Non-Key Tweets

[Husky92]

Flug to the rescue!

 

[amory]

god just please let this be resolved this week

i can't follow this crap anymore.

 

[The Funster]

UConn will have a better home in 2024 than the Big 12. It sucks to think Memphis or UCF will get in before Connecticut does, but I wouldn't fret.

Big Ten or ACC is coming. I'm pretty sure of it.

A bird in the hand is better than 2 in the bush.

I'll take Big 12 invite right now...

 

[nelsonmuntz]

This article is the networks telling the Big 12 that they will pay the league not to add schools. This is a BIG problem for UConn.

It also means Memphis is finished as a candidate. There is no scenario where Memphis justifies the financial boost to ESPN and Fox.

 

[jostar1]

Greg Flugaur ‏@flugempire · 1h1 hour ago
Let's tackle Chip Brown's comments on Memphis "may be emerging"as #4 in Big 12 Expansion---
Only if B12 Presidents completely ignore data

Greg Flugaur ‏@flugempire · 1h1 hour ago
Big 12 TV partners push back on expansion - SportsBusiness Daily | SportsBusiness Journal | SportsBusiness Daily Global …
This article is much more serious.
But it shouldn't be shocking.
We've known this...ACC much more stable than B12

Greg Flugaur ‏@flugempire · 1h1 hour ago
ESPN always favored ACC over B12.
ESPN created LHN to keep UT out of the complete hands of 21st Century FOX-sports

Greg Flugaur ‏@flugempire · 1h1 hour ago
BTM has been stating since Spring of 2015 that B12 will be reshuffled in 2025.
This is obvious...
But this is about next 8 years.

Greg Flugaur ‏@flugempire · 1h1 hour ago
ESPN/FOX will need to pay B12 for Expansion.
This is a money grab.

Greg Flugaur ‏@flugempire · 1h1 hour ago
ESPN can't stop B12 expansion directly.
But as we have stated....
...UT speaks for ESPN in B12 Negotations.

Greg Flugaur ‏@flugempire · 23m23 minutes ago
@theticketcorner
Controlled implosion has always been an option.
Extreme long shot at best...but it's a live option.

The Ticket Corner ‏@theticketcorner · 22m22 minutes ago
@flugempire thanks...because if that article is right, paying for a water down B12 is crazy for the money if I am the networks

Greg Flugaur ‏@flugempire · 19m19 minutes ago
It may be crazy...but legally binding.
ESPN can't stop B12 Expansion directly.
But UT can..and its ESPN's proxy in B12

 

[ASweet3781]

This article is the networks telling the Big 12 that they will pay the league not to add schools. This is a BIG problem for UConn.

It also means Memphis is finished as a candidate. There is no scenario where Memphis justifies the financial boost to ESPN and Fox.

And the Connecticut media allows ESPN that takes state money to get away with this? They are trying to stop the last possible hope for UConn to save itself?

 

[amory]

And the Connecticut media allows ESPN that takes state money to get away with this? They are trying to stop the last possible hope for UConn to save itself?

ESPN does not care about UConn. They never have, they never will. The tax breaks they get are for being a large employer in the state of CT, not for advocating for UConn. And the tax breaks aren't going anywhere. Sucks, but it's the truth.

This is why I have to laugh every time I see a poster on another school's board saying that having ESPN right in Bristol will be an advantage for us. If that's true, why wasn't it ever an advantage before? They've been here nearly 40 years. Why are we still on the outside looking in?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

It seems like there are only two options here:

1) ESPN and Fox are pumping the brakes because they don't want the Big 12 to add anyone stupid like Memphis, or

2) ESPN and Fox want to shut the whole thing down, and will pay the Big 12 some amount of money not to expand.

#1 is the best option for UConn, but #2 feels a lot more likely.

ESPN could be driving the final stake through the heart of UConn athletics.

 

[amory]

It seems like there are only two options here:

1) ESPN and Fox are pumping the brakes because they don't want the Big 12 to add anyone stupid like Memphis, or

2) ESPN and Fox want to shut the whole thing down, and will pay the Big 12 some amount of money not to expand.

#1 is the best option for UConn, but #2 feels a lot more likely.

ESPN could be driving the final stake through the heart of UConn athletics.

In either case, I think it's good for us.

#1 is obviously good. #2 may not be an actual win, but it's at least a stay of execution.

 

[ASweet3781]

ESPN does not care about UConn. They never have, they never will. The tax breaks they get are for being a large employer in the state of CT, not for advocating for UConn. And the tax breaks aren't going anywhere. Sucks, but it's the truth.

This is why I have to laugh every time I see a poster on another school's board saying that having ESPN right in Bristol will be an advantage for us. If that's true, why wasn't it ever an advantage before? They've been here nearly 40 years. Why are we still on the outside looking in?

Why should ESPN care when the Connecticut media allows them to get away with it by bringing no public pressure?

 

[Charley Horse]

Greg Flugaur ‏@flugempire · 1h1 hour ago
ESPN can't stop B12 expansion directly.
But as we have stated....
...UT speaks for ESPN in B12 Negotations.

Greg Flugaur ‏@flugempire · 19m19 minutes ago
It may be crazy...but legally binding.
ESPN can't stop B12 Expansion directly.
But UT can..and its ESPN's proxy in B12

I'm not so sure about that.

Fluguar's invisible friend BTM has always seemed a tad Huskerish for a "Sooner" and these two assertions seem motivated by snarkiness instead of logic.

Yes, Texas has a contract with ESPN but the ink on the contract is dry and it's binding come hell or high water. Why in the hell would the University of Texas feel any compulsion to be ESPN's lackey? Texas has a little bit of juice itself (second only to Harvard in endowments, ya know) and a whole hell of a lot of pride.

I can't see that.

 

[Exit 4]

And the Connecticut media allows ESPN that takes state money to get away with this? They are trying to stop the last possible hope for UConn to save itself?

If the state turns up the heat on ESPN, its just giving them an excuse to move job creation to another state. Business leaders, went jilted, can get rather spiteful. Best to make the friendly phone call and thats it. You can make several calls in fact, just don't threaten.

 

[Excalibur]

It seems like there are only two options here:

1) ESPN and Fox are pumping the brakes because they don't want the Big 12 to add anyone stupid like Memphis, or

2) ESPN and Fox want to shut the whole thing down, and will pay the Big 12 some amount of money not to expand.

#1 is the best option for UConn, but #2 feels a lot more likely.

ESPN could be driving the final stake through the heart of UConn athletics.

It's the latter. ESPN knows that the threat to not pay up is a bluff.

 

[Marty Jackson]

UConn will have a better home in 2024 than the Big 12. It sucks to think Memphis or UCF will get in before Connecticut does, but I wouldn't fret.

Big Ten or ACC is coming. I'm pretty sure of it.

at that point, uconn would still be g5 while memphis and ucf would have the glorious p5 moniker.
In 2024, the rumors will be UCF and FSU to the BIG...

 

[CL82]

I'm not so sure about that.

Fluguar's invisible friend BTM has always seemed a tad Huskerish for a "Sooner" and these two assertions seem motivated by snarkiness instead of logic.

Yes, Texas has a contract with ESPN but the ink on the contract is dry and it's binding come hell or high water. Why in the hell would the University of Texas feel any compulsion to be ESPN's lackey? Texas has a little bit of juice itself (second only to Harvard in endowments, ya know) and a whole hell of a lot of pride.

I can't see that.

I can see ESPN saying that they'd help facilitate a soft landing for Texas or alternatively consider adding some time to the LHN in exchange for some help now.

 

[pepband99]

It seems like there are only two options here:

1) ESPN and Fox are pumping the brakes because they don't want the Big 12 to add anyone stupid like Memphis, or

2) ESPN and Fox want to shut the whole thing down, and will pay the Big 12 some amount of money not to expand.

#1 is the best option for UConn, but #2 feels a lot more likely.

ESPN could be driving the final stake through the heart of UConn athletics.

A little dramatic, don't you think? Most of the doomsday scenarios surround us not being picked, while other teams are. Status quo is about a million times better than the really bad scenarios.

 

[don356]

This article is the networks telling the Big 12 that they will pay the league not to add schools. This is a BIG problem for UConn.

It also means Memphis is finished as a candidate. There is no scenario where Memphis justifies the financial boost to ESPN and Fox.

Boy they're really opening themselves up to a legal blizzard given they entered into that contract with 12 or more teams to begin with. That sounds like a negotiating ploy. Espn has no one to blame but themselves for that Longhorn network. I'm not sure that BYU and Cincy has not won more games over the past 10 years compared to Colorado, Mizzou, etc. Trying to portray conference turnover in this situation as watering things down is a stretch. They didn't lose Texas and Oklahoma.

 

[amory]

Why should ESPN care when the Connecticut media allows them to get away with it by bringing no public pressure?

Why would they care even if they were getting public pressure? They can just fall back on the fact that they're not the ones making the decisions on expansion, the conferences are.

The benefits they get from the state are never going to be seriously called into question. They have all the leverage and can play dumb.

 

[Excalibur]

A little dramatic, don't you think? Most of the doomsday scenarios surround us not being picked, while other teams are. Status quo is about a million times better than the really bad scenarios.

No expansion is light years better than expansion with Cincy, Houston and Memphis. That is the absolute doomsday scenario.

 

[Waquoit]

#2 may not be an actual win, but it's at least a stay of execution.

That's like the guy that fell off the skyscraper thinking "I haven't hit yet!" on the way down.

 

[amory]

That's like the guy that fell off the skyscraper thinking "I haven't hit yet!" on the way down.

I agree, but at least before he hits the ground there's a tiny chance he could bounce off an awning like in looney toons. Or get rescued by a superhero.

 

[dayooper]

I agree, but at least before he hits the ground there's a tiny chance he could bounce off an awning like in looney toons. Or get rescued by a superhero.

Or like this:

 

[rayrayfor3]

That's like the guy that fell off the skyscraper thinking "I haven't hit yet!" on the way down.

I see what you're saying. And obviously I am hoping that UConn finds itself in the Big 12 soon. However, thinking about the scenario of cincy/houston leaving has me somewhat appreciating what we have in the AAC. Maybe it is all the writers shedding positive lights on their programs during their "sales pitch" but the American (at least the top half) really ain't that bad and it can be pretty competitive going forward. Just a bummer about the whole money stuff but it is what it is

 

[Slasher]

No idea who this guy is but:

 

[nelsonmuntz]

It would never happen, but a smart move for the expansion candidates to do, once it was clear that this was a shakedown, would be to go to the Big 12 and offer to sit tight for the next 9 years for $5 million a year each. For $30 million a year, ESPN could buy UConn, Memphis, USF, UCF, BYU and Cincinnati to sit tight. It is less than the Big 12 is going to demand to take get rid of that pro rata clause. UConn should offer this to ESPN on its own.