I am not as convinced as seemingly everyone else on this site that it is in UConn’s best interests to join the Big 12.
Geographical proximity with competitive schools makes the Big East special. Most UConn fans work, are friends with, or acquainted with fans from other Big East schools which allows rivalries.
UConn and it’s fans lacked proximity and familiarity with the AAC schools despite the fact that the AAC included future Big 12 “heavyweights” UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston. UConn teams lost relevance and it’s NYC brand was diminished during its AAC era..
I fear that UConn joining the Big 12 would be a mistake. UConn, it’s fans, and media have little in common with faraway schools Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, UCF, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, K-State,, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, and West Virginia. Yeah, I know that Kansas, Houston and others have top ranked basketball programs but to most UConn fans the aforementioned schools will seem like out of conference games which few will attend away games.
In my opinion UConn’s best interests is to stay in the Big East and wait to see what the ACC “football” schools do when the ACC football schools force a split, or when the GORs expire or are terminated.
UConn would have far- far more in common in terms of geographical proximity and fan rivalries with likely ACC football leftovers Syracuse, Boston College, Duke, Pittsburgh, Wake, Georgia Tech than they would have with the Big 12 Schools.
If the ACC split does not accommodate UConn then it can remain in the Big East which existing relationship has proven beneficial.
I fear that UConn joining the Big 12 will be the AAC redux.
Geographical proximity with competitive schools makes the Big East special. Most UConn fans work, are friends with, or acquainted with fans from other Big East schools which allows rivalries.
UConn and it’s fans lacked proximity and familiarity with the AAC schools despite the fact that the AAC included future Big 12 “heavyweights” UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston. UConn teams lost relevance and it’s NYC brand was diminished during its AAC era..
I fear that UConn joining the Big 12 would be a mistake. UConn, it’s fans, and media have little in common with faraway schools Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, UCF, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, K-State,, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, and West Virginia. Yeah, I know that Kansas, Houston and others have top ranked basketball programs but to most UConn fans the aforementioned schools will seem like out of conference games which few will attend away games.
In my opinion UConn’s best interests is to stay in the Big East and wait to see what the ACC “football” schools do when the ACC football schools force a split, or when the GORs expire or are terminated.
UConn would have far- far more in common in terms of geographical proximity and fan rivalries with likely ACC football leftovers Syracuse, Boston College, Duke, Pittsburgh, Wake, Georgia Tech than they would have with the Big 12 Schools.
If the ACC split does not accommodate UConn then it can remain in the Big East which existing relationship has proven beneficial.
I fear that UConn joining the Big 12 will be the AAC redux.