Oh boy, Big 12 supposedly interested in UConn again

[hoophuskee]

I don't care about the school's budget.

But Rutgers does. That's the main purpose they joined. so why compare UCONN vs RU if it isn't apples to apples?

 

[HuskyNan]

I don't care about the school's budget.

Schools are cutting sports because of short-handed athletic budgets. UConn cut men's swimming and diving, men's cross country, women’s rowing, and men's tennis to solve budgetary problems. The men winning the natty and women getting to the Final Four was great but revenue from basketball won’t pay the bills.

Are you a Connecticut taxpayer? The university is expected to lose $70 million in 2025. How much longer will people be happy to pay Geno and Dan Hurley’s salaries if UConn continues to operate in the red?

Opinion: Amid UConn budget cuts, questioning athletics spending

The flip side of funding is spending choices, and when the three highest paid CT employees are UConn coaches, one must question priorities.

ctmirror.org

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Well their P-4 money hasn't helped. More income will require an investment and stadium alterations will end up twice their estimate. Trust me. I wrote construction contracts for CT. Then there is the extra money for a professional coaching staff good enough to attract pro prospects.
And how stable is the B12? I could see UConn making the investment and then finding themselves in UWashington 's position only with a huge debt to pay off.

Maybe not though.

Wouldn’t success on the field or the court, also attract more donors.

 

[Drumguy]

Schools are cutting sports because of short-handed athletic budgets. UConn cut men's swimming and diving, men's cross country, women’s rowing, and men's tennis to solve budgetary problems. The men winning the natty and women getting to the Final Four was great but revenue from basketball won’t pay the bills.

Are you a Connecticut taxpayer? The university is expected to lose $70 million in 2025. How much longer will people be happy to pay Geno and Dan Hurley’s salaries if UConn continues to operate in the red?

Opinion: Amid UConn budget cuts, questioning athletics spending

The flip side of funding is spending choices, and when the three highest paid CT employees are UConn coaches, one must question priorities.

ctmirror.org

I read that Hurley's salary was covered by donated funds, not the School's budget. But your point is right on, lack of funds is killing non P4 school sports.

 

[HopJim]

Never have played financial detective on this issue but curious how much of the total sports budget's expenses come from football. Wondered if you could exit majority of football costs, would the benefit equal the financial opportunity lost (i.e. unlikely to be part of major league)? Considering the effect of football related NIL programs, UConn is unlikely to ever be competitive in this segment. Over time, forecast we will see a basketball focused league(s) develop that UConn would be a leader in.

 

[Boreifs]

Never have played financial detective on this issue but curious how much of the total sports budget's expenses come from football. Wondered if you could exit majority of football costs, would the benefit equal the financial opportunity lost (i.e. unlikely to be part of major league)? Considering the effect of football related NIL programs, UConn is unlikely to ever be competitive in this segment. Over time, forecast we will see a basketball focused league(s) develop that UConn would be a leader in.

Have you seen the football facilities on campus? The university is committed.

 

[Sifaka]

UConn cut men's swimming and diving, men's cross country, women’s rowing, and men's tennis to solve budgetary problems.

I get your point, in general, but beg to differ about cross country.
If the track coach or an assistant coaches the team, dropping the sport saves almost zero dollars. The only other expenses are uniforms—minimal—laundry, and a few bus rides. I suspect dropping x-country for men was more of a Title IX balance move.

My college also tried to drop men’s swimming and diving to save money. That got the AD into an unplanned early retirement when many alumni raised hell.

 

[NEforceUConn]

I’ll probably be dead in 10/15 years and I guarantee that I still will outlive the Big East bb (as we know it).

If UConn and Nova were to leave tomorrow, Big East bb would be at the A10 level. Include St Johns leaving and Big East might be on par with the MAAC.

It’s sad.

 

[tiger paw]

Why is it that every other school is trying to get into a power conference, or get into a better P- conference ? Football $$ drives the bus. BB is a distant 2nd to FB. Is it a goal to beat up on small private catholic schools ? Duke + N.Carolina want out of ACC for a better FB conference. IF you don't play in a P-Conf. you will be left behind. B1G thinks new FB/TV contracts will net 70m per team per year. Last I saw catholic schools + catholic church have major financial problems.

 

[maple]

Why is it that every other school is trying to get into a power conference, or get into a better P- conference ? Football $$ drives the bus. BB is a distant 2nd to FB. Is it a goal to beat up on small private catholic schools ? Duke + N.Carolina want out of ACC for a better FB conference. IF you don't play in a P-Conf. you will be left behind. B1G thinks new FB/TV contracts will net 70m per team per year. Last I saw catholic schools + catholic church have major financial problems.

Yep. Whether anyone likes it or not, as it currently stands in the world of US collegiate sports, football drives the bus. Having other teams in other popular sports (like basketball) be successful is a HUGE plus and of course every school wants that as well.

Being in a better conference and bringing in more money benefits everyone.

And some people like to moan that they want to have conference history and rivalries — and I get it, but, hell, even in WBB most of UConn’s biggest rivals aren’t (or in the case of some, like the Lady Vols, have never) been in the same conference. And in some cases we just simply don’t even play former conference rivals anymore (e.g., the Orange). So I don’t even feel like all of that matters anymore.

As they say, I’d rather cry in a Mercedes …

 

[Alydar]

Schools are cutting sports because of short-handed athletic budgets. UConn cut men's swimming and diving, men's cross country, women’s rowing, and men's tennis to solve budgetary problems. The men winning the natty and women getting to the Final Four was great but revenue from basketball won’t pay the bills.

Are you a Connecticut taxpayer? The university is expected to lose $70 million in 2025. How much longer will people be happy to pay Geno and Dan Hurley’s salaries if UConn continues to operate in the red?

Opinion: Amid UConn budget cuts, questioning athletics spending

The flip side of funding is spending choices, and when the three highest paid CT employees are UConn coaches, one must question priorities.

ctmirror.org

Nan, how many UConn football games do you watch per season? Me? Less than one.

All universities lose money every year. I'll bet you that Rutgers loses money every year too. UConn is not a business.
Should UConn drop academic subjects that don't turn a profit? Who needs philosophy unless it pays for itself? Is the school of Fine Arts self-supporting. UConn basketball isn't losing so much money that the taxpayers can't afford it. The vendors that profit on UConn athletics want the athletic budget to increase. That includes the media. A bigtime football budget can swallow all the added revenue. It can drag the entire athletic budget into a deep hole. What good is $40 million if it costs an additional $45million to get it? And that is assuming that the B12 is still an entity in 3 years.

There are aspects of this that everyone is ignoring.

 

[Alydar]

Yep. Whether anyone likes it or not, as it currently stands in the world of US collegiate sports, football drives the bus. Having other teams in other popular sports (like basketball) be successful is a HUGE plus and of course every school wants that as well.

Being in a better conference and bringing in more money benefits everyone.

And some people like to moan that they want to have conference history and rivalries — and I get it, but, hell, even in WBB most of UConn’s biggest rivals aren’t (or in the case of some, like the Lady Vols, have never) been in the same conference. And in some cases we just simply don’t even play former conference rivals anymore (e.g., the Orange). So I don’t even feel like all of that matters anymore.

As they say, I’d rather cry in a Mercedes …

Not if the Mercedes bankrupts you.

Wouldn’t success on the field or the court, also attract more donors.

Certainly. But what if the cost of success doubles the football budget? Does anyone know what the football budget is right now? I don't. Before I jump on the bandwagon I want to see the numbers, and not just the media distribution, all the costs.

 

[CJasmer]

To be competitive in the P4 the football budget would have to increase significantly especially in Head coach, assistant coaches, recruiting budget, and travel expenditures. Currently the women's basketball team has the same recruiting budget as the football team even though football needs to recruit many more players.

Here is what Univ of Texas spent to recruit 9 football recruits including Archie Manning. This is over 1/2 of the current UConn football budget.

Breaking down Arch Manning's $280,000 Texas visit, and how it helped Longhorns land commitment | Sporting News

The Longhorns spared no expense in the recruiting visit, which helped the youngest Manning quarterback commit just three days later.

www.sportingnews.com

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Nan, how many UConn football games do you watch per season? Me? Less than one.

All universities lose money every year. I'll bet you that Rutgers loses money every year too. UConn is not a business.
Should UConn drop academic subjects that don't turn a profit? Who needs philosophy unless it pays for itself? Is the school of Fine Arts self-supporting. UConn basketball isn't losing so much money that the taxpayers can't afford it. The vendors that profit on UConn athletics want the athletic budget to increase. That includes the media. A bigtime football budget can swallow all the added revenue. It can drag the entire athletic budget into a deep hole. What good is $40 million if it costs an additional $45million to get it? And that is assuming that the B12 is still an entity in 3 years.

There are aspects of this that everyone is ignoring.

You do understand our wonderful basketball programs contributed almost !0 MM to the AD budget deficit? WBB alone has the same recruiting budget as the 85 scholarship + 20 walkon football program. Support the football program because it has the greatest revenue potential in the AD. Geno makes more than the entire 10 person FB coaching staff. Their budgeting has been half baked since the monies from the BE breakup dried up years ago.

 

[Stinger92860]

Nan, how many UConn football games do you watch per season? Me? Less than one.

Me? All of them. What’s the largest attendance for a home basketball game? You must include MSG. What the largest attendance for a home football game? 42,704 is the answer. Thats why this is important.

 

[maple]

Not if the Mercedes bankrupts

We’re already hurting ourselves financially and have been for some time. At least being in major conference pays out more $$$ in TV deals.

 

[hoophuskee]

There are aspects of this that everyone is ignoring.

I don't belieive many are ignoring the aspects. I believe the point is many think you are wrong with your assumptions and/or projections.

 

[Alydar]

Me? All of them. What’s the largest attendance for a home basketball game? You must include MSG. What the largest attendance for a home football game? 42,704 is the answer. Thats why this is important.

TV.

What's the largest TV viewing audience ever for a UConn football team. The UConn basketball teams both have a national following. The most valuable pro franchises are the ones who have fans everywhere. Dallas has fans everywhere. And that's why they are the national game so often.

The future is video, not live.

 

[CL82]

What's the largest TV viewing audience ever for a UConn football team.

Hard to say. It could be the double over time victory over Notre Dame or perhaps the bowl victory over South Carolina.

I'm going to guess though it was the game against Oklahoma in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on New Years' Day generated a 6.7 rating on ESPN, the highest rating of all programs (broadcast or cable) during that night. The game had the fourth-highest overnight rating for a college football game in the history of ESPN. Assuming that 120,000,000 people are watching TV on any given night that would equate to a bit over 8 million people watching that game.

 

[triaddukefan]

Why is it that every other school is trying to get into a power conference, or get into a better P- conference ? Football $$ drives the bus. BB is a distant 2nd to FB. Is it a goal to beat up on small private catholic schools ? Duke + N.Carolina want out of ACC for a better FB conference. IF you don't play in a P-Conf. you will be left behind. B1G thinks new FB/TV contracts will net 70m per team per year. Last I saw catholic schools + catholic church have major financial problems.

What are you talking about?

 

[visitingcock]

Hard to say. It could be the double over time victory over Notre Dame or perhaps the bowl victory over South Carolina.

I'm going to guess though it was the game against Oklahoma in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on New Years' Day generated a 6.7 rating on ESPN, the highest rating of all programs (broadcast or cable) during that night. The game had the fourth-highest overnight rating for a college football game in the history of ESPN. Assuming that 120,000,000 people are watching TV on any given night that would equate to a bit over 8 million people watching that game.

And yet that game (attendance/failure to sell allotment) is the most frequently cited (by fans) reason why UConn can't get a P-4 invite

 

[visitingcock]

What are you talking about?

A Clemson fan on a wbb board? Sorry, I can't translate it either.

 

[CJasmer]

Me? All of them. What’s the largest attendance for a home basketball game? You must include MSG. What the largest attendance for a home football game? 42,704 is the answer. Thats why this is important.

Taking one game out of the last 15 years is actually not statistically significant. Also that came was against Michigan where the stadium was filled with Michigan fans.

 

[CJasmer]

Hard to say. It could be the double over time victory over Notre Dame or perhaps the bowl victory over South Carolina.

I'm going to guess though it was the game against Oklahoma in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on New Years' Day generated a 6.7 rating on ESPN, the highest rating of all programs (broadcast or cable) during that night. The game had the fourth-highest overnight rating for a college football game in the history of ESPN. Assuming that 120,000,000 people are watching TV on any given night that would equate to a bit over 8 million people watching that game.

Surprised ratings were that high considering UConn could not sell their alloted tickets.

 

[CL82]

And yet that game (attendance/failure to sell allotment) is the most frequently cited (by fans) reason why UConn can't get a P-4 invite

Well, if fans cite it...

For what it's worth, the fiesta bowl made the purchase of the Oklahoma/UConn as a prerequisite for the BCS national championship ticket. Unsurprisingly, a lot of people who were interested in the BCS championship game sold their Fiesta Bowl tickets which flooded the secondary market making it more cost-effective to buy on the secondary market rather than through the school.

It's interesting to note that Oklahoma also did not sell out its allotment to the festival that year. Undoubtedly for the same reason.

For what it's worth the Connecticut turnout in Arizona was actually quite good especially given the distance.