Key tweets, and it's all gone to Hell.

[Chuck]

Translation: We are waiting for an actual offer from the B12, and we will sign it before the ink is dry.

Probably, but I think the hedging was to make it clear that he was also saying... "but don't try to screw us coming in. We're in a good, if not ideal, spot. We're not interested in Big12 minus football. We're not interested in huge buy-in fees or partial shares from the Big12 or ACC. We'll move, but we aren't desperate (like we were in the AAC)." Unless, of course, it's the Big 10 or SEC making an offer, then we're all in with just about any terms (but I can't see that happening).

 

[noeynox]

UConn would definitely agree to join the B12 if asked The question is what if they don't take football, or if football is given only four or five games a year in the B12 rather than full membership. Or, if the ACC asks us too, Then we would be like a popular person asked by more than one person to the prom. We would have to choose,

I know it's a tough question if given the choice, but personally, i would choose the 12 for two reasons. I think going forward they will be the more stable of the 2 leagues. I don't see any schools there that the B1G or SEC would target. Maybe Kansas and B1G but i doubt it. 2nd the ACC has played UConn for years.

Ill say again the Big 12 should try and scoop UConn and SDSU. You would take a potential school away from both the PAC and ACC, thus strengthening themselves as the 3rd best conference going forward. SDSU is believed to be waiting on a PAC offer, however i heard Dellenger say that if they don't notify the MW of their intent to leave before July 1st their exit fee triples from 15 to 45 million. The PAC will not add anyone until their TV deal is resolved and that is not expected to resolve itself until August.

The timing seems right For the Big 12 to slide in and pluck SDSU right from under the PAC's nose with a take it or we move on to another CA school (Fresno) offer.

 

[NH Husky]

Probably, but I think the hedging was to make it clear that he was also saying... "but don't try to screw us coming in. We're in a good, if not ideal, spot. We're not interested in Big12 minus football. We're not interested in huge buy-in fees or partial shares from the Big12 or ACC. We'll move, but we aren't desperate (like we were in the AAC)." Unless, of course, it's the Big 10 or SEC making an offer, then we're all in with just about any terms (but I can't see that happening).

I think there could be two approaches to achieving the end goal of B1G.
1. Accept a Big 12 offer. Invest in football. And hope to be appealing to B1G (in ten years)
Or
2. Keep sports in Big East. Work with leftovers from ACC debacle and create a regional football only conference. Possible members: Syracuse, BC, Pitt, Marshall, Buffalo, UMass, Temple, Navy, Army, Duke, Wake, GT…. And hope to be appealing to the B1G (in ten years)

 

[Exit 4]

I think there could be two approaches to achieving the end goal of B1G.
1. Accept a Big 12 offer. Invest in football. And hope to be appealing to B1G (in ten years)
Or
2. Keep sports in Big East. Work with leftovers from ACC debacle and create a regional football only conference. Possible members: Syracuse, BC, Pitt, Marshall, Buffalo, UMass, Temple, Navy, Army, Duke, Wake, GT…. And hope to be appealing to the B1G (in ten years)

1 and 2 are on the horizon. I’ll take whichever arrives first… can’t take chances waiting for one over the other.

 

[Stinger92860]

I think there could be two approaches to achieving the end goal of B1G.
1. Accept a Big 12 offer. Invest in football. And hope to be appealing to B1G (in ten years)
Or
2. Keep sports in Big East. Work with leftovers from ACC debacle and create a regional football only conference. Possible members: Syracuse, BC, Pitt, Marshall, Buffalo, UMass, Temple, Navy, Army, Duke, Wake, GT…. And hope to be appealing to the B1G (in ten years)

You may have missed #3, build a stadium on campus or my personal favorite, retractable dome for the rent, lol, 40K for basketball.

 

[CL82]

I think there could be two approaches to achieving the end goal of B1G.
1. Accept a Big 12 offer. Invest in football. And hope to be appealing to B1G (in ten years)
Or
2. Keep sports in Big East. Work with leftovers from ACC debacle and create a regional football only conference. Possible members: Syracuse, BC, Pitt, Marshall, Buffalo, UMass, Temple, Navy, Army, Duke, Wake, GT…. And hope to be appealing to the B1G (in ten years)

One of those approaches leaves the school with $360 million more in media money over that 10 year period. I think I would lean that way.

 

[Storrs South]

 

[NH Husky]

One of those approaches leaves the school with $360 million more in media money over that 10 year period. I think I would lean that way.

I hear ya
But option 2 still has money from the Big East and a regional football only conference centered in the most densely populated corridor in the country should be able to negotiate some decent payout.
And would have less travel costs, similar culture, and more interesting rivalries to keep the fan bases interested.

 

[Kolumbo]

Here's an interesting graphic

 

[CL82]

I hear ya
But option 2 still has money from the Big East and a regional football only conference centered in the most densely populated corridor in the country should be able to negotiate some decent payout.
And would have less travel costs, similar culture, and more interesting rivalries to keep the fan bases interested.

So, those numbers are actually quantified. Right now the Big East media contract is worth about 4 million a School. When we left the American Susan Herbst said that we were saving about 2 million in travel costs per year.

Keep in mind that in addition to the media money that big 12 members receive, they also receive money for being part of the college football playoffs and had considerable NCAA credits. It's a big difference.

 

[CL82]

Here's an interesting graphic

AAU is the key metric. Manipulating the US News and World Report rank eight places is fairly easy to do.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I hear ya
But option 2 still has money from the Big East and a regional football only conference centered in the most densely populated corridor in the country should be able to negotiate some decent payout.
And would have less travel costs, similar culture, and more interesting rivalries to keep the fan bases interested.

Please explain why the "ACC leftovers", schools who assuredly would remain together as an all sports conference (as they would not have a better option) would take on football only members?

 

[Kolumbo]

AAU is the key metric. Manipulating the US News and World Report rank eight places is fairly easy to do.

And I don't think being "Top 60" has any significance especially when you have so many privates up there. Kansas, Arizona, Colorado, UConn, it's all good.

 

[Big Loubowski]

Can anyone with access summarize this?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

AAU is the key metric. Manipulating the US News and World Report rank eight places is fairly easy to do.

I'm not sure that AAU membership is necessary but we absolutely need to close the gap quite a bit from where we are today vs AAU members.

 

[UConn Dan]

Can anyone with access summarize this?

It’s a good article and everyone should read it I’d they can. Here’s the main takeaways:

>>

Yormark continues to explore his options for expanding the Big 12 into a 14- or 16-member conference going forward. Nothing seems imminent in terms of extending invitations to new members, but the first-year commissioner is doing his homework and UConn is one of several schools on his radar, Big 12 sources told The Athletic.

>>

UConn men’s basketball’s title run this spring certainly sparked more interest for Yormark, and the school is viewed as a potential good fit for several strategic reasons. Championship-caliber men’s and women’s basketball tournaments are certainly high on that list of pros, but so is the opportunity to establish more of a presence in the New York City market.

How would UConn football fit? The Huskies are coming off one of their best seasons in quite some time. Jim Mora pulled off a dramatic turnaround in his debut season, winning six games and getting the program to a bowl game for the first time since 2015. The Huskies haven’t finished with a winning record since they were Big East co-champs in 2010 and played Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. They’ve hired six head coaches since then and have lost nine or more games in seven of their last nine seasons. But if they were given the resources and platform that the Big 12 offers, could they become a more legitimate program by the end of the decade?

>>

One challenge for Yormark, if he determines UConn is part of his plan, would be building consensus among his board of Big 12 presidents and chancellors. There’s some skepticism among league sources about whether UConn would become accretive in value for the conference. Yormark has enjoyed strong support from his board to pursue what he thinks is best since he was hired last July. It’s easy for presidents and ADs to get on board with importing Pac-12 schools and the value they would drive as full-share members. But going in this direction would likely take much more discussion and convincing.

 

[CoastAtlantic]

 

[ConnHuskBask]

How would UConn football fit? The Huskies are coming off one of their best seasons in quite some time. Jim Mora pulled off a dramatic turnaround in his debut season, winning six games and getting the program to a bowl game for the first time since 2015. The Huskies haven’t finished with a winning record since they were Big East co-champs in 2010 and played Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. They’ve hired six head coaches since then and have lost nine or more games in seven of their last nine seasons. But if they were given the resources and platform that the Big 12 offers, could they become a more legitimate program by the end of the decade?

P, Diaco, Edsall, Mora? Are they counting Weist and Loose Panels?

 

[Exit 4]

It’s a good article and everyone should read it I’d they can. Here’s the main takeaways:


Yormark continues to explore his options for expanding the Big 12 into a 14- or 16-member conference going forward. Nothing seems imminent in terms of extending invitations to new members, but the first-year commissioner is doing his homework and UConn is one of several schools on his radar, Big 12 sources told The Athletic.


UConn men’s basketball’s title run this spring certainly sparked more interest for Yormark, and the school is viewed as a potential good fit for several strategic reasons. Championship-caliber men’s and women’s basketball tournaments are certainly high on that list of pros, but so is the opportunity to establish more of a presence in the New York City market.

How would UConn football fit? The Huskies are coming off one of their best seasons in quite some time. Jim Mora pulled off a dramatic turnaround in his debut season, winning six games and getting the program to a bowl game for the first time since 2015. The Huskies haven’t finished with a winning record since they were Big East co-champs in 2010 and played Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. They’ve hired six head coaches since then and have lost nine or more games in seven of their last nine seasons. But if they were given the resources and platform that the Big 12 offers, could they become a more legitimate program by the end of the decade?


One challenge for Yormark, if he determines UConn is part of his plan, would be building consensus among his board of Big 12 presidents and chancellors. There’s some skepticism among league sources about whether UConn would become accretive in value for the conference. Yormark has enjoyed strong support from his board to pursue what he thinks is best since he was hired last July. It’s easy for presidents and ADs to get on board with importing Pac-12 schools and the value they would drive as full-share members. But going in this direction would likely take much more discussion and convincing.

Conclusion; we are a verified candidate school....its not a maybe or possible secret candidate, but a known candidate.

And so with that on the table, it goes back to the same order of process; first the P12 must settled itself and then after that the B12 can pivot with a few possible scenarios. Maybe decisions/analysis/etc takes up the fall of 2023 and then in the spring of 2024 there is action.

My guess is that the AD David Benedict preferred B12 scenario is UConn all sports + Nova, St Johns and Gtown which seems like a tough sell to current B12 schools unless Fox has some keen insights on why it makes good long term sense. The fact the ACC is teetering, WV will be on the lookout for Pitt / Louisville / others to rescue adding more resistance to the hybrid model.

What chaos for the next 12 months.

 

[UConn Dan]

P, Diaco, Edsall, Mora? Are they counting Weist and Loose Panels?

I know that turned my head too, but they're definitely counting the interims too:

Pasqualoni
Weist
Diaco
Edsall
Spanos
Mora

 

[shizzle787]

Absence of a full ACC invite, I would prefer an Olympic sports ACC invite and to play 5 ACC football games a year. It’s unlikely but that would be my preference. I think we would probably get 10-15 million per year in that arrangement, which is better than the Big East but not as good as the Big 12.

 

[jostar1]

 

[noeynox]

Does this change people's minds about the Big 12?

 

[giddyup]

One of those approaches leaves the school with $360 million more in media money over that 10 year period. I think I would lean that way.

This is about as complicated would you like $360M or $70M and $70M doesn’t pay your bills and the does.

 

[Kolumbo]

Some people did in the replies to his tweet.

Josh Gattis@speed_in_space
·
4h
UConn has 25k undergraduate students and is a land grant R1 state university with a major agricultural program.

It has infinitely more in common as a school with West Virginia, Kansas, KSU, ISU, etc than it does with Creighton, Marquette, and Xavier.

This is a no brainer.

Stewart Mandel@slmandel
·
4h
You may be right. It comes down to what does UConn want to be as an athletics brand. When it went back to the Big East it signaled at the time they were pretty much punting on football. Putting that program in the Big 12 would be a significant 180.

CardiffGiant11@CardiffGiant11
·
4h
no stewart. they went back to the big east because the aac was doing them no favors, the cash was not that good, and no offense to fans of the new schools, the aac has been on a downward trajectory with the further loss of UCF Cincy and Houston.

Josh Gattis@speed_in_space
·
4h
Exactly. People act like we chose the Big East over the ACC. It was literally either stay in a league with Tulsa, Rice and Charlotte or at least go to a big basketball league with some regional teams and buy time to build momentum.

Nothing screams big time like Rice football!


CardiffGiant11@CardiffGiant11
·
4h
exactly! the constant parroting of “gave up on football” is such bs and frankly a great example of a confirmation bias.

I like the banter over there but darn I wish there were at least a reason for it. Let's get an invite and then debate why accepting it before the words were spoken was the right call.