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

[JohnFSilver]

The rest of the ACC would be insane not adding us right now due to all this instability. I doubt FSU is the only school with these thoughts. There will be other ACC schools once FSU tested the GOR. For the rest of the ACC schools, there is safety in numbers. If ACC is smart, they will try to think out of the box for once. I am pretty sure they are a bunch of old-school dinosaurs that only react to

UConn is like penn state searching for a league back in early 1980s. No one would touch them for whatever reason.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Listen. Ya have to have pride. If big 12 has us on deck, but passes. Dont come back.

And his idea of a national conference that is dominant in hoops is over. It’s a terrific hoops conference. But, it ain’t national.

It figures that that is where we are at.

But who has pride in where we are right now? We’re constantly mocked for being independent in football, and in this church league basketball conference. The only pride we have currently comes from winning, but we saw how quickly our basketball and football teams can strip our pride in winning.

We should always and forever be trying again to make it in if we’re passed over. This alternative might not be sustainable.

 

[jostar1]

Story about Fox destroying the Pac 12.

Canzano: TV picking apart college football

JOHN CANZANO
AUG 2, 2023

The Pac-12 is in trouble.

The conference has made some strategic errors, blown the messaging and overplayed its hand. But it still has a line of wonderful schools, excellent brands, good media markets and talented college football teams.

So why is TV reluctant to buy it?

Well, in part, because it doesn’t have to — as long as it can destroy the conference and pick apart the carcass. Fox didn’t need to make a big bid on the Pac-12’s rights. Not after it captured the Los Angeles TV market and 5.7 million television homes when USC and UCLA defected for the Big Ten. Then, last week Fox grabbed Denver via the Big 12’s acquisition of Colorado.

What’s today’s target?

Phoenix, of course.

Then, maybe the Bay Area, Seattle and Portland. On Wednesday, the Big Ten Conference presidents reportedly opened preliminary talks to explore additional expansion. They may decide to add Oregon, Washington, Stanford and Cal. It’s early there. They’re just exploring. But it’s a full-on chess game now, being played by a merry band of pirates.

One of the remaining “Four Corners” athletic directors confessed a few days ago that the negotiating landscape was difficult. He believed Arizona, ASU and Utah wanted to stick together, see commissioner George Kliavkoff’s presentation, and ideally remain in the Pac-12.

What were the threats?

Peers from other conferences trying to “take the league,” he said.

TV executives trying to “own it all,” he offered.

A “major influence” from one TV group, in particular, he noted.

What TV group exactly?

“Fox,” he said.

Did the conference and its consultants piss off Fox by asking for $50 million per school in the early part of the negotiation? Or when it asked Fox’s remote broadcast crews to show up on site to football games? Should the Pac-12 have just taken the network’s first offer and kept quiet because the alternative literally meant an existential reckoning? Are there some antitrust issues that lawmakers should unpack?

Full story is here:

Canzano: TV picking apart college football

Oregon, Washington, Stanford and Cal on block next?

www.johncanzano.com

 

[superjohn]

But who has pride in where we are right now? We’re constantly mocked for being independent in football, and in this church league basketball conference. The only pride we have currently comes from winning, but we saw how quickly our basketball and football teams can strip our pride in winning.

We should always and forever be trying again to make it in if we’re passed over. This alternative might not be sustainable.

I take a tremendous amount of pride in where we are right now. We're the best basketball program in the country. That would have been an absurd thought 30 years ago and there's no way in hell I would trade with any other school in the country.

 

[JohnFSilver]

I am stunned big 12 would want a second Utah club. I dont care about geography and mediocre football.

Seems like wheels are turning again, but UConn always seem to be on deck.

 

[Stinger92860]

Seriously, if this goes down, it will be the biggest overpayment in the history of college sports.

They took 4 of the worst properties that NO ONE wanted to pay for back WHEN they were affiliated with USC, UCLA, Oregon, Washington, Cal and Stanford.

All told, the B12 would have added WV, TCU, Cincy, UCF, Houston, BYU, Arizona, ASU, Utah and Colorado.

Added to Iowa St, Kansas St., Kansas, Baylor, Oklahoma St, and Texas Tech.

And somehow this group is going to make $50m a year.

Wow. Yormark spinning gold.

If they do this, the remnants of the ACC has a good chance of sticking.

 

[NowInStorrs]

If AZ, ASU, and Utah really are trying to move as a package deal, what's to stop Yormark from inviting UConn and then saying "We've got two more spots. Who wants em?" Something tells me the two AZ schools would leave UT behind real fast.

 

[Fishy]

Something that just crossed my mind. If B12 does go with ASU and Utah to get to 16, is there any way we miss on the round of 20 when the ACC falls apart? Wouldn’t they add us for that northeastern wing with Cuse and maybe BC? Wouldn’t surprise me if that’s Yormarks actual idea with us.

If that’s the plan, I promise that it will not happen. We’re not going to maintain this level for the next decade and a half with costs increasing and the primary source of athletic revenue for every P5 school providing us with >$5m per year.

 

[Stinger92860]

Utah population 3.3m. Water sources drying up fast.

Ypu forgot to add in climate change.

 

[lange10]

@GoKU please come back

 

[ConnHuskBask]

If that’s the plan, I promise that it will not happen. We’re not going to maintain this level for the next decade and a half with costs increasing and the primary source of athletic revenue for every P5 school providing us with >$5m per year.

I don't necessarily disagree - but we've locked up Hurley for at least half of that time frame paying him a top 5 salary in the sport. If he leaves for another program or the NBA, I don't see our options going from top 5 salary to nothing.

Football on the other hand it's tough to say - all about expectations? Get bowl eligible and not suck out loud, that's my hope. Somehow MAC schools manage to do that most years on a TV deal that pays less than the salaries of a handful of empty suits (polos?) In our AD.

 

[uchusky32]

This is a threat that will happen. In 2036. He won't be around.

 

[RSTuthill]

Listen. Ya have to have pride. If big 12 has us on deck, but passes. Dont come back.

And his idea of a national conference that is dominant in hoops is over. It’s a terrific hoops conference. But, it ain’t national.

It figures that that is where we are at.

Exactly. Don't even take their call.

 

[CL82]

Listen. Ya have to have pride. If big 12 has us on deck, but passes. Dont come back.

And his idea of a national conference that is dominant in hoops is over. It’s a terrific hoops conference. But, it ain’t national.

It figures that that is where we are at.

LOL, and go where? The ACC? Perhaps we should stay in the big east and except $.10 on the dollar until we become economically relegated to minor league status? That would teach them!

 

[CL82]

This is a threat that will happen. In 2036. He won't be around.

That isn't a question. The question is whether there is anything the ACC could do to stop that from happening. If the answer is no, and it is, then why bother making any accommodation to them whatsoever?

 

[WestCoastHusky]

With today's news, I have little confidence now the PAC will survive. This is the old Big East all over again except with FOX instead of ESPN now probably telling B1G to take the 4 schools out in the West. This could suck for UCONN. If B1G takes Washington, Oregon, Cal, and Stanford, we have to fight UTAH for the 16th spot for the B12.

This will come down to UCONN vs. UTAH. Both Oregon St and Washington State will be screwed. Can we leapfrog Utah for the 16th spot? I sure hope so, but it is hard to tell.

B12 can also go to 20 by adding Utah, Oregon St, Washington St, and SDSU, but I doubt the TV network will pay pro rata for this bunch. A few schools will be screwed. I hope it is not us.

 

[NowInStorrs]

 

[Fishy]

I don't necessarily disagree - but we've locked up Hurley for at least half of that time frame paying him a top 5 salary in the sport. If he leaves for another program or the NBA, I don't see our options going from top 5 salary to nothing.

Football on the other hand it's tough to say - all about expectations? Get bowl eligible and not suck out loud, that's my hope. Somehow MAC schools manage to do that most years on a TV deal that pays less than the salaries of a handful of empty suits (polos?) In our AD.

At some point, you can dangle whatever amount of money you want and you will still be shut off from some candidates who do not want to work outside of the power conferences. That’s just the reality of where college sports are going - the Big East will not be magically protected from it. (I think the next television negotiation will be the first wake up call.)

Football will become increasingly untenable. We exist outside of the CFP structure and while everyone will see some windfall from it, we will not.

 

[Bongo Fury]

I imagine the next BE contract will be worse than currently

 

[Huskyforlife]

At some point, you can dangle whatever amount of money you want and you will still be shut off from some candidates who do not want to work outside of the power conferences. That’s just the reality of where college sports are going - the Big East will not be magically protected from it. (I think the next television negotiation will be the first wake up call.)

Football will become increasingly untenable. We exist outside of the CFP structure and while everyone will see some windfall from it, we will not.

Mora is one more successful season away from taking on any job in the P2/3 that’ll take him if we don’t get the invite. He’s basically publicly announced he thinks conference affiliation is a big deal.

 

[Huskyforlife]

I imagine the next BE contract will be worse than currently

But that’s okay, we have our rich culture and tradition of playing Creighton and Xavier, that’s what really matters.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

At some point, you can dangle whatever amount of money you want and you will still be shut off from some candidates who do not want to work outside of the power conferences. That’s just the reality of where college sports are going - the Big East will not be magically protected from it. (I think the next television negotiation will be the first wake up call.)

Football will become increasingly untenable. We exist outside of the CFP structure and while everyone will see some windfall from it, we will not.

Why would the p5 status matter to a college hoops coach? If anything isn't getting paid a top salary while also being the top dog on a campus a benefit? I'm not so sure the p5 would break off to have their own tournament and the Big East would be excluded. There has to be more than just teams from the big ten, big 12, sec and acc in that tournament.

I do agree the next Big east tv deal is likely to be awful, so agree there.

Maybe necessitates a move to the MAC or another league that would take us as football only because you're right we get $0 from the CFP.

 

[hoopsfan22]

If I did’t have a history on this board going back to Prodigy I swear you were a troll. We provide value.

Says who? We all think we're more attractive than the rest of the world perceives. Doesn't the fact that we're constantly getting passed up in realignment give us a pretty good idea as to where we really stand?

 

[UConntLose]

The Mike Anthony article in Hearst just now posted is troubling. It makes a nice case for why UConn deserves a Big 12 invite. However it cites sources indicating that Yormark is trying to persuade the Big 12 schools that UConn makes sense. Presumably Anthony's source is someone high up in the athletic department, who has presumably been in recent communication with Yormark regarding our status. It's disappointing and concerning that we are still at the point of needing to convince the Big 12 leadership of the merits of adding UConn. Moreover this would appear to clearly refute the "we are already in" crowd who are posting that it's a done deal for UConn. Seems far from it.
Also if you don't already please consider subscribing to CT Insider/Hearst, their UConn coverage alone is worth it.

This is well said. I would call this article this late in the game not necessarily a good thing (would have liked to see this in May). Mike definitely talked to Dave or someone close to him who laid it all out there for Mike on where things stand.

What I think happened is either UConn put this in motion because their candidacy isn’t nearly as solid as it was a week or two ago (only because of the Utah cloud now in play), or Yormark told UConn to do this to put pressure on the fellow conference mates to lay it out very clearly that he wants UConn.

If this carries over into next week, we might have to commence an email blitz to the Big 12 Presidents telling them why UConn is a value add addition. I’m currently trying to get a byline I drafted placed with a CT paper on why the national perception of UConn football is flat out wrong but no luck so far. Unfortunately, the narrative of UConn football as a laughingstock has gone left unchecked for far too long so someone’s gotta do something about it (certainly our beat writers haven’t done it).

 

[JohnFSilver]

With today's news, I have little confidence now the PAC will survive. This is the old Big East all over again except with FOX instead of ESPN now probably telling B1G to take the 4 schools out in the West. This could suck for UCONN. If B1G takes Washington, Oregon, Cal, and Stanford, we have to fight UTAH for the 16th spot for the B12.

This will come down to UCONN vs. UTAH. Both Oregon St and Washington State will be screwed. Can we leapfrog Utah for the 16th spot? I sure hope so, but it is hard to tell.

B12 can also go to 20 by adding Utah, Oregon St, Washington St, and SDSU, but I doubt the TV network will pay pro rata for this bunch. A few schools will be screwed. I hope it is not us.

Rule #1

When you talk about the overall AD use these multipliers
Football 10x
MBB 2x
Baseball .5x
WBB .25x
everything else 0x.

Utah is great at skiing. UConn at Field Hockey. Nobody cares.

If Utah wasn’t in pac-10, what would they do?