Hmmm, sounds like UConn to the ACC?

[ramses 2.0]

It matters if they are trying to have a network. It appears the ACC has made its decision though. Let's hope the Big 12 comes through..

It may or may not. ESPN, the ACC & it's media consultant have poured over all the data & feel they will get distribution for the channel plus the ACC views this as a long term partnership & is willing to explore emerging platforms as they become available. Many think that the Google's of the world may eventually delve into live sports & the ACCN could be one of the first to explore that platform

 

[kibblesnbits]

It's not like that creates contested territory that BC and Cuse have to worry about crossing. What difference does it make to the ACC if the Big 12 has schools between its schools?

It further divides a massive (in terms of population) piece of the Eastern megalopolis that the ACC could have had to itself if it had taken Rutgers and UConn when the Big East broke up. It will ultimately go down as the stupidest move in the entire realignment period. Imagine being the only major conference on the entire Eastern seaboard from North Carolina to Massachusetts. Absent some penetration by Penn State (the Big East's equivalent vision failure from 2 decades back), they'd be the sole game in town for about 75+ million people and have some penetration for another 35 million or so (SC, GA and FL)

 

[upstater]

It further divides a massive (in terms of population) piece of the Eastern megalopolis that the ACC could have had to itself if it had taken Rutgers and UConn when the Big East broke up. It will ultimately go down as the stupidest move in the entire realignment period. Imagine being the only major conference on the entire Eastern seaboard from North Carolina to Massachusetts. Absent some penetration by Penn State (the Big East's equivalent vision failure from 2 decades back), they'd be the sole game in town for about 75+ million people and have some penetration for another 35 million or so (SC, GA and FL)

It really is hard to believe that the Atlantic Coast Conference is ceding Maryland, Rutgers and Connecticut in favor of Cleveland Circle.

 

[Jae-VT]

It really is hard to believe that the Atlantic Coast Conference is ceding Maryland, Rutgers and Connecticut in favor of Cleveland Circle.

I'm sorry, but I am not familiar with the phrase Cleveland Circle. Do you mind explaining it's meaning and etymology? Thank you.

 

[Fishy]

I'm sorry, but I am not familiar with the phrase Cleveland Circle. Do you mind explaining it's meaning and etymology? Thank you.

It's the 500 square yards of Boston that the ACC locked up by inviting Boston College.

 

[Jae-VT]

It's the 500 square yards of Boston that the ACC locked up by inviting Boston College.

Thank you. I thought you were pulling my leg, but I looked it up and I get the reference.

 

[Fishy]

Thank you. I thought you were pulling my leg, but I looked it up and I get the reference.

There's an Applebee's there.

You'd love it.

 

[4in16]

There's an Applebee's there.

You'd love it.

I hear they have a sick Chipotle there too.

 

[Jae-VT]

There's an Applebee's there.

You'd love it.

Are you alluding to the myth of George Washington and the Apple Tree? I'd actually prefer Chili's if I had to pick a chain. But in all honesty, I prefer my local burger place called "The Hickory Ridge Grill". The food is great and it has a wonderful and eclectic mix of food on the menu. The guy who owns the place is Greek and makes a dynamite Gyro.

 

[Chin Diesel]

It further divides a massive (in terms of population) piece of the Eastern megalopolis that the ACC could have had to itself if it had taken Rutgers and UConn when the Big East broke up. It will ultimately go down as the stupidest move in the entire realignment period. Imagine being the only major conference on the entire Eastern seaboard from North Carolina to Massachusetts. Absent some penetration by Penn State (the Big East's equivalent vision failure from 2 decades back), they'd be the sole game in town for about 75+ million people and have some penetration for another 35 million or so (SC, GA and FL)

This is why I've been on the UConn, Cincy, UCF and BYU (FB only or all in for BYU).

FOX needs East coast games to fill the 11am and noon slots. They can easily get in 3 games a day with UConn, Cincy, WVU and UCF all being Eastern time zone teams.

 

[huskypantz]

There's an Applebee's there.

You'd love it.

It's been gone for a year, as is the movie theater. Being replaced by the Hotel Grand Swofford.

 

[billybud]

It's seemingly irrational for the ACC to let a second conference drive another wedge between its northern and southern schools, but they've been stupid about things so far and there's no reason to think that will change.

None of ESPN's top 25 football markets are north of Virginia while being east of Ohio...

 

[billybud]

When towns like Greensboro, Greenville, Richmond and Norfolk bring college football viewers (all Top 25 ESPN football markets) and cities like Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Boston do not, the lesson may have been learned.

 

[Hoophound]

When you have a bunch of schools that don't win anything and/or a bunch of small private schools that barely win anything, you are gonna struggle. There is a state flagship in that area that wins and has a huge, captive audience. Once that school plays a good football schedule, it will inevitably look more like a traditional football school.

 

[djct1999]

None of ESPN's top 25 football markets are north of Virginia while being east of Ohio...

And yet all the B1G 10 are. Thats the problem for ESPN. A network wont work if all you can lock down is the state of VA, NC, and northern FL.

 

[BlueMAB]

. There is a state flagship in that area that wins and has a huge, captive audience.

What is this "huge, captive audience." you speak of?

Our state is relatively small and shrinking. And the audience has shown they have plenty of other options.

Now if we get in the Big 12, the crowds will certainly improve, if/when the team improves, we'll regularly sell the place out. But it would take a generation or more to be like a Penn State.

 

[upstater]

None of ESPN's top 25 football markets are north of Virginia while being east of Ohio...

Say wha? How is Penn State and Philly not a top market?

Are you talking about ratings? If you are, you are missing the big picture. I say this all the time, but a 5 rating in NY City is a much better accomplishment than a 50 rating in Louisville, if you're counting eyeballs.

 

[upstater]

What is this "huge, captive audience." you speak of?

Our state is relatively small and shrinking. And the audience has shown they have plenty of other options.

Now if we get in the Big 12, the crowds will certainly improve, if/when the team improves, we'll regularly sell the place out. But it would take a generation or more to be like a Penn State.

Have you even looked at the rest of the country?

The B1G has a state like Iowa with fewer people than Connecticut, and it has 2 large P5 universities.

Jeez.

Most state in that 3-6 million range have 2 state universities, other than Connecticut. Look it up. Look up Indiana. Iowa. South Carolina. Kansas. Oregon. etc.

 

[Hoophound]

If you think our following in Connecticut is small you haven't been around small athletic programs. Connecticut loves UConn and there is amazing growth potential for the program and the university. We've just begun tapping NYC and Fairfield County for fans and donations. The school is raising its academic profile at a lightning fast pace and soon the children of the state's wealthy will want to go to UConn in much greater numbers. UConn is becoming an elite institution under Herbst.

We still do well with fans and we are playing a schedule that is completely depressing to the fanbase. The state of Connecticut is a huge captive audience. By that, I mean that we dominate the market. UConn is everywhere. I was just in Connecticut and my wife said, "wow, UConn is on everything here." Banks, coffee cups, commercials, pizza boxes, trains, interstate signs, one shirt and hat after another on the street. That is a huge, captive audience. You don't see that when near many power schools. It isn't a Florida or Ohio state type audience but as far as college sports programs go, UConn is the best the Northeast has to offer after Penn State. Give UConn a P5 schedule and you'll see it happen. You'll never see that from Boston College. We were well on our way when Randy Edsall left.

UConn is one miracle football season and a P5 invite away from being a major player.

 

[Jae-VT]

When towns like Greensboro, Greenville, Richmond and Norfolk bring college football viewers (all Top 25 ESPN football markets) and cities like Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Boston do not, the lesson may have been learned.

Sir, I would proffer the following theory for your consideration:

Given the level of animosity the UConn fanbase has with Boston College and Syracuse, if our conference were to invite UConn, it could certainly spike the level of interest in college sports in the seemingly dormant Northeast region. Nothing fuels a good rivalry like passion and animosity is certainly a passion. Until my personal experiences with graduates from UVa, I really did not feel anything for the Commonwealth Cup. Now, it is a must win game for me when watching Virginia Tech.

It could be, that the demise of the Old Big East has had an unintended side effect of lessening the level of interest of the casual college sports fans that live in this region of the country.

Of course this is all speculation but also consider that with the addition of a dedicated sports network for the ACC, our conference would need to add programming beyond Football. Yes, I understand that football is king and is the cash crop that must be protected, but UConn basketball is a valuable property as well and basketball has a following within the ACC.

 

[Waquoit]

How about the buzzkillers take a timeout? Feel free to come back and gloat if everything goes south but until then give us fans a break.

 

[BlueMAB]

Have you even looked at the rest of the country?

The B1G has a state like Iowa with fewer people than Connecticut, and it has 2 large P5 universities.

Jeez.

Most state in that 3-6 million range have 2 state universities, other than Connecticut. Look it up. Look up Indiana. Iowa. South Carolina. Kansas. Oregon. etc.

You're missing my point.

There are 261 schools in MA, 207 in NJ, and 114 in CT. That's 582 options within a 3-4 hour drive from most places in the state.

CT is 5,000+ square miles
MA is 10,000 + square miles
NJ is 8,000+ square miles

That's 582 options in 23,000+ square miles.

Iowa has 107 schools and 56,000 square miles.

Then there's the obvious cultural differences and the fact that most people in the northeast place far more weight and value on a private school education, where as most people in the Midwest and south have more pride in their state school. Going to a state school in CT was, for generations, a plan b. That doesn't change overnight, not when you have as many quality private school options as we have in the northeast.

 

[Jae-VT]

How about the buzzkillers take a timeout? Feel free to come back and gloat if everything goes south but until then give us fans a break.

Fair enough and I apologize for the intrusion. But please believe me when I state that I would not gloat if UConn is not invited into the Big-12. Good day to you all.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

You're missing my point.

There are 261 schools in MA, 207 in NJ, and 114 in CT. That's 582 options within a 3-4 hour drive from most places in the state.

CT is 5,000+ square miles
MA is 10,000 + square miles
NJ is 8,000+ square miles

That's 582 options in 23,000+ square miles.

Iowa has 107 schools and 56,000 square miles.

Then there's the obvious cultural differences and the fact that most people in the northeast place far more weight and value on a private school education, where as most people in the Midwest and south have more pride in their state school. Going to a state school in CT was, for generations, a plan b. That doesn't change overnight, not when you have as many quality private school options as we have in the northeast.

Still not following how that has much to do with the ability of the state to support 1 FBS team.

I'd wager about half the people on here went to state schools in CT or private schools in New England and still support UConn athletics.

I don't think anybody is making a Penn State comparison, but to say with a big time schedule we couldnt pack in 50k most weeks is short sighted given that in 8 win seasons in the Big East with some of the worst offenses in FBS we sold the place out at 40k.

I understand that some of us have an inflated view of UConn on here and you've been trying to ground some of that in reality, most of which I tend to agree with btw, but on this matter I dont see your point of view.

 

[BlueMAB]

If you think our following in Connecticut is small you haven't been around small athletic programs. Connecticut loves UConn and there is amazing growth potential for the program and the university. We've just begun tapping NYC and Fairfield County for fans and donations. The school is raising its academic profile at a lightning fast pace and soon the children of the state's wealthy will want to go to UConn in much greater numbers. UConn is becoming an elite institution under Herbst.

We still do well with fans and we are playing a schedule that is completely depressing to the fanbase. The state of Connecticut is a huge captive audience. By that, I mean that we dominate the market. UConn is everywhere. I was just in Connecticut and my wife said, "wow, UConn is on everything here." Banks, coffee cups, commercials, pizza boxes, trains, interstate signs, one shirt and hat after another on the street. That is a huge, captive audience. You don't see that when near many power schools. It isn't a Florida or Ohio state type audience but as far as college sports programs go, UConn is the best the Northeast has to offer after Penn State. Give UConn a P5 schedule and you'll see it happen. You'll never see that from Boston College. We were well on our way when Randy Edsall left.

UConn is one miracle football season and a P5 invite away from being a major player.

The only parts I disagree with is that the audience is ""huge" and captive". The state is shrinking. That's a serious problem that we can't ignore. I'll agree to different definitions on "huge". The fact that we're just tapping into Fairfield County is kind of my point. A large percentage of our population lives there and we just started going after it a few years ago. We have a lot of room to grow, which is why I wouldn't call our fanbase huge. **Not for football, which is significantly more important than WBB, and more important than MBB** But our overall fanbase definitely can be huge. And we're doing a great job tapping into NY.

Other than that, yes, I totally agree. We have a ton of potential. TBH I think Rutgers could potentially have as much to offer if they could ever figure out how to have a halfway competent Athletic Department. But, I agree totally, we have far more potential than BC and Cuse, and anyone in New England. It's not even close.

Believe it or not, it is possible to be a fan, AND, recognize areas for improvement and causes for concern.