I wouldn’t be so fast to trash Yormark. I don’t think he used UConn to leverage other schools to join. It was clear to me from the visits that he took and the language that he used in discussing his vision for the conference that he was all in on your school.
Convincing a group of presidents to add a Northeast School known for basketball to their primarily Midwest/Southwest “Football” conference was always going to be a big challenge. Sadly BY is probably 5+years ahead of his time in how he views monetizing basketball. I do think that many of these presidents will come to see this and regret it when it becomes more clear.
Raiding/killing The PAC as a competitor was always a real thing for the Big 12. Their membership truly viewed things as an us or them scenario. Taking the four corners was always going to happen if they could do it.
I firmly believe that BY still wants UConn in The Big 12. He wants into the NE badly and ASAP. UConn delivers this better and faster than what is available in a future raided ACC. With conferences already at 18 and growing, there will be a place for you. The school and AD are too good to be shut out.
He could take us this minute if what you say is true