OT: The American

[Fishy]

SMU is going to get the Pac 12 the Dallas market? The Big 12 and SEC are going to slug it out for mindshare in Texas for the next 10 years. SMU is not going to move the needle. The ONLY play for the Pac 12 schools is to get a stranglehold on the West to the point that the networks will need to grab a bunch of schools if they want to keep fan interest in the West. It worked for Syracuse, Pitt, Rutgers, WVU and Cincinnati in the Northeast, and it can work for the Pac 12 schools in the West.

Right. SMU does nothing but add x number of football and basketball games for the next contract. The PAC is literally looking for a warm body, not a market.

They also do not want to fly to Boise ever, so SMU wins.

There is nothing anyone can do about mindshare in Texas. The SEC has Texas and Texas A&M and everyone else is scrapple.

 

[Fishy]

Could Memphis go to the BE and Independent in Football? It does have basketball history, and would give UConn another football partner...

No. NFW.

Why do people do this? UConn has no need for Memphis as a ’football partner.’

College presidents do like to pretend that academics play a role which is why Memphis is a non-starter everywhere.

 

[Kolumbo]

Temple could follow the UConn model and go indy in football but the A-10 is up to 15 already. UConn, UMass, Temple, Army. Temple fans wouldn't be very keen on joining the MAC. I wonder if the MAC would consider adding 4 eastern football only programs to get to 16, not that it would be best for UConn, but it would boost the MAC.

None of this will happen but it beats work.

 

[Fishy]

Temple could follow the UConn model and go indy in football but the A-10 is up to 15 already. UConn, UMass, Temple, Army. Temple fans wouldn't be very keen on joining the MAC. I wonder if the MAC would consider adding 4 eastern football only programs to get to 16, not that it would be best for UConn, but it would boost the MAC.

None of this will happen but it beats work.

The MAC is only interested in all-sports members…no associate members in football. Smart, in my opinion. If Temple and UMass were to go into the MAC as a pair….would make too much sense which is why it will never happen.

The American is such a dumpster fire right now that I have to think that the only thing keeping Temple in the conference is the exit fees they’re due to receive.

 

[Luna]

I got a believe any school in the aac would jump at the opportunity to join the big east…the big east will be making more money then the aac next tv contract… plus the big east is one of the best basketball conferences in the country… but no way the big east would take any of those schools

 

[SubbaBub]

Independent >>>> AAC FB Only.

 

[gsmooth]

Independent >>>> AAC FB Only.

I would thinks so. Being independent gives them flexibility of scheduling P5 games as opposed to being in the AAC even as a football only. I always remember what Jim Calhoun said in the late 80s and into 90-91, he would tell potential recruits "look you can play against and have a chance to shine against Alonzo Mourning, Derrick Coleman, etc and be on ESPN so your family will see you". UConn wasn't a brand name at the time so Calhoun couldn't sell them on being on how prestigious it would be to be part of UConn (now Hurley obviously can). Being Indy in football allows Jim Mora to play that recruiting tactic on some level at least by scheduling some P5 opponents.

The goal, while they are not in P5 football, would be for UConn to be like a Notre Dame independent, albeit a nerfed down lower level ND and hopefully negotiate and independent TV contract bigger and greater than the one they have with CBS Sports Network. If UConn can achieve this that would inevitably mean UConn would be attractive to some P5 eventually. Obviously they can't be as big as Notre Dame because ND developed their fame, reputation, cache, or whatever you want to call it over 100 years and developed generational fans through radio marketing almost 100 years ago.

UConn fans let me know if you think I am off on this what your thoughts are.

 

[Gburyhusky]

I would thinks so. Being independent gives them flexibility of scheduling P5 games as opposed to being in the AAC even as a football only. I always remember what Jim Calhoun said in the late 80s and into 90-91, he would tell potential recruits "look you can play against and have a chance to shine against Alonzo Mourning, Derrick Coleman, etc and be on ESPN so your family will see you. Being Indy in football allows Jim Mora to play that recruiting tactic on some level at least by scheduling some P5 opponents.

The goal, if they are not in P5 football, would be for UConn to be like a Notre Dame independent, albeit a nerfed down lower level ND and hopefully negotiate and independent TV contract bigger and greater than the one they have with CBS Sports Network. Obviously they can't be as big as Notre Dame because ND developed their fame, reputation, cache, or whatever you want to call it over 100 years and developed generational fans through radio marketing almost 100 years ago.

UConn fans let me know if you think I am off on this what your thoughts are.

I generally agree with you, although I would view the model for us as a BYU independent (during its independent era), Notre Dame is in a different class for the reasons you point out.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Independent >>>> AAC FB Only.

Yes. Honestly, it carries more prestige in some ways. UConn already schedules pretty well, and with the bowl appearance, that should get better. The American just dilutes the brand.

 

[gsmooth]

Yes. Honestly, it carries more prestige in some ways. UConn already schedules pretty well, and with the bowl appearance, that should get better. The American just dilutes the brand.

As Gburyhusky stated, BYU is a more realistic goal or comp for UConn football than even a scaled down Notre Dame. I think Independent carries prestige and dare I say a novelty so to speak. If UConn has their own TV contract on a bigger network and they always state periodically ZYZ network "is the official broadcasting station of UConn football "it could give people the thought of "UConn is a basketball school, but hey they got their own network deal for football. Maybe they got something going here."

Media exposure is good (I am not talking Joe Paterno type if you know what I mean). I am sure Notre Dame being a football powerhouse back in the day in the 50s and 60s helped their basketball.

 

[Dove]

How in the world does SMU get into a power conference before us. That’s just so sad, watch USF be next.

Johnny Selvie, man. Johnny...Selvie.

 

[metsfan2323]

Here is UCONN football's current non September home schedule. The reason I am not including September is we could join a conference (football only) and in theory keep our current September games, so that wouldn't necessarily have to change much.

2023 - USF, Sacred Heart, UMASS
2024 - Buffalo, Temple, GA State, and a mystery location Syracuse game.
2025 - FIU, UAB, UMASS
2026 - UMASS, James Madison
2027 - Syracuse, Army
2028 - Rice

Our current football TV contract if I remember correctly is aprox $500K per year. If ESPN and the American were to offer a football only bid it would probably be in the range of $3 million.

Starting in 2024 the top G5 conference team will secure an auto-bid to the playoff. 10 -2 Tulane would have received the bid this year. To receive a bid as an independent we would have to go undefeated and even then there would be no guarantees.

Scheduling as an independent is trending in the wrong direction growing more difficult.

Now of course the goal is a P5 upgrade which maybe happens soon, but what happens if we have to wait until the ACC contract expires in 14 years.

 

[NEforceUConn]

Love the CBS contract.

Just wish the B1G would get off the pot and make the ND/UConn decision. Jeez


Ps. Love Mora!!!!!!!!