Positive spin on the newest incarnation of the Big East

[UConnDan97]

Well, BC was pretty good back when they were in the Big East.
The other thing is that Geno isn't exactly young. He's going to be 60 this year. If UConn is stuck in this conference for another 5 years, he will be at retirement age. At that time, UConn will lose another high profile coach and will be diminished even further in public perception when it comes to realignment.

First, BC being good in Big East Women's Hoops is literally 12 or 13 years ago.

Secondly, if God forbid Geno retires, you don't think that Jen Rizzotti or the equivalent will be here coaching in a New York minute?

Everyone, please, please come back to reality. The women's hoops team is not just elite. They are the stuff of legend. They are the premier choice for women's hoops, and it isn't just Geno, it's the fact that our crowds support them like no other women's program in the country. If anything, this should be a lesson as to the importance of a rabid fanbase and the way that it creates success...

 

[upstater]

The money in the upcoming contract is not going to be more than we currently get. The key will be UConn lobbying to keep our SNY tier 3 revenue. My understanding from the BE contracts was that money was pooled among BE schools and then distributed. We need 100% of that, there is no way we should have to pool that revenue when we dwarf the other conference members.

We currently get $3 million a year. You're saying our football and our basketball combined is not going to be more valuable than Providence and Seton Hall basketball?

 

[zls44]

Did you forget UMD? Their attendance and records during the Edsall era are nothing to envy. We need to support our team, regardless.

Maryland doesn't, and look where it got them. Ditto Rutgers.

Try again.

 

[hexlub]

What positions do Fred Smith and Vince McMahon play?

I've heard Vince McMahon plays tight end.

 

[Carl Spackler]

We currently get $3 million a year. You're saying our football and our basketball combined is not going to be more valuable than Providence and Seton Hall basketball?

This is what I keep falling back on. I've been to campus recently. I vist several times a year. The University of Connecticut, is growing, rapidly, and transformed almost incredibly in two decades, on the revenue streams we've had.

Anything is possible, but I find it highly unlikely, that moving forward, that our revenue streams through athletics are going to go backwards from what they have been in the past 20 years.

What has been lost, irretrievably, is the basketball tradition that was built with the Big East. That is the root of everyone's discontent, if you ask me.

Other than that, the university is poised to continue growing as the premiere public university in one of the most densely populated and high revenue geographic regions of the country.

What we need is to get our media rights deals secured for the immediate future, and at the same time retain our freedom to negotiate media rights in the future. It's a tricky situation, because scheduling, which is all important in football and basketball goes with it, adn it's the chicken egg thing, yin and yang......broadcasting money and scheduling.

 

[UkonCornelius]

The new Big East will be fine, just need to settle TV contract. I hate the ACC, I hope UConn never lands there. B1G is the best option. Let's hope for the best.

 

[huskypantz]

We currently get $3 million a year. You're saying our football and our basketball combined is not going to be more valuable than Providence and Seton Hall basketball?

I don't have the specifics but I'm fairly certain we don't get $3 mil per year, I believe it's more like $5 mil. The quote below references the non-fb schools getting almost $3 mil per year, so we're definitely higher than that. But that includes pooling tier 3 contracts together (except women's bball) and distributing among the member schools. And yes, I don't think we're going to get more.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...-schools-working-lucrative-tv-deal-basketball"Under the current Big East deal, which expires at the end of this season, the non-football schools receive between $2 million and $3 million from the television contract."
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...-schools-working-lucrative-tv-deal-basketball

 

[jostar1]

Secondly, if God forbid Geno retires, you don't think that Jen Rizzotti or the equivalent will be here coaching in a New York minute?

Jen Rizzotti does not have the cachet of Geno Auriemma, just like Kevin Ollie does not have the cachet of Jim Calhoun. At a time of conference realignment, who would you rather have as head coach?

 

[Adios]

Maryland doesn't, and look where it got them. Ditto Rutgers.

Try again.

UMD has already been acknowledged. Thank you for your concern. However, they do have national championships in football, men's basketball and women's basketball.

On the other hand, Rutgers fans endlessly make mention of their TV numbers for some big football games.

Try again.

 

[Adios]

Jen Rizzotti does not have the cachet of Geno Auriemma, just like Kevin Ollie does not have the cachet of Jim Calhoun. At a time of conference realignment, who would you rather have as head coach?

Kevin Ollie sure can be a positive in public relations. More so than Calhoun.

 

[UConnDan97]

Jen Rizzotti does not have the cachet of Geno Auriemma, just like Kevin Ollie does not have the cachet of Jim Calhoun. At a time of conference realignment, who would you rather have as head coach?

This shows that you don't watch much women's hoops. Jen Rizzotti is one of the most sought after coaches in the nation. It's also no secret that she is the heir-apparent for the UConn job, unless Geno decides to stay for an additional 15 year (which is possible). It's the reason she's stuck around at Hartford for this long. She loves Connecticut, plain and simple. Otherwise, she would already be coaching at Duke or Texas or any of the other jobs that had opened up in the last 5 years or so...

 

[CL82]

What positions do Fred Smith and Vince McMahon play?

Don't know about Smith but I suspect that McMahon goes both ways.

 

[jostar1]

This shows that you don't watch much women's hoops. Jen Rizzotti is one of the most sought after coaches in the nation. It's also no secret that she is the heir-apparent for the UConn job, unless Geno decides to stay for an additional 15 year (which is possible). It's the reason she's stuck around at Hartford for this long. She loves Connecticut, plain and simple. Otherwise, she would already be coaching at Duke or Texas or any of the other jobs that had opened up in the last 5 years or so...

You are talking about the fans of women's basketball. Yes, they know Jennifer Rizzotti. Does anyone in the general public across the country know who Jennifer Rizzotti is? I doubt it. They know who Geno Auriemma is, though.

 

[UConnDan97]

You are talking about the fans of women's basketball. Yes, they know Jennifer Rizzotti. Does anyone in the general public across the country know who Jennifer Rizzotti is? I doubt it. They know who Geno Auriemma is, though.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?

http://www.examiner.com/article/jen-rizzotti-leads-usa-u19-women-s-basketball-team-to-world-title

People should stop talking about things they don't understand. Honestly...

 

[jostar1]

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?

http://www.examiner.com/article/jen-rizzotti-leads-usa-u19-women-s-basketball-team-to-world-title

People should stop talking about things they don't understand. Honestly...

You are talking about a limited sub-set of people who are interested in women's basketball. I am talking about the general population.

 

[UConnDan97]

You are talking about a limited sub-set of people who are interested in women's basketball. I am talking about the general population.

Only God knows what you are talking about.

If you are saying that our next coach won't attract the top women in high school, then you are talking out of your , as I have shown you that Rizzotti is more than known in the women's game and if not Rizzotti, then we would get yet another high profile coach.

If you are saying that Rizzotti or another high-profile women's coach needs to be a large enough national personality as to affect where we go in realignment, well....if Geno isn't big enough for that, then....

 

[Hoophound]

It's obvious that we've been the most successful school in basketball in the Big East's history. Football has been a drain on the conference but we have 2 BE titles and a BCS bowl appearance in less than 10 years. Now, we are where we are. It was not any of our doing. We're relatively new to the FBS level. Mostly timing is what brings us here. Just some thoughts in case we are still in the Big East beyond 2014.

Putting things in perspective, this conference will be OUR conference. Just as Michigan and Ohio State control the B1G, Texas controls the Big 12, probably UNC and Florida State control the ACC, we would be the most powerful school in the Big East. Even Boise State managed to whip the MWC. This is our chance to really grow more. That will require an upbeat mentality. Not attitudes that call for antidepressants. Out of all the schools in the Big East in the future, apart from Navy football, we are the only school that has a national audience (in basketball).

Our commissioner is a UConn grad. Tulane's president is a UConn grad. Vince McMahon of the WWE is a Connecticut resident and an ECU grad. Fred Smith, the University of Memphis' biggest booster, is a Yale grad. And who knows what other Connecticut connections there are. We are on top of this conference and let's make the best of it. USF, UCF, SMU, UH, Temple, Cincinnati, Tulane all offer us access to fertile recruiting grounds. What brings in Tulsa? I have no idea. Maybe a rivalry for SMU, UH, Memphis and Tulane. The whole conference's TV contract doesn't sound too appealing but I am just about positive we'll be able to create our own TV revenue streams.

If I am wrong, please feel free to correct me.

PS: I like that TJ Weist dude.

It would be nice to be the junkyard dog of a conference, but in the end, we will still be a dog living in a junk yard.

 

[RMoore1999]

It's obvious that we've been the most successful school in basketball in the Big East's history. Football has been a drain on the conference but we have 2 BE titles and a BCS bowl appearance in less than 10 years. Now, we are where we are. It was not any of our doing. We're relatively new to the FBS level. Mostly timing is what brings us here. Just some thoughts in case we are still in the Big East beyond 2014.

Putting things in perspective, this conference will be OUR conference. Just as Michigan and Ohio State control the B1G, Texas controls the Big 12, probably UNC and Florida State control the ACC, we would be the most powerful school in the Big East. Even Boise State managed to whip the MWC. This is our chance to really grow more. That will require an upbeat mentality. Not attitudes that call for antidepressants. Out of all the schools in the Big East in the future, apart from Navy football, we are the only school that has a national audience (in basketball).

Our commissioner is a UConn grad. Tulane's president is a UConn grad. Vince McMahon of the WWE is a Connecticut resident and an ECU grad. Fred Smith, the University of Memphis' biggest booster, is a Yale grad. And who knows what other Connecticut connections there are. We are on top of this conference and let's make the best of it. USF, UCF, SMU, UH, Temple, Cincinnati, Tulane all offer us access to fertile recruiting grounds. What brings in Tulsa? I have no idea. Maybe a rivalry for SMU, UH, Memphis and Tulane. The whole conference's TV contract doesn't sound too appealing but I am just about positive we'll be able to create our own TV revenue streams.

If I am wrong, please feel free to correct me.

PS: I like that TJ Weist dude.

Butch, assuming Connecticut competes in some form of the NBE for a few years, I'm curious how you think our overall revenue position (inclusive of our NBE TV share and assuming we retain our Tier 3) compares to the Big 4 or even the ACC?

What exactly are you and others like Carl anticipating from the NBE TV contract that has you optimistic?

 

[UConnDan97]

Butch, assuming Connecticut competes in some form of the NBE for a few years, I'm curious how you think our overall revenue position (inclusive of our NBE TV share and assuming we retain our Tier 3) compares to the Big 4 or even the ACC?

What exactly are you and others like Carl anticipating from the NBE TV contract that has you optimistic?

I won't speak for those guys. But what I'll say is that in the short term, the NBE will still serve our purposes. We will still be able to operate in the black, holding our contracts with IMG, Nike, and SNY currently. Of course, in the long term, the NBE as it currently looks is not the answer. Short term answer in a world where things seem to change every 20 minutes....

 

[RMoore1999]

I won't speak for those guys. But what I'll say is that in the short term, the NBE will still serve our purposes. We will still be able to operate in the black, holding our contracts with IMG, Nike, and SNY currently. Of course, in the long term, the NBE as it currently looks is not the answer. Short term answer in a world where things seem to change every 20 minutes....

I hope you are right, but I'm less optimistic. Operating in the black is nice, but the revenue gap with the Big 6 will be HUGE, I fear, almost certainly relegating the NBE to mid-major status. Hoops will still have a shot at being competitive, but football will be hard-pressed to compete under that model.

Again, I dont think Connecticut plays in a league like that for more than a year or so; I'm more interested in the composition of the conference that will be comprised of the ACC leftovers.

 

[Adios]

"The whole conference's TV contract doesn't sound too appealing but I am just about positive we'll be able to create our own TV revenue streams."

Your pessimism is blinding your ability to read.

 

[UConnDan97]

I hope you are right, but I'm less optimistic. Operating in the black is nice, but the revenue gap with the Big 6 will be HUGE, I fear, almost certainly relegating the NBE to mid-major status. Hoops will still have a shot at being competitive, but football will be hard-pressed to compete under that model.

Again, I dont think Connecticut plays in a league like that for more than a year or so; I'm more interested in the composition of the conference that will be comprised of the ACC leftovers.

Also keep in mind that there is still a battle going on for some big-time money; namely the NCAA hoops credits and the Big East exit fees. If they fall to the football teams, then splitting that money 10 ways instead of 18 means we'll actually make more money than we used to. However, all of that is up in the air right now. Still, our options are limited to:

1) NBE
2) C-7 hoops and Indy football
3) MAC or C-USA (not options at all!)
4) Conglomerate with Mountain West and NBE (not much different in terms of revenue stream)

So, NBE it is......for now....

 

[Adios]

I hope you are right, but I'm less optimistic. Operating in the black is nice, but the revenue gap with the Big 6 will be HUGE, I fear, almost certainly relegating the NBE to mid-major status. Hoops will still have a shot at being competitive, but football will be hard-pressed to compete under that model.

Big 6? Who exactly is #6?

 

[RMoore1999]

Big 6? Who exactly is #6?

Meant Big 4 (to me that's the B1G, SEC, PAC12 and as of today at least, B12). Not sure if you read my prior post in this thread, but i think that provided the context.

My pessimism notwithstanding, I read what you wrote. The part that interested me was "but I am just about positive we'll be able to create our own TV revenue streams." What do you anticipate above and beyond what we already have in place? Was not trying to put you on the defensive, just curious.

I wonder if your optimism might be somewhat misplaced when you compare our anticipated TOTAL revenue in any conference other than a Big 4 conference to any school in a Big 4 conference.

 

[Adios]

Meant Big 4 (to me that's the B1G, SEC, PAC12 and as of today at least, B12). Not sure if you read my prior post in this thread, but i think that provided the context.

My pessimism notwithstanding, I read what you wrote. The part that interested me was "but I am just about positive we'll be able to create our own TV revenue streams." What do you anticipate above and beyond what we already have in place? Was not trying to put you on the defensive, just curious.

I wonder if your optimism might be somewhat misplaced when you compare our anticipated TOTAL revenue in any conference other than a Big 4 conference to any school in a Big 4 conference.

I just know of SNY and know they pay around $1 million for women's basketball alone. I am no pro on the TV stuff. Would have to ask someone else. My only point was that we have to make the best of what we have and it can be done. As long as we have warrior mentalities and not constantly whine. I already know the Big 4 eclipse everyone else. One of those conferences should be our end goal.