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this seems as laced with assumptions as most other recent "reports".
this seems as laced with assumptions as most other recent "reports".
And here is is latest column. Warning you know, he reads like Whaler11.
Why ESPN and Fox don't want to pay for any planned Big 12 expansion
Andy StaplesVerified account@Andy_Staples
Andy Staples Retweeted Del Abramson
Sheer population matters when selling subscriptions to X people for X cents a month. This is about owning your town.
Send all of your research to the Big 12 headquarters directly. It certainly won't hurt our chances.I am sure that Big 12 people are looking into whether or not UConn can really deliver the volume. Can we get XX cents a month from the NYC DMA? If we can, we are in and it's not close. No other candidate comes remotely close to bringing New York plus Connecticut sized population numbers.
Here is what we know about market share in the northeast:
1. UConn, without question, owns the Hartford/New Haven market. #30 DMA in the country is bigger than #34 Cincinnati...and there is no question that UC is #2 in their own home market. The same can be said about every single other AAC candidate. Memphis doesn't own Memphis. Houston doesn't own Houston. UCF/Orlando. USF/Tampa. ECU/yeah...I'm just joking. I *think* BYU's "home market is Salt Lake City...I would say they own that but I really don't know how much Utah/Utah St/BYU battles fall into line. So, really, there is one school that can 100% guarantee its home market.
2. We are a Top 5 followed football program in New York and Boston. Do we deliver either of these cities based on that? Probably not. That would be like someone suggesting UMass could deliver Hartford/New Haven. Here's where the lines blur a bit though: basketball. UConn (and Syracuse) own the New York city college basketball landscape. Our Big East roots at Madison Square Garden not only has given our NYC alumni opportunities to see live games, but it has grown a HUGE fanbase in the city as a result. The last time we played at MSG, tickets were more expensive than Final Four tickets that year. Iowa St and Michigan St fans did not stand a chance - the Garden was not going to let UConn lose. I will never forget how loud MSG was for the Michigan State game. I will never forget how a silly Mateen Cleaves vs Rip Hamilton videoboard showdown was the catapult that sparked our comeback. It was as if The Garden video guy was a UConn guy and needed to remind the arena just whose arena it belonged to. Now, don't you think that if UConn football played competitively again (like they are trending back towards doing), those same hoops fans wouldn't tune in a UConn football game? Of course they would. A Pinstripe Bowl with UConn in it (should an ACC/B1G school fail to fill their tie-in) sells out and gives a Penn State type of atmosphere against Boston College.
New York is far more of a college basketball town than it is a college football town. Yet, that hasn't stopped the B1G and ACC to battle over it relentless. And don't forget - the B12 used to have a tie-in to the Pinstripe Bowl only to be nudged out by the B1G/ACC. Wouldn't they want to get a sniff of it again? If one of the afore-mentioned conferences can't fill its spot, wouldn't a UConn/B12 game at Yankee Stadium be fun? You could guarantee 25-30K at least UConn fans in the stands no matter who we play. Not to mention the swell in NYC ratings...for B12 football in New York.
I am sure that Big 12 people are looking into whether or not UConn can really deliver the volume. Can we get XX cents a month from the NYC DMA? If we can, we are in and it's not close. No other candidate comes remotely close to bringing New York plus Connecticut sized population numbers.
Here is what we know about market share in the northeast:
1. UConn, without question, owns the Hartford/New Haven market. #30 DMA in the country is bigger than #34 Cincinnati...and there is no question that UC is #2 in their own home market. The same can be said about every single other AAC candidate. Memphis doesn't own Memphis. Houston doesn't own Houston. UCF/Orlando. USF/Tampa. ECU/yeah...I'm just joking. I *think* BYU's "home market is Salt Lake City...I would say they own that but I really don't know how much Utah/Utah St/BYU battles fall into line. So, really, there is one school that can 100% guarantee its home market.
2. We are a Top 5 followed football program in New York and Boston. Do we deliver either of these cities based on that? Probably not. That would be like someone suggesting UMass could deliver Hartford/New Haven. Here's where the lines blur a bit though: basketball. UConn (and Syracuse) own the New York city college basketball landscape. Our Big East roots at Madison Square Garden not only has given our NYC alumni opportunities to see live games, but it has grown a HUGE fanbase in the city as a result. The last time we played at MSG, tickets were more expensive than Final Four tickets that year. Iowa St and Michigan St fans did not stand a chance - the Garden was not going to let UConn lose. I will never forget how loud MSG was for the Michigan State game. I will never forget how a silly Mateen Cleaves vs Rip Hamilton videoboard showdown was the catapult that sparked our comeback. It was as if The Garden video guy was a UConn guy and needed to remind the arena just whose arena it belonged to. Now, don't you think that if UConn football played competitively again (like they are trending back towards doing), those same hoops fans wouldn't tune in a UConn football game? Of course they would. A Pinstripe Bowl with UConn in it (should an ACC/B1G school fail to fill their tie-in) sells out and gives a Penn State type of atmosphere against Boston College.
New York is far more of a college basketball town than it is a college football town. Yet, that hasn't stopped the B1G and ACC to battle over it relentless. And don't forget - the B12 used to have a tie-in to the Pinstripe Bowl only to be nudged out by the B1G/ACC. Wouldn't they want to get a sniff of it again? If one of the afore-mentioned conferences can't fill its spot, wouldn't a UConn/B12 game at Yankee Stadium be fun? You could guarantee 25-30K at least UConn fans in the stands no matter who we play. Not to mention the swell in NYC ratings...for B12 football in New York.
. But there still isn't going to be a network. And unless the Big 12 listens to ESPN and Fox - the ratings don't really matter.
UConn does move the needle in basketball in the city - but the whole regional ticket being more expensive than Final Four tickets... that would pretty much happen any time a regional is in MSG. The giant domes they play Final Fours in are always going to act as a downward force on those ticket prices.
BTW - UConn has played at MSG since the regional final.
It would be interesting to see some NYC specific tv ratings - because it's not like it's difficult for people from CT to get there and based on the amount of people I ride the train with it's hard to judge how much of the attendance is people from Connecticut who just enjoy the trip.
I like Flug's anologySend all of your research to the Big 12 headquarters directly. It certainly won't hurt our chances.
I am pretty sure the powers that be are well aware of our potential. As others pointed out, maybe changing your avatar can help snap out of PTSD since we keep looking at a cause of some of the trauma.I will never understand why being a "travel partner" for WVU has allowed Cincinnati's spot to be so safe and secure in all of this. Who cares if they have a partner? Cincinnati is like Pitt. They are just....there. Not great at anything, but not good enough to be interesting, in a pro sports town where they are 2nd fiddle. Just a whole lot of blah.
I'm so ready for this to be over. The uphill battle we always seem to face every single time is just demoralizing. I just watched a bit of our 2003 game at the Rent vs BC on UConnhuskygames.com. Sold out LOUD crowd as a flagship state school that owns the #30 market and is smack in the middle between NYC/Boston. No one offers that. No one. The lack of imagination of what we were and can be again if given the chance is just maddening.
I will never understand why being a "travel partner" for WVU has allowed Cincinnati's spot to be so safe and secure in all of this. Who cares if they have a partner? Cincinnati is like Pitt. They are just....there. Not great at anything, but not good enough to be interesting, in a pro sports town where they are 2nd fiddle. Just a whole lot of blah.
I'm so ready for this to be over. The uphill battle we always seem to face every single time is just demoralizing. I just watched a bit of our 2003 game at the Rent vs BC on UConnhuskygames.com. Sold out LOUD crowd as a flagship state school that owns the #30 market and is smack in the middle between NYC/Boston. No one offers that. No one. The lack of imagination of what we were and can be again if given the chance is just maddening.
But there still isn't going to be a network.
I will never understand why being a "travel partner" for WVU has allowed Cincinnati's spot to be so safe and secure in all of this. Who cares if they have a partner? Cincinnati is like Pitt. They are just....there. Not great at anything, but not good enough to be interesting, in a pro sports town where they are 2nd fiddle. Just a whole lot of blah.
I'm so ready for this to be over. The uphill battle we always seem to face every single time is just demoralizing. I just watched a bit of our 2003 game at the Rent vs BC on UConnhuskygames.com. Sold out LOUD crowd as a flagship state school that owns the #30 market and is smack in the middle between NYC/Boston. No one offers that. No one. The lack of imagination of what we were and can be again if given the chance is just maddening.
Been thinking about this a lot. Also hard to make the case that these programs are not P5 worthy when both were in a BCS LEAGUE and played in BCS bowls. Also UConn basketball is elite and Cincy basketball is decent.The right answer for any conference is UConn and Cinci. The Bearcats really do a great job punching above their weight class.
They were a good rival in the Big East. In the American they have been the only program that is a peer.
If the Big 12 decides to make the long play - they expand by two with UConn and Cincinnati.
If you are in a league, you play at your opponents HOME stadium no matter its size. End of story. I am sure that TX and OU will get their full allotment of few thousand away fan tickets just like they do for every other away game. Stadium size is just a BS argument because they never get more than a sliver of tickets for away games. Based on how Uconn handled the MI game, I can see the major conference visitors getting more tickets at the Rent than at any other conference venue. Moving to a "major" stadium would only encourage a gate split with the visititng team and actually kill any home advantage that Uconn might have.. Lots of red tape & then there's the bugaboo of the State of CT.'s mandate that home games be played at the RENT.
Truth. I'm all for playing 1 home game every couple of years at Yankee Stadium or wherever to help our bid, but we play at the Rent. That's our stadium. And it's a pretty good oneIf you are in a league, you play at your opponents HOME stadium no matter its size. End of story. I am sure that TX and OU will get their full allotment of few thousand away fan tickets just like they do for every other away game. Stadium size is just a BS argument because they never get more than a sliver of tickets for away games. Based on how Uconn handled the MI game, I can see the major conference visitors getting more tickets at the Rent than at any other conference venue. Moving to a "major" stadium would only encourage a gate split with the visititng team and actually kill any home advantage that Uconn might have.
There is no worse venue for a visiting team than BC as there is no parking for visiting fans (certainly no RV lots), high costs for hotels and for getting to the game. Somehow, BC manages to keep all of their home games in a small stadium versus the blue bloods of FB including PSU, ND, FSU, Clemson, USC, etc. Uconn should expect the same.
If you are in a league, you play at your opponents HOME stadium no matter its size. End of story. I am sure that TX and OU will get their full allotment of few thousand away fan tickets just like they do for every other away game. Stadium size is just a BS argument because they never get more than a sliver of tickets for away games. Based on how Uconn handled the MI game, I can see the major conference visitors getting more tickets at the Rent than at any other conference venue. Moving to a "major" stadium would only encourage a gate split with the visititng team and actually kill any home advantage that Uconn might have.
There is no worse venue for a visiting team than BC as there is no parking for visiting fans (certainly no RV lots), high costs for hotels and for getting to the game. Somehow, BC manages to keep all of their home games in a small stadium versus the blue bloods of FB including PSU, ND, FSU, Clemson, USC, etc. Uconn should expect the same.
Clearly Dick Harmon is a fan and avid reader of the Boneyard. You are welcome Mr Harmon!Summary
It may be easy to poke fun at it or spin a little humor in the words and phrases used in Big 12 expansion talk, but looking at it straight, there's a lot to digest and understand along the way.
CFAA@CFAAEliteClips
Dick Harmon: Big 12 terminology that's surfaced among expansion discussions
Dick Harmon: Big 12 terminology that's surfaced among expansion discussions
I think you mean ESPN. Fox doesn't want any part of Houston. They want eastern timezone content.Hard to see how Houston gets in without a absolute fit by Fox.
Right, what I meant was "Hard to see how Houston gets in, Fox will throw an absolute fit."I think you mean ESPN. Fox doesn't want any part of Houston. They want eastern timezone content.
I am sure that Big 12 people are looking into whether or not UConn can really deliver the volume. Can we get XX cents a month from the NYC DMA? If we can, we are in and it's not close. No other candidate comes remotely close to bringing New York plus Connecticut sized population numbers.
Here is what we know about market share in the northeast:
1. UConn, without question, owns the Hartford/New Haven market. #30 DMA in the country is bigger than #34 Cincinnati...and there is no question that UC is #2 in their own home market. The same can be said about every single other AAC candidate. Memphis doesn't own Memphis. Houston doesn't own Houston. UCF/Orlando. USF/Tampa. ECU/yeah...I'm just joking. I *think* BYU's "home market is Salt Lake City...I would say they own that but I really don't know how much Utah/Utah St/BYU battles fall into line. So, really, there is one school that can 100% guarantee its home market