Presenting UConn in Conference Realignment

[zls44]

Fair point. ESPN is the only media outlet that matters, and they hate UConn.

My department is reflective of the company...it's at least 35% UConn alums/fans, far larger than any other faction.

Get a new schtick.

 

[zls44]

How do you figure ESPN hates UConn? They were very complimentary towards the school and programs during the championship games last April.

Stop using logic! We need MOAR RAGE

 

[Gfunk]

GFunk- take it easy on Hockey East...WCHA "was" like you said historically great but just like all of UConns national championships, they seem to mean nothing now in this freaking conference reallignment game. I agree that the WCHA was the real deal but Hocky East is not just a 2 team league...there are these two schools called Maine and UNH that show up quite a bit in your Wikipedia stats. Hockey East is the real deal now and in the past.

I agree - Maine has a pair of NCs, New Hampshire not yet. I also get the WCHA is a shell of its former self. But in head-to-head NCG's, the WCHA really outperformed Hockey East by large margins.

There's no SEC of college hockey. Just not enough parity in college hockey and not enough d1 participation. When the WCHA really dominated, there weren't many conferences or d1 programs.

 

[pj]

BIGOSU this is some crabby brat who's pissed UConn hasn't been selected to a P5 conference. Never mind you and I come on here endorsing UConn to the BIG & often. Someone stole his milk money.

Don't mind him. His wife left him, he got fired, and his dog got run over. He'll get over it.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Stop using logic! We need MOAR RAGE

Apparently every single employee at the Bristol campus is a Syracuse alum. Seriously I figured that if anything ESPN would be biased towards UConn since most of its employees are from Connecticut. Also since UConn is the flagship school in the state, there's a good chance a lot of the employees are alumni, and if not fans of the Huskies as we don't have any pro teams of our own.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

Apparently every single employee at the Bristol campus is a Syracuse alum. Seriously I figured that if anything ESPN would be biased towards UConn since most of its employees are from Connecticut. Also since UConn is the flagship school in the state, there's a good chance a lot of the employees are alumni, and if not fans of the Huskies as we don't have any pro teams of our own.

I thought I'd read on the BY that a good proportion of the higher ups were Syracuse people and I assume that's where the idea of the bias comes in. Well that and the premise that since ESPN told the ACC who to take in expanding and we weren't one of the chosen ones it must be because they hate us, which lends support to the higher ups being fruit grads. I don't buy it myself, but it is fun to play the "us against the world" card.

 

[SC Husky]

BIGOSU this is some crabby brat who's pissed UConn hasn't been selected to a P5 conference. Never mind you and I come on here endorsing UConn to the BIG & often. Someone stole his milk money.

We don't need you endorsing UCONN. But thanks for the favor. You need to troll your own boards.

 

[SC Husky]

[QUOTE="Gfunk,

"Hockey East's hype is a product of Boston media. No more, no less." [/QUOTE]

I suppose that's a fact as well. Nice pot-shot.

 

[zls44]

I thought I'd read on the BY that a good proportion of the higher ups were Syracuse people and I assume that's where the idea of the bias comes in. Well that and the premise that since ESPN told the ACC who to take in expanding and we weren't one of the chosen ones it must be because they hate us, which lends support to the higher ups being fruit grads. I don't buy it myself, but it is fun to play the "us against the world" card.

Untrue.

 

[HoopsFan21]

I thought I'd read on the BY that a good proportion of the higher ups were Syracuse people and I assume that's where the idea of the bias comes in. Well that and the premise that since ESPN told the ACC who to take in expanding and we weren't one of the chosen ones it must be because they hate us, which lends support to the higher ups being fruit grads. I don't buy it myself, but it is fun to play the "us against the world" card.

Really? I never heard of upstate New Yorkers flocking to Bristol CT, but maybe you're on to something.

 

[CL82]

My department is reflective of the company...it's at least 35% UConn alums/fans, far larger than any other faction.

Get a new schtick.

and yet ESPN financed the dismantling of the Big East leaving UConn essentially homeless. They then gave our remaining conference a media deal that resulted in us getting paid pretty much what SNY would pay for the right for our woman's basketball team. They can, at any moment, tell the ACC the B1G or the Big 12 that they will pay enough so that the addition of UConn will not dilute their current shares, but they haven't.

Why would any of your UConn co-workers allow that to happen? Wait. Perhaps those executive decisions are being made outside of your department. Then your 35% revelation really isn't relevant is it?

 

[zls44]

and yet ESPN financed the dismantling of the Big East leaving UConn essentially homeless. They then gave our remaining conference a media deal that resulted in us getting paid pretty much what SNY would pay for the right for our woman's basketball team. They can, at any moment, tell the ACC the B1G or the Big 12 that they will pay enough so that the addition of UConn will not dilute their current shares, but they haven't.

Why would any of your UConn co-workers allow that to happen? Wait. Perhaps those executive decisions are being made outside of your department. Then your 35% revelation really isn't relevant is it?

The corporate structure is publicly available. Including their bios. Go ahead, look up where they went to school/worked and figure it out, chief.

 

[husky91]

Busjness isn't a charity, you think anyone is going to suggest keeping UConn is some structure because they're alums?

Regardless of what everyone says about ESPN, if UConn made economic sense it would be a priority. If all of this is about football or a major college market UConn offers neither of these. Hopefully they find a nut somewhere, but it is a wish at this point.

The corporate structure is publicly available. Including their bios. Go ahead, look up where they went to school/worked and figure it out, chief.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Busjness isn't a charity, you think anyone is going to suggest keeping UConn is some structure because they're alums?

Regardless of what everyone says about ESPN, if UConn made economic sense it would be a priority. If all of this is about football or a major college market UConn offers neither of these. Hopefully they find a nut somewhere, but it is a wish at this point.

It's not charity, it's repayment. Without CT government money there was no ESPN.

 

[zls44]

It's not charity, it's repayment. Without CT government money there was no ESPN.

without Getty Oil and Budwiser there was no ESPN. Not CT govt. Hell, Bristol was the backup choice (really great call Southington).

 

[CL82]

The corporate structure is publicly available. Including their bios. Go ahead, look up where they went to school/worked and figure it out, chief.

No need. Actions speak louder than bios....chief.

 

[CL82]

Regardless of what everyone says about ESPN, if UConn made economic sense it would be a priority. If all of this is about football or a major college market UConn offers neither of these. Hopefully they find a nut somewhere, but it is a wish at this point.

It made economic sense to destroy the greatest basketball conference of all time to reduce the overall amount ESPN had to pay to maintain it's near monopoly and to prevent product being available to it's competition allowing them to begin to gain market share. UConn getting excluded form the P5 (an ESPN created term) and shunted off to the G5 (also an ESPN created term) was collateral damage.

 

[zls44]

No need. Actions speak louder than bios....chief.

The Big East rejecting $1,000,000,000 says it all.

 

[zls44]

It made economic sense to destroy the greatest basketball conference of all time to reduce the overall amount ESPN had to pay to maintain it's near monopoly and to prevent product being available to it's competition allowing them to begin to gain market share.

No it didn't. It cost more and they split part of it with Fox.


It's why the entire argument is a joke.

 

[RMoore1999]

No it didn't. It cost more and they split part of it with Fox.


It's why the entire argument is a joke.

Retorting with logic...you like to play dirty...

 

[CL82]

No it didn't. It cost more and they split part of it with Fox.


It's why the entire argument is a joke.

I'm sure it is quite a joke down in Bristol, but up in Storrs it's not quite so funny.

They didn't split the Big East with Fox, thought they could have, instead they destroyed the conference and carved of pieces to support the guys they designated to be their flag ship product, the ACC.

The Big East rejecting $1,000,000,000 says it all.

The term of years and number of schools made that offer the worst among the major conferences. In retrospect the Old Big East should have taken it, but at that time no one new that ESPN would fund the dismantling to the greatest basketball conference of all time. It was unheard of for a television network to so blatantly disregard the interests so many public and private institutes of higher education so that it hold onto their market dominance, but it was just business, nothing personal.

So now Connecticut's state university has a TV contract that is worth close to what UConn was getting for SNY to broadcast its woman's basketball games. Who makes up that shortfall in revenue? Connecticut students and taxpayers? You've been done in by a company that was just the recipient of Connecticut taxpayer dollars to expand. Every time you sit wondering whether a couple of early season losses have killed our post season chances, every time that you wonder whether we care going to be able to sustain our athletics program, every time you look at your tax bill and wonder how you can make ends meet, think of our friends down and Bristol and remember that it is all "a joke" to them.

 

[whaler11]

For the love of God it's not ESPN keeping UConn out of anything.

The fact that UConn is leftout is the evidence that ESPN is just along for the ride.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Zls is being deliberately obtuse. The billion dollar offer was a low ball, and 14 of the 17 Big East teams essentially doubled their money by rejecting that offer, many of which ESPN paid for itself. That just proves ESPN knew the billion dollar offer was a low ball. I will say that UConn continuing to do business with ESPN is UConn's fault.

It is interesting that the same people arguing that the AAC and being on ESPN for peanuts is such a good idea are the same ones saying UConn is only worth what ESPN is paying it. So Z and rmoore, if UConn is only worth $2 million a year, then why keep the football program open a day longer?

 

[RMoore1999]

Zls is being deliberately obtuse. The billion dollar offer was a low ball, and 14 of the 17 Big East teams essentially doubled their money by rejecting that offer, many of which ESPN paid for itself. That just proves ESPN knew the billion dollar offer was a low ball. I will say that UConn continuing to do business with ESPN is UConn's fault.

It is interesting that the same people arguing that the AAC and being on ESPN for peanuts is such a good idea are the same ones saying UConn is only worth what ESPN is paying it. So Z and rmoore, if UConn is only worth $2 million a year, then why keep the football program open a day longer?

Not sure if you’re implying I’m a part of the “AAC and being on ESPN for peanuts is such a good idea” crowd, but my take is simply:

1.ESPN didn’t conspire to coordinate the realignment chess game to exclude UConn from the P5 (but BC, Syracuse, FSU, Clemson and others surely conspired to veto ACC invites).

2.Isolated geography, bad timing and complacent/incompetent UConn leadership over various administrations have severely damaged our case.

3.The AAC is the Bataan Death March for nationally competitive UConn athletics.

4.I remain confident that multiple scenarios exist that will result in UConn eventually re-joining the Club.

5.Dropping football is about the dumbest idea ever proposed in connection with this topic.

FWIW, I also remain unconvinced that the US Government orchestrated 911, that BigFoot is roaming the wilds of North America or that aliens crashed in New Mexico, so perhaps I’m just a stubborn skeptic.

 

[pj]

Not sure if you’re implying I’m a part of the “AAC and being on ESPN for peanuts is such a good idea” crowd, but my take is simply:

1.ESPN didn’t conspire to coordinate the realignment chess game to exclude UConn from the P5 (but BC, Syracuse, FSU, Clemson and others surely conspired to veto ACC invites).

2.Isolated geography, bad timing and complacent/incompetent UConn leadership over various administrations have severely damaged our case.

3.The AAC is the Bataan Death March for nationally competitive UConn athletics.

4.I remain confident that multiple scenarios exist that will result in UConn eventually re-joining the Club.

5.Dropping football is about the dumbest idea ever proposed in connection with this topic.

FWIW, I also remain unconvinced that the US Government orchestrated 911, that BigFoot is roaming the wilds of North America or that aliens crashed in New Mexico, so perhaps I’m just a stubborn skeptic.

1. ESPN didn't help. We've seen that money dominates and I firmly believe that if ESPN said it would pay the ACC an extra $100k per team if they took UConn instead of Louisville, they would have taken UConn. For a measly $1.4 mn per year they could have helped out their home state. They chose not to.

2. True.

3. True ... but, we may have a few more years than you realize. The AAC is trying to be competitive, and the focus of realignment is shifting toward local TV markets and basketball from national football brands. That will keep lifting UConn's profile.

4. Yes.

5. Yes.

 

[UConn990411]

We're not going to the B1G, guys. Not unless they drop the AAU requirement of which there is little indication that they will do so. So it's the Big XII or ACC or bust, I guess.

Not that I think UConn's going to the B1G, but Delaney's said multiple times that being in the AAU isn't a requirement.

 

[UConn990411]

Busjness isn't a charity, you think anyone is going to suggest keeping UConn is some structure because they're alums?

Regardless of what everyone says about ESPN, if UConn made economic sense it would be a priority. If all of this is about football or a major college market UConn offers neither of these. Hopefully they find a nut somewhere, but it is a wish at this point.

Lol at Louisville being a better business acquisition than UConn.

 

[B1GOSU]

UConn should try to do something innovative to gain interest from other conferences. For example, what about a UCONN - B1G Challenge? It could work like the B1G-ACC Challenge, only UConn would play multiple nonconference games vs. the B1G --- some - if not all - could be at Madison Square Garden. You could do this for men's and women's basketball. Attendance at these games could be compared to attendance at the B1G Tournament in MSG in 2018. You could pick a number of games - lets say 5 - and then the B1G picks its 5 men's and 5 women's teams that will play UConn at MSG each year for the Challenge. Or even 7 games - so the 7 men's teams in the B1G who play would not be the 7 women's teams in the B1G that play in that particular year. That way, every B1G team would have 1 men's or 1 women's basketball game at MSG vs. Connecticut every year. The minus for UConn would be a loss of home games in Storrs, but if you eliminated a neutral site tournament or two, you really don't lose anything in terms of home games.

That is probably the best way to show what kind of pull you might have for the B1G in NYC ----- you need to actually play the B1G in NYC first to show everyone what it can do.
And even if that still doesn't lead to an offer to join the B1G, it can at least give UConn some big name nonconference games to help with strength of schedule and media attention that you won't get playing Tulsa and Tulane.

 

[Stray_Dog]

My department is reflective of the company...it's at least 35% UConn alums/fans, far larger than any other faction.

Get a new schtick.

Busjness isn't a charity, you think anyone is going to suggest keeping UConn is some structure because they're alums?

Regardless of what everyone says about ESPN, if UConn made economic sense it would be a priority. If all of this is about football or a major college market UConn offers neither of these. Hopefully they find a nut somewhere, but it is a wish at this point.

Not a charity and yet, Uof L, and the small privates who have a home in a P-5??? Look if it was a business decision, then it would be solely about the money. The money and the money they get from the fans. So, how then does WakeForest, Vandy, Syracuse, to name a few justify their existence in a P-5. Afterall I never knew a business that had a model that allowed so many exceptions to the model. And the one propping this model up is - primarily ESPN!

 

[UConn990411]

That is probably the best way to show what kind of pull you might have for the B1G in NYC ----- you need to actually play the B1G in NYC first to show everyone what it can do.
And even if that still doesn't lead to an offer to join the B1G, it can at least give UConn some big name nonconference games to help with strength of schedule and media attention that you won't get playing Tulsa and Tulane.

Uh...