Big 12

[ZooCougar]

To answer OP’s question, for football fans we’re pretty savvy on realignment and it feels like we are a plan B and we are used to having the rug pulled out from under us at the last minute.

 

[Dizzy21]

Someone should drop by the Big 12 Commissioner's house and see if Dave Benedict has moved in with him for a week. Then we would know the deal is done.

 

[huskymedic]

Someone should drop by the Big 12 Commissioner's house and see if Dave Benedict has moved in with him for a week. Then we would know the deal is done.

Well played sir…

 

[Waquoit]

There have been Coaches Road Shows going on at this time in past years. Things are too busy this year?

 

[History Geek]

There have been Coaches Road Shows going on at this time in past years. Things are too busy this year?

Maybe. Humm…

 

[Bongo Fury]

If we accept the 'best case scenario,' by all means we should move to the Big 12 or some other 'P5" conference. However, the impression here is that we would be getting a FULL share almost immediately from the new conference. To my knowledge, that has not happened to any school that has transferred to a new conference. Rutgers made more money than they had previously, but their deficit grew. They are still only getting about half of the full Big 0 payout.

Chances are we'd be getting roughly half of the Big 12 payout - maybe $15M - and some of that would come at the expense of money we are currently generating that would go into the conference pocket. You have the increased travel costs that has been noted. But the greater level of competition significantly reduces the opportunity to make a men's basketball statement as we have in the Big East (although women's basketball would likely not be affected much). Final Fours would be harder to come by.

And do you seriously think we are going to go 5-7, 6-6, 7-5 in a league with Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Texas Christian, WVU, BYU, not to mention Baylor, UCF, and Cincy (that went to the playoffs a couple years ago)? Even Kansas and K-State would be a major challenge. You can believe that we'll only get better players by affiliation with a more major conference, but there is no guarantee that the Big !2 will even BE a major conference in the next few years. Again, take a look at the reality - what schools that moved to a new conference over the past 20 years are now thriving? Are now in the mix for conference championships - especially in football? BC? Syracuse? Missouri? A&M? Maryland? Rutgers? Colorado?

Don't even get me started on the payouts to the Big East, the entry fees to the new conference - some of which coincides with the payouts from the AAC and Ollie.

Smell the coffee, folks! No matter how much you want to be considered at the same level as Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan, that's not who we are. Oh, and that's not who New England is. New England will go bonkers for basketball - always have and always will - but football is not high on the radar. Could we do better? Sure. Mora will have us there soon, I think. But against a decent schedule that gives us a chance at 9-3, 10-2 seasons. One thing you can say about New England. We really LOVE a winner. If we are part of the Big 10, Big 12, AAC (watered down), being a winner in football at least is not in the cards. Being a winner in the bank account isn't either.

Forgot Nebraska

 

[Bongo Fury]

UCLA/USC are getting full share revenue from B1G from Day 1 but they are UCLA/USC and have leverage (which UConn does not).

Rutgers took out league loans against their future earnings so won’t get full share revenue until 2027 I believe.

Rutgers bought a helicopter

 

[freescooter]

I'd be interested to know why you and others think this is so. Mostly, I've stayed out of these discussions as I have no firm opinion as yet. Right now, I am on the fence. As I said in my only other post on the subject, conference realignment is a conundrum for me:

Pros - More money to fund the athletic dept.;​

Cons - Pretty much everything else.​

I think there is so (too?) much discussion on the money part of the equation and not enough about the product and fan experience. I guess my question is, money aside, will the fanbase see the B12 (as another poster referred to it) as the AAC+? We would have no real rivalries which might result in decreased fan interest, lower ticket sales, smaller crowds, lower viewership.

In the end, college sports is entertainment. I don't think any of us wants to be Syracuse all over again -- stuck in a conference where you don't care much about your opponents and they don't care about you. We'll be better funded, but if there is little fan interest, what's the point?

I'm glad I don't have to make this decision! The facts are few, the future is murky and everything is happening faster than I dreamed it could. We're all for getting more money, but do you think this is the right move? (Wow! Longer post than I thought it would be.)

How in heavens name would UConn fans see Kansas (2022 Champ), Baylor,(2021 Champ) K-State, Iowa State, Oak State, Houston 2021 Final Four) Gonzaga as the AAC light. I know there are a bunch of Big East or die fans in the group but the dominant basketball conference in the country, is still the best conference in the country. On the football side TCU and Cincinatti have been to the Nation Championship tournament recently. And FWIW for all the blather about Texas, they haven’t won a B12 title since 2009. Oklahoma is the big loss, not the longhorns.

 

[Jimdish255]

View attachment 88385

East West Please

 

[kibblesnbits]

They are the #1 basketball conference even without UConn. Baylor won it all in 2021 and Kansas won it all last year.

Sure, for the last few years. However, how many long-term consistent powers are in that conference? To me it looks like one, Kansas. The rest are, at best, up and down depending on the coach du jour. Look how fast TT dropped once the star coach left. Maybe the Big 12 will choose to allocate a much bigger percentage of its lesser revenues (than the P2) to BB and decide to stay on top there, but it is equally likely they’ll make a futile effort to keep up in FB and start to starve all other sports.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Sure, for the last few years. However, how many long-term consistent powers are in that conference? To me it looks like one, Kansas. The rest are, at best, up and down depending on the coach du jour. Look how fast TT dropped once the star coach left. Maybe the Big 12 will choose to allocate a much bigger percentage of its lesser revenues (than the P2) to BB and decide to stay on top there, but it is equally likely they’ll make a futile effort to keep up in FB and start to starve all other sports.

UConn aside, how many are in the BE? One, Villanova (and they're currently in a let's see if the new coach will survive mode).

 

[noeynox]

I think our BB fans have no idea that the B12 commissioner sees basketball as undervalued, believes there is money to be made there and has spoken about splitting up the BB and FB contracts from one another during the next round of negotiations. He literally wants to make the Big12 a better bb league than it is now, The Best. That talk sure excites me.

 

[kibblesnbits]

UConn aside, how many are in the BE? One, Villanova (and they're currently in a let's see if the new coach will survive mode).

I don’t disagree, but that’s the point. We should join a conference if it makes sense on an extended basis and not because of a transient condition like “they are the #1 basketball conference” (today). If the powers that be determine this is our only path to the upper tiers then I’ll support the decision. However, I’m not excited about it because it lacks the critical elements that made college sports attractive to me - rivalries against schools that have a lot in common (geography, student body recruiting base, similar demographics, etc.). Those are what college sports are built on. Old fashioned I know……

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I don’t disagree, but that’s the point. We should join a conference if it makes sense on an extended basis and not because of a transient condition like “they are the #1 basketball conference” (today). If the powers that be determine this is our only path to the upper tiers then I’ll support the decision. However, I’m not excited about it because it lacks the critical elements that made college sports attractive to me - rivalries against schools that have a lot in common (geography, student body recruiting base, similar demographics, etc.). Those are what college sports are built on. Old fashioned I know……

Can you lay out a better path to the upper tiers?

 

[CONN78SEJ]

UCLA/USC are getting full share revenue from B1G from Day 1 but they are UCLA/USC and have leverage (which UConn does not).

Rutgers took out league loans against their future earnings so won’t get full share revenue until 2027 I believe.

UCLA gets a full share immediately from the Big Ten??? Why? and how do you know that? They’ve not done anything in any major college sport in decades. I know what DB must of said to Yormark, when he heard about UCLA getting a full share “We just won the NC in men’s basketball for the fifth time”, and all you’re offering is a half share????

 

[Figurehead]

Doubtful they would take Oregon over UW in any scenario. UW is a research powerhouse, and dwarfs Oregon and their Nike money.

Well it is known the Washington Chancellor does not care about football. Maybe a better fit would in the Ivy league?

 

[huskymedic]

UCLA/USC are getting full share revenue from B1G from Day 1 but they are UCLA/USC and have leverage (which UConn does not).

Rutgers took out league loans against their future earnings so won’t get full share revenue until 2027 I believe.

UCLA gets a full share immediately from the Big Ten??? Why? and how do you know that? They’ve not done anything in any major college sport in decades.

How do I know that… Really?

USC, UCLA to enter Big Ten as full members

Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren: “We think that's important for various reasons. They bring a lot of value to our relationship."

theathletic.com

-> USC and UCLA will enter the Big Ten as vested members in 2024, a departure from the league’s previous position of requiring a waiting period for new schools.

“USC and UCLA will come in as full members,” Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren said Tuesday. “We think that’s important for various reasons. They bring a lot of value to our relationship. They bring a lot of panache to our relationship, and we look forward to welcoming them into the Big Ten family here in 2024.” <-

 

[kibblesnbits]

Can you lay out a better path to the upper tiers?

No, but none of us know what's really going on so my proposal would just be another exercise of spitting into the wind as we've been doing for the last decade. I know what I'd prefer but I'm not going to package that as anything with credibility. I do know that I don't feel any great affinity or enmity for any school in the Big 12 so it's just a big "meh" for me. I think that's why some people call this the AAC+ - not because the schools, athletics and pay day aren't better (or even much better), but that there's no feeling that we have anything in common beyond TV contracts. If you asked me which schools I could see as a rival in a decade it would be, perhaps, KU in hoops. In football I'm sure we'd have interest when whatever school is on top visits, but I don't see any of the current members really becoming a rival.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

No, but none of us know what's really going on so my proposal would just be another exercise of spitting into the wind as we've been doing for the last decade. I know what I'd prefer but I'm not going to package that as anything with credibility. I do know that I don't feel any great affinity or enmity for any school in the Big 12 so it's just a big "meh" for me. I think that's why some people call this the AAC+ - not because the schools, athletics and pay day aren't better (or even much better), but that there's no feeling that we have anything in common beyond TV contracts. If you asked me which schools I could see as a rival in a decade it would be, perhaps, KU in hoops. In football I'm sure we'd have interest when whatever school is on top visits, but I don't see any of the current members really becoming a rival.

Fair answer.

In football (and other sports) WVU and Cincinnati will immediately return as rivals. We have some minor history with ISU and Baylor while K St and TCU should become rivals as quickly as Xavier and Creighton did.

This isn't a conference with Tulsa and Tulane. Your response was legitimate but too many are behaving as if it's the same as being in a conference with Tulsa and Tulane.

 

[John]

I don’t disagree, but that’s the point. We should join a conference if it makes sense on an extended basis and not because of a transient condition like “they are the #1 basketball conference” (today). If the powers that be determine this is our only path to the upper tiers then I’ll support the decision. However, I’m not excited about it because it lacks the critical elements that made college sports attractive to me - rivalries against schools that have a lot in common (geography, student body recruiting base, similar demographics, etc.). Those are what college sports are built on. Old fashioned I know……

geography - roughly half the Big East is in the Midwest

student body - small private mostly Catholic colleges vs. a State land grant university

recruiting base - national

similar demographics - see #1 and #2

 

[noeynox]

UCLA gets a full share immediately from the Big Ten??? Why? and how do you know that? They’ve not done anything in any major college sport in decades. I know what DB must of said to Yormark, when he heard about UCLA getting a full share “We just won the NC in men’s basketball for the fifth time”, and all you’re offering is a half share????

Its been reported they will. Its because of the value the LA market brought to the B1G's media rights.

 

[noeynox]

UCLA gets a full share immediately from the Big Ten??? Why? and how do you know that? They’ve not done anything in any major college sport in decades. I know what DB must of said to Yormark, when he heard about UCLA getting a full share “We just won the NC in men’s basketball for the fifth time”, and all you’re offering is a half share????

Are they really only offering a half share?

 

[jostar1]

“USC and UCLA will come in as full members,” Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren said Tuesday. “We think that’s important for various reasons. They bring a lot of value to our relationship. They bring a lot of panache to our relationship, and we look forward to welcoming them into the Big Ten family here in 2024.”

That's what David Benedict has to tell the Big 12---UConn brings a lot of panache.

 

[Patman]

How in heavens name would UConn fans see Kansas (2022 Champ), Baylor,(2021 Champ) K-State, Iowa State, Oak State, Houston 2021 Final Four) Gonzaga as the AAC light. I know there are a bunch of Big East or die fans in the group but the dominant basketball conference in the country, is still the best conference in the country. On the football side TCU and Cincinatti have been to the Nation Championship tournament recently. And FWIW for all the blather about Texas, they haven’t won a B12 title since 2009. Oklahoma is the big loss, not the longhorns.

what happens if the top half of those leave for a revamped ACC?

That's the problem with the situation right now, a lot of ways to be screwed.

 

[kibblesnbits]

geography - roughly half the Big East is in the Midwest

student body - small private mostly Catholic colleges vs. a State land grant university

recruiting base - national

similar demographics - see #1 and #2

I never said a word about the Big East. To me it’s an odd fit that only works because of the history that UConn built in the league back when it was a better fit (I.e. back when it was the dominant multi-sport conference for larger Northeastern schools as well as a basketball-centric power). If there was no such history and you were starting a new league today, I doubt UConn joins the current BE schools and I doubt they are interested in competing with UConn. Even so, at least it offers some geographically interesting opponents. When I referred to recruiting base I wasn’t talking just athletics. Every year I’ve seen kids from our HS deciding between BE privates and UConn. I’ve never seen a kid deciding betweenUConn and any Big 12 school. There’s almost no overlap because they are geographically and socially distinct regions.