Non-Key Tweets

[SubbaBub]

We need some more Non-Key Tweets around here.
The board has been slow this week.

This might do the trick, bwuhahahahahaha...

Without a doubt, B1G sports excluding football would bring at least 4x as much as UConn makes now. The question then becomes, what to do with football? Can UConn pull a Navy and stay in AAC?

Not an indy guy but, now that the SEC (and presumably the other P5's) now consider independents as part of an acceptable strength of schedule, it might be possible go craft a 12 game independent FB schedule. Discuss.

 

[TruDomGopher]

Think this through:

Rice. There is only one reason to be thinking affiliate membership with Rice: Football. This kinda/sorta makes sense--there's a fair-sized B1G alumni base, Texas-based bowls, and certain schools (Nebraska) are unhappy that the recruiting pipeline into Texas just ain't what it used to be.

In the background, you've got the tv executives. Fox needs inroads. If I remember right, a recurrent theme here is that ESPN hates UConn. Well, that means only one thing: Fox loves UConn. The enemy of my enemy is a friend.

So why would you need a 16th football school like Rice? Simple: You've got a 15th. Like UConn.

Reasons to add UConn:

Geography
Men's Basketball
Women's Basketball
Hockey
TV
Academics
Susan Herbst's fashion style
Football

Seriously, please don't take offense, but the B1G ain't gonna be adding UConn because of football anytime soon--but they want everything else enough to find a football partner--that would mean: UConn, all sports, probably under some time of provisional membership contingent on metrics. (A provisional membership may or may not be a bad thing depending on terms. In any event, it would be the chance to jump up and strut your stuff.) To paraphrase from the HBO Leno/Letterman movie: "UConn would be our New England star, and I don't know how to put a price tag on that."

My fear on waiting with UConn has always been that if the B1G doesn't add you now but waits for GOR's to run, you might not get in because suddenly two schools perceived as "better" become available and UConn's again shunted aside. Uh, uh, you need to get in ASAP. Fortunately, I'm pretty sure the enemy of your enemy is my friend Fox has been hounding B1G day and night to figure out a way to work UConn into the equation.

The B1G still has something no other conference has: a proven TV network in an area of the country where winter drives up viewership. I mean this in the best possible way: only Fox/B1G can exploit UConn and maximize UConn's value.

I think it was Fishy that said something to the effect: You'll notice there isn't any frenzied bidding around UConn. That is true--but only because it's still the inspection period and bidding hasn't even opened yet.

In a way, it makes more sense than waiting out GOR's or getting involved in costly court fights. The TV needs programming now and there's money being left on the table. It dovetails with all the rumors we've been hearing surrounding UConn.

 

[jostar1]

Greg Flugaur @flugempire · 9h 9 hours ago
"@McMurphyESPN: Big 12 is expanding!! By 6 teams … in wrestling http://ocolly.com/sports/article…" McMurphy is 10 weeks behind me on this story

 

[jostar1]

Greg Flugaur @flugempire · 7h 7 hours ago
As ESPN is busy breaking news today of Big 12 Wrestling expansion.....news that my guys broke 2+ months ago..I will proceed to forward you..

Greg Flugaur @flugempire · 7h 7 hours ago
...all some information today that Im sure ESPN will get around to in middle of June. I'm short of specifics today but been told it will....

Greg Flugaur @flugempire · 7h 7 hours ago
...sharpen up into focus in a very short period of time. Big Ten is pushing heavily into expanding its affliate athletic memberships.......

Greg Flugaur @flugempire · 7h 7 hours ago
The push is about pushing the brand of the Big Ten to Big Ten virgin regions/states of the country. It's about "prepping" the land...

Greg Flugaur @flugempire · 7h 7 hours ago
Benn told again (again and again) there is virtually no possibilty of Big Ten full membership expansion before 2019/20. However...the...

Greg Flugaur @flugempire · 7h 7 hours ago
...the vehicle of the BTN is primed economically and has the structure built in to now expand the brand and market the brand of the Big Ten

Greg Flugaur @flugempire · 7h 7 hours ago
And now for the part which I will get roasted by friends and enemies a like. Exactly where?....where is Delany making the push? (So is FOX)

Greg Flugaur @flugempire · 7h 7 hours ago
....we are talking in Texas. Yep, Texas. Not talking University of Texas. And the push is into New England. The goal is to push the....

Greg Flugaur @flugempire · 7h 7 hours ago
...the brand of Big Ten athletics using BTN as the vehicle....prepping the land for possible bigger things in the future. This info..

Greg Flugaur @flugempire · 7h 7 hours ago
....this info for today that we received is very short on possible schools and sports. Been told Johns Hopkins will not be the only.......

Greg Flugaur @flugempire · 7h 7 hours ago
This push is all about raising the profile of the Big Ten in a inexpensive manner into fast growing regions of the country and into New Eng

Greg Flugaur @flugempire · 7h 7 hours ago
YES will be used (21st Century Fox owned) to induce whatever affliate push Delany and Big Ten have in mind in New England. The skids will...

Greg Flugaur @flugempire · 7h 7 hours ago
...be greased for candidate schools and BTN. In the southwest Big Ten wants to pry open market...raise Big Ten profile...start butting heads

Greg Flugaur @flugempire · 7h 7 hours ago
Delany/BTN serious about not only exploring...but breaking open the number of affliate partial members of the Big Ten from 1 to 2-3-4.

 

[huskypantz]

UConn field hockey to the B1G.

 

[woomba]

He's probably trying to allude to College Baseball.

Spring/Summer programming is the weakest out of the Big Ten Lineup and baseball in the Big Ten in general is pretty poor compared to the other P5 conferences. If ASU Hockey talks are legit, it probably makes sense to pick up a few Baseball affiliates as well in non-Big Ten states, pref. in the South so that they can do in-conference games in March

Rice has a very good baseball team to make them a potential contender.

Some other reasonable Baseball only adds...

- Tulane
- Wichita State
....
- St. Johns/UConn?

 

[whaler11]

The Houston Astros never felt right in the American League. Their network went broke and they pulled zero point zero ratings.

Easy addition.

The Milwaukee Brewers in the National League?

Much better fit in the Big 10. Easy trips to Minnesota, Wisconsin and Northwestern. Also probably good enough to win the league in their first year and can make some noise in College World Series.

The Cuban National Team is a nice mix of baseball talent, warm weather and untapped cable revenue. 50/50 tho to the Big 10 - never know when sanctions will kick back in.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

The ASU talks are indeed legit. Not saying it'll end up happening, but there's an administrator from the B1G quoted in an article saying they were interested in the possibility.

 

[CoastAtlantic]

Think this through:

Rice. There is only one reason to be thinking affiliate membership with Rice: Football. This kinda/sorta makes sense--there's a fair-sized B1G alumni base, Texas-based bowls, and certain schools (Nebraska) are unhappy that the recruiting pipeline into Texas just ain't what it used to be.

In the background, you've got the tv executives. Fox needs inroads. If I remember right, a recurrent theme here is that ESPN hates UConn. Well, that means only one thing: Fox loves UConn. The enemy of my enemy is a friend.

So why would you need a 16th football school like Rice? Simple: You've got a 15th. Like UConn.

Reasons to add UConn:

Geography
Men's Basketball
Women's Basketball
Hockey
TV
Academics
Susan Herbst's fashion style
Football

Seriously, please don't take offense, but the B1G ain't gonna be adding UConn because of football anytime soon--but they want everything else enough to find a football partner--that would mean: UConn, all sports, probably under some time of provisional membership contingent on metrics. (A provisional membership may or may not be a bad thing depending on terms. In any event, it would be the chance to jump up and strut your stuff.) To paraphrase from the HBO Leno/Letterman movie: "UConn would be our New England star, and I don't know how to put a price tag on that."

My fear on waiting with UConn has always been that if the B1G doesn't add you now but waits for GOR's to run, you might not get in because suddenly two schools perceived as "better" become available and UConn's again shunted aside. Uh, uh, you need to get in ASAP. Fortunately, I'm pretty sure the enemy of your enemy is my friend Fox has been hounding B1G day and night to figure out a way to work UConn into the equation.

The B1G still has something no other conference has: a proven TV network in an area of the country where winter drives up viewership. I mean this in the best possible way: only Fox/B1G can exploit UConn and maximize UConn's value.

I think it was Fishy that said something to the effect: You'll notice there isn't any frenzied bidding around UConn. That is true--but only because it's still the inspection period and bidding hasn't even opened yet.

In a way, it makes more sense than waiting out GOR's or getting involved in costly court fights. The TV needs programming now and there's money being left on the table. It dovetails with all the rumors we've been hearing surrounding UConn.

The Flug said no new full member before 2019. That would rule your scenario out. Plus, I would be shocked if they picked Rice. They're not that desperate.

Hockey. Baseball. Lacrosse. That's probably their thinking.

 

[Point6]

Why would the B1G pick up UConn as an affiliate member and not take men's and women's hoops? Is Delany going to leave our "bell cow" programs on the table if he can get them? I hope to god we would move hoops to the B1G this a.m if asked.

Once we win a few NCs under the B1G banner and otherwise improve the conference's eastern hoops profile, I like our chances to get to full membership by 2019/2020. The potential $ would justify any further improvements the B1G might deem necessary for us to get there. This model also protects the B1G's potential future investment in UConn by preserving our elite hoops programs while they evaluate/we ramp up FB. It would also be short sighted for the B1G to let our FB die on the vine once we are an affiliate member so I would expect some scheduling help on that front too.

 

[Kolumbo]

Please folks, enough with the partial membership banter. That is just...no.

 

[Point6]

Please folks, enough with the partial membership banter. That is just...no.

C'mon, army as an independent has a higher profile that we do - at least wrt to counting as a P5. A uconn indy team w a Big affiliation would likely be treated as P5 by both SEC and ACC for scheduling purposes (and of course B1G and likely PAC if they ever implement a similar rule).

 

[Point6]

I of course would prefer full membership but I would give the left side of señor for even an affiliate membership that included basketball and an avenue for football to get there.

 

[Dooley]

I of course would prefer full membership but I would give the left side of señor for even an affiliate membership that included basketball and an avenue for football to get there.

Yeah, me too. Full basketball, hockey, Olympic sports and a 5 year probationary for football that includes 4-5 guaranteed games per year against B1G schools. Schedule the dregs for all I care...it's still better than what we'd muster up if we went Indy. If football turns it around in the next 5 years and Delany/UConn can find an expansion partner, then a full membership deal can be discussed. But a partial membership in the B1G based on hoops and hockey TV revenue would still probably be somewhere in the neighborhood of 5-10x the amount we'd earn in the AAC or Big East (for all the Indy folks out there).

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Yeah, me too. Full basketball, hockey, Olympic sports and a 5 year probationary for football that includes 4-5 guaranteed games per year against B1G schools. Schedule the dregs for all I care...it's still better than what we'd muster up if we went Indy. If football turns it around in the next 5 years and Delany/UConn can find an expansion partner, then a full membership deal can be discussed. But a partial membership in the B1G based on hoops and hockey TV revenue would still probably be somewhere in the neighborhood of 5-10x the amount we'd earn in the AAC or Big East (for all the Indy folks out there).

If we could protect the future of our basketball program and make more money in the process it would be difficult to say no to.

Given that we already have two B1G teams scheduled for back to back years, I can't imagine there begin a huge ordeal to get a couple more B1G games as an associate member.

The problem with this is that, there is absolutely no reason for them to ever take our football program.

So, do we wait it out a risk losing both football and hoops or save hoops but kill football almost certainly?

BTW I don't think partial member is likely, but it's just for fun to debate it.

 

[CL82]

UConn field hockey to the B1G.

They aren't worthy.

 

[Point6]

If we could protect the future of our basketball program and make more money in the process it would be difficult to say no to.

Given that we already have two B1G teams scheduled for back to back years, I can't imagine there begin a huge ordeal to get a couple more B1G games as an associate member.

The problem with this is that, there is absolutely no reason for them to ever take our football program.

So, do we wait it out a risk losing both football and hoops or save hoops but kill football almost certainly?

BTW I don't think partial member is likely, but it's just for fun to debate it.

I agree its unlikely. That said, for fun, non-key tweet, debating purposes, I think a prolonged stay in the AAC could kill both FB and Hoops. B1G money and the perceived elevation of being affiliated with P5 (as hopefully a member in waiting subject to some conditions) might save both. If we were in the B1G for everything but FB, would the media treat us as P5 or not P5? It may be important for recruiting across all sports including FB. History would suggest the P5 are not going to give the AAC a fair chance to become a P6. I would view an offer of an affiliated membership to the B1G kind of like an offer hang off the side of a lifeboat with no seats left. Maybe we can get in later, but if we let it sail off now we are stuck on the Titanic with everyone else.

It is also logical that some of the B1G schools could be wary of giving us a full membership right now based on the past few years in FB (maybe among other reasons). If there is an internal debate within the B1G and Delany wants to get us in to get more NY and NE exposure through hoops in advance of the upcoming TV contract(s), I could see this kind of deal being pitched to any B1G presidents who are not otherwise "all in." Of course, none of this is likely going on and we are probably already dead men walking, but you never know. I will eat raw fish and drink rainwater in the interim if there's a possibility we can ultimately get into the B1G.

 

[Kolumbo]

Where are you guys coming up with all this stuff? Probationary period, partial membership, this, that? Do you really think the B1G is going through all these crazy scenarios? It will invite a state flagship school which fits the bill. Period. Johns Hopkins is in a league of its own, or was, as it were. Can I somehow block any comments which at all reference partial membership?

 

[Point6]

Where are you guys coming up with all this stuff? Probationary period, partial membership, this, that? Do you really think the B1G is going through all these crazy scenarios? It will invite a state flagship school which fits the bill. Period. Johns Hopkins is in a league of its own, or was, as it were. Can I somehow block any comments which at all reference partial membership?

I am just running with the non-key tweet of the day. I agree with you - unlikely. Sorry I am working today (which is why I am posting).

 

[TruDomGopher]

Where are you guys coming up with all this stuff? Probationary period, partial membership, this, that? Do you really think the B1G is going through all these crazy scenarios? It will invite a state flagship school which fits the bill. Period. Johns Hopkins is in a league of its own, or was, as it were. Can I somehow block any comments which at all reference partial membership?

Let's review the current slate of rumors and tidbits:

Back in mid-February, OkaForPrez posted an ambiguous post that UConn was in a P5 push. UConn could quietly be in play. Followed up with rumors of B1G rep at basketball game--interesting in that it may be the person in charge of branding. Solid news: Fox is getting killed with Big East BB. Extended rumors Fox is pushing at B1G.

Guess: Fox is fed up with the COP/C and their snob/AAU status stuff. Guess: B1G can't/won't try to break a GOR and Fox wants action now. Waiting ten years when there are available pieces to be monetized now doesn't cut it.

Confirmed: B1G would take ASU as partial for hockey. In effect, confirming that B1G is moving or drifting away from full conference model to a network model.

Flugaur latest rumor twittering: Partial or affiliate. Rice. Serah Williams. NE. YES.

Personal bias: I want UConn in B1G. (Colors my thinking.)

Output: UConn, full membership contingent on meeting metrics. This should satisfy the COP/C. Who else would be of any value to YES tv? The need would be a traveling partner, primarily for football. Enter Rice. Who know's? Maybe they'll end up being the next Baylor--a little school that could. If not, no long range complications. A trial run for TV. East/west balance. (Important to note: no hockey or lacrosse with Rice and nothing but football moves a needle with them.)

From there, you could fill in affiliate memberships as needed or desired or available. Maybe try to entice Boston U for hockey or something.

The partial/affiliate thing is just another internet rumor, but in the totality it's a piece of the puzzle that fits because of the wait on GOR's, tension between tv executives and presidents, and so on. It's fun to play with so I'm going with this today:

UConn to B1G.
Rice affiliate football only.
Boston U all sports.

 

[Maebh]

It's fun to play with so I'm going with this today:

UConn to B1G.
Rice affiliate football only.
Boston U all sports.

None of which is actually going to happen, of course.

 

[TruDomGopher]

You can take it to the bank. I hacked Delany's barber's son's twitter account.

 

[pj]

I'll stake out Delany's car wash.

 

[TruDomGopher]

The Flug said no new full member before 2019. That would rule your scenario out. Plus, I would be shocked if they picked Rice. They're not that desperate.

Hockey. Baseball. Lacrosse. That's probably their thinking.

Maybe. But since I got my chemo yesterday and I just have to sit quietly today and not hurl on my keyboard, let me get into this a bit.

If all they're talking about is lacrosse--fine, I have absolutely no idea. It may be the sport of the future but it is most definitely not the sport of now. Delany went to the Hopkins/Rutgers match and doubled the attendance. Rice doesn't have lacrosse or hockey, I don't think. Baseball? Zero tv needle movement. None. That's not even a rumor, it's a footnote.

Flug says no new members before 2019. I think otherwise--I think there will be movement before the new contract. In the land of my personal bias, I think Fox will have a say and I think they want UConn in play. B1G, dump football and go Big East, whatever: UConn has too much television value to be sitting where it is. In my experience, the guy that writes the checks (ie. Fox) has a pretty strong hand compared to the guy that cashes the check (ie. B1G). Yes, the B1G probably has multiple schools they'd rather have but their dance cards are full for...oh, ten years or so.

The UConn to B1G with a Texas presence is old news--go to the CSNbbs and check back--it turned up two years ago or so. Rice is interesting twist, though. AAU. (Which may make UConn easier for the COP/C to swallow.) Right market. And, for a small school, they have an absolutely friggin' huge football stadium--if I remember right, they got like a 70,000 seater or something like that.

(The Boston U thing is ongoing in this thread so for practical purposes, just ignore it...)

So could these pieces come together in a way that makes the constituent parties happy or at least form a package they can live with?

So it boils down to this: I like my version better.

 

[pj]

The only thing that makes Rice even fractionally-plausible to me is the persistent rumors that the one SEC school the B1G has courted is Vanderbilt. Clearly, the focus was on using athletics to promote academics, rather than on athletic prowess or money-making. (Kentucky would be more geographically contiguous and far more potent athletically and market-wise.)

It still seems very unlikely.