Facility Investment Together Surcharge/Fee Coming This Year

[dbmill]

I'm not questioning football drives the bus in conference realignment, but there can be other factors at work. Quality soccer/baseball/softball facilities may not on their own get you a P-5 invite. However, I can definitely see the argument that grossly substandard facilities may very well prevent a school from getting such an invite. Such facilities suggests that a school is not all that serious about its overall athletic program. It helps explain why a school such as Louisville got into the ACC over UConn.

 

[UConnFranklin]

I'm not questioning football drives the bus in conference realignment, but there can be other factors at work. Quality soccer/baseball/softball facilities may not on their own get you a P-5 invite. However, I can definitely see the argument that grossly substandard facilities may very well prevent a school from getting such an invite. Such facilities suggests that a school is not all that serious about its overall athletic program. It helps explain why a school such as Louisville got into the ACC over UConn.

While I agree to some extent that substandard facilities may be detractors when considering a school for P-5 invite, like you said, football still drives the bus. But our facilities had no bearing on our P-5 exclusion. We were not invited for the following reasons:
1. substandard success in football. Hence FSU and Clemson didn't want us, 2. Syracuse and Boston College conspired to keep us out because by elevating us their programs would become less. They wanted to own the limited recruiting that exists and be the dominant programs in the Northeast. Historically, Syracuse consistently plucked Connecticut's elite players from the state, e.g. Floyd Little 3. Boston College and Miami were still fuming over the Big East lawsuit that our then inept and short sighted Attorney General Dick Blumenthal filed., 4. Although we consistently allude to NYC and Boston as our backyard, (I do believe we carry those markets) the P-5 decision makers do not believe we carry those markets. They don't believe we are strong enough in TV marketshare to bring in the bucks.

Although I agree we need to upgrade our soccer, baseball, hockey and softball facilities, I don't believe it has held us back in a P-5 invite.

 

[StoneyDawg]

I agree. Good post.

Go Huskies!