Could UConn leave the Big East if conference realignment revs up again?

[Tank]

Pretty good, actually. The economics of the change of deal is explained in the post above. Did you read it? It is a net positive annually to UConn. Additionally Connecticut already has a deal that pays for it’s independent football games. How’s that for timing?

You mean the cbs deal to televise UCONN FB games which should pay UCONN about $500,000 a season? Is that the financial hill you are willing to defend? D1 schools in FB conferences pay FCS schools way more than that for a single game to play in their stadiums.

The smart move in this new FB centric media/money environment would have been to stick it out in the AAC to build up the FB program and watch the landscape as it evolves if staying D1 in FB is a priority. There is a chance the AAC gets stronger in FB and continues to increase its media money like other FB conferences. The new $1billion contract is a great start. Get the FB strong and compete for/win some AAC championships and watch the growth of UCONN.

The Northeast is littered with schools that realize the region is not conducive to big time college FB and they field FCS teams. Those that go against the grain and field D1 programs have to be really smart and resourceful to be competitive today.

Otherwise, what is the point? Go to FCS and save a ton of money if having a legit D1 FB team isn’t a priority.

UConn football announces TV deal with CBS Sports through 2023

The Huskies finally have a television partner for their move to indepedence.

www.theuconnblog.com

 

[TMB4405]

Tank- although you seem to reference some things that are rooted in truth you have missed the point on a few things :

1. The AAC TV contract was awful for UConn and we are in a better position now
2. The football program does lose money but still remains the program with the most upside as it relates to increasing revenues; a drop to FCS reduces this impact with minimal impact on major costs.
3. The math on the programs losing money is faulty as a lot of it is money going from one state entity to another with UConn getting short end of the stick; ie the agreements for XL and the Rent
4. Sports will always bring an inherent value that the numbers don’t measure; where would we be without Geno and Jim as a university? Football has some of that value if the program improves. In fact it could be viewed as the most viable for upside
5. If we do not try and improve football and our position it will lead to the eventual downfall of all our sports programs. Even the crown jewel of WBB. We will be a regional player in 10-15 years unless we make a splash with football
6. The FB program was on a great trajectory at one point. It can be there again. Regular sellouts and close to capacity crowds were the norm and as you know that attendance would dwarf hoops.

 

[CL82]

You mean the cbs deal to televise UCONN FB games which should pay UCONN about $500,000 a season? Is that the financial hill you are willing to defend? D1 schools in FB conferences pay FCS schools way more than that for a single game to play in their stadiums.

The smart move in this new FB centric media/money environment would have been to stick it out in the AAC to build up the FB program and watch the landscape as it evolves if staying D1 in FB is a priority. There is a chance the AAC gets stronger in FB and continues to increase its media money like other FB conferences. The new $1billion contract is a great start. Get the FB strong and compete for/win some AAC championships and watch the growth of UCONN.

The Northeast is littered with schools that realize the region is not conducive to big time college FB and they field FCS teams. Those that go against the grain and field D1 programs have to be really smart and resourceful to be competitive today.

Otherwise, what is the point? Go to FCS and save a ton of money if having a legit D1 FB team isn’t a priority.

UConn football announces TV deal with CBS Sports through 2023

The Huskies finally have a television partner for their move to indepedence.

www.theuconnblog.com

Yeah, I absolutely do mean to CBS deal. Our games in our first year of independence while coming off predominantly losing seasons for the prior six years are going to be broadcast nationally. Do you seriously not understand that is strong indicator of brand value?

You seem confused about a fairly straightforward concept. Let me make one more pass at it. The American football deal, and a net basis, is worth less than the Big East basketball only deal. Stop to think about that for a moment given that football typically represents about 80% of a conferences media deal. Essentially, being a member of the American football is valueless. It’s a pretty tough hill to die on to suggest that is preferable to independence.

Independent of that, the bulk of the Americans games were going to be on ESPN plus and thus only accessible over the internet. UConn football, as an independent, has a better deal than that in terms of accessibility.

Explain to me how going FCS would save a football program any significant money. I get the sense that you really have no understanding of the finances behind college athletics.

Finally, if you want to talk University Connecticut football, why wouldn’t you go to the football board? Do you understand that we have different boards for different sports here, right?

#trollbetter

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Tank- although you seem to reference some things that are rooted in truth you have missed the point on a few things :

1. The AAC TV contract was awful for UConn and we are in a better position now
2. The football program does lose money but still remains the program with the most upside as it relates to increasing revenues; a drop to FCS reduces this impact with minimal impact on major costs.
3. The math on the programs losing money is faulty as a lot of it is money going from one state entity to another with UConn getting short end of the stick; ie the agreements for XL and the Rent
4. Sports will always bring an inherent value that the numbers don’t measure; where would we be without Geno and Jim as a university? Football has some of that value if the program improves. In fact it could be viewed as the most viable for upside
5. If we do not try and improve football and our position it will lead to the eventual downfall of all our sports programs. Even the crown jewel of WBB. We will be a regional player in 10-15 years unless we make a splash with football
6. The FB program was on a great trajectory at one point. It can be there again. Regular sellouts and close to capacity crowds were the norm and as you know that attendance would dwarf hoops.

Men’s basketball was being suffocated in the AAC, and women’s basketball wasn’t doing as well as they’re doing now in the BE both in recruiting and success on the court. Benedict recognized this and got out of the AAC fast. Men’s basketball recruiting has been off the charts since joining the Big East. Both programs will do ok if UConn gets a P5 invite.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

3. The math on the programs losing money is faulty as a lot of it is money going from one state entity to another with UConn getting short end of the stick; ie the agreements for XL and the Rent

Thank you. It's bothers me every time I see the deficit noted. It's a state run shell game of moving money around. UConn's "deficit" is some other department's revenue. Bottom line it's a wash.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Tank- although you seem to reference some things that are rooted in truth you have missed the point on a few things :

1. The AAC TV contract was awful for UConn and we are in a better position now
2. The football program does lose money but still remains the program with the most upside as it relates to increasing revenues; a drop to FCS reduces this impact with minimal impact on major costs.
3. The math on the programs losing money is faulty as a lot of it is money going from one state entity to another with UConn getting short end of the stick; ie the agreements for XL and the Rent
4. Sports will always bring an inherent value that the numbers don’t measure; where would we be without Geno and Jim as a university? Football has some of that value if the program improves. In fact it could be viewed as the most viable for upside
5. If we do not try and improve football and our position it will lead to the eventual downfall of all our sports programs. Even the crown jewel of WBB. We will be a regional player in 10-15 years unless we make a splash with football
6. The FB program was on a great trajectory at one point. It can be there again. Regular sellouts and close to capacity crowds were the norm and as you know that attendance would dwarf hoops.

Great post!!! We made a splash in football once before, we can do it again.

 

[Oracle9]

Mabey they want one of the premier academic state schools in the nation, and which also fields a division one football team, a great baseball program, one the best men’s basketball programs in the history of the NCAA, and the best women’s basketball program in the history of college athletics, and several other solid men’s and women’s athletic programs. Beautiful new fields and facilities, and an AD who has reinvigorated the UConn brand. When you see people walking down streets all over the world and you see several UConn shirts and hats, that’s something. It’s a no brainer, that if the Big 12 or another P5 conf invites UConn, attendance at league games in men’s and women’s basketball goes up across the board, and recruitment gets a pop as well.

 

[Oracle9]

When considering UConn for conference alignment I take issue with one thing. This "pooh poohing" of their academics. I understand that some school's history were built around academic reps and became academic institutions that built sports reps. Just some nuggets:
1.The Dental school is ranks 8th in academic research.
2.Tied for 9th w/ Princeton for research output. ( By the way Uconn is a tier 1 research institution the highest Carnegie Mellon rating for a University) They ranked in the top 10 w/ other powerhouses such as Mellon and MIT.
3. 9th in the nation producing Fulbright scholars.
4.Their Physics department is award winning w/ top faculty so is their Engineering program
5.Their Med school graduates first time pass rate is 96%
6.Their Business programs notably their MBA and Finace are ranked among the best in the country. ( #77 Globally)
Their Communications & Media studies is also one of the tops in the country.
7. Uconn is ranked #23 among public uuniversities tied with PState and Rutgers. Ranked ahead of Va. Tech(29) and MState(32), U of Az(40).
I know the football has fallen a lot but these things count towards a school's viability also. UCONN also has good ties with professional sports. They're also in one of the top sports and media market. I don't think they are looking to leave the Big E either but I wouldn't discount them as a program that a conference wouldn't consider.
Just a note

Here's an article that bolsters mine and others as Uconns viability and profile.

Opinion: In conference realignment, academics—not athletics—are king

Some Power 5 conferences value a school’s ‘institutional profile’ over its football program

www.deseret.com