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Message: [QUOTE="dwalks93, post: 1675806, member: 5598"] UConn being in a future "best of the rest ACC/Big12" conference would be a massive step up from our current situation in the AAC. Moreover, being a part of a "new football Big East" would be a significant improvement from the AAC. The BIG is the dream but UConn's situation can not get worse than it currently is...any movement is an improvement. The absolute worst case scenario is conference realignment freezes for the next 6 years and UConn has to continue to tread water in the AAC till things heat up again. The huge money difference means conference expansion is coming and UConn's situation should improve...the only question is when it happens. The bigger concern for any future conference UConn may find itself apart is that it has a network. There is a reason the BIG/SEC are financially killing it and the new BIG deals show the leverage a conference which owns its content can weld. While the ACC is negotiating direct sales with ESPN the BIG was shop itself to every network available. The network competition is what drives up the price tag and allowing a sole provider (like ESPN and the ACC) to set the rate will never get the return like open market competitive bidding. We can argue about whether unplugging and changing viewer platforms will change networks but the bottom line is more people than ever are watching college sports. Moreover, sports are perhaps the last bastion of mass live viewership on TV. I can DVR TV shows and fast forward through the commercials but I have to watch sports live. That means sports advertising becomes even more valuable and providers will pay big money to obtain sports programs. IMO people want to watch their team and the platform is less important. I'd watch UConn regardless of the channel they were on....ESPN needs college sports a lot more than college sports needs ESPN. The BIG is proving it right now. The SEC/BIG will continue to produce the most revenue but the only way to even stay close is to be in a network conference. [/QUOTE]

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