How the cookie crumbles where we land in the B1G.

[TerryD]

Non Big Ten State subscribers need to lobby their cable providers to make the BTN a la carte and not force it upon everyone who wants a sports package. This will change the Big Ten's attitude toward whom it accepts as members. Why should people in New England be forced to have the BTN to get a "sports package"? I really wonder how many New Englanders, even New Yorkers ever watch the BTN. Close your wallet and suddenly people listen. Just think, if New Jerseyites for the most part didn't want to pay for the BTN, would RU have been invited?

That was one reason among many that I cut the cord on DirecTV and went with Amazon Fire Stick, Sling and Kodi. No paying for the SEC Network, Big Ten Network or Pac 12 Network.

I never watched the Big Ten Network (or SEC Network) when I was forced to have them as part of DirecTV. I didn't even know which channel the BTN was on.

The Big Ten Network is not offered by Sling and the SEC and Pac 12 Networks are part of an extra sports package for ten bucks a month that I declined.

 

[Seaa Blue]

I am not certain that paying for many channels that one never watches is cheaper than paying for a single channel that one watches often. I will say that I am not knowledgeable at this time what the actual costs are. I know that you are trying to defend the BTN, but I really wish someone would actually poll people in the the Northeast to see how many actually watch anything on the BTN. I even wonder how many people in New Jersey actually watch anything on the BTN if RU is not involved..

a) Your time and effort complaining about BTN costs more than out-of-market BTN.

b) No doubt there are other channels you would miss (or cost more) if not part of the bundle.

c) Collectively defending BTN increases the national debt by make all of us less productive.

d) All of the above.

Thank you for your interest in BTN.

 

[buddy]

a) Your time and effort complaining about BTN costs more than out-of-market BTN.

b) No doubt there are other channels you would miss (or cost more) if not part of the bundle.

c) Collectively defending BTN increases the national debt by make all of us less productive.

d) All of the above.

Thank you for your interest in BTN.

Maybe you could have concluded with Thank you for your disinterest in the BTN!

 

[Seaa Blue]

Maybe you could have concluded with Thank you for your disinterest in the BTN!

I just don't think that un-bundling will save us much in the end.

I know that I'm not looking forward to "turning my heat down" when I don't want something, only to dial it back up later. I would rather that technology just take care of that for me, or bill me on some tiered bases for what I actually do watch.

As it stands I have a hard time remembering what I get on Amazon vs Sling vs Netflix vs free Hulu. And it's only going to get worse. And if I want to record it, that takes an advanced degree.

 

[huskyrob1]

No AAU, no B1G.

Not entirely true, money and potential revenue talks louder than AAU when considering UCONN. Nebraska got an invite and I don't think they're an AAU member. Though I do admit getting AAU membership would help.

 

[storrsroars]

Not entirely true, money and potential revenue talks louder than AAU when considering UConn. Nebraska got an invite and I don't think they're an AAU member. Though I do admit getting AAU membership would help.

Nebraska was an AAU member. Then they weren't.

 

[buddy]

Not entirely true, money and potential revenue talks louder than AAU when considering UConn. Nebraska got an invite and I don't think they're an AAU member. Though I do admit getting AAU membership would help.

I have come to believe that if your first statement were true, UConn would already have been invited. I also believe that a school needs to be AAU to be invited to that conference. If one gets thrown out of the AAU after the invitation, then it doesn't matter.

 

[Kemba429]

This is pure speculation but let's face it, football and basketball are over for the year. So I believe there is actually a chance we will land in the B1G but one mammoth move has to happen to facilitate that: the Texahoma 4 going to the Pac 12. The Pac 12 has not done as well as hoped in either revenue or viewership. The Big 12 is a ticking time bomb, and everyone knows it. The GOR of rights for both conferences end suspiciously at the same time (2024/25). Why would this happen? Texas and Oklahoma would be able to stay together and keep their state legislatures happy by bringing little brother along. The Pac 12 will get into the Central time zone which will allow for more games on TV that people along the East Coast watch. In order for this to happen, though, the Pac 12 will have to make a concession: Texas would get to keep the Longhorn Network (if it is still viable). How that would work, I don't know but if that concession is made, this would be a marriage made in heaven.

This gets us to where we come in. Suddenly, Kansas is the sexiest property left in the CR world. The Pac 12 won't touch them as they'll be content at 16 so the B1G and SEC will be vying for them. I truly believe that it will come down to Kansas and us to B1G or Kansas and WVU to SEC, and Kansas holds the cards. I believe they will pick academics and go with the B1G.

Where did I go wrong?

Well, what about the rest of the Big 12 which generates more money than UConn. Like Texas Tech, OK State, WVU, Kansas State, and Iowa State?

 

[buddy]

Well, what about the rest of the Big 12 which generates more money than UConn. Like Texas Tech, OK State, WVU, Kansas State, and Iowa State?

I know WVU is not AAU. I don't know about the others. If AAU is a requirement for admission, then it is likely these schools will be joining UConn in a new AAC/Big 12 in 2024 rather than the B1G.

 

[huskyrob1]

Nebraska was an AAU member. Then they weren't.

Yes, technically they were but Delaney already knew they were going to get thrown out of the AAU but he invited them anyway.

 

[Seaa Blue]

Yes, technically they were but Delaney already knew they were going to get thrown out of the AAU but he invited them anyway.

More technically, the Presidents and Chancellors of the Big Ten allowed Nebraska to be on the short list of schools Delany could talk to. They then extended the invite after Nebraska's time table got moved forward by the Big 12.

 

[huskyrob1]

More technically, the Presidents and Chancellors of the Big Ten allowed Nebraska to be on the short list of schools Delany could talk to. They then extended the invite after Nebraska's time table got moved forward by the Big 12.

I'm not so sure about all of them, since Michigan and Wisconsin had already voted to take away Nebraska's AAU membership. AAU had nothing to do with it, it was all about money and Nebraska's football program.

 

[Macho Grande]

My money is on ESPN recommending to ACC to expand to add content for ACC Network. Pull in Navy for football only (already has that setup with AAC) and UCONN for everything and all is well with ND...

 

[CL82]

My money is on ESPN recommending to ACC to expand to add content for ACC Network. Pull in Navy for football only (already has that setup with AAC) and UConn for everything and all is well with ND...

I'm not at all sure that ESPN gives a crap about it, or that money works, but I hope that you are right.

 

[CTMike]

My money is on ESPN recommending to ACC to expand to add content for ACC Network. Pull in Navy for football only (already has that setup with AAC) and UConn for everything and all is well with ND...

Sign me up!

 

[don356]

At the rate espn is going, the acc network will be lucky if it happens.

 

[Ldandy]

I have come to believe that if your first statement were true, UConn would already have been invited. I also believe that a school needs to be AAU to be invited to that conference. If one gets thrown out of the AAU after the invitation, then it doesn't matter.

AAU is a preference not a requirement. Non AAU Member ND's courtship over the years dispels that myth. There is only one true requirement. Can you make the current members considerably more money by adding you? Its really not more complicated than that.

 

[dayooper]

AAU is a preference not a requirement. Non AAU Member ND's courtship over the years dispels that myth. There is only one true requirement. Can you make the current members considerably more money by adding you? Its really not more complicated than that.

It's a little more complicated than what you say, but the gist is correct. A school can't be a total academic abomination and still get in. These are Big10 presidents we are talking about here.

 

[Ldandy]

It's a little more complicated than what you say, but the gist is correct. A school can't be a total academic abomination and still get in. These are Big10 presidents we are talking about here.

Understood. I just dislike the myth that AAU Membership is a necessity. I believe a school like Uconn or Oklahoma could gain admission without AAU Status under the right set of circumstances.

 

[dayooper]

Understood. I just dislike the myth that AAU Membership is a necessity. I believe a school like UConn or Oklahoma could gain admission without AAU Status under the right set of circumstances.

I agree completely. I think the rules have changed to a certain extent with Chicago leaving the CiC and the start up of the Big10 Academic Consortium. On the flip side, any school would have to add a whole lot of money and exposure to be added.

 

[huskyrob1]

Understood. I just dislike the myth that AAU Membership is a necessity. I believe a school like UConn or Oklahoma could gain admission without AAU Status under the right set of circumstances.

AAU or no AAU, and cable boxes or no cable boxes, they were really scraping the bottom of the barrel when they invited Rutgers. Bodes well for UCONN. Lol

 

[buddy]

I guess you can say if RU made it then anyone can. Whether it bodes well or not, remains a question.

 

[atom58]

That was one reason among many that I cut the cord on DirecTV and went with Amazon Fire Stick, Sling and Kodi. No paying for the SEC Network, Big Ten Network or Pac 12 Network.

I never watched the Big Ten Network (or SEC Network) when I was forced to have them as part of DirecTV. I didn't even know which channel the BTN was on.

The Big Ten Network is not offered by Sling and the SEC and Pac 12 Networks are part of an extra sports package for ten bucks a month that I declined.

I did so for similar reasons - plus the $$ saved monthly (to be spent on other things to be sure). As a supporter of both FSU of which I am a grad and the ACC to which FSU belongs, I too had no desire to support the BTN or SEC networks.

IMHO the ground will begin to shake again in CFB around 2023-25 when several TV contracts expire. The Big 12 (really 10) will, to use Southernspeak, "have to fish or cut bait". Texas needs to decide in the words of that old song "should I stay or should I go?". They really don't have great alternatives - the Big 10 (really 14) is a midwestern conference, the Pac 12 takes them completely out of the Eastern time zone, and so that leaves the SEC which lacks the academic rating of the other conferences, and the ACC which is mainly East coast. If Texas wants to keep the Big 12 viable, they need to add two teams (to make the looming Big 12 conference game something more than another opportunity to knock a leading Big 12 team out of the 4 team CFB playoff) and enlarge the scope of the LHN to include other teams prior to the end of the contract - ESPN has lost $$ on it and it will likely be cancelled otherwise without doubt. I don't see anyone else picking up a single school network in this challenging media environment either. As for the fate of UConn, I think your leaders and the folks on this site know they have to take steps to improve the football and men's basketball programs, and to reach for AAU status. Whether the ACC or Big 10 actually will expand within the next 8 years is unknown. The main impetus for getting to 12 originally was the conference championship game which the SEC pioneered at the FBS (1-A) level, and with the NCAA approval of a Big 12 championship game, that motivation was removed, wrongly in my opinion. Of course, the AAC may gain a better TV contract in the meantime and reach near Power 6 status which would be good in case you have to stay home.

 

[buddy]

I did so for similar reasons - plus the $$ saved monthly (to be spent on other things to be sure). As a supporter of both FSU of which I am a grad and the ACC to which FSU belongs, I too had no desire to support the BTN or SEC networks.

IMHO the ground will begin to shake again in CFB around 2023-25 when several TV contracts expire. The Big 12 (really 10) will, to use Southernspeak, "have to fish or cut bait". Texas needs to decide in the words of that old song "should I stay or should I go?". They really don't have great alternatives - the Big 10 (really 14) is a midwestern conference, the Pac 12 takes them completely out of the Eastern time zone, and so that leaves the SEC which lacks the academic rating of the other conferences, and the ACC which is mainly East coast. If Texas wants to keep the Big 12 viable, they need to add two teams (to make the looming Big 12 conference game something more than another opportunity to knock a leading Big 12 team out of the 4 team CFB playoff) and enlarge the scope of the LHN to include other teams prior to the end of the contract - ESPN has lost $$ on it and it will likely be cancelled otherwise without doubt. I don't see anyone else picking up a single school network in this challenging media environment either. As for the fate of UConn, I think your leaders and the folks on this site know they have to take steps to improve the football and men's basketball programs, and to reach for AAU status. Whether the ACC or Big 10 actually will expand within the next 8 years is unknown. The main impetus for getting to 12 originally was the conference championship game which the SEC pioneered at the FBS (1-A) level, and with the NCAA approval of a Big 12 championship game, that motivation was removed, wrongly in my opinion. Of course, the AAC may gain a better TV contract in the meantime and reach near Power 6 status which would be good in case you have to stay home.

I guess you forgot how FSU and the ACC screwed UConn, after it had come off of a national championship in basketball and the Fiesta Bowl in football. Once UConn was left behind, that is when things started its downward spiral with poor coaches and bad administration. Hopefully those issues are being resolved.

 

[billybud]

Building a good team begins with recruiting....

With Rutgers and BC not looking that desirable of late, maybe the Huskies can pick up recruits who might have looked their way. Heck, maybe some of those looking at UNC or Louisville might want to avoid sanctions and they might come Northeast.

At any rate, it is all about the Jimmy and Joes as much, or more, than the X's and O's.

 

[uconnfan68]

I may be an outlier @ times because as a big college sports fan, I will chose a college game over some pro games (depending on teams playing).

I used to be a big college sports fan, but after what they all did to UConn, you couldn't pay me to watch other leagues anymore.

 

[Waquoit]

I used to be a big college sports fan, but after what they all did to UConn, you couldn't pay me to watch other leagues anymore.

I'm with you. If it's not UConn I'm not watching.

 

[The Funster]

It's not even what they did to UConn, it's the whole way they went about CR. It's an ego driven money grab, IMO, and the shortsightedness is appalling.

 

[don356]

Building a good team begins with recruiting....

With Rutgers and BC not looking that desirable of late, maybe the Huskies can pick up recruits who might have looked their way. Heck, maybe some of those looking at UNC or Louisville might want to avoid sanctions and they might come Northeast.

At any rate, it is all about the Jimmy and Joes as much, or more, than the X's and O's.

I'm not sure Rutgers and BC have a lot of football recruits that are relevant. Neither is lighting up their current conferences in football, and that is the sport that matters.

 

[CL82]

I'm not sure Rutgers and BC have a lot of football recruits that are relevant. Neither is lighting up their current conferences in football, and that is the sport that matters.

Yeah but at least they've got great basketball to fall back on. Oh, wait...