I'm More Convinced Than Ever: UConn & UVA to the B1G

[CAHUSKY]

Of course it matters. The BTN is not free TV, it's a subscription, people pay to watch it and they're not gonna pay for something they're not gonna watch.

. Stop man. You're either insane, mentally I'll or 11 years old. They pay whether the want yo or not. Just stop.

 

[NickyNewark]

Winning has a lot to do with it. No one will watch a loser repeatedly unless they are a hardcore fan and unfortunately there are not a lot of them to pony up for a BTN subscription, not enough for the conference to make money. As many have said the B1G inviting Rutgers was a colossal mistake, and begs the question who has more hardcore fans Rutgers or UCONN?

In FB? RU by a mile.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

. Stop man. You're either insane, mentally I'll or 11 years old. They pay whether the want yo or not. Just stop.

Currently, you are correct, but that landscape is in flux. The real question is are the people paying for all that stuff the cable company tells them they have to pay for happy doing so. Cause if they're not, sooner or later, they're going to find a way to kick the cable company in the nuts. I currently use Dish. When I got them, the carried SNY. Now they don't. The providers reserve the right to switch offerings on and off. Surely they realize I'd like to be able to do the same. Am I happy with Dish? I'll give you a hint: the answer starts with "N" ends with "O" and has some "F" stuff in the middle. Ultimately people want to be entertained. Winning is more entertaining than losing. That's why winning matters.

 

[whaler11]

Of course it matters. The BTN is not free TV, it's a subscription, people pay to watch it and they're not gonna pay for something they're not gonna watch.

This is why so much of what you post is off the rails. You don't get this is not reality.

 

[whaler11]

In FB? RU by a mile.

Speaking of mentally ill... yesterday UConn was 'were' (sic), today it's defend Rutgers blindly in an insane fashion.

 

[NickyNewark]

Currently, you are correct, but that landscape is in flux. The real question is are the people paying for all that stuff the cable company tells them they have to pay for happy doing so. Cause if they're not, sooner or later, they're going to find a way to kick the cable company in the nuts. I currently use Dish. When I got them, the carried SNY. Now they don't. The providers reserve the right to switch offerings on and off. Surely they realize I'd like to be able to do the same. Am I happy with Dish? I'll give you a hint: the answer starts with "N" ends with "O" and has some "F" stuff in the middle. Ultimately people want to be entertained. Winning is more entertaining than losing. That's why winning matters.

Winning always matters but IMO having a rabid fanbase esp in a major media market matters more(NY Mets)...people like to win but follow there team win or lose! I know I do as an long suffering fan of you know who lol!! I love UConn,the NY Giants and Phil Mickelsen but if RU's on thats who I'm watching and I'll bet you guys are the same!?! Delany,the B1G and the Chicago research firm said of all the 15 school's in their studies only ND brought more value than RU. You guys know how I try not to touch on this 1 topic but huskyRob1 is talking through blue colored glasses or uninformed or just plain bitter. The facts speak for themselves.btw I sympathize with you're cable provider plight...that sux!!

 

[Hoophound]

Yes, but RU's value is in the market bringing TV sets, not it's rabid fan base. ND on the other hand, is valuable because of actual fans.

 

[CL82]

Hartford is a long way from NYC. Do you realize that Rutgers is closer to Manhattan than Rentschler is to Storrs? And you don't even need your car to go to a game!

For last year's game at Rutgers, thousands of Arkansas fans stayed in NYC, took a train directly from Penn Station and arrived on campus in New Brunswick within the hour. They enjoyed the tailgating, then the game, and returned to their hotel in Times Square for dinner.

Not only is Rutgers a sleeping giant, but the proximity to NYC makes the gameday experience incredibly unique for the visiting team. I was on the train with them back to the city. These are people who had traveled to see their team all over the country, and it was like they were in Disney World in spite of the fact that their team lost the game. Some were seeing a Broadway show; others had plans to go to the Statue of Liberty. Heck, one guy asked me how to take the train from New Brunwick to Philadelphia because he was a history buff and knew he was only 60 miles away.

New Brunswick is firmly within the NYC metro area. Our radio, tv, and newspapers all come from NY. The station that covers our games is a NYC station. It lies 10 miles west of the city limits and 36 miles from Midtown. There is direct train service several times an hour from New Brunwick station to Penn Station. You can see the new WTC tower from the higher floors of New Brunswick's office buildings (I'm told you can see it from the upper deck of the stadium as well, though I haven't verified this myself). Can we put this argument to rest?

There are 22 million people in the NYC metro area. This number includes about 7.5 million people in Northern NJ (the state has 9 million). It includes many people from Connecticut (Fairfield), but NO ONE from Hartford or Storrs.

A lot of east coasters don't realize that the proximity of the Bos/NY/Phila/DC metroplex is unique. For a mid-wester driving 5 hours to someplace isn't a big deal. Having seen games Rutger's stadium, I don't think it is a particularly nice venue. The stadium is fine but it doesn't have an on campus atmosphere nor is it a great tailgating venue, but I see the point about how it could be an attractive road trip. I hadn't thought about that before.

FWIW, I think only 3.5 million reside in North Jersey, not that that matters for the point that you were making.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

A lot of east coasters don't realize that the proximity of the Bos/NY/Phila/DC metroplex is unique. For a mid-wester driving 5 hours to someplace isn't a big deal. Having seen games Rutger's stadium, I don't think it is a particularly nice venue. The stadium is fine but it doesn't have an on campus atmosphere nor is it a great tailgating venue, but I see the point about how it could be an attractive road trip. I hadn't thought about that before.

FWIW, I think only 3.5 million reside in North Jersey, not that that matters for the point that you were making.

depends on how you slice NJ up. If you use a "traditional" counties that identify with New York vs. those that identifiy with Phila., it's about 6.4MM north and 2.4MM south.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Hartford is a long way from NYC. Do you realize that Rutgers is closer to Manhattan than Rentschler is to Storrs? And you don't even need your car to go to a game!

For last year's game at Rutgers, thousands of Arkansas fans stayed in NYC, took a train directly from Penn Station and arrived on campus in New Brunswick within the hour. They enjoyed the tailgating, then the game, and returned to their hotel in Times Square for dinner.

Not only is Rutgers a sleeping giant, but the proximity to NYC makes the gameday experience incredibly unique for the visiting team. I was on the train with them back to the city. These are people who had traveled to see their team all over the country, and it was like they were in Disney World in spite of the fact that their team lost the game. Some were seeing a Broadway show; others had plans to go to the Statue of Liberty. Heck, one guy asked me how to take the train from New Brunwick to Philadelphia because he was a history buff and knew he was only 60 miles away.

New Brunswick is firmly within the NYC metro area. Our radio, tv, and newspapers all come from NY. The station that covers our games is a NYC station. It lies 10 miles west of the city limits and 36 miles from Midtown. There is direct train service several times an hour from New Brunwick station to Penn Station. You can see the new WTC tower from the higher floors of New Brunswick's office buildings (I'm told you can see it from the upper deck of the stadium as well, though I haven't verified this myself). Can we put this argument to rest?

There are 22 million people in the NYC metro area. This number includes about 7.5 million people in Northern NJ (the state has 9 million). It includes many people from Connecticut (Fairfield), but NO ONE from Hartford or Storrs.

I graduated from UConn and now live in NJ and have many friends and neighbors who went to Rutgers. Thus, I have no issue with Rutgers being in the B1G based on the fact it was for the money. In fact, I do not think UConn has a remote chance getting into the B1G if Rutgers is not there already. I also agree that based on location and HS recruiting in the area, Rutgers has had and continues to have a lot of potential. Unfortunately for Rutgers, it is currently being led by the 3 Stooges – Hermann, Barchi, and Christie. Thus, that potential appears to be far, far, far, away. While at the same time, and this is where the rub is, UConn has been very, very successful with 3 national championships in 2013/4 alone.

One question though, you said Arkansas fans took a train to the football game from Manhattan. Did they have buses that run from the New Brunswick train station to High Point Stadium (or the RAC)? It’s a not an easy 3 mile hike from the train station and that part of Rutgers’ campus to the campus where the football stadium is. The route involves crossing the river on an old narrow bridge or on a small side walk on a 4 lane highway bridge. Plus, once across the Raritan, the most direct route to the stadium, River Road, which is a heavily travelled, boulevard like road with 4 lanes of divided, high speed traffic, has no sidewalks. I would not make that hike, especially carrying tailgate gear and/or at night. Everyone I know who has tickets drives to the game.

 

[NotreDameJoe]

Winning has a lot to do with it. No one will watch a loser repeatedly unless they are a hardcore fan and unfortunately there are not a lot of them to pony up for a BTN subscription, not enough for the conference to make money. As many have said the B1G inviting Rutgers was a colossal mistake, and begs the question who has more hardcore fans Rutgers or UCONN?

Tribal loyalty fuels college football and makes the tradition. Minnesota has been poor since the 1950s and the locals still pack the stadium.

I'm not so sure about this. You could contractually separate TV license fees from membership. You agree to transfer broadcast rights to the conference, period. The conference will disperse media revenue to all members in good standing, period. The two may not necessarily be tied together, lawyers?

What I haven't heard much about is the extent of these rights. Are they conference games if you are not in the conference? I've always assumed the TV deals apply to home games and the conference deals to conference home games.

So say UVA leaves for the B1G. How many UVa FB games can the ACC sell to ESPN? My guess is 4 or 5 plus OOC home games at the most. It would not be too difficult to minimize the effect. Close neutral site road games, marquee conference games on the road for the duration of the GOR, etc.

Generally a school starts out with the rights to her home games, the visiting team is just paid a sum of money. In conference deals both the home and visiting teams have sold their rights to the conference who in turn sold them to the network. The ACC in the 2nd deal sold all of the football games while allowing schools to retain some of their bball games (that was what irritated FSU because their Tier 3 football games have more value). I think the newest deal may have evened that out by selling everything.

So in your hypo, the right to 7 of UVA's home games are claimed by the ACC who had sold them to ESPN. Now Fox or whoever can't air them. UVA's away games with the ACC don't happen so they are not owned, but UVA may still owe damages to the party that won't get to host the Cavs in their stadium.

I'm sure IRL that doesn't happen and the BUG just buys UVA out of their contract with the ACC/ESPN. The dispute would be over how much money, not the specific performance. It's effectively an exit fee.

 

[Seaa Blue]

Last year the Rutgers board discussed all the Arkansas fans on the trains. And yes, I believe they had a bus running to the stadium.

 

[Seaa Blue]

So in your hypo, the right to 7 of UVA's home games are claimed by the ACC who had sold them to ESPN. Now Fox or whoever can't air them. UVA's away games with the ACC don't happen so they are not owned, but UVA may still owe damages to the party that won't get to host the Cavs in their stadium.

Presumably there is an out clause that would cover that. Either way it would interesting for any former host to try to show actual damages if they were able to backfill.

 

[whaler11]

I always enjoy reading the legal strategy for Virginia's exit from a conference they don't want to leave.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

I always enjoy reading the legal strategy for Virginia's exit from a conference they don't want to leave.

Yet.

 

[whaler11]

Yet.

Well if they leave it's because others left first so they won't need the Boneyard Legal Associations help.

 

[Seaa Blue]

I always enjoy reading the legal strategy for Virginia's exit from a conference they don't want to leave.

Understood. I've been having a hard time wrapping my head around the concept of Virginia leaving for B1G when their AD and fan-base seem to be very happy with where they're at.

 

[Kolumbo]

Understood. I've been having a hard time wrapping my head around the concept of Virginia leaving for B1G when their AD and fan-base seem to be very happy with where they're at.

Fan base? From what I've read, the Maryland fan base would much rather remain in the ACC.

 

[Seaa Blue]

Fan base? From what I've read, the Maryland fan base would much rather remain in the ACC.

I think the "going away" party thrown by the ACC has helped warm them up to B1G.

 

[SAMCRO]

Well if they leave it's because others left first so they won't need the Boneyard Legal Associations help.

The BLA, an LLP. I think you're on to something here.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Well if they leave it's because others left first so they won't need the Boneyard Legal Associations help.

Wasn't touting a need for UVA to consult with the BLA, but that UVA doesn't want to leave the ACC yet. Since Maryland has already left, your assertion that UVA will only leave after others have seems assured.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Understood. I've been having a hard time wrapping my head around the concept of Virginia leaving for B1G when their AD and fan-base seem to be very happy with where they're at.

Happy for now.

 

[whaler11]

Wasn't touting a need for UVA to consult with the BLA, but that UVA doesn't want to leave the ACC yet. Since Maryland has already left, your assertion that UVA will only leave after others have seems assured.

Because Virgina is the same as Maryland. And there is no way the Big 10 would know who is interested and who isn't.....

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Because Virgina is the same as Maryland. And there is no way the Big 10 would know who is interested and who isn't.....

huh?

 

[Gampeltiles]

Huh? The Rent is 25 miles from Storrs. Piscataway is about 41 miles from Manhattan.

Hadn't you heard? The entire Rutgers campus is being relocated to the Meadowlands.