Possible Big 12 Invite rumors

[John]

If the PAC12 media deal is a disaster, it’s a bad deal for UConn on multiple fronts…

1) No B12.
2) The Big East media deal will likely be worse than it is now, which means selling our media rights at even steeper discount than we do now.
3) Gives some life to the coast to coast ACC/P12 idea that we would not be a part of.

#3 will be a huge problem for us.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Ha ha, I think exactly the same thing. CL82 stadium has a nice ring to it.

How about you both win. It can be CL82 Field at UConn Dan Stadium.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Never been on Pitt's campus for football.

 

[businesslawyer]

How about you both win. It can be CL82 Field at UConn Dan Stadium.

There goes the accountant, thinking of ways to double charge for something.

 

[Bongo Fury]

I guess, but the Trammel article specifically talked about our stadium being off campus as one of the negatives about us as a conference realignment target.

Low hanging fruit. If someone uses it as an excuse, they just don’t want UConn.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

If the PAC12 media deal is a disaster, it’s a bad deal for UConn on multiple fronts…

1) No B12.
2) The Big East media deal will likely be worse than it is now, which means selling our media rights at even steeper discount than we do now.
3) Gives some life to the coast to coast ACC/P12 idea that we would not be a part of.

You really are a misery. Why not just root for Alabama if being a UConn fan is this upsetting for you?

 

[Huskyforlife]

Can someone explain why having a framework in place matters until they sign off on anything? Wouldn’t the conference always do their due diligence on the off chance the 50/50 schools like their deal better? Isn’t the only important detail how much money the Pac gets from their TV deal if everyone stays?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

OR...they are planting a story with media friends to slow down the Big 12 slog to the finish line.

See post 2064.

 

[ctchamps]

Or, the Big 12 Presidents have realized in the last few days that no Pac 12 schools were coming, as Canzano appears to be reporting, and have started talking up UConn again.

I was referencing the possibility of the Big12 adding basketball only schools. They've made clear they are not considering UConn in that category probably because UConn made it clear they want no part of that.

You're into a lot of speculative machination possibilities. I'll add one. Fox could be using the Big12 to break up the ACC (ESPN product). I still have trouble understanding why Fox gave the Big12 the amount of money it gave with Texas and OU leaving. And offering a quick turnaround to another contract negotiation. The only reasons I can come up with is they have exclusive value over that conference and they might want to reduce ESPN's college footprint.

Let's just say hypothetically UConn joins the B12. Would Fox help UConn by enticing teams closer to their footprint? What northeast BE schools would Fox/Big12 desire? I think Nova and Georgetown would be on that list and for a decent bump up those schools would consider it. Gonzaga would be in play from the west. This would be the attraction for the next scenario.

If there is some back channel conversations between the Big12 and Syracuse, Pitt, and/or Louisville there could be enough votes to break the ACC GOR.

A Big12 conference that has UConn, Cinci, WV, Nova, Georgetown, Syracuse, Pitt and Ville would include the best of the old BE. Breaking up the ACC gives the BIG Virginia and North Carolina. Virginia Tech and North Carolina State go to the SEC. Notre Dame has more pressure put on it to no longer remain football independent and that would be icing on the cake for the BIG. Who will get Florida State and Clemson. Most likely the Big12. So football gets better in that conference. And the BIG and Big 12 get significantly stronger in basketball. Since no one in the ACC loves Duke ........

Now Fox has the strongest media position in college sports and the BIG and B12 arguably are stronger than the SEC. The wild card is the PAC. I don't see them surviving as a conference. They will break up with the best going to the BIG and the Big12.

And then Fox, via the BIG and Big 12 starts pushing to eliminate or reduce the importance of the NCAA bb tournament similar to what happened with the NIT. In its place will be a tournament giving the upper hand to the P3.

Of course this is a long shot and UConn could easily be excluded from this process. But I fear some iteration of this scenario will be going down in the near future and it's why I fall on the side of having UConn go to the B12 if offered.

 

[Fishy]

Can someone explain why having a framework in place matters until they sign off on anything? Wouldn’t the conference always do their due diligence on the off chance the 50/50 schools like their deal better? Isn’t the only important detail how much money the Pac gets from their TV deal if everyone stays?

The outfit that you are proposing selling your rights to will want to review the grant of rights agreement and there will no doubt be a back and forth there.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I was referencing the possibility of the Big12 adding basketball only schools. They've made clear they are not considering UConn in that category probably because UConn made it clear they want no part of that.

You're into a lot of speculative machination possibilities. I'll add one. Fox could be using the Big12 to break up the ACC (ESPN product). I still have trouble understanding why Fox gave the Big12 the amount of money it gave with Texas and OU leaving. And offering a quick turnaround to another contract negotiation. The only reasons I can come up with is they have exclusive value over that conference and they might want to reduce ESPN's college footprint.

Let's just say hypothetically UConn joins the B12. Would Fox help UConn by enticing teams closer to their footprint? What northeast BE schools would Fox/Big12 desire? I think Nova and Georgetown would be on that list and for a decent bump up those schools would consider it. Gonzaga would be in play from the west. This would be the attraction for the next scenario.

If there is some back channel conversations between the Big12 and Syracuse, Pitt, and/or Louisville there could be enough votes to break the ACC GOR.

A Big12 conference that has UConn, Cinci, WV, Nova, Georgetown, Syracuse, Pitt and Ville would include the best of the old BE. Breaking up the ACC gives the BIG Virginia and North Carolina. Virginia Tech and North Carolina State go to the SEC. Notre Dame has more pressure put on it to no longer remain football independent and that would be icing on the cake for the BIG. Who will get Florida State and Clemson. Most likely the Big12. So football gets better in that conference. And the BIG and Big 12 get significantly stronger in basketball. Since no one in the ACC loves Duke ........

Now Fox has the strongest media position in college sports and the BIG and B12 arguably are stronger than the SEC. The wild card is the PAC. I don't see them surviving as a conference. They will break up with the best going to the BIG and the Big12.

And then Fox, via the BIG and Big 12 starts pushing to eliminate or reduce the importance of the NCAA bb tournament similar to what happened with the NIT. In its place will be a tournament giving the upper hand to the P3.

Of course this is a long shot and UConn could easily be excluded from this process. But I fear some iteration of this scenario will be going down in the near future and it's why I fall on the side of having UConn go to the B12 if offered.

The first domino is the PAC 12 tv contract. I doubt anything happens until a final deal is on the table. Obviously, any true UConn fan should be rooting for it to be awesome, because most of what comes next would be good for UConn if it was.

 

[Fishy]

I was referencing the possibility of the Big12 adding basketball only schools. They've made clear they are not considering UConn in that category probably because UConn made it clear they want no part of that.

You're into a lot of speculative machination possibilities. I'll add one. Fox could be using the Big12 to break up the ACC (ESPN product). I still have trouble understanding why Fox gave the Big12 the amount of money it gave with Texas and OU leaving. And offering a quick turnaround to another contract negotiation. The only reasons I can come up with is they have exclusive value over that conference and they might want to reduce ESPN's college footprint.

Let's just say hypothetically UConn joins the B12. Would Fox help UConn by enticing teams closer to their footprint? What northeast BE schools would Fox/Big12 desire? I think Nova and Georgetown would be on that list and for a decent bump up those schools would consider it. Gonzaga would be in play from the west. This would be the attraction for the next scenario.

If there is some back channel conversations between the Big12 and Syracuse, Pitt, and/or Louisville there could be enough votes to break the ACC GOR.

A Big12 conference that has UConn, Cinci, WV, Nova, Georgetown, Syracuse, Pitt and Ville would include the best of the old BE. Breaking up the ACC gives the BIG Virginia and North Carolina. Virginia Tech and North Carolina State go to the SEC. Notre Dame has more pressure put on it to no longer remain football independent and that would be icing on the cake for the BIG. Who will get Florida State and Clemson. Most likely the Big12. So football gets better in that conference. And the BIG and Big 12 get significantly stronger in basketball. Since no one in the ACC loves Duke ........

Now Fox has the strongest media position in college sports and the BIG and B12 arguably are stronger than the SEC. The wild card is the PAC. I don't see them surviving as a conference. They will break up with the best going to the BIG and the Big12.

And then Fox, via the BIG and Big 12 starts pushing to eliminate or reduce the importance of the NCAA bb tournament similar to what happened with the NIT. In its place will be a tournament giving the upper hand to the P3.

Of course this is a long shot and UConn could easily be excluded from this process. But I fear some iteration of this scenario will be going down in the near future and it's why I fall on the side of having UConn go to the B12 if offered.

Anything that builds on the foundation that the ACC can break its grant of rights is not worth worrying about.

Could those former Big East teams find a home in the Big 12 down the road if the ACC implodes? I would say that is a certainty.

The thought that they are going to try to reform some eastern conference is not likely.

 

[aburks41]

@Hurleyman216 You're famous

 

[DoctorWho85]

As a football fan, I'd rather see UConn to the Big 12 than stay in the Big East. The Big East isn't really the Big East of old. The Big 12 is still a great basketball conference, so it helps both men's and women's stay strong. Provides more money to hire and retain coaches for football so the program can get back to respectability. Baseball will get even better because the Big 12 has some of the best in the country. Obviously the Big 12 isn't the most ideal conference for UConn, but we have a lot of familiar schools there and the money helps the AD stay consistently top notch.

 

[Bazz4A]

That would potentially be the best news ever for UConn if the Pac 12 stands put, right? Because now we instantly jump to #1 on the B12's wish list of available candidates.

The the PAC 12 reaches an agreement to stay together and essentially spurns the Big 12’ advancements, doesn’t that signal the weakness of the Big 12 compared to the other P5s? Why would we want to jump to what could then be argued the weakest P5 conference and getting locked into that instead of retaining flexibility to see how things develop? If the PAC 12 GOR news is correct, that tells us what other schools think of this new Big 12.

 

[aburks41]

The the PAC 12 reaches an agreement to stay together and essentially spurns the Big 12’ advancements, doesn’t that signal the weakness of the Big 12 compared to the other P5s? Why would we want to jump to what could then be argued the weakest P5 conference and getting locked into that instead of retaining flexibility to see how things develop? If the PAC 12 GOR news is correct, that tells us what other schools think of this new Big 12.

Because we just need to be in the P5 "club" one way or another. That makes the next biggest round of realignment (2036 at the latest) much easier for us to jump around and have different options.

If we are not in the club, we're facing an uphill battle every step of the way.

 

[Bazz4A]

As a football fan, I'd rather see UConn to the Big 12 than stay in the Big East. The Big East isn't really the Big East of old. The Big 12 is still a great basketball conference, so it helps both men's and women's stay strong. Provides more money to hire and retain coaches for football so the program can get back to respectability. Baseball will get even better because the Big 12 has some of the best in the country. Obviously the Big 12 isn't the most ideal conference for UConn, but we have a lot of familiar schools there and the money helps the AD stay consistently top notch.

As a UConn basketball fan, the program we actually have a chance at competing for titles (the whole point of sports, winning it all), I am not concerned about benefiting football, baseball, soccer, etc. We have an elite, top 5-10 basketball program. Most schools don’t have a top 5-10 football or basketball program. Why are we risking the status of our crown jewel to help football make a bowl game every 4 years?

 

[Bazz4A]

Because we just need to be in the P5 "club" one way or another. That makes the next biggest round of realignment (2036 at the latest) much easier for us to jump around and have different options.

If we are not in the club, we're facing an uphill battle every step of the way.

Fine - fair response. Don’t necessarily agree but I get it

 

[nadav]

I just can't get there with the wait around and lose 40 mil a year and play home and homes with Liberty crowd. We'll survive, because we are Uconn, but it's not optimal and not sustainable.

 

[Bongo Fury]

Fair enough, but having a college football stadium 25 miles off-campus gives him a talking point that he would not otherwise have.

Anybody actually measure the mileage?

 

[businesslawyer]

As a UConn basketball fan, the program we actually have a chance at competing for titles (the whole point of sports, winning it all), I am not concerned about benefiting football, baseball, soccer, etc. We have an elite, top 5-10 basketball program. Most schools don’t have a top 5-10 football or basketball program. Why are we risking the status of our crown jewel to help football make a bowl game every 4 years?

That is a perfectly rational position. One of my sons shares it with you. The answer, from a basketball perspective, is that you foresee a day when the big football schools won't be competing in hoops with everyone else. And no, neither I nor anyone else knows for sure that such a day will or won't come. You just have to make the best prediction you can.

 

[businesslawyer]

Anything that builds on the foundation that the ACC can break its grant of rights is not worth worrying about.

Could those former Big East teams find a home in the Big 12 down the road if the ACC implodes? I would say that is a certainty.

The thought that they are going to try to reform some eastern conference is not likely.

I don't see how you can reach that conclusion with any certainty. It will all depend on how many schools are left in the ACC and how much they prioritize hoops and academics compared to football. But the thought that Wake and Pitt would rather be associated with Oregon State and Washington State than UConn and, say, Temple? Why exactly?

 

[DoctorWho85]

As a UConn basketball fan, the program we actually have a chance at competing for titles (the whole point of sports, winning it all), I am not concerned about benefiting football, baseball, soccer, etc. We have an elite, top 5-10 basketball program. Most schools don’t have a top 5-10 football or basketball program. Why are we risking the status of our crown jewel to help football make a bowl game every 4 years?

Football drives the bus. UConn staying in the Big East means the entire athletic department is going to run at a constant defecit. And that's going to rub a lot of people the wrong way and will eventually hurt both basketball teams. . So you'd rather see UConn stay in the Big East which is a borderline mid major at best at this point and win than go play good schools and possibly lose? That's the most idiotic mentality to have.

 

[noeynox]

@Hurleyman216 You're famous

Great reply in that thread about Warde and the donuts.

 

[businesslawyer]

Football drives the bus. UConn staying in the Big East means the entire athletic department is going to run at a constant defecit. And that's going to rub a lot of people the wrong way and will eventually hurt both basketball teams. . So you'd rather see UConn stay in the Big East which is a borderline mid major at best at this point and win than go play good schools and possibly lose? That's the most idiotic mentality to have.

As someone who would take a Big XII offer if it came, do we have to run down the Big East? It is not close to a mid-major. It is clearly a power conference, and with UConn back over a few year period is going to be in the top half of that group as often as not. Xavier, Creighton and 'Nova are all competing with the power football schools year in and year out without huge subsidies from the schools. The difference is we're trying to play big time football without big time football revenue and they're not. If we knew the current college sports environment would stay relatively stable and you didn't mind shutting down the football program, staying in the Big East would be fine. But, to me, those are big ifs.