How the cookie crumbles where we land in the B1G.

[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...

 

[buddy]

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

And not paying not to watch either!

 

[ivrytontusker]

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.

What they "did" to UConn? First of all, if UConn had a competent football program nobody would be able to "do" anything to UConn. Being good at the sport that matters protects you from being the victim of petty jealously, i.e. that coming from BC and Syracuse.

The other teams in the ACC didn't conspire to keep UConn out. In my experience, most FSU, Miami, Clemson and VT types think of UConn as a women's BB school. When you hear "UConn" on television it is almost always now something to do with women's BB. Since women's BB has no comparative value at almost every school there is little interest in adding a women's BB school. They wanted a school with a solid FB program (which Louisville has); they didn't keep us out because of grudges. The BB schools in the league (UNC and Duke) wanted us in. I know from talking to people in ND athletics that ND doesn't object to UConn joining. And so on.

This post sort of illustrates one of the problems here. CT types care so little about college FB that fans will refuse to watch big-time college football games because of what everyone else "did" to UConn. So long as there is no market for college FB here, why would any league want UConn?

 

[buddy]

What they "did" to UConn? First of all, if UConn had a competent football program nobody would be able to "do" anything to UConn. Being good at the sport that matters protects you from being the victim of petty jealously, i.e. that coming from BC and Syracuse.

The other teams in the ACC didn't conspire to keep UConn out. In my experience, most FSU, Miami, Clemson and VT types think of UConn as a women's BB school. When you hear "UConn" on television it is almost always now something to do with women's BB. Since women's BB has no comparative value at almost every school there is little interest in adding a women's BB school. They wanted a school with a solid FB program (which Louisville has); they didn't keep us out because of grudges. The BB schools in the league (UNC and Duke) wanted us in. I know from talking to people in ND athletics that ND doesn't object to UConn joining. And so on.

This post sort of illustrates one of the problems here. CT types care so little about college FB that fans will refuse to watch big-time college football games because of what everyone else "did" to UConn. So long as there is no market for college FB here, why would any league want UConn?

I am sorry, but they did conspire to keep UConn out. UConn football was on an upward track when CR was at its peak as well as success in men's and women's basketball. Behind the scenes action by BC, Miami, Syracuse and Pitt led to the ultimate demise of the Big East. Then joining them later to be against UConn was FSU, Clemson, NC State and G Tech because football tanked after Randy left the first time following the Fiesta Bowl game. If winning matters, remember that UConn actually beat Louisville in football at Louisville right before Louisville was invited over UConn to the ACC, thanks to FSU. UConn's AD at that time was also overconfident that an invite was coming, and failed to pursue the bid until the ink was on the paper. (I know there are a lot of lovers of the former AD here, but I believe that no one can deny that a major error was made here). Finally, to respond to the quote of competent football, you seem to have forgotten that Cuse was bottom dweller in football in the BE for a while at that time. If competence mattered as well, I doubt that RU would be in the B1G right now.
Now the situation appears to be even worse for UConn athletics.

 

[billybud]

I am positive that FSU and the football schools of the ACC voiced concerns and opinions.

With Swofford's agenda of making the conference palatable to everyone so as to make his mission to procure a GOR succesful, I am also positive that he sold the football school's point of view to the President's.



“I said if you want to back up your words with action, this is how you do it,” Swofford said. “With the grant of rights.”

At some schools, such as Duke, support was immediate and came without question.

Others, like Florida State trustees who had become wary of the ACC, were skeptical. And some, like North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham, wanted to ensure league schools gained something out of the grant of rights, aside from increased stability.

Swofford mostly communicated with schools by phone. Often, he was on the line with an athletic director, or with a university president. Sometimes he preferred face-to-face communication.

That was the case with leaders from Florida State. For years, speculation about Florida State’s future had become nearly as much a part of the culture as the Seminoles’ home football game tradition of planting a flaming spear at midfield.

Some FSU supporters, tired of the ACC’s mediocre reputation in football, encouraged the university to explore leaving.

Convincing Florida State to agree to the grant of rights was critical to Swofford, who acknowledged that he made, “oh, just a couple” of trips to Tallahassee to speak with university leaders.


Soooo,,,Yes, I think that FSU's desire to strengthen the football side of the conference probably played in...and FSU was comfortable with Louisville. They had played all non football sports together in the Metro Conference while FSU was a football independent.

 

[CL82]

This post sort of illustrates one of the problems here. CT types care so little about college FB that fans will refuse to watch big-time college football games because of what everyone else "did" to UConn.

Oh my god, that's it? If we just get the guys who are UConn only football fans to watch other teams games and we're it? Wow, that was easy!

 

[nd73]

What they "did" to UConn? First of all, if UConn had a competent football program nobody would be able to "do" anything to UConn. Being good at the sport that matters protects you from being the victim of petty jealously, i.e. that coming from BC and Syracuse.

The other teams in the ACC didn't conspire to keep UConn out. In my experience, most FSU, Miami, Clemson and VT types think of UConn as a women's BB school. When you hear "UConn" on television it is almost always now something to do with women's BB. Since women's BB has no comparative value at almost every school there is little interest in adding a women's BB school. They wanted a school with a solid FB program (which Louisville has); they didn't keep us out because of grudges. The BB schools in the league (UNC and Duke) wanted us in. I know from talking to people in ND athletics that ND doesn't object to UConn joining. And so on.

This post sort of illustrates one of the problems here. CT types care so little about college FB that fans will refuse to watch big-time college football games because of what everyone else "did" to UConn. So long as there is no market for college FB here, why would any league want UConn?

People in ND A.D.? Really? I know actual large donors and they no nothing about what ND plans are.

 

[ivrytontusker]

Oh my god, that's it? If we just get the guys who are UConn only football fans to watch other teams games and we're it? Wow, that was easy!

I said it was one of the problems, I never said it was sufficient. You don't think a bigger fanbase for UConn football would help?

People in ND A.D.? Really? I know actual large donors and they no nothing about what ND plans are.

These are not "plans." They are positions about UConn being admitted into the ACC. Ask the big donors you know (1) if they think ND would object to UConn joining the ACC; and (2) why they continue to donate to what has become a sh-tty football program.

 

[CL82]

I said it was one of the problems, I never said it was sufficient. You don't think a bigger fanbase for UConn football would help?

Ah, I see.

No, no I still don't.

Explain to me again (well for the first time, actually) why some UConn fans not watching other team's games is what is keeping us from being in the P5.

 

[ivrytontusker]

Ah, I see.

No, no I still don't.

Explain to me again (well for the first time, actually) why some UConn fans not watching other team's games is what is keeping us from being in the P5.

I never said it is "what" is keeping from the P5. Having a lousy FB program is what is keeping us from being in the P5. I think not watching other games because the other schools were being mean to us, or whatever, is stupid, and I think greater interest in the rest of the sport would help getting to the P5.

In general, not watching other "big" CFB games (i.e. games between ranked teams) reflects a disinterest in college football. Greater interest in college football in CT would make UConn more attractive because it would improve the value of the TV markets that UConn brings to the table. It would also help build a culture of college football in the state.

I assume you've been to the basketball boards. Notice how there are game threads for other big games in those sports? There is a huge interest in MBB or WBB in general. Not accidental.

You think that if ratings for other CFB were higher it wouldn't help UConn's case at all? Do you think the people making the case for UConn would not mention it, or think that it would matter?

 

[huskymedic]

I assume you've been to the basketball boards. Notice how there are game threads for other big games in those sports? There is a huge interest in MBB or WBB in general. Not accidental.

Not that it's a significant gauge of anything but there are game threads each weekend in the fall for non-UConn football games on the UConn Football forum.

 

[CL82]

I never said it is "what" is keeping from the P5. Having a lousy FB program is what is keeping us from being in the P5. I think not watching other games because the other schools were being mean to us, or whatever, is stupid, and I think greater interest in the rest of the sport would help getting to the P5.

In general, not watching other "big" CFB games (i.e. games between ranked teams) reflects a disinterest in college football. Greater interest in college football in CT would make UConn more attractive because it would improve the value of the TV markets that UConn brings to the table. It would also help build a culture of college football in the state.

I assume you've been to the basketball boards. Notice how there are game threads for other big games in those sports? There is a huge interest in MBB or WBB in general. Not accidental.

You think that if ratings for other CFB were higher it wouldn't help UConn's case at all? Do you think the people making the case for UConn would not mention it, or think that it would matter?

I think that is the profoundly tortured attempt at logic I have ever seen.

 

[ivrytontusker]

I think that is some of the profoundly tortured attempt at logic I have ever seen.

So if the NHL got big ratings in Hartford, you don't think that the city would point that out when making their pitch to the NHL?

 

[Ewekon]

A business mentor of mine once advised me to look at things in this way, from a prospect's point of view: "Your emergency is not my problem". No one cared if I was at 90% of goal and needed a sale or what have you because they wanted to keep their jobs and not protect mine.

There is one AD in America who cares about our shat bag situation and the others (P5) don't. Worse yet, some still hold grudges and are territorial (BC, exCuse). Only UConn can help UConn and as far as I can tell it is more in HCRE's hands than Ollie's and certainly not Geno's.
I'd go so far as to say that we fans (by showing up and supporting football) are more important than any element beside or perhaps along side of football success. And this from a men's basketball guy that goes to almost every home football game and a few roadies to boot.

Non AAU status may be a problem in B1G terms, but academics in the ACC officially became a joke with the addition of LVille.

 

[billybud]

And athletics officially became a joke in the Big Ten with the addition of Rutgers?

 

[billybud]

I still think that the B1G whiffed when they added Rutgers instead of UConn...

AAU is an artificial construct...if Notre Dame was available, think that the B1G would say.."well, you aren't an AAU university. Go fish."?