My Concern

[Patman]

Geographic proximity is helpful. Geographic proximity is not on the table and has already been pointed out, its mostly a joke for basketball. Geographic proximity is not going to cover the pile of dollars being in the B12 will bring.

 

[Exit 4]

Iger gave an interview today that appears to put ABC and ESPN up for sale, yet you are arguing that the Big 12 is the way to go because the Big 12 has a contract with ESPN. Good logic.

You said UConn should join the B12..... You took a long walk to get to the same place and now you seem to want a reward for taking the walk many didn't need to take or were able to amble through in short while.

Iger also said sports are important and reliable for advertisers. What happens to linear tv is tricky, things do not look very good.

 

[Skiblets]

Iger gave an interview today that appears to put ABC and ESPN up for sale, yet you are arguing that the Big 12 is the way to go because the Big 12 has a contract with ESPN. Good logic.

Contracts typically transfer to the buyer. It’s all part of the due diligence that gets done pre-transaction. $$ won’t change. Platform would most likely

 

[Jimdish255]

Iger gave an interview today that appears to put ABC and ESPN up for sale, yet you are arguing that the Big 12 is the way to go because the Big 12 has a contract with ESPN. Good logic.

I just saw the interview and that's not what he said. But let's assume you're correct in your interpretation. The Big 12 currently has a contract that's better than all but two other conferences. What's your other great option or are we just having fun repeating ourselves and playing devil's advocate?

 

[ctchamps]

Notre Dame - destroying power conferences since 1995. Anyone else want to include them as a “partial” member?

One can dream. I would love nothing more than BC and ND joining their Catholic sisters in the CR dance. BC is certainly a possibility.

 

[king conn]

Iger gave an interview today that appears to put ABC and ESPN up for sale, yet you are arguing that the Big 12 is the way to go because the Big 12 has a contract with ESPN. Good logic.

Wait, so you are saying someone is going to spend a preposterous amount of money to buy ESPN, and then disband the network and leave the Big 12 high and dry?

 

[Patman]

I have no problem with ND being independent but man have they've been troublemakers to any conference they've worked with

 

[Slasher]

Couple points:

1) Iger specifically called out the value of sports programming. If they divest I see them divesting all the networks that aren't in the ESPN/ABC family. They would sell off all the FX channels, National Geographic, etc type channels. Those are the ones that aren't bringing value to Disney. They also want to go DTC, which ESPN enables. Nobody is paying DTC for FX and Nat Geo and I could see them discontinuing the Disney channels to focus on Disney+.

2) People need to just stop with geography nonsense. Instead of Nebraska (Creighton) you're going to Kansas. Big deal. Instead of Cincinnati, you're going . . . to Cincinnati. Chicago, Milwaukee trips aren't any different than trips to Texas. A few more minutes on a plane. There would be three other teams in the eastern time zone. You can schedule GTown and Providence in the non-conference.

 

[DSquiz]

I feel exactly how you do. This past year playing schools I care about, BSing with my Providence and Nova friends, taking the train to MSG was my favorite season ever. So much fun!

I fear we lose all of that with the B12. I don’t care about the money. We’re a state flagship, we’ll be well funded regardless.

 

[Rico444]

People need to just stop with geography nonsense. Instead of Nebraska (Creighton) you're going to Kansas. Big deal. Instead of Cincinnati, you're going . . . to Cincinnati. Chicago, Milwaukee trips aren't any different than trips to Texas. A few more minutes on a plane. There would be three other teams in the eastern time zone.

This is what annoys the basketball fans, when the football-first crew makes these disingenuous arguments. You can make an argument that the move has to be made without pretending that the travel isn't much worse. Traveling to Milwaukee is not comparable to Texas, and that's ignoring the fact that there are four teams in Texas (and another next door in Oklahoma).

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

yes unfortunately the ACC has declined to offer membership to our beloved UConn in the past but if UMiami, Florida State, Clemson, UNC, NCState, and VaTech exit the ACC then the ACC leftovers Syracuse, Boston College, Duke, Pittsburgh, Wake, and Georgia Tech would have no reason not to welcome UConn with open arms.

That could be in a decade and by then we'll have withered greatly.

 

[Patman]

This is what annoys the basketball fans, when the football-first crew makes these disingenuous arguments. You can make an argument that the move has to be made without pretending that the travel isn't much worse. Traveling to Milwaukee is not comparable to Texas, and that's ignoring the fact that there are four teams in Texas (and another next door in Oklahoma).

Neither Milwaukee or Texas are on the way to pick up the groceries. Now, I can buy if you want to say the north is more culturally similar to the south and saying buying into a southern and deep Midwestern league is a mistake but let's not pretend it's close. Don't pretend this is a league where everything is an 8 hour bus ride from hartford.

 

[Nostical]

Interesting points Yormark made about monetizing the sites selected for BigXII tournaments. He was surprised that no local KC based corporation ever has advertised or sponsored any portion of the B12 KC BBall site. Not any more.
He also stressed that to expand the reach of the B12 (Rucker Park, Mexico City, etc) it’s much easier and cheaper to use basketball rather than football. Houston and KU men and women will play in Mexico City. Imagine if their football teams played there (like the NFL does) It would cost a fortune. He sees a much more important role for basketball in bringing revenue to the conference than any of the old line BOD members may have thought. His brilliant outside the box ideas have dazzled the poobahs. And UConn is one of them.

 

[Patman]

Interesting points Yormark made about monetizing the sites selected for BigXII tournaments. He was surprised that no local KC based corporation ever has advertised or sponsored any portion of the B12 KC BBall site. Not any more.
He also stressed that to expand the reach of the B12 (Rucker Park, Mexico City, etc) it’s much easier and cheaper to use basketball rather than football. Houston and KU men and women will play in Mexico City. Imagine if their football teams played there (like the NFL does) It would cost a fortune. He sees a much more important role for basketball in bringing revenue to the conference than any of the old line BOD members may have thought. His brilliant outside the box ideas have dazzled the poobahs. And UConn is one of them.

If you end up too outside the box you end up Diacoing everything so you can go too far

 

[CL82]

If you end up too outside the box you end up Diacoing everything so you can go too far

"You want to go outside the box? Oh I can go outside the box! I'm so far outside the box that I can't even see the box from where I am!"​

 

[Urcea]

yes unfortunately the ACC has declined to offer membership to our beloved UConn in the past but if UMiami, Florida State, Clemson, UNC, NCState, and VaTech exit the ACC then the ACC leftovers Syracuse, Boston College, Duke, Pittsburgh, Wake, and Georgia Tech would have no reason not to welcome UConn with open arms.

If you want this OBE reunion, have UConn join the Big 12. It will make it way more hospitable for Pitt and Syracuse later on, both from the “cultural fit” arguments on their side and the direction of the Conference from UConn’s side

 

[jostar1]

If you end up too outside the box you end up Diacoing everything so you can go too far

Yormark said that he puts all of his ideas on a white board and then runs them by the AD's, so I doubt that would happen.

 

[jostar1]

Interesting points Yormark made about monetizing the sites selected for BigXII tournaments. He was surprised that no local KC based corporation ever has advertised or sponsored any portion of the B12 KC BBall site. Not any more.
He also stressed that to expand the reach of the B12 (Rucker Park, Mexico City, etc) it’s much easier and cheaper to use basketball rather than football. Houston and KU men and women will play in Mexico City. Imagine if their football teams played there (like the NFL does) It would cost a fortune. He sees a much more important role for basketball in bringing revenue to the conference than any of the old line BOD members may have thought. His brilliant outside the box ideas have dazzled the poobahs. And UConn is one of them.

That interview is a must listen for any UConn fan hoping to get a Big 12 invite. His brain is a money-making machine. He said he increased the revenue for the BB championship in Kansas City by 40%.

This is what reporters and fans don't get about the idea of UConn being invited to the Big 12. Most reporters and fans are stuck on the idea that "football drives the bus" and football counts for 80% in a media deal. Yormark is going to use basketball as a catalyst for income and growth in the Big 12. He used the word "catalyst" in conjunction with "basketball" several times. He said that doubling down on basketball is not just for the TV deal, it is a catalyst for future growth.

He is bullish on basketball as a catalyst for international expansion, specifically Mexico. The conference will be broadcasting games in Spanish, not just for the Mexico City basketball games, but also for the football championship. He called it an outreach to the Hispanic community. Of course, we know that New York and Connecticut have a large Hispanic population.

He prefaced talking about how he talked to the mayor of New City and how that ended up with Rucker Park by saying "If I want to plant a flag in New York City"---well, we know he does.

 

[dayooper]

That interview is a must listen for any UConn fan hoping to get a Big 12 invite. His brain is a money-making machine. He said he increased the revenue for the BB championship in Kansas City by 40%.

This is what reporters and fans don't get about the idea of UConn being invited to the Big 12. Most reporters and fans are stuck on the idea that "football drives the bus" and football counts for 80% in a media deal. Yormark is going to use basketball as a catalyst for income and growth in the Big 12. He used the word "catalyst" in conjunction with "basketball" several times. He said that doubling down on basketball is not just for the TV deal, it is a catalyst for future growth.

He is bullish on basketball as a catalyst for international expansion, specifically Mexico. The conference will be broadcasting games in Spanish, not just for the Mexico City basketball games, but also for the football championship. He called it an outreach to the Hispanic community. Of course, we know that New York and Connecticut have a large Hispanic population.

He prefaced talking about how he talked to the mayor of New City and how that ended up with Rucker Park by saying "If I want to plant a flag in New York City"---well, we know he does.

He’s using basketball because he knows that he just lost 2 football giants and probably won’t be able to attract any other powers. The ACC teams are locked into the contract and he knows that FSU, Clemson and Miami aren’t fighting the GOR for the Big12. That leaves ND, Washington and Oregon. They aren’t going anywhere except for the Big10.

So Yormark is trying to leverage what the Big12 already has and can double down on with schools that might be willing to jump. While I think it’s a great move, it’s really the only move the Big12 has.

 

[TheDrifter75]

While I think it’s a great move, it’s really the only move the Big12 has.

Kudos to him for recognizing it and making a play. Many would be stubborn and keep the football only blinders on.

 

[ctchamps]

Interesting points Yormark made about monetizing the sites selected for BigXII tournaments. He was surprised that no local KC based corporation ever has advertised or sponsored any portion of the B12 KC BBall site. Not any more.
He also stressed that to expand the reach of the B12 (Rucker Park, Mexico City, etc) it’s much easier and cheaper to use basketball rather than football. Houston and KU men and women will play in Mexico City. Imagine if their football teams played there (like the NFL does) It would cost a fortune. He sees a much more important role for basketball in bringing revenue to the conference than any of the old line BOD members may have thought. His brilliant outside the box ideas have dazzled the poobahs. And UConn is one of them.

And he can get UConn a Canadian foreign gig by having us play Syracuse.

 

[ctchamps]

If you end up too outside the box you end up Diacoing everything so you can go too far

Or you can end up like ESPN at the expense of networks.

 

[dayooper]

Kudos to him for recognizing it and making a play. Many would be stubborn and keep the football only blinders on.

Absolutely! He had been great for the Big12. He had the foresight to negotiate before the PAC did and leveraged the fact that no one was going to leave to get a solid contract.

I would love UConn in the Big10, but realize it’s not happening right now. I think the Big12 is a great landing spot and think you will do very well there.