How Swofford Delivered UConn to the B1G (and buried the ACC).

[FfldCntyFan]

I doubt that it matters where you put PSU as (in large part thanks to Pitt's ineptitude since Marino left) beyond being the one thing that central PA holds full allegiance to, they are also the largest item (in college football terms) in both Philly & Pittsburgh.

As for us, another of the many things I've spent a decade trying to sell (which was met with some ridicule from a handful of boneyarders) is that our goal should have been to (from a map) take NYC, Long Island, everything in NY State east of the Hudson and all of New England and target that as the State of UConn (similar to when Schnellenberger drew a line from Daytona to Orlando to Tampa and called everything south of that the State of Miami). We have a number of (almost entirely family members of players at the moment) New Hampshire residents who make the trek to home games. There is no reason (as it is not much different than what many fans of B1G, SEC, B-12 and even some ACC schools regularly go through) to believe that we can't tap into the area that I stated above for our fan base. If we can reach the point where we are 20%-25% of the way to reaching that goal we would be more valuable than all but the top few programs in each of the power conferences (and ND).

 

[mavblues]

I couldn't agree with you more that we should be positioning ourselves to be New England's university. Undoubtedly it worries some who are paying the bills that touting ourselves that way diminishes the importance of Connecticut as an entity. That is parochial and very short-sighted. The best way to keep UConn relevant is to have the entire region embrace us as their athletic standard bearer. We should send our basketball teams to some combination of Kingston, Amherst, Burlington, Durham (NH), and Orono every year.

If New England were a state it would be the 17th largest in area and 5th largest in population. It is currently served by one-and-one-half national universities (I absolutely do not believe that BC is a major player athletically nor is there any reasonable path for them to become one...if we have any potential competition in the region it is UMass we should look out for).

FWIW, Rowland repeatedly called UConn "New England's Flagship University" when he had Manuel on his show the other day.

As someone who left CT well over a decade ago, the reference seemed a little odd - almost like there was a purpose behind it...

Not trying to go all "agent Mulder" here, I'm just saying that as someone listening from outside the region, it seemed out of place.

 

[Adios]

University of the Connecticut River.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

University of the Connecticut River.

Billiant! Not to go all Ohio State on you but a "The" to lead things off might work well.

 

[Vuce]

FWIW, Rowland repeatedly called UConn "New England's Flagship University" when he had Manuel on his show the other day.

As someone who left CT well over a decade ago, the reference seemed a little odd - almost like there was a purpose behind it...

Not trying to go all "agent Mulder" here, I'm just saying that as someone listening from outside the region, it seemed out of place.

I think the reference is simply because he was the Governor, Uconn has been the top public university in New England for over a decade now. Nothing more, nothing less. We are the Flagship of New England.

 

[Pudge]

Swofford is a great Pirate.

But ... from BC thru SU/Pitt (and I feel a like Louisville was a little smarter) ... the ACC had made some dumb moves/statements. IF ... this is truly about eyeballs, B1G has been playing a wholly different game. SU history, with Jimmy Brown & Schwartzwalder shouldn't count; however, somehome the PAST matters to the ACC Presidents. We ... have ... the ... better ... future. Need coaches & an AD to lead to it.

 

[XOVERX]

While the B1G makes the most sense for UConn, even moreso than the ACC, what do you all make of this "The Guy of Connecticut" person? As you know, he's claiming UConn > B12.

 

[WestHartHusk]

While the B1G makes the most sense for UConn, even moreso than the ACC, what do you all make of this "The Guy of Connecticut" person? As you know, he's claiming UConn > B12.

He is the most plugged in reporter out. The Guy has a web of contacts at ESPN, NBC, and Fox.

 

[Stinger92860]

Northeast population, 58.1
Maryland, BCU, UConn, Rutgers, Virginia

Of the above 58.1, what fraction is delivered by UConn? I'll bet we come in last.

 

[Stinger92860]

While the B1G makes the most sense for UConn, even moreso than the ACC, what do you all make of this "The Guy of Connecticut" person? As you know, he's claiming UConn > B12.

HFD

 

[rich1122]

Q: What eyeballs is the B1G eyeballing?
A: Our empty stadium on national TV.

 

[XOVERX]

Sorry, I cannot parse HFD, although I have a feeling it's a strong sentiment.

At any rate, Guy Jones said again yesterday that he's hearing Florida State, Clemson, North Carolina, Duke, Connecticut, and San Diego State to the B12.

I could see UNC/Duke as a package deal, but to the B12? And UConn to the B12? SDSU?

As a Texas alum, I would be fine seeing all 6 of those schools in the B12, for recruiting, marketing and other reasons, but it seems quite anomalous.

Yet, here's Guy Jones, a UConn person, so proclaiming.

Do ya'll have any corroborating information or is it just a wait-and-see deal (like everything else related to expansion)?

 

[mavblues]

Northeast population, 58.1
Maryland, BCU, UConn, Rutgers, Virginia

Of the above 58.1, what fraction is delivered by UConn? I'll bet we come in last.

Define carry.

Does Rutgers by itself trigger BTN to be carried on basic tier in its home market? I doubt it, that's why I think another northeast school is going to be added.

UConn, on the other hand, would definitely deliver its home market's basic tier, for basketball content alone.

Given that, I don't see how you could say UConn would come in last of that group. Of the group you listed, I would put BCU last, by a very wide margin. I also don't see how you could realistically claim that Maryland and Virginia would outdraw CT in the northeast market. Overall, yes - but not in the northeast.

Of the schools you listed, RU and Maryland are already in. UVA is rumored. That leaves us, BCU, and Syracuse. I think GT rumor was all BS, but we'll see.

 

[UConnDan97]

While the B1G makes the most sense for UConn, even moreso than the ACC, what do you all make of this "The Guy of Connecticut" person? As you know, he's claiming UConn > B12.

He is the most plugged in reporter out. The Guy has a web of contacts at ESPN, NBC, and Fox.

Let's just say that it's obviously not a secret that The Guy has ESPN connectivity due to their headquarters being in Bristol, CT. But also, it's very curious to me that he started to come on the scene just as NBCSports relocated its headquarters to Stamford, CT. Some people call that a coincidence. I'm not sure I do. Is there any documentation for XOVERX (or for me, for that matter) that shows that the Guy has or has had anything to do with Governor Malloy's "First Five" program that gave NBC money to relocate to CT? I feel like there's something there, I really do...

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Northeast population, 58.1
Maryland, BCU, UConn, Rutgers, Virginia

Of the above 58.1, what fraction is delivered by UConn? I'll bet we come in last.

My money would be on BCU as owner of the lowest fraction but that's not the point. UConn and Rutgers together would deliver more than either would separately. Adding Maryland and Virgnia would consistute a 4 institution pod that would generate greater buzz than any one or two would on their own. It's a case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Q: What eyeballs is the B1G eyeballing?
A: Our empty stadium on national TV.

Didn't see anything. Was that supposed to show our stadium? Doesn't really matter anyway. The B1G is positioning itself for twenty years from today, not last week.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Of the schools you listed, RU and Maryland are already in. UVA is rumored. That leaves us, BCU, and Syracuse.

Subtract BCU and Cuse and I think you have the complete list.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Sorry, I cannot parse HFD, although I have a feeling it's a strong sentiment.

At any rate, Guy Jones said again yesterday that he's hearing Florida State, Clemson, North Carolina, Duke, Connecticut, and San Diego State to the B12.

I could see UNC/Duke as a package deal, but to the B12? And UConn to the B12? SDSU?

As a Texas alum, I would be fine seeing all 6 of those schools in the B12, for recruiting, marketing and other reasons, but it seems quite anomalous.

Yet, here's Guy Jones, a UConn person, so proclaiming.

Do ya'll have any corroborating information or is it just a wait-and-see deal (like everything else related to expansion)?

I seeUVa and UConn to the B1G to secure the the quadrant of the country from east of the Dakotas in the west, north of the Ohio River, to the Atlantic seaboard from Maine to Virginia. I see either UNC or NC State and VaTech to the SEC to secure the quadant south of the B1G and east of Texas. I see the Pac 12 standing pat with the territory from the Rockies to the Pacific. I see Texas trying to hold out basically alone for a few years before before slinking off to the Pac 12. I see the ACC imploding.

 

[UConnNick]

University of the Connecticut River.

The Mississippi River of New England.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

At any rate, Guy Jones said again yesterday that he's hearing Florida State, Clemson, North Carolina, Duke, Connecticut, and San Diego State to the B12.

The reason UConn is going to the B1G and not the B12 (or the ACC) is what I'll call the "Calhoun Effect." As long as UConn remains available to another conference, they can hire a football coach that will turn the landscape in the region upside down. Taken together with Boston College and Syracuse (whether or not the 3 schools are in the same conference) it means the northern flank of the Northeast Super Region is vulnerable. An unsecured Syracuse and UConn make the New York metro area less likely to be "owned" by any single school and that includes Rutgers. A UConn-Syracuse rivalry that plays exciting games is far more dangerous to the B1G than either team pushing ahead on it's own. Failing to secure UConn leaves the entire New England region open and that's close to 15 million people in an area smaller than Nebraska. A BCU/Cuse/UConn triangle can be be formidable enough to cause the B1G headaches in the north in ways they neither want nor are ill-equipped to prevent.

There is no way Rutgers can make real inroads into New England. They might make a small splash every once in a while if they field a super team the way a Little League team generates interest if it plays in Williamsport. But that interest will fade quickly when performance regresses toward the mean. Why would the B1G make a play for the Northeast if they're were going to do it half-assed? Why would they leave their northern flank so unprotected diluting their brand in New York? And why especially would they do it when they can have it for the taking?

Virginia represents the same sort of problems on the southern flank. A Virginia program that commits itself and hires a great coach can consistently performs at a top 15 level would be a threat to contend for a national title occasionally. An attractive Virginia draws eyeballs from Washington, D.C. An ACC based Virginia is vulnerable to attack from the SEC. An SEC based Virginia puts that conference in direct competition with the B1G over the southern part of the Northeast Super Region. I doubt either conference is prepared to wage Armageddon just yet, if only because it's unnecessary. The rewards of winning such a confrontation don't justify the risks of losing. Besides, the SEC can get a more rabid Virginia fanbase (with, I believe a bigger stadium) by grabbing VaTech. They can then soldify the south Atlantic coast with a North Carolina school.

Such a play by the SEC would have risks. Most importantly, the future footprint for the B1G would contain roughly double the population of that of the SEC (~120MM to ~60MM not counting North Carolina). But the B1G would be boxed in. The SEC could make further inroads into Texas and, together with North Carolina, add another 45MM or so eyeballs). And the SEC's territory would be gaining population compared to the B1G's. Those moves would put the population in a future SEC footprint somewhere north of 100MM.

Of course none of this means that expansion big gains are automatic. We've heard often enough that cities in the Northeast are pro sports towns. That's an entirely different nut to crack than gaining a geographic affinity with the eyeballs in the first place. Once the B1G has acquired the region they will need another strategy to get fans in greater numbers than watch college football now. One way is promote the hell out of Rutgers/UConn in New York and Virginia/Maryland in Baltimore-Washington. I guarantee a top twenty match up between us and Rutgers puts that game in every newspaper and on every TV station in a region of 20 million people -- regardless of what the Giants are doing.

 

[IMind]

Q: What eyeballs is the B1G eyeballing?
A: Our empty stadium on national TV.

That didn't seem to hurt Maryland at all. This whole stadium attendance thing is about as important as AAU membership.

 

[Stinger92860]

Define carry.

Does Rutgers by itself trigger BTN to be carried on basic tier in its home market? I doubt it, that's why I think another northeast school is going to be added.

UConn, on the other hand, would definitely deliver its home market's basic tier, for basketball content alone.

Given that, I don't see how you could say UConn would come in last of that group. Of the group you listed, I would put BCU last, by a very wide margin. I also don't see how you could realistically claim that Maryland and Virginia would outdraw CT in the northeast market. Overall, yes - but not in the northeast.

Of the schools you listed, RU and Maryland are already in. UVA is rumored. That leaves us, BCU, and Syracuse. I think GT rumor was all BS, but we'll see.

It's not who signs up, its who has cable. For NJ that almost 2M subscribers. In CT it's 1.1M subscribers. The recent acquisition of YES by NewsCorp is a game changer. The Boston/MA area is higher than 1.1. Someone posted the households in another thread but I cannot find it.

From a recent article:
Baseball fans need to be at least a little worried about the Rupert Murdoch owned corporation getting its paws on YES. With Rutgers University joining the Big Ten, News Corp now has a valuable asset in forcing New York area cable carriers to pick up the Big Ten Network: the YES Network. Don't be surprised if News Corp holds the YES Network hostage until BTN is picked up locally on New York-area carriers. The point of "New York City doesn't care about Rutgers athletics" has been beaten to death, but New York City *does* care about the Yankees. Time Warner and the NFL Network couldn't come to an agreement for years when it came to carriage in New York, and the same may happen with BTN. The only difference is that while the NFL really had no bargaining chip with Time Warner, Fox and the BTN do in the form of YES Network.