This isn't that complicated. UConn wasn't a good fit for the AAC. Period.
We are a Northeast school and the kids we recruit, notably for men's basketball, don't view Tulsa, East Carolina, and Tulane, etc. as interesting rivals. Even the better MBB teams (Houston, SMU) don't inspire Northeast recruits. WBB and football are different for different reasons, but MBB could not recruit on an elite level in the AAC.
WBB thrives in any conference in America, so they were less consequential in the conference move.
We were the furthest outpost of the AAC and the travel was killer, both in performance and cost.
The AAC media contract hurt us financially and in the Northeast with the loss of SNY. WBB was punched in the gut as well.
Our breadwinning sport, MBB, needed the BE and the interest and recruiting since the move is already paying dividends. AAC football is pretty good, no doubt. But for UConn it was a no-win for MBB. The BE is the perfect move and quickly we are moving back to elite status, something that could never have happened in AAC.
We are a Northeast school and the kids we recruit, notably for men's basketball, don't view Tulsa, East Carolina, and Tulane, etc. as interesting rivals. Even the better MBB teams (Houston, SMU) don't inspire Northeast recruits. WBB and football are different for different reasons, but MBB could not recruit on an elite level in the AAC.
WBB thrives in any conference in America, so they were less consequential in the conference move.
We were the furthest outpost of the AAC and the travel was killer, both in performance and cost.
The AAC media contract hurt us financially and in the Northeast with the loss of SNY. WBB was punched in the gut as well.
Our breadwinning sport, MBB, needed the BE and the interest and recruiting since the move is already paying dividends. AAC football is pretty good, no doubt. But for UConn it was a no-win for MBB. The BE is the perfect move and quickly we are moving back to elite status, something that could never have happened in AAC.