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

[jostar1]

Another national reporter:

 

[jostar1]

 

[jostar1]

 

[GG]

It's all about money. As always.

Welcome back.

 

[CL82]

If nothing else it's obvious some schools hate us for whatever reason that I don't quite understand.

 

[GampelGladiator]

They seem to think that UConn does NOT want to play football in the Big 12...

 

[GoKU]

What is it looking like from your birds eye view?

The media numbers will decide. If the presidents think UConn adds to the next media deal, they'll have the votes.

 

[ZooCougar]

They seem to think that UConn does NOT want to play football in the Big 12...

If that is what they are saying then it’s not worth watching.

 

[Drew]

The media numbers will decide. If the presidents think UConn adds to the next media deal, they'll have the votes.

The meeting today with the media consultants is critically important. I have to imagine Yormark likes the results of whatever they are planning to present to the ADs/Presidents if he’s letting this meeting go forward, you don’t gather these people together (especially at this point in the calendar) if you are planning to show them something that isn’t additive or slated to improve their current position over time

 

[FfldCntyFan]

If nothing else it's obvious some schools hate us for whatever reason that I don't quite understand.

I would phrase it as resentment, not hatred and I have a firm belief that our success from 2007-2010, along with sone comments by the only two within the school who had the ability to speak for the football program (Edsall & Hathaway) bothered quite a few schools and their fan bases.

Many saw us as a school that really didn't give a s#!t about football until we were guaranteed a spot in a then New Years day bowl conference. Edsall and Hathaway viewed bragging about having access to one of the major bowls (which many schools that had been playing competitive football for many decades did not have) as a good thing.

That we won our conference (while losing to the two worst teams in the conference, and a non-conference game to a mediocre at best Temple squad) irritated enough people that within our conference other schools were publicly lobbying to change the rules so that West Virginia could go instead of us, the committes conspired to send us to the worst possible destination for us and the narrative from shortly before that game until years afterward was that we did not belong.

We were painted as an entitled school/fan base that needed the guarantee of a reward in order to be willing to provide an effort. Sadly, beginning with Hathaway's decisions shortly after Edsall left, we've done very little to change the opinions of anyone on the outside.

 

[BlueMAB]

That we won our conference (while losing to the two worst teams in the conference, and a non-conference game to a mediocre at best Temple squad) irritated enough people that within our conference other schools were publicly lobbying to change the rules so that West Virginia could go instead of us, the committes conspired to send us to the worst possible destination for us and the narrative from shortly before that game until years afterward was that we did not belong.

are you referring to the Fiesta Bowl?

Because the reason the committee sent us there is we won the tiebreaker.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[JMick]

This furthers my confusion as to why the presidents would keep Yormark as commissioner if they don't listen to him.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

are you referring to the Fiesta Bowl?

Because the reason the committee sent us there is we won the tiebreaker.

Technically the conference, not the committee selected us (due to tiebreaker rules) and the BCS committee somehow found it in their hearts to send us to the Fiesta Bowl (while sending Kansas to the Orange Bowl).

The matchup with Oklahoma was intentional as OU wasn't going to allow a repeat of the Boise St game. The market was flooded with discounted tickets (due to Auburn being selected for the title game and the then rules requiring fans to buy tickets for both events at the venue), allowing part of the narrative being "UConn couldn't sell their allotment".

With anyone else, the effort would have been to do what would have been best for all participants. That year the effort was to make it as difficult for us as possible.

 

[CL82]

The matchup with Oklahoma was intentional as OU wasn't going to allow a repeat of the Boise St game. The market was flooded with discounted tickets (due to Auburn being selected for the title game and the then rules requiring fans to buy tickets for both events at the venue), allowing part of the narrative being "UConn couldn't sell their allotment".

Of course, the fact that's never talked about is Oklahoma didn't sell out its allotment either that year. I guess they're not fit to be a basketball power either.

(The reason had to do with the way ticket sales were set up, which effectively flooded the secondary market cheap tickets. IYKYK)

 

[HuskyHawk]

I would phrase it as resentment, not hatred and I have a firm belief that our success from 2007-2010, along with sone comments by the only two within the school who had the ability to speak for the football program (Edsall & Hathaway) bothered quite a few schools and their fan bases.

Many saw us as a school that really didn't give a s#!t about football until we were guaranteed a spot in a then New Years day bowl conference. Edsall and Hathaway viewed bragging about having access to one of the major bowls (which many schools that had been playing competitive football for many decades did not have) as a good thing.

That we won our conference (while losing to the two worst teams in the conference, and a non-conference game to a mediocre at best Temple squad) irritated enough people that within our conference other schools were publicly lobbying to change the rules so that West Virginia could go instead of us, the committes conspired to send us to the worst possible destination for us and the narrative from shortly before that game until years afterward was that we did not belong.

We were painted as an entitled school/fan base that needed the guarantee of a reward in order to be willing to provide an effort. Sadly, beginning with Hathaway's decisions shortly after Edsall left, we've done very little to change the opinions of anyone on the outside.

They don't resent us. They don't think much about us at all. People are overthinking this. It's no different than it was with the ACC.

Culturally, do we have a lot of Frats and Sororities, with game day traditions? Do we have any game day traditions for football? Do the people of Connecticut hold weddings on Saturdays in the fall? Do our HS teams still play on Saturday instead of Friday night? That what that does to our audience? Every CT HS football player and their family is often unavailable to attend or even watch our games on TV.

They know how we feel about college basketball, and I think that garners some respect. They want to see that we feel that way about football. They want us to be all-in. We say "add us and we will be", but that's a tough sell. I think the ramp-up proposal is to allow us to build what is needed, culture, not facilities. TCU and Baylor play in 45k stadiums. So does BC. KState is 50k. Colorado 50k. Houston 40k. KU's new stadium is getting smaller from 47k.

 

[Rondogg]

Of course, the fact that's never talked about is Oklahoma didn't sell out its allotment either that year. I guess they're not fit to be a basketball power either.

(The reason had to do with the way ticket sales were set up, which effectively flooded the secondary market cheap tickets. IYKYK)

This was at the same time ESPN was pushing for a Playoff...hard. They used us as reason #1 why the Bowl Championship Series was "Broken". We were the scapegoat so that they could "fix" the problem and line their pockets. Not saying the playoffs weren't needed, just that we didn't need to be singled out, we should have been celebrated as the plucky underdogs instead of the reason why College Football was broken.

 

[jostar1]

Bob Thompson
@rltsports
Principal, Thompson Sports Group LLC. a sports and media consulting firm. Former Fox Sports executive and BTN co-founder.

 

[freescooter]

I sort of liken the ramp up proposal for football as similar to our joining the Big East. There was originally a 3-4 year period that ultimately was shortened when BC Mismi and VPI left. We sort of did the same thing moving to Hockey East. We were part of that league but we took 3 years to get to a full scholarship level. We had been at 0 in our Atlantic days. What Id like to see is 4 B12 football games starting in 2026 maybe even ramping up to 6-8 by 2030.

Oh and the return of the Civil ConFLiCT. It will be great to see an old and storied rivalry return!

 

[JMick]

Do our HS teams still play on Saturday instead of Friday night? That what that does to our audience? Every CT HS football player and their family is often unavailable to attend or even watch our games on TV.

What are you even talking about

 

[freescooter]

They don't resent us. They don't think much about us at all. People are overthinking this. It's no different than it was with the ACC.

Culturally, do we have a lot of Frats and Sororities, with game day traditions? Do we have any game day traditions for football? Do the people of Connecticut hold weddings on Saturdays in the fall? Do our HS teams still play on Saturday instead of Friday night? That what that does to our audience? Every CT HS football player and their family is often unavailable to attend or even watch our games on TV.

They know how we feel about college basketball, and I think that garners some respect. They want to see that we feel that way about football. They want us to be all-in. We say "add us and we will be", but that's a tough sell. I think the ramp-up proposal is to allow us to build what is needed, culture, not facilities. TCU and Baylor play in 45k stadiums. So does BC. KState is 50k. Colorado 50k. Houston 40k. KU's new stadium is getting smaller from 47k.

The killer was that while we lost to Oklahoma the ACC champ, playing in the Orange Bowl got absolutely pasted 40-12 and Michigan got beaten 52-14 in its bowl. But it was never VPI or Michigan didn’t belong!

 

[ninety-nine]

What are you even talking about

Re: HuskyHawk's question - I checked my HS alma mater's football schedule for this season (Bristol Central). There's only one Saturday game (Nov 2), which oddly is on the same weekend UConn has a Friday night home game. The rest of Central's games are on Friday, and a few Thursday. I think that's pretty much the way it is everywhere in CT now - not many Saturday games.