Every train I've taken into NYC for the BET, And every bar I've gone into is dominated by Big East fans, all fired up for the tournament and all talking back-and-forth. Now, if you're saying that in the city of nearly 9,000,000 people, there are many non-fans, then in a city of a half million, I'm sure you're right, but pretty much none of them are hanging out in the bars around MSG.
Madison Garden holds 20,000 people. Maybe you could have 40,000 or so people interested in BET out of 9 million. So interest is only in the handful of bars around Madison Square Garden. For example I was in town for the Super Bowl when it was held at Giants Stadium. You could not go anywhere in the city without someone talking about the Suoerbowl. NYC is a professional sports town.
I think best situation is we stay big time in Basketball both men’s and women’s. That is where UConn will have the most success by extracting more money from NCAA basketball tournament. Football will be a lost cause since not enough interest in New England. But again UConn can be a top team in basketball.
I'm inclined to agree, but if any power conference offers us, we say yes before they finish the sentence.
I think the ACC is our best bet going forward. BET is fine, I'm not complaining about it. I do think saturation matters, the percentage of people interested in college sports of a particular conference. Before the defections the Big East had better saturation than it does now. Big XII doesn't have it anymore with the programs that left. ACC more or less still has it in North Carolina, for now. SEC has pretty good saturation across most of the south.
I agree. Once FSU and Clemson leave the focus of the conference will be basketball. That is a perfect fit for UConn. SEC will always be football focus and in my opinion not a good fit for UConn.
Probably, it depends on what's left and what the media deal is.
That's why I said "attempted mass exodus". You're right - there are not enough seats at the table outside the ACC for the 7 to be accommodated. It will be like a scene out of Casablanca at Rick's Cafe Americain. There will be a lot of intrigue and skulduggery by the remnants of the ACC to get letters of transit to a P-2 conference headquartered in Lisbon... (Sorry about the Casablanca reference, but somehow I picture the Syracuse AD being a dead ringer for Peter Lorre.)
Yes, because the world is flat, and there's a danger of falling off the edge just west of the Hudson River.
It depends how many more teams the Big XII would take. If I'm the Big XII I want to get as many big state schools as I can from the leftover ACC to try and position myself as P3. Let the state legislators get all pissy at the idea of being left out of the top and let them be the conferences shield.
I see it
The Super Bowl had more fans than the Big East Tournament? You don’t say.
If I'm Cincy or WVU, I wouldn't leave the Big12 for a depleted ACC.
By all accounts WVU has not been happy in the Big XII. I think if they could get Cinci to move with them and be reunited with Pitt and Louisville, they would.
That could be, but I think Louisville and Pitt would rather go to the Big12 than stay in a depleted ACC and if/when they could depart, that would cement Cinci and WVU staying in the Big12. The linchpin is if/how the ACC falls apart. Definitely lots of scenarios - all depends on if/how the magnificent 7 are able to depart and what sort of exit fee/GOR settlements come into ACC cofers.... Do we have a scenario similar to the PAC implosion, or don't we? Time will tell.
That depends on how aggressive the ACC
I was just pointing out that college sports are not that important in NYC. People have many interests - arts, fashion, theatre, literature, and restaurants, etc. I lived in NYC for over 10 years and never recall anyone talking about BET.
