Dom Amore: If Big 12 calls, UConn will have to choose between Big East love and Power Five money.

[WestCoastHusky]

Brett Yormark is not concerned about whether or not there’s a stadium in Storrs or East Hartford. Please, guys

The only thing Brett Yormark cares about is how we can help the B12 get more exposure in our markets. We just need to be a respectable program that can attract viewers to our games. If we are competitive, people in New England and in NYC will watch us.

 

[noeynox]

Does Rutgers fit that model in your view? Are they broadly competitive in anything? Does UCLA play on campus?

Lets face it, @hank970 is BC fanboy and UConn hater. The type that wants to see UConn forever frozen out of the P5. With a 20 year headstart and UConn coming off dreadful decade, UConn was able to beat BC last year. On equal footing, UConn FB will make it look like UConn BB vs BC basketball. A New England afterthought.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

The New England Football Journal boys said we have the best facilities in the region.

 

[coachcap]

The New England Football Journal boys said we have the best facilities in the region.

UConn erected the Schenkman Center & Burton Family Form. BC puts up a sports bubble. The denizens of 'Nut Hill are know for blowing hot air-it's in their genealogy.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

UConn erected the Schenkman Center & Burton Family Form. BC puts up a sports bubble. The denizens of 'Nut Hill are know for blowing hot air-it's in their genealogy.

It's amazing. Broadcasters have often remarked about the quality of the facilities. Including Mora.
Then you get ignorants like Hank and others who have never seen them or the other facilities on campus. How many schools are going to have a stand-alone Vball facility? Ignorance is a choice.

 

[RSTuthill]

I prefer to give folks the benefit of the doubt regarding ignorance. A standalone volleyball facility? Well, I was ignorant about that too. What is clearly not so forgiveable is shooting one's mouth off when one clearly does not know. Get acquainted with the facts, please, or qualify your statement regarding the depth of your knowledge. Luckily, the decision makers have the facts at their fingertips and this kind of noise is just that. Noise and chatter,

 

[Duncan Idaho]

I prefer to give folks the benefit of the doubt regarding ignorance. A standalone volleyball facility? Well, I was ignorant about that too. What is clearly not so forgiveable is shooting one's mouth off when one clearly does not know. Get acquainted with the facts, please, or qualify your statement regarding the depth of your knowledge. Luckily, the decision makers have the facts at their fingertips and this kind of noise is just that. Noise and chatter,

 

[HuskyHawk]

Brett Yormark is not concerned about whether or not there’s a stadium in Storrs or East Hartford. Please, guys

Brett Yormak doesn't decide who gets invited to the Big XII either. I said before, our stadium matters less because we aren't really drivable anyway. If we were, it would matter. It's a culture thing. We have a crap college football culture. HS games are still on Saturdays, not Friday nights. There's no tradition around going to our games. Not saying it can't be built or people didn't go for awhile there, it can and they did. But off campus is somewhat of an impediment to building that culture. It's not fatal, but it's a negative.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Brett Yormak doesn't decide who gets invited to the Big XII either. I said before, our stadium matters less because we aren't really drivable anyway. If we were, it would matter. It's a culture thing. We have a crap college football culture. HS games are still on Saturdays, not Friday nights. There's no tradition around going to our games. Not saying it can't be built or people didn't go for awhile there, it can and they did. But off campus is somewhat of an impediment to building that culture. It's not fatal, but it's a negative.

Does seem to weigh heavier the more and longer the program sucks. When we were winning and playing in the P6 to large crowds people were happy for the easy access and great tailgating scene.

 

[jostar1]

That's not how it works. Conferences value demonstrable signs of commitment. You convince them of your worth by building broadly competitive programs, facilities, and a fan-base. Then maybe you get a P5 invitation. It's a gamble, but as some other G5 programs have recently shown, it's a gamble that can pay off. No conference is interested in elevating a school with a vague promise that it will improve.

The situation may be different with Yormark, according to this article:

So, why would Yormark want to add a school like UConn? Well, as The Athletic puts it, Commissioner Yormark is more forward-thinking, rather than focusing on what’s happened in the past.
“Yormark views these expansion prospects more from a professional sports lens, seeing things in terms of future upside more than past achievements,” says The Athletic. “He’s looking at programs he can invest in by helping build up their brands so they eventually make the Big 12 more valuable when it’s time for the next TV deal in 2031.“

Brett Yormark Faces Skepticism Over UConn Interest: Report

 

[jostar1]

I know of several B1G officials and coaches, and former officials and coaches who would love to see UConn in the B1G.

Those people don't matter.

 

[Stinger92860]

Does seem to weigh heavier the more and longer the program sucks. When we were winning and playing in the P6 to large crowds people were happy for the easy access and great tailgating scene.

I would say that the program no longer sucks. Sucking does not result in a bowl game. We are better than sucking and not quite top 75. We are improving under Mora which is important.

 

[jostar1]

That's not how it works. Conferences value demonstrable signs of commitment. You convince them of your worth by building broadly competitive programs, facilities, and a fan-base. Then maybe you get a P5 invitation. It's a gamble, but as some other G5 programs have recently shown, it's a gamble that can pay off. No conference is interested in elevating a school with a vague promise that it will improve.

 

[Kolumbo]

City of Memphis with $350 million of renovations to football, basketball and soccer stadiums. I know we are more or less resolved to The Rent but these other programs are walking the walk. UConn really needs to commit to an on campus stadium because paying for two separate state of the art facilities doesn't make sense. Are they going to duplicate the Burton Family Football Complex locker rooms at The Rent?

"As we continue to position ourselves for the future of intercollegiate athletics, including potential conference realignment opportunities, having a modern and first-class football stadium will be a great demonstration of our entire state's commitment to seeing the University of Memphis elevate on a national scale."

State Says “Go Tigers Go!” Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium Renovation Funding Included in State of Tennessee Budget - University of Memphis Athletics

A $350 million allocation to the City of Memphis for renovations to Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, home of the Memphis Tiger football program, and FedExForum,...

gotigersgo.com

 

[Bongo Fury]

So by their negative rationale, KSU is more valuable and attractive than KU? UConn is most similar to KU.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Does seem to weigh heavier the more and longer the program sucks. When we were winning and playing in the P6 to large crowds people were happy for the easy access and great tailgating scene.

I don't think it's the facility, it's just cultural. I don't know how else to explain it.

By way of example, KU football has been largely bad, with occasional bright spots. But Lawrence High is good, and gets big crowds Friday night. Even with an aging stadium and often poor team, students show up Saturday morning, there are loads of student rented houses and apartments next to the stadium, most of them with parties, pig roasts and the like before the game. Fraternities are doing similar things. Alumni drive and tailgate. It's a thing, and it's a bigger thing when the game is big and you have visiting student fans. Nebraska, OU, UT, Mizzou all gone, but K-State will bring a load of people there.

Alumni are more likely to feel connected to the football program if they walked to games and were part of the experience as students. We know that from how it works for our basketball program. I just think there is some level of doubt that we can build a football culture with the Rent. It's not fatal.

 

[Kolumbo]

I don't think it's the facility, it's just cultural. I don't know how else to explain it.

By way of example, KU football has been largely bad, with occasional bright spots. But Lawrence High is good, and gets big crowds Friday night. Even with an aging stadium and often poor team, students show up Saturday morning, there are loads of student rented houses and apartments next to the stadium, most of them with parties, pig roasts and the like before the game. Fraternities are doing similar things. Alumni drive and tailgate. It's a thing, and it's a bigger thing when the game is big and you have visiting student fans. Nebraska, OU, UT, Mizzou all gone, but K-State will bring a load of people there.

Alumni are more likely to feel connected to the football program if they walked to games and were part of the experience as students. We know that from how it works for our basketball program. I just think there is some level of doubt that we can build a football culture with the Rent. It's not fatal.

100%. There was a time when a student could walk to The Hill, on campus, and watch the football game for free while partaking of a cold beverage poured from a keg container. I think I'd still feel connected if I were a student taking a bus to The Rent because I'd imagine that could become a good time. But events on campus are really much better experiences.

 

[hank970]

Lets face it, @hank970 is BC fanboy and UConn hater. The type that wants to see UConn forever frozen out of the P5. With a 20 year headstart and UConn coming off dreadful decade, UConn was able to beat BC last year. On equal footing, UConn FB will make it look like UConn BB vs BC basketball. A New England afterthought.

BC? You don't have a clue.

 

[How Sway?!]

City of Memphis with $350 million of renovations to football, basketball and soccer stadiums. I know we are more or less resolved to The Rent but these other programs are walking the walk. UConn really needs to commit to an on campus stadium because paying for two separate state of the art facilities doesn't make sense. Are they going to duplicate the Burton Family Football Complex locker rooms at The Rent?

"As we continue to position ourselves for the future of intercollegiate athletics, including potential conference realignment opportunities, having a modern and first-class football stadium will be a great demonstration of our entire state's commitment to seeing the University of Memphis elevate on a national scale."

State Says “Go Tigers Go!” Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium Renovation Funding Included in State of Tennessee Budget - University of Memphis Athletics

A $350 million allocation to the City of Memphis for renovations to Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, home of the Memphis Tiger football program, and FedExForum,...

gotigersgo.com

Not sure if this is all that impressive. They are only going to renovate a part of the football stadium. The money is also being used to renovate the basketball arena that they don't own and build a soccer stadium for the professional team.

 

[RSTuthill]

I would say that the program no longer sucks. Sucking does not result in a bowl game. We are better than sucking and not quite top 75. We are improving under Mora which is important.

With all due respect, the fact of improvement taking place is not established in a single season. I am sure HCJM would tell you that too.

 

[Kolumbo]

Not sure if this is all that impressive. They are only going to renovate a part of the football stadium. The money is also being used to renovate the basketball arena that they don't own and build a soccer stadium for the professional team.

That's exactly what I wrote. Football, basketball and soccer. It's impressive because they understand how important the football stadium is in CR.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

BC? You don't have a clue.

More like a Colorado Buffalo?

 

[noeynox]

BC? You don't have a clue.

Noticed you didn't object to being labeled a UConn hater.

 

[jostar1]

I think it's safe to assume that any move to a power conference for all sports would be beneficial for UConn. But the determining factor isn't what's accretive to UConn; it's whether adding UConn would be accretive to another conference. UConn obviously checks all the boxes for basketball, but as regards football, it lacks historic relevance and hasn't made the kinds of investments that a power conference might construe as a sign of commitment.

Hank, I don't know what school you are a fan of, but the narrative that UConn hasn't made investments in athletics is false. Here is a video of our football facilities:

 

[jostar1]

And here are the basketball facilities: