Jim Delaney pops the expansion balloon | Page 5 | The Boneyard

Jim Delaney pops the expansion balloon

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It's pretty high - it's like way, way into the double digits.
 
Durks07 said:
To say that UConn has NO history is incorrect. It would behoove us to emphasize it for sure. It certainly cannot hurt. However, that stadium is packed with 60,000+ in the 1920's, and sadly, on a good day, we can barely get 30,000 in Rentscheler. That is the fundamental problem. Army-Yale at that time were major players on the national stage. UConn is not regarded nationally in this way. We can built that history, and yes, a successful and nationally relevant program will work wonders. Just compare the fan intensity for basketball and football at UConn for the obvious example.

Our history is not looked at in the same way as the history of schools like Notre Dame or Texas. They are schools that played big-time national championship football throughout the history of the sport. UConn's best avenue for appealing to outside areas of the country is growing now. The schools that have a national pulse are those which either you love or hate. Alabama for instance, or ND for a better example. They generate the coverage, and eyeballs. UConn's men's basketball team does this well. You either are a fan of UConn or actively want to see them lose. Love them or hate them, people watch them.

UConn more than it's history, needs to emphasize the passion that this fanbase does have. Our basketball teams are followed with a passion that is not rivaled by very many fanbases. Expanding our football program, and garnering real national success at the highest level will be the key. CT has shown that is cares about big-time athletics. Seriously, name a state that has as many competing virulent rooting rivalries (Red Sox-Yankees, Patriots-Jets/Giants; Celtics-Knicks) and passion, as Connecticut. This state turns out (sadly, it usually requires national relevance to really generate the fan interest though).

Some of the right steps are being taken. We are already excited about Michigan coming several months from now, and we're already talking about BYU and Boise State. Marquee, big-time football is what gets the people excited. Just getting these teams to come here is big, the next step is winning those games, and building a tradition of success. That in the end will make up for any negative national perception of Connecticut as a football state.
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Actually, the Yale Bowl used to hold 72,000 for most of it's years and in the late 60's (can you say Calvin Hill and Brian Dowling) and for any Harvard games used to pack them in. A few years ago as part of a restoration project they removed all the wooden bleachers that were located around the top of the Bowl which reduced the capacity to 61,000. My father told me that as a kid they used to put wooden bleachers in the end zones of the Bowl for the Harvard games that brought the attendance up to around 76,000.
 
hthusky74 said:
Actually, the Yale Bowl used to hold 72,000 for most of it's years and in the late 60's (can you say Calvin Hill and Brian Dowling) and for any Harvard games used to pack them in. A few years ago as part of a restoration project they removed all the wooden bleachers that were located around the top of the Bowl which reduced the capacity to 61,000. My father told me that as a kid they used to put wooden bleachers in the end zones of the Bowl for the Harvard games that brought the attendance up to around 76,000.
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Not for nothing, and this discussion has made me think about it, wouldn't it be a great experience to have a deal with Yale for UConn to play a few games at the Yale Bowl (a game probably against Yale itself probably has to be included, but I'm thinking trying to schedule a game against a high-profile opponent who might enjoy the atmosphere)?
 
Durks07 said:
Not for nothing, and this discussion has made me think about it, wouldn't it be a great experience to have a deal with Yale for UConn to play a few games at the Yale Bowl (a game probably against Yale itself probably has to be included, but I'm thinking trying to schedule a game against a high-profile opponent who might enjoy the atmosphere)?
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I would have bet $1k that we'd end up here (again).
 
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If the AAU is really that big of a deal to the Big Ten, then expansion is dead because where --- are they gonna expand?

No one, but no one, is leaving the SEC. The grant of rights puts the ACC and Big 12 out of poaching range. There's nothing else.

I'm sure we'll get a 750-word rebuttal on why this isn't the case, but if the Big Ten wants to expand, there's UConn on one side and thin air on the other.

So just tell us whose d--- we gotta suck to get into the AAU and let's light this rocket.
 
juan said:
http://snyuconn.com/uconn/football/big-ten-expansion-not-dead-yet/
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I don't think UConn is in a bad position B1G wise. We are obviously one of the best remaining targets and the AAU is on the way with all of the new investments. The biggest thing is finding a suitable partner to make 16. I think Delany made it clear the East Coast is a priority so I think down the road it could be a serious possibility as long as there is another school (or 3) that makes sense for the B1G. Give it a couple of years!
 
Assume we get AAU. Who is B1G going to pair with us? There's no flagship left without a GOR. I still think there's a 1% chance at Mizzou though. The CIC money is too much to overlook.
 
UConn Dan said:
Assume we get AAU. Who is B1G going to pair with us? There's no flagship left without a GOR. I still think there's a 1% chance at Mizzou though. The CIC money is too much to overlook.
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Two Things.

There is talk that because of SECN, they may sign a GOR.

The CIC does not make the schools money. It facilitates the cooperation needed to land more grants. Quite often schools go together to apply for a grant. The CIC helps with this, which in a round about way gets you more money.:)
 
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I do hold out slight hope here. Everyone keeps tip toeing around dead, not dead, etc. The one thing I take out of all of this is that there is still conversation about realignment. I have to feel if the main stream media keeps talking about it and the talking heads from the conference keep responding to the questions to the national media, there has to be something to it. How many articles have there been recently about breaking away from the NCAA. I feel like ADs/Delany what just tell the reporters not to waste their breath if they weren't valid questions. Hell, McMurphy is still tweeting about it. I don't think he would add to the rumor mill if there wasn't at least some substance to the overall conversation on continuing conference realignment. It may not be the talk we want but there is none the less plenty of talk.
 
ScottBonz said:
I do hold out slight hope here. Everyone keeps tip toeing around dead, not dead, etc. The one thing I take out of all of this is that there is still conversation about realignment. I have to feel if the main stream media keeps talking about it and the talking heads from the conference keep responding to the questions to the national media, there has to be something to it. How many articles have there been recently about breaking away from the NCAA. I feel like ADs/Delany what just tell the reporters not to waste their breath if they weren't valid questions. Hell, McMurphy is still tweeting about it. I don't think he would add to the rumor mill if there wasn't at least some substance to the overall conversation on continuing conference realignment. It may not be the talk we want but there is none the less plenty of talk.
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Agreed.

Indiana Athletics Director Fred Glass on expansion: “If we stay at 14, I’d be a happy camper. But if there’s some people who are interested that the commissioner and the leadership of the conference think makes sense, I think it would be foolish not to be open to that.” http://thegazette.com/2013/05/15/indiana-ad-everyone-has-expansion-fatigue/

UCONN needs to press their case why they make sense and how they fit this goal set forth by Jim Delany.

“I can’t speak for others, but we’ve been focused on making a home in a new region, making new members feel at home in this region,” Delany said Wednesday. “Everything we’ll do competitively and in television and in bowls is to bring, as quickly as we can, a level of comfort. “The Eastern corridor is the richest corridor in the world from the standpoint of financial institutions, political institutions, media institutions, and we’re new to it. So if we can build relationships, make friends and be impactful and relevant over time, that’s the goal.” http://btn.com/2013/05/15/delany-on-expansion-dead-is-a-strong-word/
 
Irish Loop said:
Lack of fans.

Even when we were winning 8 games a year and splitting BE Championships, we had trouble packing a 40,000 person stadium. Ask most local Connecticut residents about UConn Football and their eyes glaze over.

I don't know what we need to do to get more butts in the seat, but until we have that, nothing else is going to matter.
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It would have been helpful if the prior AD (who was the incumbent during the brief and minimal successful period we had in football) had done something to promote the program.
 
B1GALUM said:
Agreed.

Indiana Athletics Director Fred Glass on expansion: “If we stay at 14, I’d be a happy camper. But if there’s some people who are interested that the commissioner and the leadership of the conference think makes sense, I think it would be foolish not to be open to that.” http://thegazette.com/2013/05/15/indiana-ad-everyone-has-expansion-fatigue/

UCONN needs to press their case why they make sense and how they fit this goal set forth by Jim Delany.

“I can’t speak for others, but we’ve been focused on making a home in a new region, making new members feel at home in this region,” Delany said Wednesday. “Everything we’ll do competitively and in television and in bowls is to bring, as quickly as we can, a level of comfort. “The Eastern corridor is the richest corridor in the world from the standpoint of financial institutions, political institutions, media institutions, and we’re new to it. So if we can build relationships, make friends and be impactful and relevant over time, that’s the goal.” http://btn.com/2013/05/15/delany-on-expansion-dead-is-a-strong-word/
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Great info. UCONN needs to position itself to be part of the B1G. Just about all the UCONN fans want B1G over the ACC. I just hope UCONN does not stay in the AAC too long. I get the feeling AAC association will be detrimental to our overall athletic program. UCONN academics are already better than half of the B1G. UCONN athletic budget is right there with some of the B1G schools. We got the media markets and we bring two top notch basketball programs. Our football stadium can easily go to 65K if we join the B1G. Susan has us on the path to AAU in the near future. All we need now is B1G sending us an invite.
 
I choose to believe that statements like Delaney's are an indicator that realignment is not over and that we are on the B1G's radar. I choose to believe that because the alternative is so bleak that I would require meds on a daily basis.
 
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We are definitely the most prominent object on their radar. The challenge is being invited into the armada.
 
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