Future of the athletic department.

[Guapo]

The AAC wouldn't allow that many teams to turf only their football programs in the conference, and it would kill the conference in BB. I doubt they would allow even one school to do that. So you'd have a BB conference that would only attract Big East/A10 money or less, plus you have to play your other Olympic sports in some conference, so they would have to be included. Financially it wouldn't work.

If those schools announced that they were leaving to form their own basketball conference (and I include Olympic sports in that), I'm not sure what the AAC would be able to do to stop them.

However, you are right about the financial aspects of it so it's probably not worth it.

It would be an entertaining basketball conference though

 

[HuskyHawk]

Just spitballing here, but hey let's be creative:

Can UConn convince the top basketball brands to split off from the AAC and form their own basketball-only conference?

It would be:

UConn
UC
Witchita State
SMU
Memphis
Temple

Then invite VCU and Dayton.

You would think the AAC would allow those schools to keep football, right?

You'd get the best of the basketball conference while cutting off the dead weight.

Well UCF is better than some of those teams now. I don't think it's necessary. All we need is for the true dregs, USF, ECU, Tulane, to step up a bit. UCF has. Tulsa has had good teams in the past, and you left off Houston, who has more history than most of those schools. The main problem the league has had comes down to two factors.
1. Three of the four best hoops schools, UConn, Memphis, Temple have under-performed their historical expectations
2. The 2-3 bottom dwellers have been slow to improve and hurt the overall RPI.

 

[UConnNick]

If those schools announced that they were leaving to form their own basketball conference (and I include Olympic sports in that), I'm not sure what the AAC would be able to do to stop them.

However, you are right about the financial aspects of it so it's probably not worth it.

It would be an entertaining basketball conference though

What would stop them is the AAC not allowing them to keep their football teams in the conference. The other schools aren't about to sit back and allow the entire BB conference to be gutted. It would likely be the end of the AAC, and the schools left behind would have to scramble to find other conferences to play in.

 

[Guapo]

Well UCF is better than some of those teams now. I don't think it's necessary. All we need is for the true dregs, USF, ECU, Tulane, to step up a bit. UCF has. Tulsa has had good teams in the past, and you left off Houston, who has more history than most of those schools. The main problem the league has had comes down to two factors.
1. Three of the four best hoops schools, UConn, Memphis, Temple have under-performed their historical expectations
2. The 2-3 bottom dwellers have been slow to improve and hurt the overall RPI.

Ok, true I forgot Houston, who I would include.

As far as UCF and the schools listed performing below expectations, I did this based on brands rather than recent on the court success.

 

[Guapo]

What would stop them is the AAC not allowing them to keep their football teams in the conference. The other schools aren't about to sit back and allow the entire BB conference to be gutted. It would likely be the end of the AAC, and the schools left behind would have to scramble to find other conferences to play in.

If I included Houston, that's not an awful football conference in its own right.

It would destroy the AAC, but I feel no allegence to the ECUs and Tulsas of the world.

 

[Austin316]

BC when they were in the Big East proved that notion wrong.

Completely different era back then. It was relevant to UConn not getting the ACC invite during conference realignment/BE restruction but today is kind of irrelevant and in the past. Don’t forget Matty Ryan’s BC legacy is superior to Danny Orlovsky. BC was good when they first got in. They weren’t great in the BE but they did pretty decent in the ACC once they got in. Calhoun kinda screwed the pooch - was it him? I forget! My comments merely reflect the future not the past.

 

[UConnNick]

If I included Houston, that's not an awful football conference in its own right.

It would destroy the AAC, but I feel no allegence to the ECUs and Tulsas of the world.

If you're talking about several AAC schools getting together to form a new conference for all sports, why would any of them want UConn? Remember that football is the only sport that matters financially. UConn gets them very little at present.

It's not unprecedented, though. The Mountain West did it many years ago, jettisoning some schools and forming their own league from former WAC schools. The WAC did survive, even though greatly diluted, but things were different back then. Neither of those leagues garner much national attention, but then neither was ever going to, given that they both represent a sparsely populated region of the country, for the most part.

 

[Guapo]

If you're talking about several AAC schools getting together to form a new conference for all sports, why would any of them want UConn? Remember that football is the only sport that matters financially. UConn gets them very little at present.

It's not unprecedented, though. The Mountain West did it many years ago, jettisoning some schools and forming their own league from former WAC schools. The WAC did survive, even though greatly diluted, but things were different back then. Neither of those leagues garner much national attention, but then neither was ever going to, given that they both represent a sparsely populated region of the country, for the most part.

Look, it's not as black and white as "football is the only sport that matters financially."

Brands are what matters and there is no bigger brand than UConn out there in this scenario.

The AAC has football and yet the NBE makes more money from its TV contract.

 

[Guapo]

If you're talking about several AAC schools getting together to form a new conference for all sports, why would any of them want UConn? Remember that football is the only sport that matters financially. UConn gets them very little at present.

It's not unprecedented, though. The Mountain West did it many years ago, jettisoning some schools and forming their own league from former WAC schools. The WAC did survive, even though greatly diluted, but things were different back then. Neither of those leagues garner much national attention, but then neither was ever going to, given that they both represent a sparsely populated region of the country, for the most part.

Also, remember under this (completely made up) scenario UConn, is leading this split so obviously UConn would be included lol

 

[CL82]

nah...I'm looking ahead.

We're doomed.

 

[UConnNick]

Look, it's not as black and white as "football is the only sport that matters financially."

Brands are what matters and there is no bigger brand than UConn out there in this scenario.

The AAC has football and yet the NBE makes more money from its TV contract.

If "brands" were all that mattered, there's no way Rutgers makes the B10. It's all about money and media markets, and football drives everything. The reason the old Big East broke up is because the BB only schools had no interest in adapting to the changing landscape of collegiate sports revenue production, because they got nothing from the football side. They were happily along for the ride with the football schools as long as it lasted. They reaped the benefits of being in a major BCS conference without having to invest a dime in the only sport that matters. The conference leadership stubbornly hung on to the notion that BB mattered to anybody financially. It doesn't, and may never again.

 

[Guapo]

If "brands" were all that mattered, there's no way Rutgers makes the B10. It's all about money and media markets, and football drives everything. The reason the old Big East broke up is because the BB only schools had no interest in adapting to the changing landscape of collegiate sports revenue production, because they got nothing from the football side. They were happily along for the ride with the football schools as long as it lasted. They reaped the benefits of being in a major BCS conference without having to invest a dime in the only sport that matters. The conference leadership stubbornly hung on to the notion that BB mattered to anybody financially. It doesn't, and may never again.

So it doesn't matter that the NBE's tv contract is bigger than the AAC's?

 

[UConnDan97]

So it doesn't matter that the NBE's tv contract is bigger than the AAC's?

I guess it matters, but my math is saying that the Big East each get 4.1 million per team (I could be slightly off on that) and that we get 3 million per team. But we just made 1.125 million to play a football game at Fenway. So I'd say we are currently at a wash.

We need to keep our football team if we ever dream of having a tv contract that is not essentially a rounding error difference to other non-P5 contracts. Being in the Big East changes nothing right now. We can't change our strategy right now because it doesn't make sense to...

 

[Guapo]

I guess it matters, but my math is saying that the Big East each get 4.1 million per team (I could be slightly off on that) and that we get 3 million per team. But we just made 1.125 million to play a football game at Fenway. So I'd say we are currently at a wash.

We need to keep our football team if we ever dream of having a tv contract that is not essentially a rounding error difference to other non-P5 contracts. Being in the Big East changes nothing right now. We can't change our strategy right now because it doesn't make sense to...

I agree with this 100%

 

[BringJimBack]

It's amazing to me that people see some vast difference between the AAC and the Big East right now.

Here's what the AAC has at the moment.
1. Three ranked football teams.
2. Two ranked basketball teams (6 and 12)
3. The new NCAA champion field hockey team

Here's what the Big East has.
1. No football
2. Three ranked basketball teams (7, 15 and 24)

Please explain to me the magic of the NBE? If UConn beats Oregon, we'll be in the getting votes category. If we beat MSU we will be ranked. Take care of business and you don't need to worry about the league.

I agree with all you stated. However, combining would mean 5 ranked conference opponents!! Much better than 2. If we lose to Oregon then we are where? Guaranteed 5 a year is a much better sell and the NBE gets better recruiting.
From a financial situation we can negotiate from a bigger position of strength and reap the benefits of more teams in the NCAA tournament!!
I don’t see it happening but I also don’t see the ACC or B1G calling anytime soon. IMO

 

[HuskyHawk]

I agree with all you stated. However, combining would mean 5 ranked conference opponents!! Much better than 2. If we lose to Oregon then we are where? Guaranteed 5 a year is a much better sell and the NBE gets better recruiting.
From a financial situation we can negotiate from a bigger position of strength and reap the benefits of more teams in the NCAA tournament!!
I don’t see it happening but I also don’t see the ACC or B1G calling anytime soon. IMO

And if I married Jennifer Lawrence, and stayed with my current wife, and perhaps added a third wife who was an SI swimsuit model, I'd have three! And those things are equally likely as the best current NBE and AAC basketball teams coming together. Zero chance. Makes no sense.

The league we are in is better than it has ever been before. Let's try winning it for a change and stop blaming it for our problems. When we roll through it with 1 or no losses every year, then we can say it sucks.

 

[UConnNick]

So it doesn't matter that the NBE's tv contract is bigger than the AAC's?

Not one bit, unless your long term goal is to be in a mid major conference forever, and drop down to a lower tier of the NCAA when the P5 conference schools decide to split from the rest of the current NCAA D-I membership. If you have any aspiration of being on the big school side of that division, you better figure out a way to make your media Q as bright and shiny as possible, and improving football is the only way that will happen.

 

[UConnNick]

I guess it matters, but my math is saying that the Big East each get 4.1 million per team (I could be slightly off on that) and that we get 3 million per team. But we just made 1.125 million to play a football game at Fenway. So I'd say we are currently at a wash.

We need to keep our football team if we ever dream of having a tv contract that is not essentially a rounding error difference to other non-P5 contracts. Being in the Big East changes nothing right now. We can't change our strategy right now because it doesn't make sense to...

We need to get our Tier 3 rights back. We do that and we'd be smoking the NBE even if they stay at 4 million per team, and they're not going to because the ratings for their BB on Fox suck.

 

[Guapo]

Not one bit, unless your long term goal is to be in a mid major conference forever, and drop down to a lower tier of the NCAA when the P5 conference schools decide to split from the rest of the current NCAA D-I membership. If you have any aspiration of being on the big school side of that division, you better figure out a way to make your media Q as bright and shiny as possible, and improving football is the only way that will happen.

We need to get our Tier 3 rights back. We do that and we'd be smoking the BE even if they stay at 4 million per team, and they're not going to because the ratings for their BB on Fox suck.

I think we've gotten too far away from the discussion of my original idea, which I agree is not going to happen. I just thought it was interesting to think about.

I have not advocated dropping football and joining the NBE.

That would be dumb.

 

[UConnDan97]

We need to get our Tier 3 rights back. We do that and we'd be smoking the BE even if they stay at 4 million per team, and they're not going to because the ratings for their BB on Fox suck.

You just touched on the other part of this. The ratings for those games are HORRIBLE!

If you want to have 16 people watching your games for the pleasure of an extra 1 mil per year, then by all means go to the Big East right now. If you want your sports teams to be on major national and regional channels (ESPN, SNY for regional), then you stay the course and get your football team right as rain. A lot more people across the country continue to see the UConn Huskies on their tv sets because of our current contract, and for that, Aresco actually deserves a lot of credit...

 

[Travelman6]

Completely different era back then. It was relevant to UConn not getting the ACC invite during conference realignment/BE restruction but today is kind of irrelevant and in the past. Don’t forget Matty Ryan’s BC legacy is superior to Danny Orlovsky. BC was good when they first got in. They weren’t great in the BE but they did pretty decent in the ACC once they got in. Calhoun kinda screwed the pooch - was it him? I forget! My comments merely reflect the future not the past.

Their fist year was solid, 28 and 8, can not deny that despite a sweet 16 loss. The next year was kind of the end of their ...pretty good 7 or 8 year run. 21 and 12, first round exit. Next year under .500, then after that I think they were NIT bound with maybe 20 wins and then after that they have sucked ever since. The past 8 years they have been horrible with one season over .500. 2, MAYBE 3 solid seasons in the ACC, one being what you would consider very good. The aforementioned 28 win season. Uconn, in that stretch, for sure would have performed much better in the acc.

 

[UConnNick]

You just touched on the other part of this. The ratings for those games are HORRIBLE!

If you want to have 16 people watching your games for the pleasure of an extra 1 mil per year, then by all means go to the Big East right now. If you want your sports teams to be on major national and regional channels (ESPN, SNY for regional), then you stay the course and get your football team right as rain. A lot more people across the country continue to see the UConn Huskies on their tv sets because of our current contract, and for that, Aresco actually deserves a lot of credit...

That's right, Dan. The NBE has become media purgatory. It's mostly a bunch of tiny Catholic schools with small numbers of alumni and no national fanbases. It does nothing for anybody from a media standpoint. We need to stay the course in the AAC and hope we can improve football and our media footprint to a point where we can no longer be ignored by the P5's.

 

[Austin316]

Their fist year was solid, 28 and 8, can not deny that despite a sweet 16 loss. The next year was kind of the end of their ...pretty good 7 or 8 year run. 21 and 12, first round exit. Next year under .500, then after that I think they were NIT bound with maybe 20 wins and then after that they have sucked ever since. The past 8 years they have been horrible with one season over .500. 2, MAYBE 3 solid seasons in the ACC, one being what you would consider very good. The aforementioned 28 win season. Uconn, in that stretch, for sure would have performed much better in the acc.

I think you misread me... I was talking from a fb standpoint not b-ball. Fb controls the landscape of realignment, not b-ball.

 

[J187Money]

I know the board loves to go crazy on this topic, but I'll believe there is a problem when there is an actual problem. We have ZERO evidence (that I know of) that the school is considering dropping football or dropping it down to FCS. Given where the student fees and subsidies are, the school has clearly made athletics a priority. I don't see that changing.

Where I do think we have an issue is in alumni giving. If you go through the list:

USA TODAY Sports

You will see that the level of "contributions" to UCONN v. other schools (even ones with little athletic success - Illinois for example) - we are getting KILLED in terms of donations, far in excess of the NCAA credits we are going to lose this year, etc. I still believe that the biggest reason we don't have money is because the alumni (as an entire group - not necessarily calling out anyone here) support UCONN far less than other alumni groups support their school. Given the level of success we have had athletically over the past 30 years, it looks even worse.

 

[shizzle787]

So...have opinions changed at all in the past week.