New AAC Deal

[SubInATub]

Huh? The NBA sucks and the majority of the people I know (people in their 20s) never watch it and would much rather watch NCAA basketball.

Don't forget this part.. “we’ll just record and watch later”

No way any college kid said this.

 

[kemba]

Huh? The NBA sucks and the majority of the people I know (people in their 20s) never watch it and would much rather watch NCAA basketball.

You have weird friends

 

[LBird33]

The deal stinks

 

[freescooter]

Don't forget this part.. “we’ll just record and watch later”

No way any college kid said this.

I’m paraphrasing since I got the report 2nd hand, but that isn’t the point of 5he example. The point is 75% of the class at a major basketball power preferred to take an exam as scheduled over watching their team play an opening round game. It’s only one example but other faculty have commented on the change in “commitment” if you will, as well. College sports in general are losing the interest of college students. That is a reality and a huge long term problem. And it is largely self inflicted.

 

[weyuo]

A lot of college kids are realizing that when they leave college they'll basically have the equivalent of a mortgage to pay off with a degree that will pay them less than a skilled diesel mechanic, HVAC contractor, electrician, plumber or carpenter who doesn't carry the same debt. Kind of hard to rah rah for the home team when your finishing law school in a world where there are so many lawyers they have to advertise on TV. And... rah rah for fellow students getting a free ride to throw a ball through a hoop or run up and down a field while bitching that they don't get paid enough to do it.

 

[freescooter]

There are lots of reason. A huge one is the focus on A NATIONAL CHAMP in football. With an incredibly limited field it doesn’t matter how you do. Unless you are on a list of about 7 teams you ain’t getting a shot. Basketball isn’t quite as bad but in all but a handful of leagues you can go 30-1 and if the 1 is your league tournament you are relegated to the NIT. Meanwhile a bunch of teams who barely finish above 500 go to the NCAA tournament and lose in the first round but due to some bogus computer formula get invites based on SOS.

The important things used to be to win your league and beat your rival. Now it is meet some mathematical formula that nobody can explain and fewer understand. It just means that Kansas will always get in and good no names won’t. Oh , and don’t get caught buying players. Finally add in the 1 and dones and virtually unlimited transferring. If Joe Hoopstar isn’t committed to State U why should students care about Joe?

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Exit 4]

So why didn't Dave Benedict beat the drum with Aresco that UConn wont go quietly into the night on a new media deal that doesn't preserve our control over the Womens BB product? Navy got that deal on Football. I seriously doubt ESPN would have paid the league less for a package without UConn Womens BB. Maybe he did just that, but I haven't seen that said anywhere.

And so now what, ESPN has total control of our WBB product and may - in the goodness of their heart - let SNY have some of it (but only if it makes sense for ESPN)? Even if ESPN and SNY strike a deal, seems like all UConn WBB would get is more exposure, but not more $$ since its all part of the big media umbrella.

Am I missing anything?

 

[Husky25]

Don't forget this part.. “we’ll just record and watch later”

No way any college kid said this.

Why not? This is M.O. for this 40-something father of two. College-aged Millennials or Generation Zers who are far more technologically savvy than I have far more platforms at their disposal.

 

[Alum86]

So why didn't Dave Benedict beat the drum with Aresco that UConn wont go quietly into the night on a new media deal that doesn't preserve our control over the Womens BB product? Navy got that deal on Football. I seriously doubt ESPN would have paid the league less for a package without UConn Womens BB. Maybe he did just that, but I haven't seen that said anywhere.

And so now what, ESPN has total control of our WBB product and may - in the goodness of their heart - let SNY have some of it (but only if it makes sense for ESPN)? Even if ESPN and SNY strike a deal, seems like all UConn WBB would get is more exposure, but not more $$ since its all part of the big media umbrella.

Am I missing anything?

Nope. Doubt UConn sees any money if ESPN agrees to let SNY show games. ESPN will.

 

[ZooCougar]

Huh? The NBA sucks and the majority of the people I know (people in their 20s) never watch it and would much rather watch NCAA basketball.

This is incredibly out of touch.

 

[ZooCougar]

Based on this article you almost wonder why this conference should even exist given the needs of the member institutions being so disparate.

 

[UCFBfan]

Based on this article you almost wonder why this conference should even exist given the needs of the member institutions being so disparate.

It's very simple why it exists. It's the best of what's not P5. Remove Tulane, ECU, and Tulsa, and you have a conference head and shoulders above any other G5 school. I'd add Boise and BYU but they only bring football (Boise). Without the AAC, we'd all be floating adrift in Independence or worse, in crappier conferences making even smaller peanuts.

I would have liked to see some kind of tiered revenue share. No way was ESPN letting anyone keep Tier 3 rights. They want ESPN+ content and now have their fall and winter programming to go along with their European soccer.

Basically they needed content, knew the AAC was desperate for more money, decided to toss us some more and we bit. We didn't care where are games went because all they needed was money.

It's sad but this is what college sports has become. Keeping up with everyone else just to even survive.

The whole thing sucks

 

[billybud]

It isn't all media money that makes for separation....

UConn in combined ticket sales, donor contributions: $16 million

Same combined categories:

Alabama...$78 million

Florida.......$70 million

Georgia....$83 million

Auburn......$66 million

LSU...........$79 million

Ohio St......$99 million

Mich St......$59 million

Mich...........$94 million

FSU............$66 million


Give these kind of programs zero Dollars in media monies...

...and give UConn the same as an ACC program receives in media monies...and UConn is still way behind those big traditional programs.

But would be closer to programs like UNC and Virginia...($20 million behind Virginia and $29 million behind UNC)..Differences in total donations and ticket sales making up that difference.

 

[billybud]

UConn, Houston and UCF are just about the same in combined revenue for donations/ticket sales...Cincinnati about $4 million behind that.

 

[ZooCougar]

It's very simple why it exists. It's the best of what's not P5. Remove Tulane, ECU, and Tulsa, and you have a conference head and shoulders above any other G5 school. I'd add Boise and BYU but they only bring football (Boise). Without the AAC, we'd all be floating adrift in Independence or worse, in crappier conferences making even smaller peanuts.

I would have liked to see some kind of tiered revenue share. No way was ESPN letting anyone keep Tier 3 rights. They want ESPN+ content and now have their fall and winter programming to go along with their European soccer.

Basically they needed content, knew the AAC was desperate for more money, decided to toss us some more and we bit. We didn't care where are games went because all they needed was money.

It's sad but this is what college sports has become. Keeping up with everyone else just to even survive.

The whole thing sucks

Sure. But we’re well past the point of diminishing returns.

 

[Redding Husky]

It just underscores the need for UConn to get over to the ACC or B10 sooner than later. Let's go Huskies!

Yes, but I think the Whalers coming back to Hartford is more likely than us joining the ACC or Big 10.

All are next to nil.

 

[noeynox]

Yes, but I think the Whalers coming back to Hartford is more likely than us joining the ACC or Big 10.

All are next to nil.

I don't think people grasp how much time has passed since Louisville went to the ACC over us. We are going in 7 years. Getting close to a decade. It's getting to the point where no decisions made about the AD should be with an eye toward P5. You either believe in the AAC or you don't. If you don't, then what's the point of football?

 

[CL82]

give UConn the same as an ACC program receives in media monies...and UConn is still way behind those big traditional programs.

Fair enough, but they'd also be far above the vast majority of P5 programs. I think your point is probably far less relevant than mine.

 

[CL82]

I don't think people grasp how much time has passed since Louisville went to the ACC over us. We are going in 7 years. Getting close to a decade. It's getting to the point where no decisions made about the AD should be with an eye toward P5. You either believe in the AAC or you don't. If you don't, then what's the point of football?

The hope of moving on to a P5 conference.

I agree with you that that isn't foreseeable and probably pretty unlikely but it makes sense to hang on through the next media agreements and reevaluate. In the meantime you do what you can to build and support the conference.

 

[Redding Husky]

I don't think people grasp how much time has passed since Louisville went to the ACC over us. We are going in 7 years. Getting close to a decade. It's getting to the point where no decisions made about the AD should be with an eye toward P5. You either believe in the AAC or you don't. If you don't, then what's the point of football?

We mocked the AAC when we joined and now we're the worst program in the conference by far.

I don't blame HCRE. I don't think Bill Belichick could do much better.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Yes, but I think the Whalers coming back to Hartford is more likely than us joining the ACC or Big 10.

All are next to nil.

I understand the skepticism but wonder that with a new president at UConn, new governor, and who knows, maybe a new athletic director soon, perhaps the pieces will soon fall together.

 

[Exit 4]

I understand the skepticism but wonder that with a new president at UConn, new governor, and who knows, maybe a new athletic director soon, perhaps the pieces will soon fall together.

Hartford has one of the worst enconomies in the country right now and really for the past 10 years. No hope for an NHL franchise - at all. No growth market, inefficient CORP support for boxes... insufficient fan base potential. What it is is a great place to sell jerseys of a long dead team because it has a pretty good logo going on and no pro competition. Buy a Jersey is easy, selling out a home schedule for an NHL franchise would not work out. Wish I could feel otherwise. There will be a team in Atlanta, Portland, Salt Lake or even Houston before Hartford.

 

[Huskygrad88]

So why didn't Dave Benedict beat the drum with Aresco that UConn wont go quietly into the night on a new media deal that doesn't preserve our control over the Womens BB product? Navy got that deal on Football. I seriously doubt ESPN would have paid the league less for a package without UConn Womens BB. Maybe he did just that, but I haven't seen that said anywhere.

And so now what, ESPN has total control of our WBB product and may - in the goodness of their heart - let SNY have some of it (but only if it makes sense for ESPN)? Even if ESPN and SNY strike a deal, seems like all UConn WBB would get is more exposure, but not more $$ since its all part of the big media umbrella.

Am I missing anything?

Yes, you are missing the fact that we:
-have 0 leverage,
-are not dominant in any sport other than womens basketball, and as you point out, that does not move the needle,
-were laughed at during the Big 10 decision to expand or not,
-need to remember that Aresco does happen to represent the whole league,
-all know there is no movement in realignment on the horizon,
-etc., etc. etc.

 

[Exit 4]

Yes, you are missing the fact that we:
-have 0 leverage,
-are not dominant in any sport other than womens basketball, and as you point out, that does not move the needle,
-were laughed at during the Big 10 decision to expand or not,
-need to remember that Aresco does happen to represent the whole league,
-all know there is no movement in realignment on the horizon,
-etc., etc. etc.

Somehow Navy got a special deal. AD David Benedict should further elevate this issue in the public if something real isn’t set forth very quickly.