Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="ScottVib, post: 4694589, member: 694"] I think the volume of top-end marketable matchups are higher in the Big XII than the Big East (taking off the nostalgia, UConn fans may value some of the old names, but the struggles of those schools have damaged their brand outside of Big East nostalgists). Right now the top end value is clearly UConn-Villanova (which you get twice currently, but might only get once should they expand). If St. John's were to make a leap forward with Pitino they'd fly up the list as a potential pairing, but outside of that you end up with UConn - Creighton and falling down the tier from there to whatever batch of Marquette, Providence, Xavier etc that is ranked). Within the Big XII you have UConn - Kansas, UConn - Baylor as battles of recent national champions to start on the top end. Your next tier is UConn - Houston, etc; still a matchup of recent final four teams. The relative strength of the Big XII provides a higher number of those second tier matchups with whomever ends up ranked. I do think that Yormark is likely correct that basketball rights are undervalued and given the concentration of the football brands in conferences with much higher payouts, the easiest place for the Big XII to add value ahead of their next rights deal in 2031 is in basketball (while hoping to incubate some of the G5 football programs they added with the additional funds in the Big XII, UConn potentially included). [/QUOTE]