Uconn Basketball considering joining the Big 12 in 2026

[sun]

You mean that it implies, not infers, in any event it doesn't. What it means is that TV partners are willing to pay the big 12 what they will be paying Connecticut up to 2031.

For what it's worth I have inferred from that that our TV partners have essentially said UConn football brings minimal value, at least in the near term. It's all good, as long as there is a date certain for our admission for football and they give us a scheduling agreement between now and then.

I don't think that UConn should accept 6 years of no conference athletic payments if that ends up being the case.
Zero revenue sharing in addition to the necessary expected outlays in the meantime seems to be a promise of a pie in the sky which may not prove to be worth it for too many years to come.
There should be financial projections made clear to the public about when UConn would break even before accepting any invitation from the Big 12.
Without seeing all of the projections it's all loose talk without enough transparency because many of the costs end up getting passed on to the CT taxpayers.
What is best for our sports teams &UConn athletes may not be best for our pocketbook but that's the way it is.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

It was reported that UConn's acceptance into the Big 12 would be "revenue neutral" for its schools for 6 years, until their next media contract in 2031.
That infers that UConn athletics would sink deeper into debt by incurring higher costs & investment expenses.
That could include additional red ink for transportation, stadium upgrades & the Big East exit fee.
It could take many years for UConn to break even, maybe just in time for UConn to want to jump to yet another conference & pay another whole round of exit fees to the Big 12.
The move could end up being yet another UConn boondoggle.

Big 12 leaders to discuss potentially inviting UConn after school makes pitch, AP sources say

Big 12 presidents are scheduled next week to discuss potentially inviting UConn to the conference after school officials made an in-person pitch to the league that included a hefty investment in the Huskies' struggling football program, two people familiar with the discussions told The...

mountainmedianews.com

You're assuming UConn's basketball programs won't get more from the Big12 than they're getting from the Big East and that's probably a non-starter for UConn, so likely not the case.

 

[superjohn]

This is probably good for the women, it’s a stronger conference. Not so much for the men who benefit from the regional rivalries. And I don’t care about football.

If you care about basketball you should have your fingers and toes crossed this happens.

 

[sun]

You're assuming UConn's basketball programs won't get more from the Big12 than they're getting from the Big East and that's probably a non-starter for UConn, so likely not the case.

The article used the term revenue neutral for the Big 12 schools.
Since the sources are anonymous & won't even allow their names to be published then it makes it seem like they're whistleblowers.
Where is the credibility for any assumptions when the sources/whistleblowers won't even give their names?
Where's the transparency?
Does the President of UConn know what's going on?
Who makes the final decision & will need to answer for it & all of its ramifcations?
Why is this process so secretive?
It makes any decision seem sneaky because it can't be properly examined for its flaws.

 

[CL82]

don't think that UConn should accept 6 years of no conference athletic payments if that ends up being the case.

Me either. I doubt that's what's being offered.

 

[sun]

Me either. I doubt that's what's being offered.

How can you doubt what revenue neutral means?
Revenue neutral for the Big 12 schools means just that,
That's what the article stated that the secret sources said, and you want to dispute that or doubt it?
Maybe you can but I'm not.

 

[Jimdish255]

This is probably good for the women, it’s a stronger conference. Not so much for the men who benefit from the regional rivalries. And I don’t care about football.

Are people really pretending that we still can't schedule St. John's and Providence and Villanova? You think they're going to turn us down?

 

[CL82]

How can you doubt what revenue neutral means?
Revenue neutral for the Big 12 schools means just that,
That's what the article stated that the secret sources said, and you want to dispute that or doubt it?
Maybe you can but I'm not.

Revenue neutral means that there will be no change in the revenue to other conference members. Essentially, that means whatever additional amount of money ESPN will pay for Connecticut to join will be distributed to them. It's possible, I suppose that they'll pay absolutely nothing, but then this would be a cumbersome way to express that. Feel free to have any interpretation you'd like, but what you're proposing is a little bit tortured and not common usage.

 

[jimva]

The article used the term revenue neutral for the Big 12 schools.
Since the sources are anonymous & won't even allow their names to be published then it makes it seem like they're whistleblowers.
Where is the credibility for any assumptions when the sources/whistleblowers won't even give their names?
Where's the transparency?
Does the President of UConn know what's going on?
Who makes the final decision & will need to answer for it & all of its ramifcations?
Why is this process so secretive?
It makes any decision seem sneaky because it can't be properly examined for its flaws.

It’s not sneaky. Negotiations happen behind the scenes all the time so that parties can make progress without distractions. Doing it in the open would be really odd

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Revenue neutral is such a vague and possibly inaccurate term. It could be that the TV partners cough up 20m annually for UConn Olympic sports with 5m going to the Conference offices to pay for the expenses of bringing UConn on-board and 15m going to UConn. Or, it could be north or south of 20m due to a potential fb scheduling arrangement before full admittance with a sliding scale of requisite expenses. There are so many variables that likely only a relative handful of people know about the very specifics of. To me, it seems like there are enough specifics that have been reported on (i.e. which sports are in, by stated varying entry dates, etc.) that there is already a deal framework that has been agreed to at the UConn and Big12 Conference/AD level that has been worked on for many months (possibly up to a year) of which the Big12 university presidents have already been briefed on (and possibly said deal framework has had substantial Big12 university president input on along the way). By all accounts the Big12 university presidents have been educated on the pros and cons of UConn for well over a year now given Yormark's efforts during early to mid 2023. These deals generally don't happen over night, take months and months of work-up, yellow-to-green lighting from the ultimate decision makers to their subordinates, etc during the process. The process itself could cost a million dollars, so it's not done in a seat-of-the-pants sort of way. To get this far, I'm sure Lamont has been personally involved and I'd imagine the recent State Legislature approvals for venues (XL, Rent, and Gampel) as well as the large coaching investments for Hurley, Geno, and FB staff have been part of the needed direction setting to facilitate the conference's decision to keep moving this forward. It's not like Tuesday's meeting is happening because Yormark sent an Outlook calendar invite to the sixteen Presidents to talk about a potential deal he has.

 

[ZooCougar]

How can you doubt what revenue neutral means?
Revenue neutral for the Big 12 schools means just that,
That's what the article stated that the secret sources said, and you want to dispute that or doubt it?
Maybe you can but I'm not.

Another numbskull to be showcased.

It does mean that we won’t get payments because apparently ESPN and FOX are on board with increasing the money in order to give UConn a payout. But for everything but football.

 

[jostar1]

The article used the term revenue neutral for the Big 12 schools.

Revenue neutral for the Big 12 schools means that those schools will not gain or lose money by UConn joining. ESPN will add money to the Big 12 media contract, but that money will go to UConn, not the other Big 12 schools.

Edit: See post above for a more detailed explanation. Did you think UConn wasn't getting any money?

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Revenue neutral for the Big 12 schools means that those schools will not gain or lose money by UConn joining. ESPN will add money to the Big 12 media contract, but that money will go to UConn, not the other Big 12 schools.

And I'd imagine that the term in the actual agreement will be "at least revenue neutral" because if more monies come in then initially expected, I'd imagine there'd be some sort of gain-share on anything northwards.

 

[ZooCougar]

Revenue neutral is such a vague and possibly inaccurate term. It could be that the TV partners cough up 20m annually for UConn Olympic sports with 5m going to the Conference offices to pay for the expenses of bringing UConn on-board and 15m going to UConn. Or, it could be north or south of 20m due to a potential fb scheduling arrangement before full admittance with a sliding scale of requisite expenses. There are so many variables that likely only a relative handful of people know about the very specifics of. To me, it seems like there are enough specifics that have been reported on (i.e. which sports are in, by stated varying entry dates, etc.) that there is already a deal framework that has been agreed to at the UConn and Big12 Conference/AD level that has been worked on for many months (possibly up to a year) of which the Big12 university presidents have already been briefed on (and possibly said deal framework has had substantial Big12 university president input on along the way). By all accounts the Big12 university presidents have been educated on the pros and cons of UConn for well over a year now given Yormark's efforts during early to mid 2023. These deals generally don't happen over night, take months and months of work-up, yellow-to-green lighting from the ultimate decision makers to their subordinates, etc during the process. The process itself could cost a million dollars, so it's not done in a seat-of-the-pants sort of way. To get this far, I'm sure Lamont has been personally involved and I'd imagine the recent State Legislature approvals for venues (XL, Rent, and Gampel) as well as the large coaching investments for Hurley, Geno, and FB staff have been part of the needed direction setting to facilitate the conference's decision to keep moving this forward. It's not like Tuesday's meeting is happening because Yormark sent an Outlook calendar invite to the sixteen Presidents to talk about a potential deal he has.

It's actually extremely simple.

It means that the pie is sufficiently bigger that nobody currently in the Big 12 is taking a pay cut.

That's it.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

In

It's actually extremely simple.

It means that the pie is sufficiently bigger that nobody currently in the Big 12 is taking a pay cut.

That's it.

Summary, yes, but lots of details for sure.

 

[ZooCougar]

In

Summary, yes, but lots of details for sure.

ESPN and FOX are backing the addition supposedly. Sans football until the next deal.

 

[JSB60]

Are people really pretending that we still can't schedule St. John's and Providence and Villanova? You think they're going to turn us down?

Preseason is not the same as home and home conference games. This model has worked very poorly for Pitt, BC, Syracuse, and Louisville. All shadows of their Big East selves.

 

[JSB60]

If you care about basketball you should have your fingers and toes crossed this happens.

Because the teams that left the Big East for football have done so well?

 

[sun]

If it's such a good deal for UConn then why won't anyone own up to leaking the news to the press?
Why didn't the UConn AD simply publically announce that UConn is entering into negotiations with the Big 12 one year after being blackballed by them?
The TV money that the Big East will be receiving under it's new YV contract may also be affected since UConn fans will be MIA.
So it's no wonder that the news is kept relatively secret (or selectively leaked w/o details) so as to not step on too many toes before upsetting so many apple carts.
For all I know, everytime UConn tries to make a back door deal with the Big 12, they're just starving for attention from the ACC where UConn would be better off.

 

[ZooCougar]

Preseason is not the same as home and home conference games. This model has worked very poorly for Pitt, BC, Syracuse, and Louisville. All shadows of their Big East selves.

Those schools rested on their laurels once they got into the ACC.

Louisville cheated like crazy, had a Heisman winner and had a title vacated.

Their decline really can’t be definitively linked to the ACC.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

If it's such a good deal for UConn then why won't anyone own up to leaking the news to the press?
Why didn't the UConn AD simply publically announce that UConn is entering into negotiations with the Big 12 one year after being blackballed by them?
The TV money that the Big East will be receiving under it's new YV contract may also be affected since UConn fans will be MIA.
So it's no wonder that the news is kept relatively secret (or selectively leaked w/o details) so as to not step on too many toes before upsetting so many apple carts.
For all I know, everytime UConn tries to make a back door deal with the Big 12, they're just starving for attention from the ACC where UConn would be better off.

UConn has rightly so never made public any of its conference realignment talks. That is the professional and smart way to conduct business. Look up the laughingstock of a way SDSU handled itself with the Pac last year and tell everyone that's the way to handle your affairs.

 

[JSB60]

Those schools rested on their laurels once they got into the ACC.

Louisville cheated like crazy, had a Heisman winner and had a title vacated.

Their decline really can’t be definitively linked to the ACC.

Agreed, but no basketball school left the Big East and had success. I will not count Miami, they’ve done well in basketball but are a football first school.

 

[ZooCougar]

Agreed, but no basketball school left the Big East and had success. I will not count Miami, they’ve done well in basketball but are a football first school.

So you’re omitting evidence that doesn’t support your argument?

Pitt is a football school too.

 

[superjohn]

Because the teams that left the Big East for football have done so well?

Because revenue sharing will kill us, we're not guaranteed to be a part of the club when things move forward, and every court ruling makes it harder and harder to compete with the football power conference schools. Soon it will be impossible.

Of course I think the best place for basketball is the Big East if money and all the maneuvering was no concern. If you don't recognize the reality of the situation and how we will eventually be left behind you have your head in the sand. I use to be 50/50 on staying but too much has changed, it's untenable at some point.

 

[Bongo Fury]

Agreed, but no basketball school left the Big East and had success. I will not count Miami, they’ve done well in basketball but are a football first school.

UConn and I believe Louisville won as Members of AAC. Then again the BE rather split up rather then anyone choosing to leave.

 

[CL82]

If it's such a good deal for UConn then why won't anyone own up to leaking the news to the press?
Why didn't the UConn AD simply publically announce that UConn is entering into negotiations with the Big 12 one year after being blackballed by them?
The TV money that the Big East will be receiving under it's new YV contract may also be affected since UConn fans will be MIA.
So it's no wonder that the news is kept relatively secret (or selectively leaked w/o details) so as to not step on too many toes before upsetting so many apple carts.
For all I know, everytime UConn tries to make a back door deal with the Big 12, they're just starving for attention from the ACC where UConn would be better off.

 

[freescooter]

Revenue neutral is such a vague and possibly inaccurate term. It could be that the TV partners cough up 20m annually for UConn Olympic sports with 5m going to the Conference offices to pay for the expenses of bringing UConn on-board and 15m going to UConn. Or, it could be north or south of 20m due to a potential fb scheduling arrangement before full admittance with a sliding scale of requisite expenses. There are so many variables that likely only a relative handful of people know about the very specifics of. To me, it seems like there are enough specifics that have been reported on (i.e. which sports are in, by stated varying entry dates, etc.) that there is already a deal framework that has been agreed to at the UConn and Big12 Conference/AD level that has been worked on for many months (possibly up to a year) of which the Big12 university presidents have already been briefed on (and possibly said deal framework has had substantial Big12 university president input on along the way). By all accounts the Big12 university presidents have been educated on the pros and cons of UConn for well over a year now given Yormark's efforts during early to mid 2023. These deals generally don't happen over night, take months and months of work-up, yellow-to-green lighting from the ultimate decision makers to their subordinates, etc during the process. The process itself could cost a million dollars, so it's not done in a seat-of-the-pants sort of way. To get this far, I'm sure Lamont has been personally involved and I'd imagine the recent State Legislature approvals for venues (XL, Rent, and Gampel) as well as the large coaching investments for Hurley, Geno, and FB staff have been part of the needed direction setting to facilitate the conference's decision to keep moving this forward. It's not like Tuesday's meeting is happening because Yormark sent an Outlook calendar invite to the sixteen Presidents to talk about a potential deal he has.

That’s not how you do it??? Just say we have a meeting to expand the league. Hope it fits your schedule.

 

[ZooCougar]

If it's such a good deal for UConn then why won't anyone own up to leaking the news to the press?
Why didn't the UConn AD simply publically announce that UConn is entering into negotiations with the Big 12 one year after being blackballed by them?
The TV money that the Big East will be receiving under it's new YV contract may also be affected since UConn fans will be MIA.
So it's no wonder that the news is kept relatively secret (or selectively leaked w/o details) so as to not step on too many toes before upsetting so many apple carts.
For all I know, everytime UConn tries to make a back door deal with the Big 12, they're just starving for attention from the ACC where UConn would be better off.

 

[freescooter]

How can you doubt what revenue neutral means?
Revenue neutral for the Big 12 schools means just that,
That's what the article stated that the secret sources said, and you want to dispute that or doubt it?
Maybe you can but I'm not.

Revenue neutral means for the B12 members they are not paying out money to add UConn. So if they each earn $40 million before UConn joins they will earn $40 million after UConn joins. That could be because UConn gets 0 but more likely ESPN/Fox is willing to pay whatever UConn is getting.

So you’re omitting evidence that doesn’t support your argument?

Pitt is a football school too.

Syracuse went to the Final 4 in 2016 and the Sweet 16 in 2018 and 2021. Their hall of fame coach retired. How’s that working out for, oh I don’t know, say Villanova?

 

[tzznandrew]

Those schools rested on their laurels once they got into the ACC.

Louisville cheated like crazy, had a Heisman winner and had a title vacated.

Their decline really can’t be definitively linked to the ACC.

People are looking just at the "now" and divorcing context. Louisville hit #1 in the polls for the first time ever in the ACC. Then their coach melted down. Then they hired a clown.

Syracuse had a very good beginning to their time in the ACC, but Boeheim was way past his prime.

Pitt lost their coach. . . and they weren't some traditional power anyway, so they were always a poor coaching hire away from returning to where they were in the 1990s.

BC was never really all that good.

Basketball-wise, Miami has been fine. Virginia Tech has been fine.

As long as we have Hurley, we'll be fine in MBB. We'll be fine in WBB for a few more years, and that will continue if we are in a real conference afterwards. Football literally has nowhere to go but up.