Hmmm, sounds like UConn to the ACC?

[Marty Jackson]

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

PSU?

 

[UConNation]

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.

I don't think he was talking to you. You've been pretty fair and objective with your comments.

 

[amory]

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.

are you actually george washington

I don't think he was talking to you. You've been pretty fair and objective with your comments.

yeah cuz he's george washington and he cannot tell a lie. duh.

 

[BlueMAB]

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.

I didn't say the state doesn't have the ability to support 1 FBS team. I'm talking about allegiances.

You can wager what you want, but it's a WAG. I didn't go to UConn. Most of my friends didn't go to UConn. Of that gruop, I'm the outlier. Most of us grew up huge UConn BB fans. Nobody cared about the FB team because it was minor league. Our allegiances to BB run deep, but they care far less about FB because the history isn't there. They're completely comfortable not going to FB games after having season tickets based on what happened with CR and the team.

Again, I'm just saying it's going to take time, that's all. Not that we can't (or even aren't) building that football fanbase.

I didn't say we "couldn't" pack in 50k most weeks. I think it will take a little while, and an obvious stadium expansion. We need to be good to sustain it, but we certainly can average 40-45, with sellouts against the big names at 50k.

I think you might not see my point of view because I didn't say either of those things.

The Penn State comment was hyperbole.

 

[UCONN in OKC]

I have to reference King Katie here and she wrote this peace wish I loved.... Being raised in New Britain it hit home...

also not a UCONN alum but grew with UConn in my DNA.... I was accepted to attend UConn but wasn't able to go because my awesome Dad refused to fill financial aid form for my scholarship for Math and Science… I graduated have attended Catholic University of PR and St. Louis University Grad. I bleed UConn blue and will till I die and all my kids bleed blue and fallow the team because I love them.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I didn't say the state doesn't have the ability to support 1 FBS team. I'm talking about allegiances.

You can wager what you want, but it's a WAG. I didn't go to UConn. Most of my friends didn't go to UConn. Of that gruop, I'm the outlier. Most of us grew up huge UConn BB fans. Nobody cared about the FB team because it was minor league. Our allegiances to BB run deep, but they care far less about FB because the history isn't there. They're completely comfortable not going to FB games after having season tickets based on what happened with CR and the team.

Again, I'm just saying it's going to take time, that's all. Not that we can't (or even aren't) building that football fanbase.

I didn't say we "couldn't" pack in 50k most weeks. I think it will take a little while, and an obvious stadium expansion. We need to be good to sustain it, but we certainly can average 40-45, with sellouts against the big names at 50k.

I think you might not see my point of view because I didn't say either of those things.

The Penn State comment was hyperbole.

I guess my main point of contention is when you say it will take a generation (and of course a stadium expansion which is true) to get to the place where we can expect to have big crowds, I just don't buy it.

There is a huge appetite for UConn football as evidenced from our sell out crowds from Day 1 at the rent. That didn't take generations to go from memorial stadium to a 40k seat stadium.

The attendance only began to dwindle after the P debacle and the current CR nightmare.

If UConn makes it into the Big 12 and there are big names, high ranks and some familiar faces in WV, Cincinnati and the OOC, the stadium will be sold out in a heart beat and we will need to expand.

The idea our fan support has fallen on hard times is true, but there's still quite a large base out there that all they need is a spark. We've seen it before.

 

[UConn Dan]

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.

Yup... I don't think he was talking about you... you're good

 

[CL82]

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.

I've never seen such a pile of pointless data. It assumes that each one of the institutions you list have equal support among sports fans. Kind of silly don't you think? But let's assume for a moment that that concept has any validity. You neglect to address the population difference. CT. MA, and NJ have a population of about 18 million while Iowa, though roughly the same land mass has a population of only 3 million.

Wing U, I just don't understand you at all. I don't think that you are trolling, but I've never seen a CT fan so motivated to ignore Connecticut's strengths and work so hard to find manufacture weaknesses. I don't get it.

But hey, at least you now acknowledge the ACC's prior interest in UConn and Boston's College's role in blocking us. Baby steps.

 

[FDNY99]

I have to reference King Katie here and she wrote this peace wish I loved.... Being rased in New Britain it hit home...

This is flat out awesome! Easy to relate to...

 

[Marty Jackson]

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.

Sorry but your view is out dated... you may as well be preaching the value of a good buggy whip or how we'll never see an electric vehicle in our lifetime...
Yes, there are many private schools in the northeast, but with the skyrocketing cost of a college education, there has been a huge influx of applications to the in-state universities which in turn has increased the selectivity and decreased acceptance rates of schools like UCONN and UMass. yes, there are still great private school options but many of the top students in CT and MA are now looking at the flagship schools and not just as a safety.

The other piece I disagree with is the notion that someone who goes to a small private or other public school won't be a UCONN fan. I grew up in CT. never went to UCONN but became a fan because they were the local team. Went to a couple small private schools in The Commonwealth but still remain a UCONN fan. For some reason, my three kids are into UCONN now as well and one has it high on his list of college choices (sadly, it would be out of state and very pricey)...

that's how it works. Your right, it doesn't happen overnight, but if you think the 110,000 that show up in Happy Valley or down in Tuscaloosa every saturday during fb season studied at those schools you're mistaken...

Lastly, many of uconn's older bb fans follow college fb, but not UCONN because they didn't play 'big-time' football way back when. that's why you hear about ND or BC fans. they were the 'default' choice. UCONN on the big stage builds the fan base. Kids grow up following UCONN football. Playing Texas, Oklahoma, BC, Penn State, ND, Michigan, and Ohio State. Unfortunately, it doesn't happen overnight and it is a generational thing.

 

[Waquoit]

Yup... I don't think he was talking about you... you're good

Yeah, I was referring to the overall vibe I'm getting from those voice of reason types. We know the score, we don't need any splaining from them.

 

[upstater]

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.

How about Alaska, they must be the best option for the P5s under your square mile metric?

Also, UConn is really worried about Albertus Magnus eating into its ratings.

 

[BlueMAB]

I guess my main point of contention is when you say it will take a generation (and of course a stadium expansion which is true) to get to the place where we can expect to have big crowds, I just don't buy it.

There is a huge appetite for UConn football as evidenced from our sell out crowds from Day 1 at the rent. That didn't take generations to go from memorial stadium to a 40k seat stadium.

The attendance only began to dwindle after the P debacle and the current CR nightmare.

If UConn makes it into the Big 12 and there are big names, high ranks and some familiar faces in WV, Cincinnati and the OOC, the stadium will be sold out in a heart beat and we will need to expand.

The idea our fan support has fallen on hard times is true, but there's still quite a large base out there that all they need is a spark. We've seen it before.

I'm not sure where we disagree....here's what I said

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.

Penn State has 100,000+ seat stadium.

There's a pretty wide gap between selling out 40,000 and selling out 105,000 no? Like about a generation wide?

 

[RegisteredUconn]

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

I heard the official name is the Best Exotic Marigold Grand Swofford.

 

[BlueMAB]

Sorry but your view is out dated... you may as well be preaching the value of a good buggy whip or how we'll never see an electric vehicle in our lifetime...
Yes, there are many private schools in the northeast, but with the skyrocketing cost of a college education, there has been a huge influx of applications to the in-state universities which in turn has increased the selectivity and decreased acceptance rates of schools like UCONN and UMass. yes, there are still great private school options but many of the top students in CT and MA are now looking at the flagship schools and not just as a safety.

The other piece I disagree with is the notion that someone who goes to a small private or other public school won't be a UCONN fan. I grew up in CT. never went to UCONN but became a fan because they were the local team. Went to a couple small private schools in The Commonwealth but still remain a UCONN fan. For some reason, my three kids are into UCONN now as well and one has it high on his list of college choices (sadly, it would be out of state and very pricey)...

that's how it works. Your right, it doesn't happen overnight, but if you think the 110,000 that show up in Happy Valley or down in Tuscaloosa every saturday during fb season studied at those schools you're mistaken...

Lastly, many of uconn's older bb fans follow college fb, but not UCONN because they didn't play 'big-time' football way back when. that's why you hear about ND or BC fans. they were the 'default' choice. UCONN on the big stage builds the fan base. Kids grow up following UCONN football. Playing Texas, Oklahoma, BC, Penn State, ND, Michigan, and Ohio State. Unfortunately, it doesn't happen overnight and it is a generational thing.

Never said UConn was still a safety school, I said it takes time to overcome that old way of thinking.

Never said someone who didn't go to UConn couldn't be a UConn fan. I explained that I, and many of my friends are, despite not going to UConn.

Never said that all of he Bama/PSU fans are alumni.

My point exactly about UConn FB is we have to build, because we're young to the big time football stage.

In fact, I said it doesn't happen overnight and it is a generational thing.

So thank you for building that long and arduous strawman, only to come to an agreement with me at the end.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

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

That's our point

 

[superjohn]

Never said UConn was still a safety school, I said it takes time to overcome that old way of thinking.

Never said someone who didn't go to UConn couldn't be a UConn fan. I explained that I, and many of my friends are, despite not going to UConn.

Never said that all of he Bama/PSU fans are alumni.

My point exactly about UConn FB is we have to build, because we're young to the big time football stage.

In fact, I said it doesn't happen overnight and it is a generational thing.

So thank you for building that long and arduous strawman, only to come to an agreement with me at the end.

You don't have a point.

 

[BlueMAB]

I've never seen such a pile of pointless data. It assumes that each one of the institutions you list have equal support among sports fans. Kind of silly don't you think? But let's assume for a moment that that concept has any validity. You neglect to address the population difference. CT. MA, and NJ have a population of about 18 million while Iowa, though roughly the same land mass has a population of only 3 million.

Wing U, I just don't understand you at all. I don't think that you are trolling, but I've never seen a CT fan so motivated to ignore Connecticut's strengths and work so hard to find manufacture weaknesses. I don't get it.

But hey, at least you now acknowledge the ACC's prior interest in UConn and Boston's College's role in blocking us. Baby steps.

The data is what it is. Upstate brought up Iowa choosing to ignore the VAST cultural differences and the impact on education/allegiances between the states.

If the weaknesses were manufactured, we'd already be in the P5 because the rest of the ACC would have told BCU to S _T_F_U and take UConn as the obvious most valuable choice. FSU wouldn't have been so turned off by our football program and lack of history. Sadly, I don't think you'll ever understand that because you want to pretend as if we don't have any weaknesses.

We have many strengths, our academics, our market potential, our football potential, our basketball history. Unfortunately potential is a hard sell. Of course we have a track record of elite athletic achievement across multiple sports, but as whaler (i think) said in another thread, the list of schools that are very successful at both Football and Basketball is very, very, very small. So hopefully the B12 is buying, because all we need is a seat at the table and the right coach to sustain success. How this makes me unfit to be a fan I'll never understand, but thankfully, I don't answer to anyone here.

 

[Marty Jackson]

Never said UConn was still a safety school, I said it takes time to overcome that old way of thinking.

Never said someone who didn't go to UConn couldn't be a UConn fan. I explained that I, and many of my friends are, despite not going to UConn.

Never said that all of he Bama/PSU fans are alumni.

My point exactly about UConn FB is we have to build, because we're young to the big time football stage.

In fact, I said it doesn't happen overnight and it is a generational thing.

So thank you for building that long and arduous strawman, only to come to an agreement with me at the end.

Here's a hint... when you feel like you have to keep responding with "You're missing my point", maybe it's because the point is missing!!!!

I think you threw out some random numbers about schools per square mile and then said, "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." And then you said "that doesn't change overnight, not when you have as many quality private school options as we have in the northeast."

I was simply responding to this post. There is no mention of you or your friends going or not going to UCONN. If you think I follow your other posts and keep a log, I think you're flattering yourself.

Maybe instead of Wing-U, you should change your name to Wing-Nut.

 

[CL82]

The data is what it is. Upstate brought up Iowa choosing to ignore the VAST cultural differences and the impact on education/allegiances between the states.

If the weaknesses were manufactured, we'd already be in the P5 because the rest of the ACC would have told BCU to and take UConn as the obvious most valuable choice. Sadly, I don't think you'll ever understand that because you want to pretend as if we don't have any weaknesses.

We have many strengths, our academics, our market potential, our football potential, our basketball history. Unfortunately potential is a hard sell. Of course we have a track record of elite athletic achievement across multiple sports, but as whaler (i think) said in another thread, the list of schools that are very successful at both Football and Basketball is very, very, very small. So hopefully the B12 is buying, because all we need is a seat at the table and the right coach to sustain success. How this makes me unfit to be a fan I'll never understand, but thankfully, I don't answer to anyone here.

The data is what it is...utterly meaningless at least in the way you chose to try to parse it. You seem to be back sliding a bit on the BCU point as well. Let me try the same soft logic... if UConn didn't bring value why would they have been the ACC's intial choice twice?

BCU held a position on a small committee vetting candidates. Their objection to us wasn;t that we didn't bring value but rather that they wanted to be the only ACC school in New England. Their AD admitted this in writing and you've acknowledged this previously. Likewise BCU joined with FSU and Clemson to push for a Louisville FSU felt that the conference was favoring basketball in additions. That's been discussed as nauseum here, yet you seem to discount it. I have no idea why.

 

[BlueMAB]

How about Alaska, they must be the best option for the P5s under your square mile metric?

Also, UConn is really worried about Albertus Magnus eating into its ratings.

Never said the square mile metric was a factor in what made a P5 school most attractive. I'm not even speaking to realignment with that point. It's pretty ironic that Waquoit is telling me to pipe down because "we know the score" while you ignore the fact that there a ton of options for school in the area. And those options don't preclude anyone from being a UConn fan, but they can impact how deep that allegiance runs when you take into account the short period of time we've been playing football at a high level.

Also, never said anything about ratings. But if we're talking about Fairfield County and the NY market, it would be nice if you and a few others could stop pretending like UConn isn't worried about the 9 major professional sports teams in the NY metro area. Or is that just another "manufactured" weakness. This comment will be ignored, but it's a weakness that I think we can overcome, but it is something that should be open to discussing.

What's the danger of talking about this? Do people think the B12 presidents don't know this?

 

[J187Money]

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.

They don't support it with tickets and/or donations to the program. Sadly.

 

[BlueMAB]

Here's a hint... when you feel like you have to keep responding with "You're missing my point", maybe it's because the point is missing!!!!

I think you threw out some random numbers about schools per square mile and then said, "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." And then you said "that doesn't change overnight, not when you have as many quality private school options as we have in the northeast."

I was simply responding to this post. There is no mention of you or your friends going or not going to UCONN. If you think I follow your other posts and keep a log, I think you're flattering yourself.

Maybe instead of Wing-U, you should change your name to Wing-Nut.

Marty, there's a discussion happening. Choosing to interject into the middle of the discussion, without first taking the time to read the other posts for proper context, doesn't make me a wingnut, it makes you lazy.

have a good day.

 

[Yawkey Way]

I hope Uconn eventually gets into the ACC, because it will help their presence a bit in Massachusetts, particularly around Greater Boston, and would be good for both programs, and a boost to college sports interest in Greater Boston.

Boston is a Pro Sports town. BC is an afterthought, and Uconn frankly does not exist. I've lived and worked in Boston for half a century, and believe me I never met a Uconn grad in Boston,and spent years in sales, and traveled around every day to Greater Boston. Now that I'm semi retired, I spend winters in SW Florida, and never see Uconn gear on when I'm there. I see BC gear( and Northeastern gear) as for over a decade now BC plays the Red Sox as the teams opener at JetBlue Park, Ft. Myers). If Uconn goes to the B12, that won't do anything for Uconn is Greater Boston, as nobody has any ties, nor any interest to that part of the B12 league's Country. I'm also trying to figure out if the Uconn Basketball Coaches are interested in 10 hour 2,000 flights back and forth every week for months on end to play a dozen or so league games out in that distant part of the country.... or if the B12 Basketball teams are likewise enthralled with that thought. Coach Diaco let the cat out of the bag when he alluded to his position that even he isn't enthralled with the travel his football team would make in going 2,000 miles one way to play schools out in a region of the country where air flights are not that frequent, nor desireable airports. And the Uconn Basketball program would go out there more frequently, due to playing more games. Thats why I hope Uconn holds out for an ACC invite, as going to the B12 will do nothing for college sports interest in New England, except in the state of Connecticut alone.

 

[J187Money]

I'm in Louisville today - all of their athletic facilities are visible from the highway, including a big sign with a cardinal and the ACC logo. Ugh.