So what's next?

[ConnHuskBask]

The amount of incremental value that someone would need to join the B1G or SEC is likely only matched by a Texas or Florida State. I'm not downplaying Kansas by saying that.

It's possible that the ACC would take Kansas as a one off, but given the fact they prioritized football over everything in their last move, I have a hard time seeing them add one of the truly perennial dogs of the FBS.

Pac 12, probably? But I can't see teams wanting less California exposure in exchange for games in Kansas.

 

[frankthetank]

In your estimation, what in Kansas' profile makes them a P5 must-have, while UConn is stuck in the G5?

Market?
Academics?
Basketball success?

I don't think Kansas is taking a spot in lieu of UConn. It's more about Kansas overall. I'd say all of those things put together (market, AAU for academics, basketball history and prestige) are what makes Kansas attractive.

Let's put it this way: if you put Notre Dame's resume from the past 20 years into a pile of all FBS schools but removed its name (meaning that it has a blind resume), you might find a dozen or more schools on paper that would look more valuable than Notre Dame. Maybe those schools have more success on-the-field, larger markets, and even higher TV ratings over that time period. Yet, if you were to poll university presidents out there about who would be the most valuable football addition off the top of their heads without any data, they would almost universally say Notre Dame. You can't remove the name "Notre Dame" from the process.

Kansas has pretty close to that name brand status with respect to basketball - maybe not Notre Dame status (that would be Duke), but it's at the level of Michigan/Ohio State/Alabama as a football equivalent. They're not just a great program - they also have the extra qualitative oomph from the national brand name that has been built up through history that only a handful of other basketball programs have (meaning that they're going to be an elite school that sells tickets and drives TV ratings whether they're up or down in any given year). When you combine that with their AAU status and massive national fan base, it makes them an automatic invite to any other P5 conference.

And look - I know that Kansas would lose to UConn in a blind resume comparison from the past 20 years. Heck, I think UConn might actually beat EVERYONE on a blind men's basketball resume from the past 2 decades (and UConn would certainly beat everyone on a women's basketball resume in all of history). However, you just can't remove the names from the process. You don't need to sell the university presidents about the value of Kansas any more than they need to be sold about the value of Notre Dame: they just KNOW it already because of their historical pedigree.

 

[frankthetank]

The amount of incremental value that someone would need to join the B1G or SEC is likely only matched by a Texas or Florida State. I'm not downplaying Kansas by saying that.

It's possible that the ACC would take Kansas as a one off, but given the fact they prioritized football over everything in their last move, I have a hard time seeing them add one of the truly perennial dogs of the FBS.

Pac 12, probably? But I can't see teams wanting less California exposure in exchange for games in Kansas.

I understand your argument, but I truly believe that Kansas is the exception to the general rule regarding football focus. They are in an entirely different category that is occupied by Kansas, Duke, UNC, Kentucky and *maybe* Indiana where the hoops blue bloodedness is so strong that the football doesn't really matter. Kansas wouldn't be left out due to football ineptitude if the Big 12 died any more than Duke would be left out if the ACC died. They're simply a really special situation (and just to be clear, I actually really don't like Kansas at a personal level at all).

 

[huskeynut]

and bluest of the blue blood credentials.

And we have heard this before. UConn doesn't have enough history like Syracuse, or Pitt or BC. When was the last time Syracuse and Pitt were relevant in football? Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Floyd Little and Tony Dorsett were a long time ago.

 

[Exit 4]

In your estimation, what in Kansas' profile makes them a P5 must-have, while UConn is stuck in the G5?

Market?
Academics?
Basketball success?

We are stuck simply because the ACC believes they have NY/NE covered with Syracuse and BC and the B1G thinks they have the mid atlantic covered by MD and Rutty. We are not in because of geography, nothing more.

 

[frankthetank]

We are stuck simply because the ACC believes they have NY/NE covered with Syracuse and BC and the B1G thinks they have the mid atlantic covered by MD and Rutty. We are not in because of geography, nothing more.

Well, that's an interesting and valid point. UConn's geography was definitely a negative for the Big 12 for being too far while there's a possible redundancy issue with the ACC and Big Ten. The benefit that Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas all have is that they can be slotted into any of the Big Ten, SEC or Pac-12 quite easily from a geographic standpoint (and the ACC could stretch for them, too). There are good things for UConn's geography on paper (namely its location between NYC and Boston), but it's an open question whether that geography matches up well with what the P5 leagues are looking for.

 

[bobbyinaz]

Well, that's an interesting and valid point. UConn's geography was definitely a negative for the Big 12 for being too far while there's a possible redundancy issue with the ACC and Big Ten. The benefit that Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas all have is that they can be slotted into any of the Big Ten, SEC or Pac-12 quite easily from a geographic standpoint (and the ACC could stretch for them, too). There are good things for UConn's geography on paper (namely its location between NYC and Boston), but it's an open question whether that geography matches up well with what the P5 leagues are looking for.

I don't see there being any fit for UConn in the B1G based on the revenues that conference is about to receive.

There may be a fit in the ACC when/if they launch their ACC network. If the ACC finds that they cannot get the carriage rates they expect in NYC & Boston with Syracuse & BC then adding UConn may provide the incentive for the cable providers to increase the rate.

 

[Exit 4]

I don't see there being any fit for UConn in the B1G based on the revenues that conference is about to receive.

There may be a fit in the ACC when/if they launch their ACC network. If the ACC finds that they cannot get the carriage rates they expect in NYC & Boston with Syracuse & BC then adding UConn may provide the incentive for the cable providers to increase the rate.

Bingo - couldnt agree more on both points. Unless there is something we dont understand about the B1G $ machine, it seems only the biggest schools in the biggest states could provide the marginal revenue increase they require to join.

The question for Malloy is can you politely pressure the ESPN to grease the skids to make us fit into the ACC. Have ESPN cough up a few bucks and we'll take a jr sized payout the first 10 years in the ACC. There is no doubt the ACCn would do better in the NYC and NE markets with our ad. And Syracuse & BC would surely get a boost in much needed fan interest as local rivals are best rivals. I wouldnt bet on it, but it seems to be about the only angle.

 

[bobbyinaz]

Bingo - couldnt agree more on both points. Unless there is something we dont understand about the B1G $ machine, it seems only the biggest schools in the biggest states could provide the marginal revenue increase they require to join.

The question for Malloy is can you politely pressure the ESPN to grease the skids to make us fit into the ACC. Have ESPN cough up a few bucks and we'll take a jr sized payout the first 10 years in the ACC. There is no doubt the ACCn would do better in the NYC and NE markets with our ad. And Syracuse & BC would surely get a boost in much needed fan interest as local rivals are best rivals. I wouldnt bet on it, but it seems to be about the only angle.

Rivalries are the last thing any of these conferences look at anymore.

The BTN gets .80 per cable subscriber in the NYC DMA basically due to the addition of Rutgers. If the ACCN were to get (I'm making up numbers here) .20 per subscriber with the current conference makeup but were to get .50 per with the addition of UConn that might be the justification to add us. Obviously the ACCN could name it's price in Connecticut but the key is what is the additional delta in NYC & Boston and does it justify adding us.

I think that is the only chance we have of getting out of this mess in the short term. Otherwise we do our best to survive until the mid 2020's and then root for like hell for a massive overhaul that gets us included somewhere

 

[Adios]

What we want to do is have Geno around for as long as possible...

 

[Hoophound]

Frank's point shines light on something I am always harping on, marketing. UConn needs to work with Nike, IMG, Under Armour or whoever to build the mystique around our basketball programs. The brand needs nurturing by the school, sponsors and ESPN. I'd be all over ESPN to give us some of UK's promotional perks given our bogus payout. We need to shake something out of ESPN for this meager existence.

 

[UC313]

Frank's point shines light on something I am always harping on, marketing. UConn needs to work with Nike, IMG, Under Armour or whoever to build the mystique around our basketball programs. The brand needs nurturing by the school, sponsors and ESPN. I'd be all over ESPN to give us some of UK's promotional perks given our bogus payout. We need to shake something out of ESPN for this meager existence.

Spitballing here. What does the state have that can entice the mouse? As much as id like the tax breaks back, its gonna be really hard to take away something thats all ready given. If the accn is going to be their bread and butter revenue producer theyre going to need to address their streaming power. Bspn is scrambling to add servers for their new pairing with bamtech (for mlb i think). If their infrastructure cant handle baseball i dont know howll theyll handle the accn in a new digital age. The state needs a trump card. Time to squeeze that bag of apples a little here.

 

[upstater]

Well, that's an interesting and valid point. UConn's geography was definitely a negative for the Big 12 for being too far while there's a possible redundancy issue with the ACC and Big Ten. The benefit that Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas all have is that they can be slotted into any of the Big Ten, SEC or Pac-12 quite easily from a geographic standpoint (and the ACC could stretch for them, too). There are good things for UConn's geography on paper (namely its location between NYC and Boston), but it's an open question whether that geography matches up well with what the P5 leagues are looking for.

You have never ever ever once given UConn credit for the state of Connecticut. It is bizarre and absurd. You tout states of similar population with 2 P5 schools, but you can't mention the fact that Connecticut dominates its state, gets high ratings, has a sports channel charge 2.65 per month for 1.3m cable homes because it has UConn's tier 3 package. It boggles the mind that you do this, but you never ever acknowledge it. There is no redundancy.

 

[The Funster]

You have never ever ever once given UConn credit for the state of Connecticut. It is bizarre and absurd. You tout states of similar population with 2 P5 schools, but you can't mention the fact that Connecticut dominates its state, gets high ratings, has a sports channel charge 2.65 per month for 1.3m cable homes because it has UConn's tier 3 package. It boggles the mind that you do this, but you never ever acknowledge it. There is no redundancy.

FTT is only reflecting the thoughts of the people and insitutes that he blogs about. If those people are myopic and self-centered then that is the viewpoint he'll adopt. Listen to what the president of ISU said about adding "lesser" teams to the Big 12. That demonstrates how self deluded some of these presidents really are.