Houston Chronicle exclusive: Texas, Oklahoma reach out to SEC about joining conference. | Page 32 | The Boneyard

Houston Chronicle exclusive: Texas, Oklahoma reach out to SEC about joining conference.

An AAC/Big 12 merger certainly would appear to be a better platform for the football program, especially if West Virginia was back on the schedule annually. I'm not so certain that the fanbase would have ever fully embraced the mid major status associated with that league though.

Independence, while for all intents and purposes, resigns us to a mid major status, doesn't have the mid major feel that sharing a league with ECU, Tulsa, Memphis, and Tulane does. Rightly or wrongly, perception plays a large part here.

For hoops, basketball its an absolute no brainer, the Big East is a top 4 league now, and for the foreseeable future, with games against teams we care about.

Playing Kansas once at home every couple of years would be cool, along with reuniting with Cincinnati and West Virginia, but I could not care less about playing any of the other programs.
 
ConnHuskBask said:
An AAC/Big 12 merger certainly would appear to be a better platform for the football program, especially if West Virginia was back on the schedule annually. I'm not so certain that the fanbase would have ever fully embraced the mid major status associated with that league though.

Independence, while for all intents and purposes, resigns us to a mid major status, doesn't have the mid major feel that sharing a league with ECU, Tulsa, Memphis, and Tulane does. Rightly or wrongly, perception plays a large part here.

For hoops, basketball its an absolute no brainer, the Big East is a top 4 league now, and for the foreseeable future, with games against teams we care about.

Playing Kansas once at home every couple of years would be cool, along with reuniting with Cincinnati and West Virginia, but I could not care less about playing any of the other programs.
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I'd football only with the Big 12 leftovers in a heartbeat.
 
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MilliniumPrince said:
Still not sure why basketball with Kansas, Houston, Memphis, Cincy, Baylor, Ok State, isn't as appealing as a current Big East schedule.
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If they invited us, Cincy, Memphis, and Houston it might be interesting, but I fear the next raid.
 
BlueDogs said:
Logic. ESPN will pay out big $$ to add two new SEC teams, while stranding the rest in a weakened conference and negotiating a cheaper GOR in 2024 ( or better yet dangling a slightly higher payout from rock bottom to get a long term cheap deal with the weak Big12. The weak Big12 is set up up for an AAC level deal. This is simple arbitrage. They pay up for 2 and down for 8. By trying to take two historical brand Crown Jewels to the SEC, they crossed a line. The BiG12 just got taken to the cleaners and there is no way they going to allow their conference entity to lose a billion or more had it not been tampered with and ESPN was forced to negotiate with Texas and OU in the Big12. My point is the past CRs are similar. The difference is they went to the top of the food chain this time shuffling super brands which crossed a big line. The only way out is they pay up and make everybody happy or they fight it out in court with the prospect of massive liability.
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So this all based on assumption with no proof. Of course ESPN has a stake in the outcome. Proving some sort of tortious conduct is not easy, except on the internet.
 
I think BE in basketball and independence in football is more big time than all sports in the AAC where basketball and football are considered mid major. As an independent, UConn has a better chance of being considered a “P5 like” school than in the AAC. The schedule in football should be as good if not better than being in the AAC.

As for joining a Big 12/AAC merger conference? That is a losing proposition. Every school will be looking to leave as soon as possible, UConn would continue to be regional outlier, and the dollars won’t be great as no school is going to commit to the conference and sign a GORs. And basketball would be negatively hit. Conference tournament would go from MSG to Kansas City. Does anyone think the Big East would take UConn back a second time?
 
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Waquoit said:
Maybe they'll get stuck on 15.
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If the B12's TV network wanted the UCONN football team to be part of that league we would get an invite. We wouldn't require a huge football only payout. Lobby FOX.
 
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uchusky32 said:
Maybe for you but not for our recruits and their families
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We recruited a top 5 class while in the AAC. But ok, we can only recruit well if we play Providence twice a year. I guess playing fresh off the Final Four Baylor wouldn't appeal as much.

When we win we can recruit well in any conference. When we lose, we can't. Just that simple.
 
MilliniumPrince said:
We recruited a top 5 class while in the AAC. But ok, we can only recruit well if we play Providence twice a year. I guess playing fresh off the Final Four Baylor wouldn't appeal as much.

When we win we can recruit well in any conference. When we lose, we can't. Just that simple.
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Simply not true. Evidence? They are asking the kids who commit ... this very question: repeatedly, it is obvious that Big East matters. Go back to your drumbeat in your head
 
With Connecticut fans being bandwagoners, UConn is better off as an independent that gives us flexibility in scheduling. While a Big 12/AAC mix of some sort may be a decent conference, it won't have the appeal of an independent schedule. It'll still be viewed as a step down from the Big East. UConn gets to schedule teams fans actually want to see an independent.
 
Pudge said:
Simply not true. Evidence? They are asking the kids who commit ... this very question: repeatedly, it is obvious that Big East matters. Go back to your drumbeat in your head
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And what answer fo youmexpect them to give to that question? "Gee, I think the Big East sucks..."
 
MilliniumPrince said:
And what answer fo youmexpect them to give to that question? "Gee, I think the Big East sucks..."
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in the face of repeated evidence from repeated kids ... all directly home in the Big EAST footprint, your answer is nonsense
 
MilliniumPrince said:
We recruited a top 5 class while in the AAC. But ok, we can only recruit well if we play Providence twice a year. I guess playing fresh off the Final Four Baylor wouldn't appeal as much.

When we win we can recruit well in any conference. When we lose, we can't. Just that simple.
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Nobody on this entire message board cares about playing Baylor and I can all but guarantee any kid were recruiting from New England to DC feels the same.
 
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I am still wondering why there is complete radio silence from FOX. The Big 12 is a large portion of their College FB product. They are losing their top 2 brands in that conference yet nothing has been said.....it's very bizarre yet I'm not sure what I expect to be said....I guess I'm surprised that none of the three billion articles that have been written over the past three weeks have even mentioned FOX and their contract and how this might impact them or the remaining Big 12 schools.
 
UCFBfan said:
I am still wondering why there is complete radio silence from FOX. The Big 12 is a large portion of their College FB product. They are losing their top 2 brands in that conference yet nothing has been said.....it's very bizarre yet I'm not sure what I expect to be said....I guess I'm surprised that none of the three billion articles that have been written over the past three weeks have even mentioned FOX and their contract and how this might impact them or the remaining Big 12 schools.
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It's become like Coca Cola and Pepsi.
 
metsfan2323 said:
If the B12's TV network wanted the UCONN football team to be part of that league we would get an invite. We wouldn't require a huge football only payout. Lobby FOX.
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this is a sound approach. Ask for a break even+ number, but have a solid backup proposal. Maybe fox realizes this helps from a NBE pov.
 
ConnHuskBask said:
Nobody on this entire message board cares about playing Baylor and I can all but guarantee any kid were recruiting from New England to DC feels the same.
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I would have liked to have played Baylor on April 5th. And the game on March 29th was pretty good. Also would have liked for the the baseball team to play Baylor. I also think we could be competitive and possibly beat them in football this year on ESPN. Otherwise I have no interest.
 
ConnHuskBask said:
Nobody on this entire message board cares about playing Baylor and I can all but guarantee any kid were recruiting from New England to DC feels the same.
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I have no desire to go back to a Frankenstein AAC/Big12 conference, but have you seen where we are pulling our recruiting comes from? Games against Texas teams are a must.
 
Stinger92860 said:
I would have liked to have played Baylor on April 5th. And the game on March 29th was pretty good. Also would have liked for the the baseball team to play Baylor. I also think we could be competitive and possibly beat them in football this year on ESPN. Otherwise I have no interest.
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UC1995 said:
I have no desire to go back to a Frankenstein AAC/Big12 conference, but have you seen where we are pulling our recruiting comes from? Games against Texas teams are a must.
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My comment regarding Baylor was more about basketball. Playing Baylor in basketball feels no different than the games against Houston. Good program, good teams, but a general lack of interest.

Fooball I'll sign up for a home and home with just about any program, with Texas and Florida games being a premium.
 
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uconnric said:
So this all based on assumption with no proof. Of course ESPN has a stake in the outcome. Proving some sort of tortious conduct is not easy, except on the internet.
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Well, you asked how to calculate damages, and I told you. Tortious interference is not hard to prove. The elements are: (1) the existence of a valid and enforceable contract between plaintiff and another (yes); (2) defendant’s awareness of the contractual relationship )yes); (3) defendant’s intentional and unjustified inducement of a breach of the contract (alleged by Big12 ); (4) a breach by the other party caused by defendant’s wrongful conduct (not yet ripe), but ; and (5) damages ( seems eminently provable). ESPN would want to hang their hat on No. 4, which is why Texas and OU have publicly said they are sticking around through end of term. The OSU situation appears to another case, which in concert with the Texas and OU situation, raise the question whether there is a potential RICO case. Beyond tortuous interference, claims based upon unfair trade practices and fraud in the inducement (possibly going back to ESPN paying up to dissuade the Big12 from expanding ) might also be in play. Obviously, until more info is known, it is difficult to say ESPN did something wrongful, though the optics do not look great.
 
DoctorWho85 said:
So Texas and OU are staying til 2025? Or are they paying the buyout?
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They have to pay the buyout (north of $70 million) whenever they leave. The variable is the money from the GoR which depends on what year they leave.
 
Drama Popcorn GIF
 
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