Rothstein: UConn and Big East have had discussions | The Boneyard

Rothstein: UConn and Big East have had discussions

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This needs its own thread.

Sources: UConn, Big East Have Had Recent Discussions About Expansion

FanRag Sports reported last week that UConn had looked into joining the conference and one source confirmed on Wednesday that the Big East would take the Huskies in all sports.

The issue then for UConn would be to find a home for its football program, which wouldn’t be able to join the Big East because the doesn’t league’s participants do not have football.

“The Big East would take UConn in everything, but they need to resolve what they’re going to do with football,” one source said. “That’s the only thing that’s standing in the way of a marriage.”
 

Fairfield_1st

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Finding a football home isn't the only issue. Paying the AAC breakup fee, whatever amount that is, won't be pleasant either. On the heels of paying a coach to go away, how will the public take the news of paying a conference. UConn is laying out cash for nothing and raising ticket prices to pay for facilities. For little gain if any going to the Big East, I don't think it's worth the potential public relations issue.
 
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Could this be a ploy to get UConn into the ACC? Perhaps similar to when Robert Krafts reached out to Connecticut to become the new home of the Patriots, when he really just wanted a better deal from Mass.
 
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I believe everything about this is calculated. The administration would not have made such a big statement with the Edsall hire if football was going to be downgraded.
This. AD Dave is too smart to invest so much into the football program's rebirth to only be like LOL GO INDY/MAC GUYS!!!! Would not shock me to see him negotiate a BE entry, AAC football-only combined with very small exit fee.
 
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This. AD Dave is too smart to invest so much into the football program's rebirth to only be like LOL GO INDY/MAC GUYS!!!! Would not shock me to see him negotiate a BE entry, AAC football-only combined with very small exit fee.
That's what i think is happening
 

Fishy

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This. AD Dave is too smart to invest so much into the football program's rebirth to only be like LOL GO INDY/MAC GUYS!!!! Would not shock me to see him negotiate a BE entry, AAC football-only combined with very small exit fee.

That's really the only way it will work.

I am sure it is not what the AAC would want, but really, if it came down to it, the American is better off with UConn football than it is with any other option still out there.
 

FfldCntyFan

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My guess is we are letting a few parties (the AAC, ESPN, possibly other conference's and broadcast outlets) know that we do have options.

The problem arises if they call our bluff.
 
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That's what i think is happening
Not saying that this will happen, but I would rather be BE/HE for Olympics and Indie for football.

I say Indie for football b/c:
1. we could control our own schedule - sprinkle in games against former BE (BC, Syra/Pitt, and maybe some others if they'd be interested), ACC (we had three last year I believe)... Our BB brands allow us to trade BB games/series for FB games/series (home and homes, of course).
2. have more leeway to place games at Fenway, Gillette, Meadowlands, etc. against big national draws (see #1 above)
3. we place games at The Rent that will fill the stands - sorry, but the AAC brands just don't do it (unless we would be marching toward a 9-win season). By getting more in the stands (at both the Rent and for our home-away-from-home/neutral site games) it better positions us with the State Legislature to get a Rent expansion agreed to.
4. we get more TV dollars if we go with our own football package than we do in the AAC package.
5. we get more donor activity because there is more brand appeal.
{6. we reduce travel costs to a degree (though this is not a huge benefit in my opinion).}

If we do this for 5 or more years and begin to win 7+ games every year in football, then we position ourselves nicely for P5 expansion in the mid-2020's. Because that is the end-goal and given where we are now, I think this is one way to make it happen.
 

CL82

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This. AD Dave is too smart to invest so much into the football program's rebirth to only be like LOL GO INDY/MAC GUYS!!!! Would not shock me to see him negotiate a BE entry, AAC football-only combined with very small exit fee.
Or perhaps he is trying to get leverage for the return of our tier 3 rights in the next contract.
 
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That's really the only way it will work.

I am sure it is not what the AAC would want, but really, if it came down to it, the American is better off with UConn football than it is with any other option still out there.
Bingo. My guess is AD Dave says to Aresco - look, you know you need our brand on the football side of things. We'll throw you $1M to let us move everything else, it'll lower travel costs for the other schools non-FB teams. You can keep our third tier TV rights for FB - but that exit fee has to be zero. FB is the AAC's most valuable property and what would drive up your next TV negotiation, not basketball. Realistically, if you want us to move out entirely, who are you going to get to replace us on the FB side? UMass? Marshall? Have fun. Let us leave, replace our BB team with Wichita, call it a day. We'll agree to play two AAC teams OOC each year, one home one away, in MBB and WBB for X years.
 
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Negotiate a deal with favored status for OOC games on those networks maybe....still play SMU, Houston, Cinci to drive down Exit Fee?
 

Drew

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Not saying that this will happen, but I would rather be BE/HE for Olympics and Indie for football.

I say Indie for football b/c:
1. we could control our own schedule - sprinkle in games against former BE (BC, Syra/Pitt, and maybe some others if they'd be interested), ACC (we had three last year I believe).. Our BB brands allow us to trade BB games/series for FB games/series (home and homes, of course).
2. have more leeway to place games at Fenway, Gillette, Meadowlands, etc. against big national draws (see #1 above)
3. we place games at The Rent that will fill the stands - sorry, but the AAC brands just don't do it (unless we would be marching toward a 9-win season). By getting more in the stands (at both the Rent and for our home-away-from-home/neutral site games) it better positions us with the State Legislature to get a Rent expansion agreed to.
4. we get more TV dollars if we go with our own football package than we do in the AAC package.
5. we get more donor activity because there is more brand appeal.
{6. we reduce travel costs to a degree (though this is not a huge benefit in my opinion).}

If we do this for 5 or more years and begin to win 7+ games every year in football, then we position ourselves nicely for P5 expansion in the mid-2020's. Because that is the end-goal and given where we are now, I think this is one way to make it happen.

This is nowhere near as easy as you're making it seem to be. If it was this rosy of an outlook for UConn football as an independent, we would be an independent already.

To respond to your points 1, 2, and 3- Syracuse and Pitt will not schedule games at the Rent with us if we are an independent. We can schedule road games at any of the P5 if we want to but believe it or not us being in the American actually helps us get return games from certain level P5 programs. The example I give is Missouri. Mizzou is not coming here on a return trip this year if we are an independent. Also- we played Syracuse at home this past season. We didn't exactly "fill the stands"- there was 31889 in attendance with us at 2-1 and coming off of a home win vs UVA: Syracuse vs. Connecticut - Game Summary - September 24, 2016 - ESPN

This fallacy that all of a sudden the stands will be packed again if we play certain teams is not only inaccurate, its delusional. You might prefer us to be playing those teams but it doesn't automatically mean that every single seat in the Rent is going to be taken up.

Point 4- Sure we might get more TV money from SNY than we do on our current AAC TV contract. The AAC TV deal when renegotiated will be a much better payout than currently constructed. Signing a deal with SNY means you completely regionalize the program by playing every single home game on a station with zero ability for anyone outside of the NY/CT DMA to watch. What parent from FL, GA, NC, OH, etc is going to let their kid come play for UConn knowing they can't watch them play on TV?

Point 5- There is less brand appeal being independent than there is being in the American. See my comments on scheduling and then look at UMass, New Mexico State, and Army's future schedules and see how appealing those brands are. And don't say "well BYU can do it why can't we?" BYU has a national title in football to go with a fairly deep tradition along with a massive national appeal throughout the United States to the Mormon community. It isn't even in the same stratosphere as UConn football as an independent as far as scheduling/brand goes.

6. If by "reduced travel" you mean "play less games at the Rent in lieu of more money road games against P5 opponents" then sure. Otherwise this point is inaccurate and irrelevant.
 
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I think you guys are getting a bit too creative on this exit stuff... If you want to leave and you can make a better life elsewhere, then you leave. Usually half-divorces don't work.
 

ElGuapo

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But where will the AAC hold their conference championship tournaments?!?!
 
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This is nowhere near as easy as you're making it seem to be. If it was this rosy of an outlook for UConn football as an independent, we would be an independent already.
Not sure I follow your logic. Things change. Colleges and conferences make deals based on trying to improve themselves given current conditions and future prognostications.

To respond to your points 1, 2, and 3- Syracuse and Pitt will not schedule games at the Rent with us if we are an independent. We can schedule road games at any of the P5 if we want to but believe it or not us being in the American actually helps us get return games from certain level P5 programs. The example I give is Missouri. Mizzou is not coming here on a return trip this year if we are an independent. Also- we played Syracuse at home this past season. We didn't exactly "fill the stands"- there was 31889 in attendance with us at 2-1 and coming off of a home win vs UVA: Syracuse vs. Connecticut - Game Summary - September 24, 2016 - ESPN
I don't think conference affiliation means much; I think benjamins do. ...

This fallacy that all of a sudden the stands will be packed again if we play certain teams is not only inaccurate, its delusional. You might prefer us to be playing those teams but it doesn't automatically mean that every single seat in the Rent is going to be taken up.
I did not say the stands would be 100% filled in year 1. This will take time. But, unless we are a 9+-win team quickly we are going to have to give our fanbase, the casual fanbase, and the general public more of a reason to come to games. Tulsa, Memphis, etc are not going to do that. But, Syra/Pitt, BC, etc. could and have in the past. Alumns from our past rivals brought in a couple of thousand on their own. Tulsa/Memphis, ahhh no. Again, this will take time, but it requires an attractive opponent unless we are winning 9+ games.

Point 4- Sure we might get more TV money from SNY than we do on our current AAC TV contract. The AAC TV deal when renegotiated will be a much better payout than currently constructed. Signing a deal with SNY means you completely regionalize the program by playing every single home game on a station with zero ability for anyone outside of the NY/CT DMA to watch. What parent from FL, GA, NC, OH, etc is going to let their kid come play for UConn knowing they can't watch them play on TV?
There is this thing called the Internet and people pay money to watch games online now. And, by playing "name" schools from "name" conferences mean that we will get more super-regional/national exposure by playing teams not Memphis/Tulsa/etc. To me, the main point of my whole position is that we will have more games on our schedule that will be played against teams that are of national reach and by that our brand grows. This is partially about growing your brand through the reputation of those that you play.

Point 5- There is less brand appeal being independent than there is being in the American. See my comments on scheduling and then look at UMass, New Mexico State, and Army's future schedules and see how appealing those brands are. And don't say "well BYU can do it why can't we?" BYU has a national title in football to go with a fairly deep tradition along with a massive national appeal throughout the United States to the Mormon community. It isn't even in the same stratosphere as UConn football as an independent as far as scheduling/brand goes.
I don't believe that there is much to be gained by being in the AAC because I don't think there is much to be gained by playing non-P5 schools/brands. Boise grew their brand by playing non-conference games anywhere against any top-25 team they could. It is like our BB programs now having to play an aggressive out of conference schedule. You brought up BYU, not me. But in bringing them up, I aspire to be like them and not the other Indies.

6. If by "reduced travel" you mean "play less games at the Rent in lieu of more money road games against P5 opponents" then sure. Otherwise this point is inaccurate and irrelevant.
I mean that we can net more dough by playing more valuable FB games on the road/neutral sites (e.g. Fenway game) and perhaps save a few bucks on the Olympic sports side of things.

Cheers!
 

nelsonmuntz

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I do not believe any UConn-Big East rumors.

As with everything realignment-related, the money math needs to be right and it's not here.

The money math for staying in the AAC would cause Herbst to shut the entire athletic program down.
 
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AD DB pulled a rabbit out of a hat with HCRE v.2. I am in if he can do it again with BE v.2. If this happens, I think there will be more to the story. He will not put FB at risk.
 

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