAR from over. So, while we wait for the CR circles to spin in our favor, UConn can pocket some "big conference" money while not being in a big conference and use the time (and money) to enhance its own profile. It might even be possible that by the time UConn's shoulder is tapped, they might not have to pay a dime for a Big East exit fee if there is no Big East name (I'd strongly assume that all leftover members would strongly oppose a large exit fee in any new conference affiliation).
So to recap:
- UConn probably needs 1-2 years to: gain AAU acceptance, strengthen football, re-establish men's hoops in postseason play
- many, many schools owe UConn (Cincinnati and USF too) lots of money for being picked first
- all conference TV contracts and new TV Networks are in the works and will be doled out in the 1-5 years, meaning CR is far from over and UConn will no doubt be selected at some point (B1G or ACC)
- by the time UConn is selected, there may not be a Big East exit fee if there is not a Big East conference to pay it to
It may be my New Year's Eve spirit morphing into some ridiculous and ill-placed optimism about the future, but I think UConn is in a position of strength here. CR is like a dividend paying stock...UConn is being paid to wait and improve its image/profile while others are paying to get out early without the opportunity to improve their lousy images/profiles. Rutgers football = Chicago Cubs; Louisville academics = illiterate and unemployed graduates; C7 schools (all except G'Town) = parasitic hoops programs that haven't won in decades or ever; Pitt and Cuse = same as UConn, mediocre football with subpar attendance, etc. TV is always going to want a presence in the northeast and UConn is in a great location to deliver a big chunk of the northeast area. There is no question that UConn will eventually end up in the B1G or ACC. But I'm starting to think it might be a blessing to be last picked. Use the time and enemy money to strengthen our own house and position for the B1G, knowing that the ACC (or an equivalent picked over conference) will always be there.
