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

[Fishy]

For one thing UConn doesn't have Stanford or SMU money.

Also private schools have more leeway with spending than state schools.

Our television rights are basically a rounding error at this point. Big East money is nothing. Any school offering to join for free isn’t really making enough money to matter now so what are they giving up?

Even just getting some kind of share of CFP money would likely be more than any of these schools can expect from TV rights.

 

[CL82]

Our television rights are basically a rounding error at this point. Big East money is nothing. Any school offering to join for free isn’t really making enough money to matter now so what are they giving up?

Even just getting some kind of share of CFP money would likely be more than any of these schools can expect from TV rights.

This. If you are a SMU, or any Big East team, foregoing earnings practically means foregoing your current five to $10 million earnings in order to get a bigger payday down the road. I wonder if you could reach out to other relationships, and our instance IMG/Leerfield or Nike, to see if your current brand value increases in a bigger conference thus making up, or at least reducing the differential. I guess that would depend on whether there is a change of conference out clause.

But, yeah, if you are giving up say $5 million in the big east or $10 million in the American but getting a $15 million share of college football playoff money, you are coming out ahead.

I don't like the "feel" of saying "hey we will be a member of your conference for nothing", but I see the thought process behind it.

 

[ZooCougar]

For one thing UConn doesn't have Stanford or SMU money.

Also private schools have more leeway with spending than state schools.

What’s the difference between making next to nothing and nothing.

Nothing.

 

[superjohn]

This. If you are a SMU, or any Big East team, foregoing earnings practically means foregoing your current five to $10 million earnings in order to get a bigger payday down the road. I wonder if you could reach out to other relationships, and our instance IMG/Leerfield or Nike, to see if your current brand value increases in a bigger conference thus making up, or at least reducing the differential. I guess that would depend on whether there is a change of conference out clause.

But, yeah, if you are giving up say $5 million in the big east or $10 million in the American but getting a $15 million share of college football playoff money, you are coming out ahead.

I don't like the "feel" of saying "hey we will be a member of your conference for nothing", but I see the thought process behind it.

Going from being the Beasts of the East/Big East and owning The Garden to being less than second class citizens in some other conference would destroy the UConn brand, we would be looked at as a laughingstock.

 

[nadav]

Do you understand They’re the Flagship University of the most populous state in The US with 40 million people . They have assets of $136 billion and are typically ranked as the top public academic institutions in the country and is world famous .
The only shocking thing about CaL is with that type of weight they find themselves on the outside at all .
Stanford and Cal ignored athletics as trivial entertainment for the masses or they would both be in the B1G . It demonstrates that if you want to play you better be serous

Nobody cares about Cal athletics. They averaged 2,000 fans for basketball games last year.

 

[Fishy]

This. If you are a SMU, or any Big East team, foregoing earnings practically means foregoing your current five to $10 million earnings in order to get a bigger payday down the road. I wonder if you could reach out to other relationships, and our instance IMG/Leerfield or Nike, to see if your current brand value increases in a bigger conference thus making up, or at least reducing the differential. I guess that would depend on whether there is a change of conference out clause.

But, yeah, if you are giving up say $5 million in the big east or $10 million in the American but getting a $15 million share of college football playoff money, you are coming out ahead.

I don't like the "feel" of saying "hey we will be a member of your conference for nothing", but I see the thought process behind it.

The reality of the situation is that schools are very aware that it’s over for the back of the pack schools. As soon as freaking Oregon decided to sell itself to the Big Ten for a half-share, it was over - there are no more full share seats out there. Relegation, at least in terms of UConn gaining equal footing financially with our peers, is permanent.

 

[superjohn]

The reality of the situation is that schools are very aware that it’s over for the back of the pack schools. As soon as freaking Oregon decided to sell itself to the Big Ten for a half-share, it was over - there are no more full share seats out there. Relegation, at least in terms of UConn gaining equal footing financially with our peers, is permanent.

If we continue on this path without the lawyers and gov't getting involved and football splits off it won't matter whether UConn has a seat at the table or not now, they won't have a seat at the new future table that's created.

 

[Fishy]

What’s the difference between making next to nothing and nothing.

Nothing.

It’s a hard concept to understand.

We essentially give our rights away for free in this market. I keep seeing mentions about our brand value - we give our brand away for nothing. Fox pays exactly the same for the UConn brand as it does for the Seton Hall brand.

Two ways to make money in this game - television rights and the gate.

Our TV rights are nothing and the state takes most of the gate, so what’s the value of the brand again?

 

[superjohn]

It’s a hard concept to understand.

We essentially give our rights away for free in this market. I keep seeing mentions about our brand value - we give our brand away for nothing. Fox pays exactly the same for the UConn brand as it does for the Seton Hall brand.

Two ways to make money in this game - television rights and the gate.

Our TV rights are nothing and the state takes most of the gate, so what’s the value of the brand again?

Business people like a good deal, UConn staying in the Big East is a great deal for Fox. Our football brand sucks, it's why we'll be left out no matter what if this heads towards a two conference juggernaut or whatever they create when football breaks off. Our basketball brand is great which is why we'll never be left out in basketball.

 

[Fishy]

If we continue on this path without the lawyers and gov't getting involved and football splits off it won't matter whether UConn has a seat at the table or not now, they won't have a seat at the new future table that's created.

I admire your persistent hope that we’re left behind.

We’re 99% down that path, I would say.

 

[superjohn]

I admire your persistent hope that we’re left behind.

We’re 99% down that path, I would say.

I'm a realist, if there's no intervention and the couple of mega conferences split off and do their own thing for football we'll be left behind in football as will a bunch of other schools who think they have a seat at the table.

I'm certainly rooting against it. You seem to think we'll be left behind in football and basketball, I guess you're rooting for that outcome.

 

[August_West]

I admire your persistent hope that we’re left behind.

We’re 99% down that path, I would say.

Good, let's hope we can pull that sled across the finish line. Mush, Huskies, Mush!

 

[ZooCougar]

I'm a realist, if there's no intervention and the couple of mega conferences split off and do their own thing for football we'll be left behind in football as will a bunch of other schools who think they have a seat at the table.

I'm certainly rooting against it. You seem to think we'll be left behind in football and basketball, I guess you're rooting for that outcome.

The Lawyers and the Govt are more likely to help them split.

UConn sucks at playing the game. That’s why we are going to be left out.

The Big East will help keep us in the ballpark for a little longer but eventually they/we will get shoved aside.

 

[superjohn]

The Lawyers and the Govt are more likely to help them split.

UConn sucks at playing the game. That’s why we are going to be left out.

The Big East will help keep us in the ballpark for a little longer but eventually they/we will get shoved aside.

It's all about brands there's no way UConn basketball is being left out of anything.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I doubt that there will be an actual split. They'll be able to control basically everything without splitting, they'll just further stratify the levels of competition, allowing the Big Two to receive most bids to every tournament that generates revenue.

If we end up in the BE or a decapitated ACC, in a dozen years our conference will receive two bids to the men's tournament most years, a third on rare occasions.

 

[JohnFSilver]

This. SMU boosters can support the program for years which is why they can join up for nothing for a few years.

Problem with that is long term.

 

[Fishy]

Good, let's hope we can pull that sled across the finish line. Mush, Huskies, Mush!

You are almost too stupid to post here.

 

[August_West]

You are almost too stupid to post here.

Or just stupid enough.

 

[CL82]

Going from being the Beasts of the East/Big East and owning The Garden to being less than second class citizens in some other conference would destroy the UConn brand, we would be looked at as a laughingstock.

On the other hand going from the beast of the east to some other conference and dominating it while making tens of millions of dollars more would enhance the brand. I think I get what you're saying, though. We are UConn. No one has a better men's or women's basketball Pedigree than us over the last 25 years. We should not be reduced to conference realignment expansion pitch of "take us we're free!" That said, I don't know how choosy you can be if they're may only be one life but left.

 

[CL82]

The reality of the situation is that schools are very aware that it’s over for the back of the pack schools. As soon as freaking Oregon decided to sell itself to the Big Ten for a half-share, it was over - there are no more full share seats out there. Relegation, at least in terms of UConn gaining equal footing financially with our peers, is permanent.

Tell me will be correct, though I'm not willing to concede the point yet. I would like to think that there is a path for us, even if it isn't readily apparent.

 

[LBird33]

What’s the difference between making next to nothing and nothing.

Nothing.

Hmmm I thought it was. “Next”

 

[LBird33]

You are almost too stupid to post here.

There are IQ requirements to post here. We will lose 2/3rds of the BY !!!!

 

[CL82]

There are IQ requirements to post here. We will lose 2/3rds of the BY !!!!

Hey, he said "almost". It's a pretty low bar.

 

[UConnJim]

It’s a hard concept to understand.

We essentially give our rights away for free in this market. I keep seeing mentions about our brand value - we give our brand away for nothing. Fox pays exactly the same for the UConn brand as it does for the Seton Hall brand.

Two ways to make money in this game - television rights and the gate.

Our TV rights are nothing and the state takes most of the gate, so what’s the value of the brand again?

And, donations. UConn needs to go all in on hiring top people to focus on donations for athletics as well as for the academic side.

 

[UConnJim]

By the way, it will be interesting to see how the Big 12 operates over time. Adding 8 new members and they have 2 other members who have been recent adds, TCU and West Virginia. There is little in common amongst the schools as they have come from PAC 12, old Big 12, AAC, independent, MWC, and they operate in 4 time zones (Arizona doesn’t use daylight savings time).