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

[ZooCougar]

ESPN pulled out of the bidding. Remember, they paid $0 for the rights between 2018 and 2020, $5 million/year between 2020 and 2022, and now ~$90 million between 2023 to 2025. ESPN wasn't going to make the LT commitment to F1 at higher cost and decided not to pursue a renewal.

Although F1 has been commercial free, there are sponsorships and graphics on the screen.

Yup but they can’t stuff enough logos on there to make it worth $140M.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

We’ve had paddle shifters since Senna though. They are on regular street cars.

Make a car that doesn’t need DRS to execute a pass.

I watch F1 because it's usually on at a time when I'm not doing anything. Unfortunately, just like NASCAR, the cars are very aero dependent and the car out front has a ridiculous advantage in clean air. F1 has guys winning by 20 seconds+ on a regular basis. Lead changes not done in the pits are rare. Both racing leagues need to find a way to make racing more competitive. I would even suggest allowing DRS for 2 seconds behind. I used to be a devout NASCAR watcher, but the product grew stale/corporate and the racing non-competitive. For NASCAR, I hate the stages and I think the "playoffs" are stupid.

 

[Waquoit]

Yup but they can’t stuff enough logos on there to make it worth $140M.

I'm not so sure. I think F1 will drive plenty of subscriptions. And F1 has a pay tier now that's going away. All those folks will go to Apple. I read it will be cheaper for them. Apple will include the added content they were paying for.

 

[UConnJim]

I'm not so sure. I think F1 will drive plenty of subscriptions. And F1 has a pay tier now that's going away. All those folks will go to Apple. I read it will be cheaper for them. Apple will include the added content they were paying for.

Don't forget that Apple Studios produced F1 the Movie which has grossed ~$630 million so far. I do think Apple thinks there are many ways to monetize F1 racing.

 

[jostar1]

 

[jostar1]

 

[ZooCougar]

I'm not so sure. I think F1 will drive plenty of subscriptions. And F1 has a pay tier now that's going away. All those folks will go to Apple. I read it will be cheaper for them. Apple will include the added content they were paying for.

Every sport needs casual viewers. F1TV subscribers aren’t casuals. You know what else is on Apple? MLB and MLS. And nobody watches that over there.

I actually think F2 will be more fun to watch next season with Colton Herta.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

Add that to the list of firsts we continue to make.

 

[jostar1]

 

[ZooCougar]

I watch F1 because it's usually on at a time when I'm not doing anything. Unfortunately, just like NASCAR, the cars are very aero dependent and the car out front has a ridiculous advantage in clean air. F1 has guys winning by 20 seconds+ on a regular basis. Lead changes not done in the pits are rare. Both racing leagues need to find a way to make racing more competitive. I would even suggest allowing DRS for 2 seconds behind. I used to be a devout NASCAR watcher, but the product grew stale/corporate and the racing non-competitive. For NASCAR, I hate the stages and I think the "playoffs" are stupid.

Get rid of wings, ground effects and add horsepower. Make it about mechanical grip. Boom.

DRS is bogus. It’s a band aid.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Not even sure where this belongs but can’t stop laughing

Wrestelmania and now the Holiday Bowl in Saudi Arabia? They just gotta stop acting like a bunch of escorts to sovereign wealth money. Geez. have some respect for your fans.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

Ummm am I reading this right? Basically suggests the UW/Oregon and Four Corner moves were predetermined… so UConn was never a serious candidate for the Big 12 - and will continue to not be.

 

[CL82]

Ummm am I reading this right? Basically suggests the UW/Oregon and Four Corner moves were predetermined… so UConn was never a serious candidate for the Big 12 - and will continue to not be.

I think that's a bridge too far. What it says is that the PAC 12 had a back up plan in the event it got raided.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

I think that's a bridge too far. What it says is that the PAC 12 had a back up plan in the event it got raided.

Maybe. Just strange to me that it PERFECTLY PREDICTED the outcome. Not one school out of place.

P.S: I was told the four corners were not a package deal, here, several times!

 

[CL82]

Maybe. Just strange to me that it PERFECTLY PREDICTED the outcome. Not one school out of place.

P.S: I was told the four corners were not a package deal, here, several times!

It's an allegation in a complaint about the Pac 12. I think it is tough to say that provides insight into what the Big 12 was thinking at the time.

Keep in mind that big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark actually visited the campus in Storrs. Unless you think that was a "giant head fake" it seems pretty clear that he, at least, had a serious interest in Connecticut. Where our bid failed was with the big 12 presidents. Essentially their mindset was "since UConn isn't a member of a P4 conference, it doesn't deserve to be." That kind of circular reasoning is tough to overcome. Still, I think we were in, until the Pac 12 collapsed, which made other "more worthy" P4 schools available. It was very close and the school was confident that it was going to happen.

I think it will be extraordinarily difficult for us to join a P4 conference, because I think the conference expansion bubble has burst, or is close to bursting, and college athletics will go into a period of consolidation rather than expansion. Our best hope to get a P4 invitation would be for a few ACC schools to depart which would create room for us to "backfill" the conference. If that happens, though, it will be a diminished ACC since the schools that leave will be schools that are cherry picked by the Big Ten and the SEC.

For what it's worth, it is critically important, in my opinion, for us to get a P4 invitation since the gulf between the "haves" in the "have grows wider every year. For example, in the ACC or the big 12 schools are entitled to a $35 million per year conference distribution plus an additional $15 million per year as part of the college football playoff. Compare that $50 million to the $5 million conference distribution that Big East schools are entitled to and you begin to see the scope of the problem.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

It was hardly a secret that the B1G would at some point add Washington and Oregon. Most speculation had that happening closer to 2030. Once some of the four corner schools departures appear likely, UW & OU negotiated a lower payout (50% I believe) to join the B1G early.

Colorado jumped to the B-12 well before the other three that ended up there. The B-12 was publicly offering the other three and as Kliavkoff was getting nowhere with negotiating a new media contract, the three (Utah, Arizona, Arizona St) left what they saw as a sinking ship.

From what I remember, Arizona would have greatly preferred remain the PAC if it could maintain a P level stature but that didn't appear likely the way things were shaking out.

 

[CL82]

From what I remember, Arizona would have greatly preferred remain the PAC if it could maintain a P level stature but that didn't appear likely the way things were shaking out

Utah was very reluctant to make the move as well.

 

[cellocgg]

Ummm am I reading this right? Basically suggests the UW/Oregon and Four Corner moves were predetermined… so UConn was never a serious candidate for the Big 12 - and will continue to not be.

This was 2 years ago. UConn was actually considered last year

 

[KryHavok]

Keep in mind that big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark actually visited the campus in Storrs. Unless you think that was a "giant head fake" it seems pretty clear that he, at least, had a serious interest in Connecticut. Where our bid failed was with the big 12 presidents. Essentially their mindset was "since UConn isn't a member of a P4 conference, it doesn't deserve to be." That kind of circular reasoning is tough to overcome. Still, I think we were in, until the Pac 12 collapsed, which made other "more worthy" P4 schools available. It was very close and the school was confident that it was going to happen.

@CL82, I love ya mate, but I absolutely think Yormark's visit was a coverup scam. Tell me honestly, in the last 10 years did other commissioners have to visit potential members and were those visits publicized? I'm humbly asking because I'm not sure but I think the answer is no. We were used a diversion tactic by Yorkmark, and we bought the illusion as eyes were force shifted to the northeast by subterfuge allowing southwest bandits the opening to sneak in. If the Big 12 wanted us, they could've taken us ± Colorado. That they didn't and continued to dangle that carrot only to immediately take the Pac12 schools tells me we were NEVER in serious contention.

 

[CL82]

I love ya mate, but I absolutely think Yormark's visit was a coverup

Conspiracy Kitty says:
Lol! Dude, not even I believe that!

 

[UConnTrumbull]

This was 2 years ago. UConn was actually considered last year

I believe that Yormark wanted us. I do not believe he knew what he was doing calling a vote. These votes are nearly always unanimous yet somehow, UConn is the one to defy the odds. Something feels off. Feels like a dog and pony show and UConn was the “candidate”

 

[FfldCntyFan]

When everything began a couple years ago I doubt that Yormark (or any then B-12 school) thought it would be possible to pull in four members of the P-12.

Colorado was kind easy as a) they were a long time B-8/B-12 member who never felt fully at home in the PAC (and were by far the furthest east member). The other three kind if fell into their lap as things transpired.

 

[Hoophound]

He ran us up the flag pole and they weren't interested. You cant blame them. UCF, Houston and Cincy haven't been great and there is a lot of instability out there that could create other opportunities. No one is leaving the B12, they are stable. We still have a shot, we just need to play good football and keep our basketball programs near the top. I really don't think we can rule ourselves out until all of the 2030 stuff happens. If we don't make it then, we will have to accept it.