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

[ninety-nine]

ESPN has us on a leash. They feed us kibble and have no interest in letting us run free and reach our potential. They're the enemy in our midst. They want to keep us down.

 

[businesslawyer]

So, if rumors are true that the TV networks - NAMELY THE ONE IN OUR BACK YARD GETTING CONNECTICUT TAX BREAKS - end up being a significant reason that the expansion is being halved from four to two and we aren't in the two while we may have had a much stronger case getting in the four, then we can unequivocally blame once and for all ESPN for UConn AD's potential demise.
Feel free to tell me where I'm being overly dramatic here.

And having the right to "unequivocally blame once and for all ESPN" gets you what exactly?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

And having the right to "unequivocally blame once and for all ESPN" gets you what exactly?

It's time for the state to start backing a different corporate horse. ESPN is on the wrong side of history anyway.

 

[8893]

And having the right to "unequivocally blame once and for all ESPN" gets you what exactly?

The ability to enter a Family Dollar store in a niqab?

 

[JSM1970]

Honestly, as a private business trying to maximize revenues and profits purposely excluded UConn if they have a business model that says going to 4 and including UConn would increase both?

In theory the governor should have placed incentives for tax credits based on supporting UConn's P5 entrance

And having the right to "unequivocally blame once and for all ESPN" gets you what exactly?

 

[CL82]

And having the right to "unequivocally blame once and for all ESPN" gets you what exactly?

A sense of moral superiority?

I'm just spitballing here.

I'm waiting for us actually to be left out before I summon up a pitchforks and torches post. I do resent that ESPN hasn't helped us in the past when it was within their ability to do so. I do think that their failure to do so, if that is the case, ought to be when they ask for any future largesse from the State of Connecticut. They took millions from taxpayers. Leaving UConn outsided the P5 cost Connecticut taxpayers millions more.

 

[UC313]

And having the right to "unequivocally blame once and for all ESPN" gets you what exactly?

Someone to blame.
Someone to hate.
Someone to direct my ire at.

 

[CL82]

Someone to blame.
Someone to hate.
Someone to direct my ire at.

Hmmn, very lyrical. I feel like there's a song in there somewhere.

 

[UC313]

Hmmn, very lyrical. I feel like there's a song in there somewhere.

Phil Anselmo would work for me.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I don't know if muckraking is part of this process but I hope someone at UConn is pointing out how 2 big knocks on UConn apply to BYU as well. Also highlight how UConn culturally fits much better

 

[huskymedic]

UH banks on joining big leagues to 'sustain' athletics spending

 

[RedStickHusky]

ESPN has us on a leash. They feed us kibble and have no interest in letting us run free and reach our potential. They're the enemy in our midst. They want to keep us down.

ESPN is the man. We can't let the man keep us down.

 

[Dooley]

In theory the governor should have placed incentives for tax credits based on supporting UConn's P5 entrance

It's going to cost ESPN to add more teams. I sure hope our Governor would "incent" them to add UConn by offering some sort of financial package as long as UConn is one of the schools added. It's not like UConn's data metrics doesn't completely support a $30M/yr payout. This would be more of a incentive to pay UConn full and fair market value.

 

[junglehusky]

Key tweets, and it's all gone to Platinum gold silver bronze tin discussion

 

[Marty Jackson]

And having the right to "unequivocally blame once and for all ESPN" gets you what exactly?

You are a lawyer... A case couldn't be made to sue them?

 

[Dooley]

I don't think lawsuits are the answer. What I'd like to see a not-so-subtle reminder from our elected state officials that the hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks have come on the backs of Connecticut taxpayers...many of whom are UConn alumni and/or fans. Something I would really like to see is an offer of tax credit on UConn's portion cost to be added to an ESPN produced Power conference league.

 

[noeynox]

Dissent is permitted, and so is pointing out that you sound like a .

If you go expansion candidates boards, uconn is dogs hit, so if that is what someone wants to read they could certainly do,that there and not whine here.

 

[Dooley]

ESPN deserves every ounce of ire it gets from UConn fans after they make statements to the affect of "adding G5 schools will water down the conference". For most schools, yes that is correct. But when UConn is lumped in with these bottom feeders with AD budgets about 1/2 ours, that's when our brand and reputation are put at risk. That devalues our product and puts any future attempts to get out of this trash heap at serious risk.

Tax credit for UConn entry seems fair. First, it's not like a FedEx buying Memphis into the conference with lousy metrics. Second, we support a $30M/yr payout. Only BYU can say the same. If ESPN adds BYU and UConn, the two most valuable brands and only schools who can support a $30M/yr payout, and they get a tax credit on UConn's portion of the payout, it would be like ESPN is paying for 1 or 1.5 schools. To me, that's a win-win for the B12, ESPN, FOX (gets to come east), BYU, and UConn.

UC, Memphis, Houston, UCF, USF, CSU, Boise...all of them have serious work to do to get to a P5 payout point at $30M/yr. All of them are in the $30-$50M/yr AD budget range and have some form of deficiency in athletics, academics, or market penetration (namely - do they own their home market?). BYU and UConn are the only two that check all of the boxes, so to speak.

 

[WestHartHusk]

If you go expansion candidates boards, uconn is dogs hit, so if that is what someone wants to read they could certainly do,that there and not whine here.

Thanks for quoting me before I edited , I realized that post was a bit harsh.

 

[ninety-nine]

So, I went to a boxing match last night, and a conference realignment message board broke out! Ba-da-bing.

 

[FDNY99]

You say blame ESPN but then say don't. Do not really know where you stand.

I don't think he does either

 

[djct1999]

It's easy. Help get us in or get out.

 

[Waquoit]

ESPN is the man. We can't let the man keep us down.

If we want to be the man, we have to beat the man.

 

[Alum86]

ESPN deserves every ounce of ire it gets from UConn fans after they make statements to the affect of "adding G5 schools will water down the conference". For most schools, yes that is correct. But when UConn is lumped in with these bottom feeders with AD budgets about 1/2 ours, that's when our brand and reputation are put at risk. That devalues our product and puts any future attempts to get out of this trash heap at serious risk.

Tax credit for UConn entry seems fair. First, it's not like a FedEx buying Memphis into the conference with lousy metrics. Second, we support a $30M/yr payout. Only BYU can say the same. If ESPN adds BYU and UConn, the two most valuable brands and only schools who can support a $30M/yr payout, and they get a tax credit on UConn's portion of the payout, it would be like ESPN is paying for 1 or 1.5 schools. To me, that's a win-win for the B12, ESPN, FOX (gets to come east), BYU, and UConn.

UC, Memphis, Houston, UCF, USF, CSU, Boise...all of them have serious work to do to get to a P5 payout point at $30M/yr. All of them are in the $30-$50M/yr AD budget range and have some form of deficiency in athletics, academics, or market penetration (namely - do they own their home market?). BYU and UConn are the only two that check all of the boxes, so to speak.

UDM Doolz. Thanks for the homework on this. If it is BYU and Cincy in a 2 team only scenario we know it is perception, not reality.

 

[CL82]

ESPN deserves every ounce of ire it gets from UConn fans after they make statements to the affect of "adding G5 schools will water down the conference". For most schools, yes that is correct. But when UConn is lumped in with these bottom feeders with AD budgets about 1/2 ours, that's when our brand and reputation are put at risk. That devalues our product and puts any future attempts to get out of this trash heap at serious risk.

Tax credit for UConn entry seems fair. First, it's not like a FedEx buying Memphis into the conference with lousy metrics. Second, we support a $30M/yr payout. Only BYU can say the same. If ESPN adds BYU and UConn, the two most valuable brands and only schools who can support a $30M/yr payout, and they get a tax credit on UConn's portion of the payout, it would be like ESPN is paying for 1 or 1.5 schools. To me, that's a win-win for the B12, ESPN, FOX (gets to come east), BYU, and UConn.

UC, Memphis, Houston, UCF, USF, CSU, Boise...all of them have serious work to do to get to a P5 payout point at $30M/yr. All of them are in the $30-$50M/yr AD budget range and have some form of deficiency in athletics, academics, or market penetration (namely - do they own their home market?). BYU and UConn are the only two that check all of the boxes, so to speak.

Why should we have to buy our entry. Did 'cuse? Did Pitt. ESPN is the architect of misfortune and the financier of our despair. They have suffered no consequence for that. Working to give us a soft landing is the least they should do.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

UConn's economic impact on CT > ESPN so they can go suck a wang

 

[Dooley]

Why should we have to buy our entry. Did 'cuse? Did Pitt. ESPN is the architect of misfortune and the financier of our despair. They have suffered no consequence for that. Working to give us a soft landing is the least they should do.

I know, I hear you. It would sahq. Different economic times, I suppose. Cuse and Pitt got off the derailment early. The supply/demand is really not in our (or any G5) favor any more. And it's only going to get much worse the longer we are trapped.

 

[jostar1]

Joseph Duarte ‏@Joseph_Duarte · 5h5 hours ago  Bastrop, TX
. @UHouston banks on joining big leagues to 'sustain' athletics spending
UH banks on joining big leagues to 'sustain' athletics spending

Last June, when reports of a possible Big 12 expansion surfaced, Khator wrote to UH vice president of intercollegiate athletics Hunter Yurachek: "We need to get going fast."

UH officials spent weeks drafting and perfecting a brochure, which touted UH's academic and athletic strengths, to give to officials in the bigger conferences.

Khator conducted in-person meetings with eight of the 10 Big 12 university presidents, and Yurachek met in person or had phone calls with every Big 12 athletic director. Khator and Yurachek conducted an in-person meeting with Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany in Chicago. Yurachek met with Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott in San Francisco.

Khator exchanged at times flattering emails with several university leaders in the Big 12, including Fenves at UT and E. Gordon Gee at West Virginia, who visited UH's main campus last November.

"Just writing to say hello in case you are in Houston, let me know," Khator wrote to TCU chancellor Victor Boschini in February. "The football season turned out very interesting for both of us. I loved your game against Baylor particularly. In any event, it would be lovely to see you again."

In a September 2015 email exchange, Kansas State president Kirk Schulz congratulated Khator on UH's football win over Louisville.

"A nice statement for your football program," wrote Schulz, who has since left for Washington State.

Late last year, Khator asked her chief of staff to have UH's communications team send holiday cards to all of the Big 12 presidents, Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby and Big Ten commissioner Delany.

Costly athletics arms race

Emails show UH leaders firmly engaged in a competitive arms race among colleges to best position themselves for an invite to the elite athletic conferences. In June 2015, Memphis - another contender for a Big 12 spot - tweeted about a major announcement regarding new football and basketball venues. UH athletics director Yurachek wrote to Khator: "We need to push forward and formally announce a Hofheinz (Pavilion) renovation in the next 3-6 months." By November, UH announced plans for a $60 million renovation of its basketball arena that is set to begin this spring.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

We need Houston to be a viable #4 option. No way they are in if its 2. No way we're out if it's 4. At least that's IMHO.

 

[JMick]

....

UH officials spent weeks drafting and perfecting a brochure, which touted UH's academic and athletic strengths, to give to officials in the bigger conferences.

yeah that 6 year graduation rate of 48% is something to be proud about.