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

[UConnJim]

I think you have to look at the big picture with UConn's revenues. Basketball revenues were weakening with the school in the AAC and the men's team in a decline. Stabilizing and improving basketball revenues and performance became a top priority and it has been accomplished. Remember, the tweet is about last year's revenues and this year ticket revenues for both men and women has seen improvement.

Football revenues and performance have started to improve since Mora arrived, but much more needs to be done. I do think UConn has invested more in football, but we need to continue to invest to improve performance. It's a virtuous cycle: invest in football leads to better performance which leads to higher revenues which leads to more investment which leads to better performance which leads to higher revenues... At the present time, the AD needs to lean on sponsors and donors to increase the investment in football.

And, I look at it this way. Right now, UConn could compete in the Big 10 in all sports with the exception of football at current spending levels. (I know UConn is not getting a Big 10 invite.) But it's pretty clear that if UConn gets an invite to a P4 conference, the increase in revenues could go primarily into football.

 

[ZooCougar]

For you and me?

Little pink houses for you and me.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

If we had P5 football media revenue to spend we would spend it most of it/almost all of it on football - just like all the other P5 schools. Most P5 schools break even (plus or minus) within their AD's. Only the top (about 15 schools I believe; there might be a few non-state schools that don't have to report their financials) of the P5 FB food chain actually report a profit from athletics. So, the idea of mapping us to P5 schools in terms of overall/football spending is a fool's errand.

 

[JohnFSilver]

If we were an 8-10 win team the stadium would be packed and people wouldn't care if we spent more money. Given the results of the last decade I don't blame people who think spending $1 on the program is too much.

That is the issue. You want results before investment.

Duke, NC, Kansas — all basketball schools, spend more on football than basketball.

There are 130 FBS football teams. Only 1 spends more on basketball than football. There is a reason UConn is the last independent and stuck in this conference purgatory. They aren’t spending Enough on football, and conversely aren’t generating enough revenue and are not winning enough.

The program is under performing in the field, in revenue generation and in media marketing.

Lastly, if football became good do you guys really think people would be happy about that? Or, pissed that it is stepping On basketball?

Think about stakeholders.

It’s a weird thing at UConn. Since the move in 2003, there has always been a movement to have the team stay in its lane and not eclipse the hoops programs in resources.

My professional opinion is that the program is underperforming in all aspects but has a lot of potential.

I just question if everyone in the AD department and UConn universe wants them to realize that potential.

 

[John]

It’s a weird thing at UConn. Since the move in 2003, there has always been a movement to have the team stay in its lane and not eclipse the hoops programs in resources.

My professional opinion is that the program is underperforming in all aspects but has a lot of potential.

I just question if everyone in the AD department and UConn universe wants them to realize that potential.

There's a vocal and misinformed minority of basketball fans who don't give damn what goes on with the rest of the athletic department and think the basketball program operates in some kind of magical vacuum. I'm guessing we have one of the only major fanbases in college athletics where people actively root against their own school's programs.

 

[Kolumbo]

It's really very simple. There is only one public athletic department in the entire country which is in a power basketball conference but not in a power football conference. Yes, UConn is the only school that is able to successfully spend more on basketball than on football. Ergo irrevocably concurrently inexorably Well Done UConn.

 

[JMick]

That is the issue. You want results before investment.

Duke, NC, Kansas — all basketball schools, spend more on football than basketball.

There are 130 FBS football teams. Only 1 spends more on basketball than football. There is a reason UConn is the last independent and stuck in this conference purgatory. They aren’t spending Enough on football, and conversely aren’t generating enough revenue and are not winning enough.

The program is under performing in the field, in revenue generation and in media marketing.

Lastly, if football became good do you guys really think people would be happy about that? Or, pissed that it is stepping On basketball?

Think about stakeholders.

It’s a weird thing at UConn. Since the move in 2003, there has always been a movement to have the team stay in its lane and not eclipse the hoops programs in resources.

My professional opinion is that the program is underperforming in all aspects but has a lot of potential.

I just question if everyone in the AD department and UConn universe wants them to realize that potential.

Yes I think nowadays if we were good, people would be happy because it would give them hope of joining a power conference. At this point all of the influential people understand the need to be in a power conference. And you can't compare our spending to teams bringing in 30mm+ on their media deals. It's unreasonable.

Yes there are dumb fans who would rather be in the Big East than the SEC - but they're dumb. They don't have a say no matter how important they think they are to their 500 Twitter followers.

I feel like we get too wrapped up in the Twitter and media sphere when at this point anyone related to the program who knows anything realizes that the whole thing is a joke. I'm not sure there's another fanbase or athletic department that understands the impact of conference realignment like ours does. Maybe SMU but how does their move look in five years when the ACC is toast?

Utahs football coach basically spat on the Big XII on their way in proclaiming they'll be in the B1G soon and ASU got dragged kicking and screaming by Arizona.

I think the administration under Dave gets it. The problem seems to be that a whole bunch of other schools presidents, ADs and BOTs are straight up clueless. And we can't fix that.

 

[John]

It's really very simple. There is only one public athletic department in the entire country which is in a power basketball conference but not in a power football conference. Yes, UConn is the only school that is able to successfully spend more on basketball than on football. Ergo irrevocably concurrently inexorably Well Done UConn.

It's not something to brag about.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Yes I think nowadays if we were good, people would be happy because it would give them hope of joining a power conference. At this point all of the influential people understand the need to be in a power conference. And you can't compare our spending to teams bringing in 30mm+ on their media deals. It's unreasonable.

Yes there are dumb fans who would rather be in the Big East than the SEC - but they're dumb. They don't have a say no matter how important they think they are to their 500 Twitter followers.

I feel like we get too wrapped up in the Twitter and media sphere when at this point anyone related to the program who knows anything realizes that the whole thing is a joke. I'm not sure there's another fanbase or athletic department that understands the impact of conference realignment like ours does. Maybe SMU but how does their move look in five years when the ACC is toast?

Utahs football coach basically spat on the Big XII on their way in proclaiming they'll be in the B1G soon and ASU got dragged kicking and screaming by Arizona.

I think the administration under Dave gets it. The problem seems to be that a whole bunch of other schools presidents, ADs and BOTs are straight up clueless. And we can't fix that.

I think you are wrong when you say if football was good people would be happy to get in a power conference. I think there is a sizeable
Minority of basketball only fans that would prefer football lose.

I want to ask you something. If UConn won in football in the aac, you think UConn goes back to the big east and goes Indy?

UConn basketball people look at UConn football as a threat. Benedict is doing a good job of trying to bridge fanbases and people, but no other AD department in the country is this fractured.

Football people
Basketball people
Women basketball people.

Football really is a problem for the school here. They went D1, but the financial commitment waned and there are people who prefer to focus all resources on hoops

 

[JohnFSilver]

This is just untrue. Back in 2011, UConn spent almost double on football than on basketball. The biggest problem in football that UConn has control over is attendance. You have to put a better product on the field to draw fans. And, the AD has to lean on sponsors and donors to help increase the investment to make that happen.

Jim. That is true, and that started a war at end of Hathaway regime that Manuel had to try and fix

They absolutely have not provided resources since they have went to the aac on football.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I think you are wrong when you say if football was good people would be happy to get in a power conference. I think there is a sizeable
Minority of basketball only fans that would prefer football lose.

I want to ask you something. If UConn won in football in the aac, you think UConn goes back to the big east and goes Indy?

UConn basketball people look at UConn football as a threat. Benedict is doing a good job of trying to bridge fanbases and people, but no other AD department in the country is this fractured.

Football people
Basketball people
Women basketball people.

Football really is a problem for the school here. They went D1, but the financial commitment waned and there are people who prefer to focus all resources on hoops

If UConn football was dominate in the AAC we would have already been poached .
That was the exclusive league to audition for prime time
Of the original. AAC only three teams are not in power conferences
USF
Temple
UConn

Of the original 9 UConn was considered the best prospect at the time. "

 

[nelsonmuntz]

If UConn football was dominate in the AAC we would have already been poached .
That was the exclusive league to audition for prime time
Of the original. AAC only three teams are not in power conferences
USF
Temple
UConn

Of the original 9 UConn was considered the best prospect at the time. "

If UConn had joined the Big East instead of the AAC when the old Big East came apart, it would be in a power conference right now.

 

[CL82]

It's really very simple. There is only one public athletic department in the entire country which is in a power basketball conference but not in a power football conference. Yes, UConn is the only school that is able to successfully spend more on basketball than on football. Ergo irrevocably concurrently inexorably Well Done UConn.

Given this year's tournament selections snubs to Seton Hall, and St. John's, you have to wonder whether Connecticut is in a "power basketball conference". When you have the Selection committee chairman saying no team in a major conference with 13 conference wins didn't get selected for the tournament, even even though Seton Hall did, it sure seems like that is not the case. We will have to see if this year was a one off.

 

[CL82]

Minority of basketball only fans that would prefer football lose.

You've said this often over the years. I find it hard to believe. People may prefer basketball to football. People may think that football draws off resources from basketball and want to drop the program. But I think, if any actually wants to have a football program that loses.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

If UConn had joined the Big East instead of the AAC when the old Big East came apart, it would be in a power conference right now.

Why do you say that when, as said here, most of the original AAC members got into a Power 5 conference? We failed to take it seriously.

I do blame Herbst and her rock star, Manuel, for not doing enough to get UConn into the ACC a dozen years ago when we were the leading candidate. (And UConn just named a building after Susan!)

 

[Ha Who]

You've said this often over the years. I find it hard to believe. People may prefer basketball to football. People may think that football draws off resources from basketball and want to drop the program. But I think, if any actually wants to have a football program that loses.

I agree, that was a comment from someone who seems like they had too many concussions over the years

 

[MilliniumPrince]

You've said this often over the years. I find it hard to believe. People may prefer basketball to football. People may think that football draws off resources from basketball and want to drop the program. But I think, if any actually wants to have a football program that loses.

I know several, and I just don't understand their mindset.

 

[Ha Who]

I know several, and I just don't understand their mindset.

Everyone I know supports both

 

[JMick]

I think you are wrong when you say if football was good people would be happy to get in a power conference. I think there is a sizeable
Minority of basketball only fans that would prefer football lose.

I want to ask you something. If UConn won in football in the aac, you think UConn goes back to the big east and goes Indy?

UConn basketball people look at UConn football as a threat. Benedict is doing a good job of trying to bridge fanbases and people, but no other AD department in the country is this fractured.

Football people
Basketball people
Women basketball people.

Football really is a problem for the school here. They went D1, but the financial commitment waned and there are people who prefer to focus all resources on hoops

I dont think it's a sizable minority. I think it's a loud minority and I doubt any of them are decision-makers. There are a lot of apathetic people but I don't think many are left that are actively against the football program. The people that have a say understand the stakes. Saying we don't provide resources is just untrue. We're competing at the top of the G5 for resources. We'd be middle of the pack for "P4" spending if we had the media dollars. You can't compare our spending to the programs that bring in over $30m just on media alone. I'm not sure how that's hard to grasp.

 

[coachcap]

You've said this often over the years. I find it hard to believe. People may prefer basketball to football. People may think that football draws off resources from basketball and want to drop the program. But I think, if any actually wants to have a football program that loses.

There are those who have wanted to kill off the football program for decades. In the mid-70s it was the soccer crowd. UConn had a home game at Memorial Stadium against the St. Louis Billikins (then a national powerhouse) & fans of the men's soccer team were calling for the demise of the football team & the redirection of resources to the soccer program.
When Boston University & Northeastern d/ced their gridiron teams, again there was an uptick of anti-football sentiment. The building of the RENT, along with the upgrade to 1-A (now FBS) status put the anti-football sentiment on simmer. It only started heating up again after FHCRE's defection to Maryland & the subsequent bungling by Hathaway, Pasqualoni, Red Pants, & FHCRE-II.

 

[UConnJim]

Jim. That is true, and that started a war at end of Hathaway regime that Manuel had to try and fix

They absolutely have not provided resources since they have went to the aac on football.

I agree that they didn't spend enough on football, but I disagree with your analysis. UConn's media revenues declined when they went to the AAC and so did revenues for tickets from football, basketball, and women's basketball. Thus, the AD deficit went up. And, the AD was flailing in the AAC even though football spending was still higher than basketball spending due to the poor football coaching hires. Ollie ended up not working out and there was the large financial settlement with him and they hied Hurley. When it became apparent that Hurley was successful, they dramatically boosted his salary. Between the Ollie payment and the payment for success, the basketball spending ballooned at the same time that men's basketball revenues increased. When UConn moved to the Big East, virtually all media revenues and NCAA money came from men's basketball so it made sense to invest in basketball. Football revenues have been static and so has investment. The only way for football investment to go up would be for sponsors and donors to increase investment and the AD has to get moving on that.

Many people seem to forget that in the late 2000s, more people attended UConn football games than either men's or women's basketball games. And, the tension that was felt between basketball supporters and football supporters centered around the facility upgrades for the 2 programs. Basketball supporters felt that UConn needed a state of the art practice facility, but the focus of the AD had been on building the football facilities. That changed after the football practice facility was completed and then the basketball practice facility was built.

 

[How Sway?!]

That is the issue. You want results before investment.

Duke, NC, Kansas — all basketball schools, spend more on football than basketball.

There are 130 FBS football teams. Only 1 spends more on basketball than football. There is a reason UConn is the last independent and stuck in this conference purgatory. They aren’t spending Enough on football, and conversely aren’t generating enough revenue and are not winning enough.

The program is under performing in the field, in revenue generation and in media marketing.

Lastly, if football became good do you guys really think people would be happy about that? Or, pissed that it is stepping On basketball?

Think about stakeholders.

It’s a weird thing at UConn. Since the move in 2003, there has always been a movement to have the team stay in its lane and not eclipse the hoops programs in resources.

My professional opinion is that the program is underperforming in all aspects but has a lot of potential.

I just question if everyone in the AD department and UConn universe wants them to realize that potential.

I wonder what's the outlier between UConn, NC, Kansas and Duke?

Might it be the extra 25-30 million they get from tv revenues, or the fact that none of them have the greatest women's basketball coach of all time that must be compensated as such?

I get that there are some loud people that would like to kill off the football program to stay in the BE, but they are in the vast vast minority. If you need proof, go to the men's bball board and ask if they wouldn't take a B12 invite or B1G right now? Or the Women's board.

If you want people to show up to football games, you need to put a competitive product. With the amount we are already spending, that should be a given.

 

[noeynox]

Jim. That is true, and that started a war at end of Hathaway regime that Manuel had to try and fix

They absolutely have not provided resources since they have went to the aac on football.

This was clear when Warde and Sue, told everyone that UConn fans needed to learn to support FB whether they were winning or losing. The losing had yet to really get rolling, but the crowds were starting to get smaller toward the end of Ps 2nd year.

 

[CL82]

There are those who have wanted to kill off the football program for decades. In the mid-70s it was the soccer crowd. UConn had a home game at Memorial Stadium against the St. Louis Billikins (then a national powerhouse) & fans of the men's soccer team were calling for the demise of the football team & the redirection of resources to the soccer program.
When Boston University & Northeastern d/ced their gridiron teams, again there was an uptick of anti-football sentiment. The building of the RENT, along with the upgrade to 1-A (now FBS) status put the anti-football sentiment on simmer. It only started heating up again after FHCRE's defection to Maryland & the subsequent bungling by Hathaway, Pasqualoni, Red Pants, & FHCRE-II.

Oh, I get the argument, though I think it's misplaced, that people would rather see the money spent towards football applied to other programs. But I don't think anyone wants us to continue to have a football program that loses. That would be the worst of all possible worlds. So the notion that people are actually rooting for Connecticut football to lose, I think is ill founded.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

We are all familiar with the phrase that football drives the bus in college sports. UConn can't ignore its football program.