Here's why UConn left the AAC, and what's next for everybody (Matt Brown @ SBNation)

[JMick]

Lol That would help make the FS1 deal look less like the joke that it is...

The AAC deal is much worse. $7mm in 2032 is absurd

 

[CL82]

UConn’s athletic budget is an abject disaster. Like, nearly $40 million in the hole for 2018 kind of disaster. Widespread fan disengagement was certainly part of the problem, along a difficult financial situation for the school (and the state) generally. Running that big of a hole, even with dubious athletic department accounting practices, means you can’t invest in your programs, which can further put your teams in a death spiral. If your fans hate your schedule, and you don’t have the money (or geography, history, etc) to improve, your prospects for financial improvement look slim.

UConn needs to fix this narrative and now is the perfect time to do it:

1. Stop counting scholarships as if they were paying full out state tuition. No one actually pays that. Instead, calculation the incremental cost to educate our athletes.

2. Stop leasing the Rent and the XL. These are BS items with the State paying the State, the net effect of this is to mask the losses the institutions generate at the expense of the UConn athletic department. Instead, make games at the Rent and the XL profit sharing ventures with net profits split between CRDA. It is more transparent way to account for the profitability.

3. Travel expenses are about to drop precipitously.

These three things ought to cut our paper deficit in half, minimally. UConn then has a narrative of how it restructured it's AD.

 

[mikeinmanila]

The gloom and doom regarding football is unwarranted. This is a strategy that works on many levels to strengthen the AD. It's actually a shrewd move to get us back to national relevance in men's basketball and focus on getting football highly competitive in 3 years time with the Duke's of the world. 2023-25`is our last shot...and rather than be in a conference no one really wants to be in, we are going to swing for the fences, with a better slate of P5 schools on our schedule...

I like the audacity

 

[DefCONNOne]

At least you read it (assumed) before posting...

Yes, I did read it. Mostly because I thought it was from The UCONN Blog.

 

[Chief00]

Here's why UConn left the AAC, and what's next for everybody (long)

Quite frankly a mediocre article - he gets some things right but not others. Barely a mention of Fox in such a long article and the extent of their involvement is the key to football.

 

[GuardU]

Quite frankly a mediocre article - he gets some things right but not others. Barely a mention of Fox in such a long article and the extent of their involvement is the key to football.

Favorable outcome for UConn fball?

 

[huskymedic]

Quite frankly a mediocre article - he gets some things right but not others. Barely a mention of Fox in such a long article and the extent of their involvement is the key to football.

... but if he doesn’t know (as many don’t know the actual deal/numbers/back-room discussions/machinations) why make crap up? I respect someone who doesn’t try to be an expert on all things. Stick to what you know and don’t spin bullspit trying to impress people in an area outside your expertise.

 

[noeynox]

Dont want to start another thread:

The bottom line: UConn’s move to the Big East will be “popular with our fan base,” a source said. “They never fully bought into the American. UConn football is so social for fans, more than X’s and O’s. They will come back when we win. The difference of playing East Carolina vs. playing a Western Michigan, etc., doesn’t mean much to them.”

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[Nostical]

The gloom and doom regarding football is unwarranted. I like the audacity

Well said. So do I.

 

[StunningSteve]

Quite frankly a mediocre article - he gets some things right but not others. Barely a mention of Fox in such a long article and the extent of their involvement is the key to football.

Fox is the new ESPN, circa 1980.

 

[uconnfan68]

Every schools' goal is to get into the P5. By moving to the Big East, we've completely given up on that goal. We've raised the white flag.

Maybe we're just being realistic and doing the right thing. But it sure feels like death to me.

Like the last point. Maybe we are being realistic. No point in spending like a top P5 school if you don’t get any of their money... and none of them want to share.
Here’s another thought... maybe their own contracts collapse soon too. There is no money tree out there.

 

[Chief00]

... but if he doesn’t know (as many don’t know the actual deal/numbers/back-room discussions/machinations) why make crap up? I respect someone who doesn’t try to be an expert on all things. Stick to what you know and don’t spin bullspit trying to impress people in an area outside your expertise.

Well, to the best of my knowledge, the details don’t exist to breakdown. Keep in mind the announcement was planned for mid July.

Having said that let Chief provide a high level Executive Summary of what’s driving or motivating key stakeholders.
Fox Sports is getting killed on its $500 million Big East deal, which started in 2013. The ratings are low and that’s why they strongly pushed for UConn - in hopes of changing the dynamics. What Fox Sports has that UConn needs is their wallet influence with the three conferences they televise. UConn needs P5 football games and FS is thought to be the best approach to accomplishing that objective.

The details are still being formulated but if our football is to get a lifeline this is the path.