National sentiment

[uconnfan68]

Serious question, how is it a bold, strong move?

I think that's the crux of the divide between the fanbase right now. How are we better for this move?

Because no one seems to have a clue about what will happen... to any of our teams, except hockey, which is still in Hockey East.
I feel badly for football, as it sure seems like we just threw them under the bus, but again, we really don’t know what will happen.

 

[huskysupporter]

I think it sends a different message. That for once we're not going to be tied to the whipping post. It's a bold, strong move. Whether it works out is a different question.

It’s not going to work out. Everyone except our frontrunning basketball fanboys sees that. Shortsighted dumb move. But it’s par for the course.

 

[Waquoit]

Gotten a lot of texts today saying UConn is back. Once you leave the CT. Tri-state/New England area everyone and I mean everyone has been asking for years, what happened to UConn/why aren't you in the Big East?

I remember being in wine country back in awhile back. The couple slurping next to us was lamenting their college football team. I think it was Cal. I said words to the effect of "Your team is better than ours, but our basketball team will be good this year" And the answer was, "Well, you always are" This was at a time when we weren't always good. But to the casual fan we are known as a team that's always good. Being bad is an anomaly.

 

[uconnfan68]

Total BS.

Some of you have no vision. Basic business.

What do we bring? Compared to others in AAC? Not enough.

 

[Waquoit]

Everyone except our frontrunning basketball fanboys sees that.

In other words, UConn fans.

 

[Waquoit]

I think that's the crux of the divide between the fanbase right now. How are we better for this move?

Besides a stronger basketball program?

 

[upstater]

What do we bring? Compared to others in AAC? Not enough.

Not much, but we do bring 3.6 million TV viewers that we control in our state, unlike all the other teams in the league. Men's and women's basketball.

On its own, that's not enough.

But the B12 didn't like any of the schools, they didn't add to the bottom line.

In a few years, Texas and Oklahoma will leave the B12, and the dregs will invite schools like USF, UCF, Cincinnati, & one other (not sure who). They'll go from making $6m a year to making $15m.

Again, it's about the money. There's very little value in the AAC. UConn was one school that controlled its state and had viewer interest in both basketball teams. So... the B12 can't Houston, they can't take Memphis, those schools don't add to the bottom line.

 

[JMick]

It’s not going to work out. Everyone except our frontrunning basketball fanboys sees that. Shortsighted dumb move. But it’s par for the course.

well them and all of the national sports media lol

 

[Robertelamin]

Not much, but we do bring 3.6 million TV viewers that we control in our state, unlike all the other teams in the league. Men's and women's basketball.

On its own, that's not enough.

But the B12 didn't like any of the schools, they didn't add to the bottom line.

In a few years, Texas and Oklahoma will leave the B12, and the dregs will invite schools like USF, UCF, Cincinnati, & one other (not sure who). They'll go from making $6m a year to making $15m.

Again, it's about the money. There's very little value in the AAC. UConn was one school that controlled its state and had viewer interest in both basketball teams. So... the B12 can't Houston, they can't take Memphis, those schools don't add to the bottom line.

Why do you think Texas and Oklahoma are leaving? Texas can leave whenever it wants but it’s stayed put.

 

[Walker11]

You seem like a nice fella but I never have any idea what you're talking about.

I am embarrassed that another Fairfield Prep graduate is so consistently stupid.

@Butch

 

[Adios]

I am embarrassed that another Fairfield Prep graduate is so consistently stupid.

@Butch

This board has not much vision of business or institutional growth. Or even college athletic culture. Fighting fire with fire does not work. As already proven.

 

[TheChamps990411]

we already missed like 5 chances to get into the P5. They don't want us.

Because our football team is worthless. If we had a solid football program instead of the dumpster fire that it is we`dve been in a P5 conference a long time ago.

 

[Alum86]

It's like the world is right again. Thank God for the administration finally realizing our future is basketball not a one-win football program. I will tap dancing on the football programs grave all night long.

You are not an alum. You cannot be. If you are you should be ashamed of yourself.

 

[Robertelamin]

You are not an alum. You cannot be. If you are you should be ashamed of yourself.

He went a bit far there....I think for a good amount of alums football is meaningless, especially those that attended prior to 2004 or whenever they joined the Big East in football. This isn’t how most of us wanted it in a perfect world. We would be in the B1G or ACC by now. Tap dancing on the grave is cruel though.

 

[Waquoit]

Because our football team is worthless. If we had a solid football program instead of the dumpster fire that it is we`dve been in a P5 conference a long time ago.

Not true. We were passed over by inferior programs at the time.

 

[upstater]

Why do you think Texas and Oklahoma are leaving? Texas can leave whenever it wants but it’s stayed put.

Contracts.
They are leaving because of the money. 2024.

 

[upstater]

It would have been nice if the $110 million spent on the Rent, the $10-$15 million annually spent on football, the $60m spent on the Shenkman and Burton, had just been plowed into men's hoops over the last several years.

 

[John]

Will have a big impact on basketball in terms of recruits, name brand, exposure (everything.) Nobody outside of CT. knew where we were the past 6 years.

You can blame that on the basketball program's overall lack of performance.

 

[Northbound]

If we don't uphold the football program, we can forget the P5 and become Washington University at St Louis or something.

Well UConn would be happy to have Wash U’s 8 billion endowment.

How do i know, my wife is a Wash U graduate

 

[UCHuskies08]

Serious question, how is it a bold, strong move?

I think that's the crux of the divide between the fanbase right now. How are we better for this move?

Making decisions based on the dream that our football program is going to lead us to a top conferences is stupid. Any notion that this scenario could ever play out should be long gone at this point.

 

[Adios]

Well UConn would be happy to have Wash U’s 8 billion endowment.

How do i know, my wife is a Wash U graduate

Ask her if she can lobby for us to join the UAA. Screw the Big East.

 

[zls44]

Any notion that this scenario could ever play out should be long gone at this point.

"A dream without a plan is a wish." - Herm Edwards

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think it sends a different message. That for once we're not going to be tied to the whipping post. It's a bold, strong move. Whether it works out is a different question.

I’ve been thinking about this. My feelings are mixed. Ultimately I think we had to break the cycle. The AAC contract made no consideration at all for what UConn valued. None. It forced our hand.

So what does this move do? It sends a message about our brand. Even if football is Independent, we control it. If we can land an SNY TV deal, that’s a message again. The Big East will reduce travel costs across Olympic sports, and with UConn in the fold, may return 6 teams in the NCAA earning credits. I’m still looking for details on T3 rights for the Big East. It’s all streamed, but does that foreclose us selling SNY women’s hoop? If so, package that with football.

The future is about streaming and schools potentially returning to selling their own content, or keeping more of it. Branding is king. This will help our brand.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Because our football team is worthless. If we had a solid football program instead of the dumpster fire that it is we`dve been in a P5 conference a long time ago.

We were chosen for the ACC ahead of Louisville and I believe Pitt but BC blocked us

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Football actually made money at one time.
There was a moment when after my original skepticism thought tha UConn football just might capture the heart of the state with its long history of football.
I was in San Juan Airport waiting for a flight to Hartford that was running late.
UConn had upgraded football but they weren’t officially in the Big East.yet.
It was a Saturday and to keep us distracted they were announcing college football scores .
When they announced UConn 30 Navy 0 a roar went up from the crowd .
I thought maybe just maybe UConn could rekindle Connecticut’s love of the sport
Invented by a native son. That dream is forever shattered.