And even that’s inflated because they were forced to accept their own production costs. Subtract production costs, high AD travel costs in a sprawling conference, and the loss of TV coverage to streaming, and it’s obvious why UConn walked away from that deal.
And that $7m is the average. Kind of like the lottery and taking the annuity. They're not getting the $7m right away.
It was more of a strategic and financial decision. The snapshot of UConn competitiveness level the AAC really wasn’t a factor. Dan Hurley was already hired and was rebuilding regardless. Big East cred only helps his rebuild.
It was strategic, financial, and competitiveness. If UConn was winning conference championships in football and basketball it absolutely would have stayed in the AAC. There is no way it leaves the best of the G5 if football is winning the conference. So yes, competitiveness was a factor.
That was a factor, no doubt, but the most recent AAC contract was just plain bad. As posted here frequently, on a net basis the BE "old" contract for just basketball exceeded the American's "new contract" for football and basketball. That's crazy. The differential will only increase when the BE gets a new deal.
I'm not so sure. The American contract was a nightmare. I think we'd have looked around regardless. The difference is that people might have had more of an interest in our football if it was at least competent, never mind winning championships.
Yep, the original American deal traded money for exposure. The new deal lacked either.
The goal all along was to get into the ACC or B1G so if UConn Football was winning the AAC or at least competing for the championship, the only place it would be looking is Power 5. It would have helped elevate the conference rather than weigh it down. I suppose UConn may have still considered going independent if it meant more money but leaving the AAC would have been an extremely risky move. That's my opinion but given that level of success I don't think anyone would have left to go indie. The AAC finished the 2019-2020 season ranked 4th or 5th best rpi conference.
The bottom line is, well, the bottom line. UConn playing in the American was not financial sustainable. Bad media money and bad exposure? Why would anyone stay unless they have not options?
The premise was, if UConn was challenging for conference championships, and if that were they case, it would have been going to bowl games and perhaps the conference would have gotten a better tv deal. It's all hypothetical but in that scenario, the best G5 conference would be the best place for the football program.
Lol, you are right. Even more so, if UConn had won the national championship in football every year it was a part of the conference, the American probably would’ve gotten a better TV deal. Tragically that didn’t happen. Is it Connecticut fault, I guess, they didn’t win football national championships but that seems like a silly thought process.
“Winning national championships in my small town…”
