More future schedule dates/opponents for 2021/2022

[BlueDogs]

How much longer are we gonna have to read the AAC Pravda poster brigade and their half assed completely ludicrous posts bemoaning a move that is loved by like 90% (higher?) of the fanbase?

The math doesn’t work and anybody with half an objective brain knows that. Maybe long term, but let’s dispense with financial fairytales to justify an emotional decision focus on a single sport.

 

[UConnJim]

Pretty decent analysis up to a point. But, you need to look at costs of hotel and food. NYC, DC , Chicago are not cheap stays. Places like WI and NE are costly to fly to since they are not high volume hub airports. Houston, Dallas, Tampa Bay even NC have good volume hence you can shop for better fares.

Chief, I respect what you bring to the board, but you must not travel much for business. The US has changed a lot and hotel costs have gone up in places you might have thought are cheap. Here is an analysis of the average nightly cost of the cheapest double room in a 3 star hotel between October 1 and 31, 2019 from cheaphotels.org:

1. Nashville $223
2. Boston $221
3. San Jose $214
4. San Francisco $209
5. Albuquerque $198
6. NYC $196
7. Austin $189
8. Los Angeles $186
9. Dallas $185
10. Detroit $185
11. Denver $184
12. Chicago $183
13. Phoenix $179
14. Louisville $176
15. Sacramento $175
16. Washington DC $175
17. Houston $167
18. El Paso $159
19. Seattle $158
20. Cincinnati $156
21. Orlando $149

Sure, NYC is expensive, but hotel costs in Houston and Dallas aren’t cheap. I don’t think hotel and food costs will be that significantly different.

And, if you are renting an Embraer 145 for the men’s and women’s basketball teams at $7k per hour, I estimate you will save close to $500k in plane rental costs for the men and women’s basketball alone.

 

[Guapo]

The math doesn’t work and anybody with half an objective brain knows that. Maybe long term, but let’s dispense with financial fairytales to justify an emotional decision focus on a single sport.

You’re making it sound like we were choosing between the Big East and the ACC.

But, that’s not the case.

This was better both financially and competitively for the entire athletic department.

 

[Robertelamin]

The math doesn’t work and anybody with half an objective brain knows that. Maybe long term, but let’s dispense with financial fairytales to justify an emotional decision focus on a single sport.

Show your work

 

[kemba]

hat is loved by like 90% (higher?) of the fanbase?

Which makes the idea that they needed to come up with some fake stats about travel expenses to justify the move even more hilarious.

 

[Waquoit]

It was a no-brainer. The segment of Husky Nation that actually attends games and pays money to the school has rejected the AAC. The only folks throwing shade at the move now are FB first fans. UConn first fans know they did the right thing.

 

[businesslawyer]

It was a no-brainer. The segment of Husky Nation that actually attends games and pays money to the school has rejected the AAC. The only folks throwing shade at the move now are FB first fans. UConn first fans know they did the right thing.

Nah. I love both the basketball and football programs. The only folks "throwing shade at the move" (whatever that means) are those who love football at least as much as basketball. As I've said, there is no question it's the right move short and intermediate term for basketball, and while it might be bad for baseball it's the right move for the rest of our sports as a whole as long as you ignore football.

For football, we will have to see. I'm not convinced the football fans abandoned the AAC as much as they've abandoned a decade of beyond horrendous football. But time will tell. And if we don't get back to mediocrity soon none of this theoretical discussion will matter for a hill of beans.

 

[weyuo]

The die has been cast. Unfortunately, it's Sayonara to AAC football and the bowl tie-ins it provided. Now the football program has to make the best of the cards they have been dealt with. The new recruiting class looks promising and the ones that decided to transfer may not hurt the program as much as some may have feared. Next year's schedule looks as promising as the new class coming in. Six wins are definitely doable. We'll see.

 

[Chief00]

Volume

You’re not serious are you?

 

[Chief00]

Chief, I respect what you bring to the board, but you must not travel much for business. The US has changed a lot and hotel costs have gone up in places you might have thought are cheap. Here is an analysis of the average nightly cost of the cheapest double room in a 3 star hotel between October 1 and 31, 2019 from cheaphotels.org:

1. Nashville $223
2. Boston $221
3. San Jose $214
4. San Francisco $209
5. Albuquerque $198
6. NYC $196
7. Austin $189
8. Los Angeles $186
9. Dallas $185
10. Detroit $185
11. Denver $184
12. Chicago $183
13. Phoenix $179
14. Louisville $176
15. Sacramento $175
16. Washington DC $175
17. Houston $167
18. El Paso $159
19. Seattle $158
20. Cincinnati $156
21. Orlando $149

Sure, NYC is expensive, but hotel costs in Houston and Dallas aren’t cheap. I don’t think hotel and food costs will be that significantly different.

And, if you are renting an Embraer 145 for the men’s and women’s basketball teams at $7k per hour, I estimate you will save close to $500k in plane rental costs for the men and women’s basketball alone.

You gave this analysis away in one line - Cheapest 3 star hotel - I guarantee you our basketball and football teams aren’t staying there and you probably aren’t either. That would be the worse of the 3 star hotels.
Albuquerque is more expensive than NYC and El Paso is just $40 cheaper. These things don’t pass the smell test.

 

[UConnDan97]

Nah. I love both the basketball and football programs. The only folks "throwing shade at the move" (whatever that means) are those who love football at least as much as basketball. As I've said, there is no question it's the right move short and intermediate term for basketball, and while it might be bad for baseball it's the right move for the rest of our sports as a whole as long as you ignore football.

For football, we will have to see. I'm not convinced the football fans abandoned the AAC as much as they've abandoned a decade of beyond horrendous football. But time will tell. And if we don't get back to mediocrity soon none of this theoretical discussion will matter for a hill of beans.

Yes, we'll have to wait and see but I think it ends up being the better move for football as well, especially if a deal is reached with SNY.

Losing to good teams that nobody respects nationally (or regionally) and getting paid peanuts for it was a losing strategy. Couple that with the fact that the majority of our games were going to find themselves on ESPN+ streaming in the new contract, and football was placed on a death sentence.

Independence will be very difficult but it offers hope for the football team specifically. Scheduling regionally interesting games, getting paid 1 million dollars from the likes of UCF for a road game, etc. The future is actually brighter for UConn football this way...

 

[kemba]

Yes, we'll have to wait and see but I think it ends up being the better move for football as well, especially if a deal is reached with SNY.

Losing to good teams that nobody respects nationally (or regionally) and getting paid peanuts for it was a losing strategy. Couple that with the fact that the majority of our games were going to find themselves on ESPN+ streaming in the new contract, and football was placed on a death sentence.

Independence will be very difficult but it offers hope for the football team specifically. Scheduling regionally interesting games, getting paid 1 million dollars from the likes of UCF for a road game, etc. The future is actually brighter for UConn football this way...

Plus the improvement in recruiting since the move was announced which we can't say for sure is because of independence but I can't think of any other logical reason for why recruiting would imrpove

 

[noeynox]

The only thing that is going to save UConn football is the transformational coach. They have ro find that Chris Peterson that has some success and doesn't bolt for the 1st a big time job opens up.

For that to happen they will have to pay close to 2 million to start and increase pay with success. They will also have to pay competitive pay for a decent staff.

How they do that and can they do that is the question. If Benedict ever figures that out he will have put himself in position to get a premier AD job.

 

[ktuck911]

I'd love to see San Diego St and a couple more Mtn West teams on the schedule

Hawaii would be ideal, along with Nevada, UNLV, SDSU, and revisit Boise State. Hopefully we'll be better prepared when that happens again

 

[DoctorWho85]

Hawaii would be ideal, along with Nevada, UNLV, SDSU, and revisit Boise State. Hopefully we'll be better prepared when that happens again

Yeah those would be solid pick ups. I'd like to see UAB, Marshall and maybe Buffalo on the future schedule too.

 

[zls44]

The die has been cast. Unfortunately, it's Sayonara to AAC football and the bowl tie-ins it provided.

The AAC's bowl tie-ins are dreck.

 

[FroginCT]

There is no precedent to moving down in football conference and getting better. As folks have stated, getting better requires identifying a good / great coach and paying the football coaches (plural) above the median ccompensation.

So moving out of the AAC requires the administration to do what no other school has done, AND identify and fund better than average football coaches.

 

[hardcorehusky]

You guys have the pieces of the puzzle right but in the wrong order. SNY should be the main carrier of UConn football due to the previous relationship.

In order to financially get the football side in order, the University will schedule teams people want to see and are LOCAL. This will boost attendance and help the $$ flowing into the program. Buy games will help the $$ side. Less travel will help the $$. If we do become bowl eligible, there will be bowl considerations.

As the above occur, there will be more money for the coaching staff and then you can see things improve on that front. But it is all about money first and not further fronted by the University.

 

[FroginCT]

You guys have the pieces of the puzzle right but in the wrong order. SNY should be the main carrier of UConn football due to the previous relationship.

In order to financially get the football side in order, the University will schedule teams people want to see and are LOCAL. This will boost attendance and help the $$ flowing into the program. Buy games will help the $$ side. Less travel will help the $$. If we do become bowl eligible, there will be bowl considerations.

As the above occur, there will be more money for the coaching staff and then you can see things improve on that front. But it is all about money first and not further fronted by the University.

IMO, it starts with hiring the best talent that can be attracted and compensation is whatever the market demands. Any other approach is at best suboptimal.

 

[Ldandy]

If I were the AD I would make my scheduling decisions 100% around recruiting areas. I would work to get 1 game each in FL, GA, and TX every year. Do it by utilizing P5 Buy games and G5 H&H Agreements. The other 3 should be some combo of NY/NJ/PA, The DMV and OH/MI/IL.. Every once and while a BYU or BSU might be an interesting trip for fans, but there is next to no value in recruiting student athletes or students in general in these areas.

 

[gtcam]

The AAC's bowl tie-ins are dreck.

Dreck or not - it is better than nothing at all
I'm not against the NBE move for basketball at all but your argument in this case is shallow

 

[UConnJim]

Dreck or not - it is better than nothing at all
I'm not against the NBE move for basketball at all but your argument in this case is shallow

Liberty with no bowl tie ins went to a bowl this year. If UConn has a decent season they will go bowling as there are tons of bowls.

 

[UConnJim]

There is no precedent to moving down in football conference and getting better. As folks have stated, getting better requires identifying a good / great coach and paying the football coaches (plural) above the median ccompensation.

So moving out of the AAC requires the administration to do what no other school has done, AND identify and fund better than average football coaches.

I don't think UConn is moving down in football conference. The AAC is a G5 conference that gets minimal respect which is why twice undefeated UCF got no respect in the playoff rankings. It is a decent football conference, but it's not a good fit for UConn athletics. At worst, I think the move is sideways and at best, it's a step up.

UConn is going to be playing more P5 opponents than in recent times, so that is a step up.

I do agree with you about coaches. When Edsall ultimately leaves, UConn needs to figure out a way to pay a good coaching staff.

 

[metsfan2323]

IMO the 2020 recruiting class shows going independent is not a downgrade at all. Apparently recruits like playing P5 schools and don't give a darn about second rate bowl tie-ins.

If the team can capitalize on next year's easier, 7 game home schedule and win 6 games maybe we will look back on going independent as a much needed successful re-boot of UCONN football. Maybe 2020 will be 2003 all over again.

 

[Slasher]

IMO the 2020 recruiting class shows going independent is not a downgrade at all. Apparently recruits like playing P5 schools and don't give a darn about second rate bowl tie-ins.

If the team can capitalize on next year's easier, 7 game home schedule and win 6 games maybe we will look back on going independent as a much needed successful re-boot of UCONN football. Maybe 2020 will be 2003 all over again.

The 109th ranked class gives you hope?