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- Mar 30, 2012
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It has been a frustrating last decade-plus for UConn in conference realignment. Our market (Connecticut plus chunks of New York and New England) is large, our athletic success outstanding, and the brand is prominent compared to many P5 programs. If football were settled in a strong conference for a while it would be competitive. Yet this value has gone unrecognized while many less valuable and successful universities have gotten rich.
It seems the B12 chose stability (geographic compactness, two teams per state, local rivalries, mid-tier brands with few options) over entrepreneurial ambition (UConn, national growth with marquee brands). No other way to explain taking Utah and Arizona State, the second teams in their states, over UConn which would bring in more money but have less commonality and less geographic fit with its B12 peers.
If that's their choice, less money but more stability and security, it's hard to see them changing strategy and taking UConn later.
The ACC seems the natural landing place for UConn but the ACC seems frozen in place and unable or unwilling to act due to internal divisions and their particular contract structures.
The B1G and SEC also seem out of reach, as both are able to poach top brands and SEC does not seem interested in moving out of its region.
Nevertheless the whole college sports configuration makes no sense right now and it looks like it is heading toward some kind of disruption. Basketball undervalued and basketball revenue distributed primarily to non-producers, many second-tier brands overpaid and top brands underpaid, football providing content only seasonally, shifts in the media landscape from cable to streaming. There will be a lot of motives for change.
It looks like UConn has to keep investing in football, basketball, and brand building and wait for things to free up. Maybe Florida State's moves to alter the ACC situation could be the lever that opens things up.
If I were the UConn administration I'd reach out to Florida State and ESPN and see if there is some creative idea for re-arranging the ACC to create more value, and also to Cal and Stanford to see if the three biggest "left out" brands can maneuver something to mutual advantage. An alliance of the undervalued has to lead entrepreneurial disruption.
The ACC must be thinking about whether they want a Pacific division, now that ex-PAC schools are available; Cal and Stanford will surely be open to creative solutions, and Notre Dame provides a precedent for creativity. I think if the ACC stays frozen, they are setting themselves up for a Pac-12 like situation later. There should be openness to enhancing their market position on the East Coast, and getting more heft with more schools to improve their bargaining strength in future negotiations.
It seems the B12 chose stability (geographic compactness, two teams per state, local rivalries, mid-tier brands with few options) over entrepreneurial ambition (UConn, national growth with marquee brands). No other way to explain taking Utah and Arizona State, the second teams in their states, over UConn which would bring in more money but have less commonality and less geographic fit with its B12 peers.
If that's their choice, less money but more stability and security, it's hard to see them changing strategy and taking UConn later.
The ACC seems the natural landing place for UConn but the ACC seems frozen in place and unable or unwilling to act due to internal divisions and their particular contract structures.
The B1G and SEC also seem out of reach, as both are able to poach top brands and SEC does not seem interested in moving out of its region.
Nevertheless the whole college sports configuration makes no sense right now and it looks like it is heading toward some kind of disruption. Basketball undervalued and basketball revenue distributed primarily to non-producers, many second-tier brands overpaid and top brands underpaid, football providing content only seasonally, shifts in the media landscape from cable to streaming. There will be a lot of motives for change.
It looks like UConn has to keep investing in football, basketball, and brand building and wait for things to free up. Maybe Florida State's moves to alter the ACC situation could be the lever that opens things up.
If I were the UConn administration I'd reach out to Florida State and ESPN and see if there is some creative idea for re-arranging the ACC to create more value, and also to Cal and Stanford to see if the three biggest "left out" brands can maneuver something to mutual advantage. An alliance of the undervalued has to lead entrepreneurial disruption.
The ACC must be thinking about whether they want a Pacific division, now that ex-PAC schools are available; Cal and Stanford will surely be open to creative solutions, and Notre Dame provides a precedent for creativity. I think if the ACC stays frozen, they are setting themselves up for a Pac-12 like situation later. There should be openness to enhancing their market position on the East Coast, and getting more heft with more schools to improve their bargaining strength in future negotiations.
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