Memphis to the Big East??? Really??,

[Hskies4Ever]

Clearly AD David Benedict has more insights than anyone on this board and keeps ongoing conversations with several conferences. With the Pac desperately trying to add their minimum number of FB schools over the past year, the deal that UConn or Memphis were offered certainly must have not been worth it to either institution. With the ongoing ACC instability, it would appear that UConn has decided to wait things out. They've even decided to almost fully fund the $20m rev share obligation. Clearly, the idea of the Pac is not in UConn's plans or it already would have happened as the administration has known for over a year that the rev share obligation was coming. Sure seems like UConn senior leadership (President and BOT) is ok with waiting for ACC fallout and/or further Big12 expansion to occur. They are betting on themselves and that bet doesn't come lightly.

That was also before the membership was established, let alone a media deal.

The fallout from the ACC is 5 years away. That’s a long time, if it comes to pass at all.

If DB knows something, that’s one thing, but we shouldn’t be in the business of sitting on our hands.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

That was also before the membership was established, let alone a media deal.

The fallout from the ACC is 5 years away. That’s a long time, if it comes to pass at all.

If DB knows something, that’s one thing, but we shouldn’t be in the business of sitting on our hands.

The membership and the media deal don't happen in vacuums - it is an ongoing dialog between what the media companies want and the schools the conference needs to add. That's why it has taken the Pac so long to add schools just to get to 8.

The ACC will likely lose teams in the next 2 or 3 years and those conversations are ongoing now that the deal and terms have been agreed to. I don't think AD David Benedict is nor has been sitting on his hands. He's talked and met with the Big12, had discussions with the Pac, and the ACC potential has been forever.

 

[Blades]

I don't think AD David Benedict is nor has been sitting on his hands. He's talked and met with the Big12, had discussions with the Pac, and the ACC potential has been forever.

+1, DB is smart enough know that you only punch up in CR, when and if the opportunity presents itself. Like back to the Big East for BB which at least was stable with regional rivalries.

You don't sign up to fly the other side of the country, to another version of the 8 school Big Least FB (at least it was a BCS conference), who has 2 schools (Wash St, Oregon St) that have veto power over everything and would leave for a P-4 as fast as Va Tech, Miami and BC did as soon as Uconn can get there. Saying nothing about the litigation the PAC and MW still haven't resolved as of yesterday.

 

[Fishy]

The membership and the media deal don't happen in vacuums - it is an ongoing dialog between what the media companies want and the schools the conference needs to add. That's why it has taken the Pac so long to add schools just to get to 8.

The ACC will likely lose teams in the next 2 or 3 years and those conversations are ongoing now that the deal and terms have been agreed to. I don't think AD David Benedict is nor has been sitting on his hands. He's talked and met with the Big12, had discussions with the Pac, and the ACC potential has been forever.

It took the Pac a long time to get to eight because the only schools that made sense said no.

Texas State was just an admission that they had failed in building their conference.

 

[ZooCougar]

The bottom line is that the PAC 12 as it was organizing itself was practically a predatory relationship where OSU and WSU take the Lion's share of everything in attempt to maintain their financial situation. The initial schools who signed up probably got the best deals and the are the ones desperate to distinguish themselves from the rest of the G5.

I believe the PAC 12 was thinking bigger and wanted UConn for football and basketball. And they probably low balled us. Which in and of itself is nuts. For one, to make it worth it we would need at least as much money that WSU and OSU are getting (This is really their conference, everyone else is existing in their world). For two we'd have to plant every other sport in another lesser conference besides the Big East, because there is no way they would let us keep programs there. Last but not least, there is a pricey buyout. I'd rather use $30M or so in buyout money on our athlete payroll than compete in what @Blades aptly called a West Coast version of the Big Least.

Also, why are we still discussing this?

 

[CL82]

Also, why are we still discussing this?

Because you posted about it 27 minutes ago?

For it's worth pretty much agree with everything that you said. The only way it could possibly make sense would be for a football only deal, of sufficient value, with no significant entrance or exit fees. If that happens, fine. If it doesn't happen also fine.

 

[Chuck]

Because you posted about it 27 minutes ago?

For it's worth pretty much agree with everything that you said. The only way it could possibly make sense would be for a football only deal, of sufficient value, with no significant entrance or exit fees. If that happens, fine. If it doesn't happen also fine.

This is all that needs to be said on this topic. We know it's not a place we'd want to be forever, so it's all about flexibility and short term financial terms.

 

[freescooter]

Interesting theory. I doubt it is true. They might have asked if we want bring basketball too. And offered a better deal. I would have if I were in their shoes. But I don’t think they expected or required it. Maybe hoped they could convince us with adding Gonzaga. The biggest problem they had was getting us to sign with no media deal even in concept.

As to where to plant our other sports, that would only be an issue if our basketball leaves and they aren’t going to the PAC. Even if they did, I don’t know that we couldn’t keep our other teams in the NBE.

 

[Hskies4Ever]

I’ll add this, and it could be the real wild card besides a conference invite. I think we are due for a new tv deal next year (or the year after?). We certainly will get a bump in the next contract. AD David Benedict probably has an idea of where we’ll end up. Maybe we can get similar TV money without having to jump through the hoops of going out west.

Also… per the new BE deal, our buyout is now $15 million. Another mistake from Val, but one in our favor.

 

[ZooCougar]

Interesting theory. I doubt it is true. They might have asked if we want bring basketball too. And offered a better deal. I would have if I were in their shoes. But I don’t think they expected or required it. Maybe hoped they could convince us with adding Gonzaga. The biggest problem they had was getting us to sign with no media deal even in concept.

As to where to plant our other sports, that would only be an issue if our basketball leaves and they aren’t going to the PAC. Even if they did, I don’t know that we couldn’t keep our other teams in the NBE.

It’s practically not a theory. There was a PAC 12 hoop coach that said that they were in the hunt for a “huge basketball program” that was going tomorrow bring all sports and shock everyone. There is a podcast somewhere with the coach but I can’t seem to find it.

 

[freescooter]

It’s practically not a theory. There was a PAC 12 hoop coach that said that they were in the hunt for a “huge basketball program” that was going tomorrow bring all sports and shock everyone. There is a podcast somewhere with the coach but I can’t seem to find it.

And that is what they did. They got Gonzaga to join the PAC. All sports. The Zags are among the huge programs.

 

[ZooCougar]

And that is what they did. They got Gonzaga to join the PAC. All sports. The Zags are among the huge programs.

This was after Gonzaga. The coach said it was a school that said no.

 

[baggerbob]

This was after Gonzaga. The coach said it was a school that said no.

Actually the pac should go big or not at all. Add Memphis , East Carolina, South Florida, and UConn in all Sports starting an Eastern branch.

 

[Hoophound]

Actually the pac should go big or not at all. Add Memphis , East Carolina, South Florida, and UConn in all Sports starting an Eastern branch.

We wouldn’t go.

 

[Kolumbo]

Actually the pac should go big or not at all. Add Memphis , East Carolina, South Florida, and UConn in all Sports starting an Eastern branch.

The New PAC - Pan Am Conference

UConn, USF, ECU, Temple, Army, Navy, Rice & Tulane (gotta have some prestige)

 

[freescooter]

Actually the pac should go big or not at all. Add Memphis , East Carolina, South Florida, and UConn in all Sports starting an Eastern branch.

They probably need to add someone with a little more basketball heft or UConn will whine. Maybe a couple of basketball onlies. How about 1 that won a national championship almost a half a century ago and one that has never won, but exactly 2 final fours almost 75 years ago and almost 45 years ago and hasn’t gotten past the first weekend in 25 years. But gets publicity like it is really a serious program? Then everyone can post wistfully “a good Georgetown and a good St John’s are good for the PAC.”

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Actually the pac should go big or not at all. Add Memphis , East Carolina, South Florida, and UConn in all Sports starting an Eastern branch.

We'd be better off in an ACC leftovers conference.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Let's think about this in detail... let's say the ACC loses FSU, Clemson, UNC, VA, Miami, Ga Tech, Notre Dame, and Louisville. That'd leave VA Tech, NC St, Duke, Wake, BC, Syracuse, Pitt and maybe SMU/Cal/Stanford. That's way better than going to the new Pac. And even if they also lost SMU/Cal/Stanford and needed to add USF, Memphis, and Tulane it's still better than the new Pac.

 

[CL82]

Let's think about this in detail... let's say the ACC loses FSU, Clemson, UNC, VA, Miami, Ga Tech, Notre Dame, and Louisville. That'd leave VA Tech, NC St, Duke, Wake, BC, Syracuse, Pitt and maybe SMU/Cal/Stanford. That's way better than going to the new Pac. And even if they also lost SMU/Cal/Stanford and needed to add USF, Memphis, and Tulane it's still better than the new Pac.

Oops I read your original post, as "AAC leftovers conference".

Of course you are right, and I 100% agree with you.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Happy hour must be in 5th gear

 

[UConnTrumbull]

Actually the pac should go big or not at all. Add Memphis , East Carolina, South Florida, and UConn in all Sports starting an Eastern branch.

That’s worse than the original AAC

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Let's think about this in detail... let's say the ACC loses FSU, Clemson, UNC, VA, Miami, Ga Tech, Notre Dame, and Louisville. That'd leave VA Tech, NC St, Duke, Wake, BC, Syracuse, Pitt and maybe SMU/Cal/Stanford. That's way better than going to the new Pac. And even if they also lost SMU/Cal/Stanford and needed to add USF, Memphis, and Tulane it's still better than the new Pac.

Where is Louisville going? Clemson? Ga Tech?

Why would ND leave?

 

[DFW HOYA]

They probably need to add someone with a little more basketball heft or UConn will whine. Maybe a couple of basketball onlies.

There are no schools playing just basketball in any Division I conference. Gonzaga is moving all its sports to the Pac-12.

"The Bulldogs will join the conference effective July 1, 2026, with competition beginning for all conference sports sponsored by the university in the 2026-27 academic year."

Gonzaga Accepts Invitation to Join Pac-12 Conference - Gonzaga University Athletics

SAN RAMON, CA – The Pac-12 Conference and Gonzaga University are proud to announce their partnership, celebrating the addition of the eighth university during this

gozags.com

 

[Kolumbo]

That’s worse than the original AAC

True, but every G6 conference is worse than the original AAC. At some point UConn Football is gonna need to join a conference. It seems the only options to consider are a football only invite to a G6 or all in the ACC. It doesn't seem like either is going to happen any time soon.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Where is Louisville going? Clemson? Ga Tech?

Why would ND leave?

I was just using this as a comparison point... but, it's possible these schools in 3-5 years go to the SEC, Big10 or Big12. If the ACC loses 4 or more of its top brands, it becomes more likely Notre Dame goes to the Big10. Clearly the way in which the Clemson/FSU-ACC settlement went down, there is an increased likelihood of this happening.