Mike Anthony: As the divorce proceedings continue, UConn and AAC looking to move on with their new respective lives

[huskymedic]

Mike Anthony: As the divorce proceedings continue, UConn and AAC looking to move on with their new respective lives

>>UConn has to, and can, develop a program that is more interesting and more successful than what it has been of late. We’ll see more ACC schools, more Big Ten schools, some regional matchups on the schedule. You think schools like Syracuse and Boston College want to zigzag the country for nonconference games the way UConn did for AAC games? I’m just betting this can get interesting. Again, I say, we should not paint R.I.P. on the Huskies’ brand new lockers.<<

 

[ConnHuskBask]

"The scenes of this expensive divorce on Tuesday morning were staged at Gurney's Newport Resort & Marina, a beautiful facility on Goat Island typically reserved for, go figure, expensive weddings."

Lol.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

If $15M is the number, I'd say that's too much and we'd need to stick it out full term. It's not like going to the ACC or B1G where you pay it all back in 2 years. I'd love to leave now, but the exit fee truly rules the roost.

 

[UConn Dan]

If $15M is the number, I'd say that's too much and we'd need to stick it out full term. It's not like going to the ACC or B1G where you pay it all back in 2 years. I'd love to leave now, but the exit fee truly rules the roost.

I think $15million is the number and I think we will pay it and be out. There's no sense in prolonging it. Get the divorce over with. We're paying the $10million regardless of when we leave. It's an extra $5milllion. Cost of doing business. Rip the band-aid and control our own destiny/brand/improved schedule/ticket sales/etc.

 

[CL82]

Ot we could stay in the AAC refuse to do the Olympic and BB production costs, which we never agreed to. The league would have to kick us out and we walk for nothing.



(Yeah, I know... just a joke.)

 

[Fairfield_1st]

I think $15million is the number and I think we will pay it and be out. There's no sense in prolonging it. Get the divorce over with. We're paying the $10million regardless of when we leave. It's an extra $5milllion. Cost of doing business. Rip the band-aid and control our own destiny/brand/improved schedule/ticket sales/etc.

I agree with the sentiment of ripping off the band-aid, but it's not like we're rolling in dough or about to be. Pay to get out, pay to get in. In the grand scheme of things another year in the AAC won't kill us. Maim maybe, but not kill. I just think we need to show a little fiscal responsibility with the school's money. That is unless there's a donor willing to make up the difference.

 

[gwhuskyfan]

Kevin Ollie has a better chance of getting his full $10 million than UConn has of sticking around for the full exit term in the AAC

 

[UConn Dan]

Thought this was an interesting tidbit. I guess everyone needs to know to get schedules setup, but figured this might drag a bit.

Negotiations on an exit fee and date are in full swing, even expected to wrap up in the coming days.

 

[UConn Dan]

I agree with the sentiment of ripping off the band-aid, but it's not like we're rolling in dough or about to be. Pay to get out, pay to get in. In the grand scheme of things another year in the AAC won't kill us. Maim maybe, but not kill. I just think we need to show a little fiscal responsibility with the school's money. That is unless there's a donor willing to make up the difference.

Won't kill us, but will certainly kill the momentum and the resurgence of season ticket sales on the basketball side and quite possibly on the football side. If AD Dave really thinks we'll see more ACC and Big 10 football matchups then I think the sooner the better. I think the move will be fiscally net positive for us, so I'm not as concerned about the extra $5million or so.

***checks couch cushions for spare $5million***

 

[John Greene]

Can someone help me out here? What commitment was made to the NBE about when we join? I have seen it here but can't seem to find it.

 

[noeynox]

If $15M is the number, I'd say that's too much and we'd need to stick it out full term. It's not like going to the ACC or B1G where you pay it all back in 2 years. I'd love to leave now, but the exit fee truly rules the roost.

I was thinking 12 million. Every school gets a million and the league office gets one for operating expenses. So if it takes an extra 3 million to leave early, you have to do it. They have half of it already in the 5 million in escrow and 2.5 submitted with the intent to leave letter.

 

[Jimdish255]

Mike Anthony: As the divorce proceedings continue, UConn and AAC looking to move on with their new respective lives

>>UConn has to, and can, develop a program that is more interesting and more successful than what it has been of late. We’ll see more ACC schools, more Big Ten schools, some regional matchups on the schedule. You think schools like Syracuse and Boston College want to zigzag the country for nonconference games the way UConn did for AAC games? I’m just betting this can get interesting. Again, I say, we should not paint R.I.P. on the Huskies’ brand new lockers.<<

Despite any grudge factor, most institutions will yield to the business end of the equation when it comes to a revenue driving sport like football. If a team can help your resume and fits within your business model for a certain date, you schedule them. The few that opt for the former will be hurting themselves in the long run and most don't have the luxury of ignoring their bottom line.

In other words, we might get some decent games.

 

[huskymedic]

Can someone help me out here? What commitment was made to the NBE about when we join? I have seen it here but can't seem to find it.

 

[Chief00]

Ot we could stay in the AAC refuse to do the Olympic and BB production costs, which we never agreed to. The league would have to kick us out and we walk for nothing.



(Yeah, I know... just a joke.)

A joke ?? You were thinking like Chief for a moment.

 

[UC1995]

I think $15million is the number and I think we will pay it and be out. There's no sense in prolonging it. Get the divorce over with. We're paying the $10million regardless of when we leave. It's an extra $5milllion. Cost of doing business. Rip the band-aid and control our own destiny/brand/improved schedule/ticket sales/etc.

I feel we have a booster or two so excited about the move back they will be getting a building named after them when they help pay the buyout.

 

[John Greene]

View attachment 44853

thank you.

 

[champs99and04]

This idea that the UConn football program is somehow going to be liberated by this move just doesn't match reality. UConn was in a division with two Florida schools, an Ohio school, a North Carolina school, and a Philly school. Boston College is in a division with one Florida school, three Carolina schools, one Kentucky school, and a central New York school. The travel is damn near identical save for traveling to Texas once every other year.

In 2016 they traveled to Annapolis, Houston, Tampa, North Carolina, and Chestnut Hill for football games. The next year they went to Virginia, Dallas, Philly, Orlando, and Cincinnati. That's pretty standard for any big time college football program.

The basketball program will save on travel in the new conference, sure. So will all the other programs. Everyone knows it was insane to fly the UConn women's team to Oklahoma to have them win by 60.

The UConn football program has been bad because the UConn football program has been bad. You don't need to search for any other reason. If leaving the AAC to go independent causes a rise in attendance, then the only thing it proves is that people are stupid.

 

[huskyrob1]

This idea that the UConn football program is somehow going to be liberated by this move just doesn't match reality.

You should call up Benedict, Herbst, several reporters who cover UConn football and saw positives in the move, the whole BOT, and tell them all that it's a bad move, doesn't match reality, and they're all stupid people. Going independent will immediately improve scheduling and recruiting, rather than zig-zagging all over the country to play Tulane, ECU, Tulsa, and Navy, which is insane.

 

[DSquiz]

This idea that the UConn football program is somehow going to be liberated by this move just doesn't match reality. UConn was in a division with two Florida schools, an Ohio school, a North Carolina school, and a Philly school. Boston College is in a division with one Florida school, three Carolina schools, one Kentucky school, and a central New York school. The travel is damn near identical save for traveling to Texas once every other year.

In 2016 they traveled to Annapolis, Houston, Tampa, North Carolina, and Chestnut Hill for football games. The next year they went to Virginia, Dallas, Philly, Orlando, and Cincinnati. That's pretty standard for any big time college football program.

The basketball program will save on travel in the new conference, sure. So will all the other programs. Everyone knows it was insane to fly the UConn women's team to Oklahoma to have them win by 60.

The UConn football program has been bad because the UConn football program has been bad. You don't need to search for any other reason. If leaving the AAC to go independent causes a rise in attendance, then the only thing it proves is that people are stupid.

It's not the location of the schools that's the problem it's who those schools are. If we were playing UF or Miami no one would have a problem, it's that no one wants to pay to see UCF or what other directional schools are in the AAC.

Now that said this is obviously just attendance when we're not good. If we are 6-1 the Rent will be packed regardless of opponent. But in the mean time we will sell tickets to Syracuse when we won't Tulsa.

 

[BlueMAB]

You should call up Benedict, Herbst, several reporters who cover UConn football and saw positives in the move, the whole BOT, and tell them all that it's a bad move, doesn't match reality, and they're all stupid people. Going independent will immediately improve scheduling and recruiting, rather than zig-zagging all over the country to play Tulane, ECU, Tulsa, and Navy, which is insane.

Seriously. Why travel cross country to play Navy, when we can play the much closer Georgetown?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Seriously. Why travel cross country to play Navy, when we can play the much closer Georgetown?

This super relevant because we don’t play Navy in basketball and won’t play Georgetown in football.

 

[BlueMAB]

This super relevant because we don’t play Navy in basketball and won’t play Georgetown in football.

I'm wondering if you missed the sarcasm. I had hoped the "cross country to play Navy" part would make it more obvious. Another sarcasm clue. Navy is like 35 miles from Georgetown, not exactly "much closer".

Navy is closer than most of the Big East schools. I just found it ironic that the poster I responded to would use Navy and "cross country" travel in the same sentence to try make a point.

 

[Husky68]

You should call up Benedict, Herbst, several reporters who cover UConn football and saw positives in the move, the whole BOT, and tell them all that it's a bad move, doesn't match reality, and they're all stupid people. Going independent will immediately improve scheduling and recruiting, rather than zig-zagging all over the country to play Tulane, ECU, Tulsa, and Navy, which is insane.

Call the guys who got us here stupid, nah, it was all beyond there control; or it was all on the Donut Man! Maybe you expect Suzy to say " my biggest regret from my time leading UConn was my lame job leading them to where this NBE/independent football is actually the best alternative, pretty bad on me. When do my pension check start?"

 

[Husky25]

This idea that the UConn football program is somehow going to be liberated by this move just doesn't match reality. UConn was in a division with two Florida schools, an Ohio school, a North Carolina school, and a Philly school. Boston College is in a division with one Florida school, three Carolina schools, one Kentucky school, and a central New York school. The travel is damn near identical save for traveling to Texas once every other year.

In 2016 they traveled to Annapolis, Houston, Tampa, North Carolina, and Chestnut Hill for football games. The next year they went to Virginia, Dallas, Philly, Orlando, and Cincinnati. That's pretty standard for any big time college football program.

The basketball program will save on travel in the new conference, sure. So will all the other programs. Everyone knows it was insane to fly the UConn women's team to Oklahoma to have them win by 60.

The UConn football program has been bad because the UConn football program has been bad. You don't need to search for any other reason. If leaving the AAC to go independent causes a rise in attendance, then the only thing it proves is that people are stupid.

Football is not liberated. Scheduling is a major issue. As will be a decent bowl invite, should they become eligible. However, The entire athletic department is separating from the AAC. Not being associated with the conference in every other sport will be a huge savings.

I'm still not fully on board because the football program appeared to be an afterthought at best. Also 5/7 of UConn's old Big East rivals are in the ACC, but speaking purely monetarily, it was the right choice. You bring up Boston College. Above the line, BC gets/got significantly more money from their media partners, as a result of conference affiliation, to cover their plane rides for all sports.

The new AAC deal would pay UConn about $6.94M gross, but factoring in production costs for non-football contests behind the ESPN+ paywall, that number comes down to about $5-5.5M. Maybe less. UConn will get about $4M from the Big East Fox deal (Expected to re-open) and rumor has it that they will be able to control their Tier-3 rights, plus Women's basketball. If SNY comes through for Women's basketball as many speculate, they will continue a 7-figure relationship with UConn. They have also indicated they would explore football coverage as well. Perhaps that seven figure relationship will be worth an amount that starts with a digit other than "1?"

So now considering that UConn will get a similar or larger pay out, plus the decrease in travel expenses equals a healthier bottom line.

Edit:...Also body bag games...What would be great is to sign on for a couple two tree body bag games with some #20-#30 ranked teams and beat them. UConn'll garner a 7 digit pay off and along with the road W.

 

[Clockshop]

This idea that the UConn football program is somehow going to be liberated by this move just doesn't match reality. UConn was in a division with two Florida schools, an Ohio school, a North Carolina school, and a Philly school. Boston College is in a division with one Florida school, three Carolina schools, one Kentucky school, and a central New York school. The travel is damn near identical save for traveling to Texas once every other year.

In 2016 they traveled to Annapolis, Houston, Tampa, North Carolina, and Chestnut Hill for football games. The next year they went to Virginia, Dallas, Philly, Orlando, and Cincinnati. That's pretty standard for any big time college football program.

The basketball program will save on travel in the new conference, sure. So will all the other programs. Everyone knows it was insane to fly the UConn women's team to Oklahoma to have them win by 60.

The UConn football program has been bad because the UConn football program has been bad. You don't need to search for any other reason. If leaving the AAC to go independent causes a rise in attendance, then the only thing it proves is that people are stupid.

You should stick to UNH boards or your Ollie focused twitter account. You've been a nut job for awhile now.