Non-Key Tweets

[EdgewoodNHV]

He did not say we were being invited to pitch. He said the meeting was to gauge our interest in joining. As in:

Big XII: UConn, on the terms set forth, would you ..

UConn: signed.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I'd like to believe what you're saying is what's happening because that puts the process one step forward than where I had it based on that post. What gives me pause that the process is as far along as you're suggesting it might be is that apparently the meeting we are getting has been set up with "several other schools." "Several" seems too high a number to be just the schools being invited.

Several could mean 4.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Let's be honest, the B12 isn't going to hold these meetings to see *if* these schools are interested - everyone in the world knows they're interested. It would seem these are more negotiations and proposing terms of entry if they were to be offered.

 

[31GuardTrap]

We are seriously dropping the ball here. Why don't we ( The BY) have someone staged outside Susie's office reporting back every move?

 

[Marty Jackson]

For some those reports that UConn had been having "undisclosed discussions" with the Big East (which I believe were right around the Skibletts announcement are giving me a funny feeling. Despite what this dude says FB to the Big12 and all other sports in the Big East would be nearly ideal. I'd still prefer ACC membership would be No. 1.

the big east outside Villanova and Georgetown is garbage. why are people so enamored with playing in a glorified CYO basketball league.
Is the thought of playing Texas, Kansas, Baylor, Oklahoma, WVU, and possibly Cincy that boring?

 

[CL82]

We are seriously dropping the ball here. Why don't we ( The BY) have someone staged outside Susie's office reporting back every move?

Conspiracy Kitty says:
I'm on it!

 

[Matrim55]

the big east outside Villanova and Georgetown is garbage.

Xavier, Providence, Marquette, Butler, Seton Hall, Creighton are all decent-to-very good. The only garbage programs are St. John's & DePaul.

Obviously being in the Big 12 is a better situation, but if somehow, nonsensically, we end up with Big 12 football and the choice of Big East or AAC for everything else, there is no choice.

 

[SubbaBub]

The can be various versions of done deal. Have the decided in principal who to invite, has everyone accepted (ha!), is the media on board, is everything signed.

My guess is that the offers are prepared and the networks have signed off. I don't think anyone has been "invited" just yet, or if they have it's been a heads up with a followup on the formalities before an exchange of terms/contracts.

The lawyers will need a couple weeks to work it out, get any trustee/state approvals worked out and arrange the announcement details.

Flug's time line is still realistic for next Friday.

It's like a compass needle as you approach the pole. Dancing all over the place, yet you will still get there eventually.

 

[MattMang23]

Several could mean 4.

It could. Let's hope you're right and it's the four they've chosen.

 

[amory]

This idea that they're gonna have all the serious candidates pitch doesn't make much sense.

You already paid good money to get objective data from an impartial source. You already know all the numbers. You (presumably) know what your network partners want. You know who could possibly get to 8 votes.

If we're going to talk to the Big 12 about our "interest in joining", I think it's a "you're invited, here's the terms" meeting. The football season is fast approaching and I have to believe this will be done by then. This is good news.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

This idea that they're gonna have all the serious candidates pitch doesn't make much sense.

You already paid good money to get objective data from an impartial source. You already know all the numbers. You (presumably) know what your network partners want. You know who could possibly get to 8 votes.

If we're going to talk to the Big 12 about our "interest in joining", I think it's a "you're invited, here's the terms" meeting. The football season is fast approaching and I have to believe this will be done by then. This is good news.

It's good news, but I don't think it's a "you're invited" meeting, rather a "what terms would you agree to?" meeting. Subsequently, they could use that to negotiate which teams would take the least amount of money to enter, match that against their desires for inclusion (so that ECU doesn't say WE'LL TAKE NO $ FOR 10 YEARS!!!!!! and get in) and make their decision.

 

[auror]

This idea that they're gonna have all the serious candidates pitch doesn't make much sense.

You already paid good money to get objective data from an impartial source. You already know all the numbers. You (presumably) know what your network partners want. You know who could possibly get to 8 votes.

If we're going to talk to the Big 12 about our "interest in joining", I think it's a "you're invited, here's the terms" meeting. The football season is fast approaching and I have to believe this will be done by then. This is good news.

But as people have been mentioning, there is certainly incentive on the Big12's behalf to perhaps negotiate with schools and take bids on who will take the least, so that the remaining schools can carve up more of the pro-rata money. So if you're inviting 4, you meet with 6 you could live with, and either take the 4 lowest bids or approach the others and make them match or compromise.

 

[31GuardTrap]

This idea that they're gonna have all the serious candidates pitch doesn't make much sense.

You already paid good money to get objective data from an impartial source. You already know all the numbers. You (presumably) know what your network partners want. You know who could possibly get to 8 votes.

If we're going to talk to the Big 12 about our "interest in joining", I think it's a "you're invited, here's the terms" meeting. The football season is fast approaching and I have to believe this will be done by then. This is good news.

This should be very simple...
Something along the lines of:
Big 12: Are you available to leave the AAC for us in time for the 2017 FB season?
Answer: What's an AAC?
Big 12: See you in Fort Worth for your first game.
Answer: We wearing blue, white or grey?

 

[FDNY99]

Xavier, Providence, Marquette, Butler, Seton Hall, Creighton are all decent-to-very good. The only garbage programs are St. John's & DePaul.

Obviously being in the Big 12 is a better situation, but if somehow, nonsensically, we end up with Big 12 football and the choice of Big East or AAC for everything else, there is no choice.

If we ever got back together with those leech schools even in this manor I would seriously have to think about my contributions to the UConn athletic development fund. I want absolutely NOTHING to do with ANY of those schools outside of having to deal with PC as a HE member!

 

[amory]

But as people have been mentioning, there is certainly incentive on the Big12's behalf to perhaps negotiate with schools and take bids on who will take the least, so that the remaining schools can carve up more of the pro-rata money. So if you're inviting 4, you meet with 6 you could live with, and either take the 4 lowest bids or approach the others and make them match or compromise.

The more I've thought about it, the less I think this is going to be a reverse auction deal. You can't totally fleece the new members of your conference.

I think they're going to lay out the terms, and say take it or leave it. Say, $10 million a year and half a vote thru the end of the current TV deal.

Could they get someone to take $5 million a year? Probably. But I find it hard to believe they want to screw over a school that badly, especially if they're hoping for a growth on their investment. They have to provide some seed money.

 

[sportsart]

It's good news, but I don't think it's a "you're invited" meeting, rather a "what terms would you agree to?" meeting. Subsequently, they could use that to negotiate which teams would take the least amount of money to enter, match that against their desires for inclusion (so that ECU doesn't say WE'LL TAKE NO $ FOR 10 YEARS!!!!!! and get in) and make their decision.

My guess is they will say this is what we are offering everyone (say starting at $5 mill a year, then $6 mill, etc.) How will you keep your athletic department sound during the next 8 years with this payout? I doubt they will negotiate at all on money. Now, where games are played, i.e., Yankee Stadium, Metlife Stadium, how many and how often might be more of what's negotiated.

 

[Exit 4]

It's good news, but I don't think it's a "you're invited" meeting, rather a "what terms would you agree to?" meeting. Subsequently, they could use that to negotiate which teams would take the least amount of money to enter, match that against their desires for inclusion (so that ECU doesn't say WE'LL TAKE NO $ FOR 10 YEARS!!!!!! and get in) and make their decision.

You have to figure and hope the tv people steer the B12 back to decisions that make the most sense for now and for 2025. So no ECU or school X for nada for 8 years.

Firming out the exit timeline and the basic B12 monetary offer is probably what a face to face meeting should be about. And it could be that the B12 wants to firm those two areas up and subject any agreement to final conf approval (ie collect all the terms/#s from the four teams - bounce it off the tv people and then vote).

Week 1 - meetings to discuss $ and exit
Week 2 - conf vote.
Friday of Week 2 - go public with the plan.

 

[NYUConn]

We are seriously dropping the ball here. Why don't we ( The BY) have someone staged outside Susie's office reporting back every move?

DO NOT DO THIS.

 

[Husky25]

The can be various versions of done deal. Have the decided in principal who to invite, has everyone accepted (ha!), is the media on board, is everything signed.

My guess is that the offers are prepared and the networks have signed off. I don't think anyone has been "invited" just yet, or if they have it's been a heads up with a followup on the formalities before an exchange of terms/contracts.

The lawyers will need a couple weeks to work it out, get any trustee/state approvals worked out and arrange the announcement details.

Flug's time line is still realistic for next Friday.

It's like a compass needle as you approach the pole. Dancing all over the place, yet you will still get there eventually.

My guess is, except for the invites and announcement, most of this is already done.

The contract is probably boiler plate with a few tweaks unique to each institution. Not much for the lawyers to go over, IMO. All the conversations have been held in executive session during regular meetings so as to not peak the FOIA meters. Results of BOT/BOR votes are probably already known. It just has to be put on paper, which can happen in a special meeting. You are able to hold special meetings where the only order of business is an executive session and any pertinent votes, without expressly saying what the vote might be for. The only restriction is the special meeting must be announced in advance (5 business days, IIRC) and the agenda cannot be amended.

 

[sportsart]

DO NOT DO THIS.

I'm guessing her office for the past week, has been on a tarmac, inside a private jet, in Austin, TX.

 

[businesslawyer]

It's good news, but I don't think it's a "you're invited" meeting, rather a "what terms would you agree to?" meeting. Subsequently, they could use that to negotiate which teams would take the least amount of money to enter, match that against their desires for inclusion (so that ECU doesn't say WE'LL TAKE NO $ FOR 10 YEARS!!!!!! and get in) and make their decision.

They don't need that kind of auction process. Each candidate will accept any reasonable terms, and the XII knows it already. Asking schools to harm themselves by taking less than they need to upgrade doesn't serve the XII's purpose anyway, as creating 4 Rutgers will not help the XII in the short, intermediate or long term.

 

[pepband99]

They don't need that kind of auction process. Each candidate will accept any reasonable terms, and the XII knows it already. Asking schools to harm themselves by taking less than they need to upgrade doesn't serve the XII's purpose anyway, as creating 4 Rutgers will not help the XII in the short, intermediate or long term.

Maybe not an auction, but if stadium expansion is on their wish list, it would certainly be something that would need to be ironed out.

 

[sportsart]

We are seriously dropping the ball here. Why don't we ( The BY) have someone staged outside Susie's office reporting back every move?

Does anyone know when the last time Suzy was quoted about anything?

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Does anyone know when the last time Suzy was quoted about anything?

No, and I doubt we'd hear a peep from her until a decision was made public in either direction.

 

[businesslawyer]

Maybe not an auction, but if stadium expansion is on their wish list, it would certainly be something that would need to be ironed out.

UConn would have addressed the football stadium with their opening pitch, and any issues would have been ironed out hypothetically long before the Big XII Presidents are having their vote on which candidates to pick.