The BE Commissioner blew it with ESPN Deal

[SaeHusky]

He signs that 9 year 1 billion dollar contract and these defections never happen. Greed, Greed, Greed. No network is going to give this conference close to that type of deal now. Im so pissed right now. We are so screwed. Calhoun will definately hang it up when this conference collapses.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

You do know that the Comissioner wanted to sign the deal, but it was the school Zpresidents who did not vote to accept the deal?!

And supposedly, the faction not to accept the deal was lead by Pitt and WVU...makes you wonder now about that decision, huh?!

 

[upstater]

The deal would have had out clauses that would have made it null and void with big defections.

 

[SaeHusky]

USA today said the BE commish rejected the deal. If that is incorrect then I blame the Presidents. Signing that deal would have given the conference stability. Due to the ever-changing landscape Im sure alot of that deal was guranteed regardless of defections.

 

[Pudge]

It's incorrect. Certain key BE football ADs/presidents Killed it.

 

[SaeHusky]

Yeah i just read that backstabbing president from Pitt killed the deal then took off to the ACC

 

[BlueDogs]

Connecticut is actually one of the best media markets in the country. I believe it in the top 35. If UConn can't seize on that (media market ranking = ad dollars), then Herbst and team are a bunch of morons. It is amazing how badly the wheels are coming off this program. HCPP and crew are atrocious and the BE is imploding, and we are whistling past the graveyard. I hope there are behind the scenes maneuvers that will pleasantly surprise us.

Things looking bleak.

 

[FluxTZ]

Connecticut is actually one of the best media markets in the country. I believe it in the top 35. If UConn can't seize on that (media market ranking = ad dollars), then Herbst and team are a bunch of morons. It is amazing how badly the wheels are coming off this program. HCPP and crew are atrocious and the BE is imploding, and we are whistling past the graveyard. I hope there are behind the scenes maneuvers that will pleasantly surprise us.

Things looking bleak.

There HAS to be something going on that is for the benefit of our school or we would have heard from them by now. It's WAYYYY too fishy that of all the BE schools to go to the ACC, Pitt is one of the first. As it was pointed out in one of the other threads, there is a reason we haven't heard from UConn, RU, and WVU yet. And at this point I am perfectly fine with that.

President Herbst is a smart woman, comes from a very strong background, and I have been very satisfied with how she has started her career at UConn so far. I have faith in her that she will take care of us and that we'll be OK when this is all said and done.

 

[Mr.Phat]

There HAS to be something going on that is for the benefit of our school or we would have heard from them by now. It's WAYYYY too fishy that of all the BE schools to go to the ACC, Pitt is one of the first. As it was pointed out in one of the other threads, there is a reason we haven't heard from UConn, RU, and WVU yet. And at this point I am perfectly fine with that.

President Herbst is a smart woman, comes from a very strong background, and I have been very satisfied with how she has started her career at UConn so far. I have faith in her that she will take care of us and that we'll be OK when this is all said and done.

But assuming smartness in Herbst - which I will concede, she seems very capable - still assumes she was in on all the machinations that havebrought us to this point - Pitt and Syr leaving and 10 other schools clawing to get into the ACC. What a horribe time to transition to a new president and to shitcan a do-nothing AD - during a series of events that might spell the end of the Big East as a conference.

 

[FluxTZ]

But assuming smartness in Herbst - which I will concede, she seems very capable - still assumes she was in on all the machinations that havebrought us to this point - Pitt and Syr leaving and 10 other schools clawing to get into the ACC. What a horribe time to transition to a new president and to darncan a do-nothing AD - during a series of events that might spell the end of the Big East as a conference.

While I agree that the timing truly is horrible, for some reason I feel a lot more comfortable with Herbst at the reigns than if, say, Phil Austin were still our President. But that is based off my experience/perspective with him from 2004 onward.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

Jeff Jacobs has confirmed through a source that UConn has had discussion with the ACC. No word on what type of discussion or how far those discussions got, but at least we know that there has been some contact.

 

[Pudge]

We had no shot. The ACC, probably urged on by the SU alums at ESPN in CONNECTICUT, had them higher on the list. I think they made a mistake on the BCU Eagles. SU is another one. I'm not knowledgable that we were one of the 10; but, I am pretty sure that we aren't ranked ... at the moment ... as the more NAME brand program. And again ... ESPN>

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

I'm not knowledgable that we were one of the 10;

Jeff Jacobs has confirmed through a source that UConn has been in contact with the ACC. So UConn is definately one of the 10 referenced in the quote.

 

[gars44]

We had no shot. The ACC, probably urged on by the SU alums at ESPN in CONNECTICUT, had them higher on the list. I think they made a mistake on the BCU Eagles. SU is another one. I'm not knowledgable that we were one of the 10; but, I am pretty sure that we aren't ranked ... at the moment ... as the more NAME brand program. And again ... ESPN>

Quite true about one thing: There are some very high placed Syracuse grads at Espn. I know a couple in this area.

 

[gars44]

While I agree that the timing truly is horrible, for some reason I feel a lot more comfortable with Herbst at the reigns than if, say, Phil Austin were still our President. But that is based off my experience/perspective with him from 2004 onward.

Me too.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

It was a bad deal and wouldn't have stopped this.

 

[Mr.Phat]

He signs that 9 year 1 billion dollar contract and these defections never happen. Greed, Greed, Greed. No network is going to give this conference close to that type of deal now. Im so pissed right now. We are so screwed. Calhoun will definately hang it up when this conference collapses.

In fairness no one saw Syrapitt leaving like this. That's 20-20 hindsight. I still can't believe it given that the BE was in pretty good shape with the addition of TCU. What we can blame Marionette for is not keeping this conference together. This is the much bigger failure. If the conference remained intact, we wouldn't be second guessing walking away from a TV deal. In fact everyone thought it was great - until today.