The best way to position Uconn for realignment

[WhartonHusky]

With countless posts about what we are doing, or what we should be doing, I am surprised that Uconn has not hired some sort of consultant (McKinsey or other) to help position and market the school to ACC and B1G.

We know that Delaney does his work, but all the phone calls and networking that hopefully Susan and Warde are doing should be complemented by a presentation (not a brochure with pretty pictures) that highlights all the positives and even the negatives of Uconn. From stength of athletics, academics, investments, fan base, TV ratings, subscribers, stadium, etc.

We all know what is at stake here, and having spent years in consulting, I can attest to not only how persuasive this can be, but how it will demonstrate our value and our seriousness. It will position the discussion hopefully on the critical issues that the ACC and B1G care most about. Now perhaps I am naive and these decisions are made in a more political fashion, but this document could be a strong weapon to ensure the future of our athletic program!

 

[ZooCougar]

With countless posts about what we are doing, or what we should be doing, I am surprised that Uconn has not hired some sort of consultant (McKinsey or other) to help position and market the school to ACC and B1G.

We know that Delaney does his work, but all the phone calls and networking that hopefully Susan and Warde are doing should be complemented by a presentation (not a brochure with pretty pictures) that highlights all the positives and even the negatives of Uconn. From stength of athletics, academics, investments, fan base, TV ratings, subscribers, stadium, etc.

We all know what is at stake here, and having spent years in consulting, I can attest to not only how persuasive this can be, but how it will demonstrate our value and our seriousness. It will position the discussion hopefully on the critical issues that the ACC and B1G care most about. Now perhaps I am naive and these decisions are made in a more political fashion, but this document could be a strong weapon to ensure the future of our athletic program!

I agree. We should have retained the services of Charlotte/North Carolina or Chicago based consultancy or law firm that is connected to the B1G or the ACC or both.

When you don't have connections, you hire someone who has them.

 

[Dann]

All they need to do is let me off the leash.

 

[mattp]

I don't know what kind of sales pitch we did to the ACC, but if it went as it seems it did I'm sure it wasn't lost on the ACC that one team was asking (or begging) for an invitation, while the other sat passively waiting to be asked to prom. It seemed like Jurich was busy selling the ACC on why Louisville could help them, while we were waiting for the ACC to sell us on why we should join them.

 

[Revrat]

It boggles the mind that people think the cards are in because they begged harder. They are in because FSU and Clemson threw a hissy fit and threatened to leave. They don't want us. End of story

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[noeynox]

If this hasn't been done on some level already, we are in real trouble. These people could not have been watching what has transpired in the LAST YEAR, and not realized the seriousness of the situation could they?

Although, after reading that article about UMD being added to the BIG you realize how Presidents aren't always up to speed on the athletic portion of things.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

With countless posts about what we are doing, or what we should be doing, I am surprised that Uconn has not hired some sort of consultant (McKinsey or other) to help position and market the school to ACC and B1G.

Why would you think this hasn't happened?

 

[CL82]

Really/ I thought this was our conference realignment position:

 

[Pudge]

well ....

Chuck Neinas. (worked on a consultant basis)
Roy Kramer. (put together our Upgrade strategic business plan)

We are certainly blessed with some GE Capital & other Finance savvy folks on our board.

But, YES, a McKinsey would be my move if I were Herbst. (AND I do believe she is good)

 

[RegisteredUconn]

I don't know what kind of sales pitch we did to the ACC, but if it went as it seems it did I'm sure it wasn't lost on the ACC that one team was asking (or begging) for an invitation, while the other sat passively waiting to be asked to prom. It seemed like Jurich was busy selling the ACC on why Louisville could help them, while we were waiting for the ACC to sell us on why we should join them.

The next steps are already in place. Our invite to the B1G is in the works. Due diligence is in the process of being wrapped up. The lawyers are finalizing the language. The roll out of the announcement is finalized.

Why do you think Maryland voted against the $50MM exit fee? They knew they were going elsewhere. How long do you think Rutgers knew? Louisville didn't get the ACC invite because they connected on some last minute Hail Mary pass. They got it because UConn wasn't available, simple as that.

 

[ZooCougar]

The next steps are already in place. Our invite to the B1G is in the works. Due diligence is in the process of being wrapped up. The lawyers are finalizing the language. The roll out of the announcement is finalized.

Why do you think Maryland voted against the $50MM exit fee? They knew they were going elsewhere. How long do you think Rutgers knew? Louisville didn't get the ACC invite because they connected on some last minute Hail Mary pass. They got it because UConn wasn't available, simple as that.

That's funny. For a second I almost believed you.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

That's funny. For a second I almost believed you.

Still time to convert.

 

[gars44]

Not sure why anyone thinks they know what is/is not going on behind the scenes. Could be something. Could be nothing. But what absolutely should be going on is making Uconn a top flight academic institution with better professors, better facilities, better research, better students, better reputation. That is being done - and it should have been done long ago. As to our comittment to excellence in athletics, we had better keep doing that with or without ESPN money, just like TCU did, just like Louisville did, just like UCF, USF - every other school doing its 40 year pennance in the desert. Better keep strack. That means fan support. Don't ever give that up.

 

[ZooCougar]

Still time to convert.

Can't.

Mayans.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Not sure why anyone thinks they know what is/is not going on behind the scenes. Could be something. Could be nothing. But what absolutely should be going on is making Uconn a top flight academic institution with better professors, better facilities, better research, better students, better reputation. That is being done - and it should have been done long ago. As to our comittment to excellence in athletics, we had better keep doing that with or without ESPN money, just like TCU did, just like Louisville did, just like UCF, USF - every other school doing its 40 year pennance in the desert. Better keep strack. That means fan support. Don't ever give that up.

Spot on except for the "Could be nothing" part. It's something because Delany says it's something.

 

[ZooCougar]

Not sure why anyone thinks they know what is/is not going on behind the scenes. Could be something. Could be nothing. But what absolutely should be going on is making Uconn a top flight academic institution with better professors, better facilities, better research, better students, better reputation. That is being done - and it should have been done long ago. As to our comittment to excellence in athletics, we had better keep doing that with or without ESPN money, just like TCU did, just like Louisville did, just like UCF, USF - every other school doing its 40 year pennance in the desert. Better keep strack. That means fan support. Don't ever give that up.

This.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Can't.

Mayans.

Friggin' Mayans. In the immortal words of Dean Vernon Wormer, "I hate those guys."

 

[huskymedic]

The next steps are already in place. Our invite to the B1G is in the works. Due diligence is in the process of being wrapped up. The lawyers are finalizing the language. The roll out of the announcement is finalized.

Why do you think Maryland voted against the $50MM exit fee? They knew they were going elsewhere. How long do you think Rutgers knew? Louisville didn't get the ACC invite because they connected on some last minute Hail Mary pass. They got it because UConn wasn't available, simple as that.

... and If I'm Jurich with his ego - I will shout to the high heavens that I won this invite singlehandedly and neutered that Husky dog as opposed to the reality of just being sloppy seconds (or thirds).

 

[ZooCougar]

It boggles the mind that people think the cards are in because they begged harder. They are in because FSU and Clemson threw a hissy fit and threatened to leave. They don't want us. End of story

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They didn't beg. They identified a seam in support for UConn among the ACC membership.

Tom Jurich drove his Papa Johns delivery truck right through it while our guy monitored from the Virgin Islands.

 

[junglehusky]

• "Honey, take out the trash and walk the dog!"

• "Can't. Mayans."

 

[SubbaBub]

After reading the attendance ranking article, I have come around to the position that we need a credible plan to expand the Rent and fill those seats.

At #67, behind the likes of BC and Pitt and ahead of none of the Big 5 conference teams, we give credence to the FSU's misconception that we are not ready for prime time.

Even if we sold out every game, we would only move up a couple slots, ahead of BC btw but still behind Pitt.

We need to be selling 45-50k per game and to do that we need wins against better competition and a better gameday product.

Aside from lobbying and #B1GgingHarder, this is what SH/WM should be focusing on as an AD in concert with the AAU push.

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[UConn990411]

They didn't beg. They identified a seam in support for UConn among the ACC membership.

Tom Jurich drove his Papa Johns delivery truck right through it while our guy monitored from the Virgin Islands.

The "monitoring" jokes stopped being funny a long time ago. People need to find a new one.

 

[huskymedic]

After reading the attendance ranking article, I have come around to the position that we need a credible plan to expand the Rent and fill those seats.

At #67, behind the likes of BC and Pitt and ahead of none of the Big 5 conference teams, we give credence to the FSU's misconception that we are not ready for prime time.

Even if we sold out every game, we would only move up a couple slots, ahead of BC btw but still behind Pitt.

We need to be selling 45-50k per game and to do that we need wins against better competition and a better gameday product.

Aside from lobbying and #B1GgingHarder, this is what SH/WM should be focusing on as an AD in concert with the AAU push.

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WM is committed to expanding the Rent and has stated so recently (I posted this in another thread so I just re-copied it)

From Sunday... Not everything is in the Courant (thank God).

Of course, winning breeds success and success means selling tickets. And the more tickets you sell, the bigger the stadium you need. When Rentschler Field was constructed, it was done with expansion in mind. Don't think Manuel isn't excited about seeing those blueprints. He is.

"The more games we win, the more tickets that we can sell, the quicker I'll expand it," Manuel said. "When we're at the point where we're having consistent sellouts in the next couple of years, then it'll increase the talk of expanding because of demand. I'm not looking to wait 10 years before we do it. It's all about ... we have to improve the team, we want to find ways to encourage people to come out and watch us play, we know we have to do better on the field.

"We want people from Bridgeport, people in New Haven and Stamford to buy season tickets and to come up, support the team and see us play great competition. If we can expand the number of fans and the demand to see us play, we'll look to expand the stadium, because it'll make economic sense for us to do so."

Read more: http://www.ctpost.com/uconn/article/UConn-football-program-fighting-recent-losing-4101018.php#ixzz2EmSgAZ31​

 

[CL82]

The "monitoring" jokes stopped being funny a long time ago. People need to find a new one.

They were never funny. They were a commentary on a sad situation.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

After reading the attendance ranking article, I have come around to the position that we need a credible plan to expand the Rent and fill those seats.

At #67, behind the likes of BC and Pitt and ahead of none of the Big 5 conference teams, we give credence to the FSU's misconception that we are not ready for prime time.

Even if we sold out every game, we would only move up a couple slots, ahead of BC btw but still behind Pitt.

We need to be selling 45-50k per game and to do that we need wins against better competition and a better gameday product.

Aside from lobbying and #B1GgingHarder, this is what SH/WM should be focusing on as an AD in concert with the AAU push.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

Anybody know how ticket sales are going at Rutgers and Maryland these days?