Should ESPN tell the American to make a football only deal with UConn? | The Boneyard

Should ESPN tell the American to make a football only deal with UConn?

CL82

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Stay with me; it's not a dumb as it sounds at first blush.
  • This last media deal for the American was built to get ESPN + subscribers.
  • Keeping UConn in the American means that UConn football fans will still need to sign up to see games.
  • Since the bulk of media contract is based upon football, ESPN could reduce the contract less if UConn stays put.
  • Down the road there would less resistance for UConn fans toward + because fans would have already have been using it.
  • Finally it earns ESPN some goodwill in their state of residence. Not a stand alone reason for making a deal but definitely a plus.
 
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Go independent. I think whatever price espn/AAC try to extract from us to stay football only would be extremely punitive. If we took it, it would mean we really are desperate.
 
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If the American wants to pay us the full $7m for just our football team then sure. Otherwise we will make more $ going independent assuming SNY steps in
 

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Stay with me; it's not a dumb as it sounds at first blush.
  • This last media deal for the American was built to get ESPN + subscribers.
  • Keeping UConn in the American means that UConn football fans will still need to sign up to see games.
  • Since the bulk of media contract is based upon football, ESPN could reduce the contract less if UConn stays put.
  • Down the road there would less resistance for UConn fans toward + because fans would have already have been using it.
  • Finally it earns ESPN some goodwill in their state of residence. Not a stand alone reason for making a deal but definitely a plus.

I don't think you are out of line with your reasoning. I am very curious what the other universities think as well...not so sure after they have a couple weeks to noodle on it they dont come around to UConn as a football only member as well; why not?

  • Keeps the divisions balanced which keeps the conf champ game in place w/o a waiver.
  • Its the simplest approach, don't need to ponder a replacement or moving forward as an odd eleven school conference.
  • There are no replacements or no real will to add a replacement. Plus. if you are Memphis, Cincy, UH or UCF, why would you want to spend time pondering a replacement when you already have one foot out the door yourself?
  • Navy has already set a precedent here for a football only member. What's the difference if they let UConn do the same?
  • UConn is a cupcake (but with a solid national name) for the other programs / this is both a pro and a con.
Bottomline - keeping UConn is simple and that is worth a lot. Aresco is the only real obstacle to staying.

And I dont know if I really want to stay.
 
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CL82

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If the American wants to pay us the full $7m for just our football team then sure. Otherwise we will make more $ going independent assuming SNY steps in
Why though? UConn's other sports would be in the NBE. So even if it only $4 or $5M for football, that's still better than what we'd make as an independent. Have to believe the production costs for $6 games won't be the full $2M that has been previously speculated. Heck they could sell the rights to any games they don't want to SNY and keep the replay rights. They'd make back part of what they are paying us and get better production value.
 

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Is ESPN looking to make the switch to a streaming subscription based service? They are running ads all over google for ESPN+, they even aired the Jon Jones UFC fight on ESPN+
 
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It's not a stupid idea at all, and absent being able to bring in Boise, BYU or Army -- and I don't see any of those happening -- there is probably a price at which it makes sense to both UConn and the AAC.

That having been said:

1. It requires both Fox and ESPN to be o.k. paying us money to build a brand that the other will be using (yes, I know networks share conference so when it's important enough they get over that issue); and

2. It requires the AAC and its members to be rational and not factor in being butt hurt by our departure.

I'd be really surprised if it happened. But would being an AAC football member, like Navy, be better than trying to be an independent? Absolutely yes it would. I think many on here are being way too optimistic as to what scheduling would be like, and while I have no doubt SNY would want to televise our football games I think many here are vastly overestimating the revenue that would bring in. If Connecticut residents gave a damn about UConn football post the football Big East, we wouldn't be in this predicament in the first place.
 
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I’m not sure CT residents are to blame for not wanting to watch a horrible team. That’s on the administration. We can’t expect everyone to be a die hard. My wife loved games when we were good. Now, not so much.
 
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Is ESPN looking to make the switch to a streaming subscription based service? They are running ads all over google for ESPN+, they even aired the Jon Jones UFC fight on ESPN+

Not a full switch, but they have been investing heavily in it. I have had espn+ since it came out, mostly because I am a big boxing fan and I am very happy with it. They have added more content but definitely need to add more.
 
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Is ESPN looking to make the switch to a streaming subscription based service? They are running ads all over google for ESPN+, they even aired the Jon Jones UFC fight on ESPN+
Not switch, they want to make you double dip by splitting your content between cable and an additional subscription. They have shareholders to pay
 
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It's not a stupid idea at all, and absent being able to bring in Boise, BYU or Army -- and I don't see any of those happening -- there is probably a price at which it makes sense to both UConn and the AAC.

That having been said:

1. It requires both Fox and ESPN to be o.k. paying us money to build a brand that the other will be using (yes, I know networks share conference so when it's important enough they get over that issue); and

2. It requires the AAC and its members to be rational and not factor in being butt hurt by our departure.

I'd be really surprised if it happened. But would being an AAC football member, like Navy, be better than trying to be an independent? Absolutely yes it would. I think many on here are being way too optimistic as to what scheduling would be like, and while I have no doubt SNY would want to televise our football games I think many here are vastly overestimating the revenue that would bring in. If Connecticut residents gave a damn about UConn football post the football Big East, we wouldn't be in this predicament in the first place.

Here’s the thing, would a AAC schedule be objectively better football-quality wise? Yes.

However, I believe that the AAC is such a toxic brand in Connecticut, that removing the brand association with the football team will actually increase interest and support even if the opponents are not the same quality.
 
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It's not a stupid idea at all, and absent being able to bring in Boise, BYU or Army -- and I don't see any of those happening -- there is probably a price at which it makes sense to both UConn and the AAC.

That having been said:

1. It requires both Fox and ESPN to be o.k. paying us money to build a brand that the other will be using (yes, I know networks share conference so when it's important enough they get over that issue); and

2. It requires the AAC and its members to be rational and not factor in being butt hurt by our departure.

I'd be really surprised if it happened. But would being an AAC football member, like Navy, be better than trying to be an independent? Absolutely yes it would. I think many on here are being way too optimistic as to what scheduling would be like, and while I have no doubt SNY would want to televise our football games I think many here are vastly overestimating the revenue that would bring in. If Connecticut residents gave a damn about UConn football post the football Big East, we wouldn't be in this predicament in the first place.
Number 2 is why it won't happen. If we take all of our sports out and park our embarrassment of a football program in their conference we will have punked them to a ridiculous degree. From their perspective I can see how pride will get in the way.
 
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Number 2 is why it won't happen. If we take all of our sports out and park our embarrassment of a football program in their conference we will have punked them to a ridiculous degree. From their perspective I can see how pride will get in the way.

Pride or hurt feelings would not matter if ESPN tells them to do this
 
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Here’s the thing, would a AAC schedule be objectively better football-quality wise? Yes.

However, I believe that the AAC is such a toxic brand in Connecticut, that removing the brand association with the football team will actually increase interest and support even if the opponents are not the same quality.

I keep thinking the same thing. When I find myself being excited about going independent, I stop and ask myself why I feel this way. I quickly realize that the one and only reason is that I don’t want to be in the AAC.

When someone asks what conference UConn is in, I can say, “the Big East, but we are independent in football”. No more deciding whether to say American or AAC, then having to explain what it is and who is in it etc. It’s a years long nightmare that needs to end.

I can’t say I absolutely want to go independent in football vs play in the AAC if given the option, but that is only out of fear of becoming UMASS. I don’t mean that as a shot at UMASS either. I just mean that I want to play an exciting schedule with good home games. That has been really hard for them to do. Hopefully, our brand and history enable us to schedule better.
 
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I keep thinking the same thing. When I find myself being excited about going independent, I stop and ask myself why I feel this way. I quickly realize that the one and only reason is that I don’t want to be in the AAC.

When someone asks what conference UConn is in, I can say, “the Big East, but we are independent in football”. No more deciding whether to say American or AAC, then having to explain what it is and who is in it etc. It’s a years long nightmare that needs to end.

I can’t say I absolutely want to go independent in football vs play in the AAC if given the option, but that is only out of fear of becoming UMASS. I don’t mean that as a shot at UMASS either. I just mean that I want to play an exciting schedule with good home games. That has been really hard for them to do. Hopefully, our brand and history enable us to schedule better.

Yesss!!

I said this on the football forum the night the big east move was announced;

If you walk into Rentschler and you don’t see the AAC logo on the field; if you squint and believe hard enough it’ll almost feel big time.

The AAC will always make people in CT think “mid-major” and “relegated”; the brand was an anchor around the entire athletic department’s neck.
 
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Here’s the thing, would a AAC schedule be objectively better football-quality wise? Yes.

However, I believe that the AAC is such a toxic brand in Connecticut, that removing the brand association with the football team will actually increase interest and support even if the opponents are not the same quality.

I really don't understand this at all.

How are games against UMass and the like going to make people in Connecticut think "big-time!"
 
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I really don't understand this at all.

How are games against UMass and the like going to make people in Connecticut think "big-time!"

They won’t, but a game against Illinois or Indiana might
 
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People just hate the AAC. It may not be rational, but they do. It just sucks. It represents so much pain and suffering.
 

CL82

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I feel the same way. My head says football only membership in the American makes sense financially and for scheduling, but my heart wants to rip the bandaid so I can put the memory of this era behind us.
 

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