Uconn Basketball considering joining the Big 12 in 2026

[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.

 

[freescooter]

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.

This is correct. And Miami football actually did exactly what they said they would do. In the Big East they felt they needed to win at all costs due to the way the Big East distributed money. In the ACC they got a guaranteed equal payout. So they cleaned up their act largely

 

[LBird33]

Not at all.
The Big 12 schools must have agreed with him in 2023 when they voted to not allow UConn to join.
He mentioned that it may not be in the best interest of the athletes to travel so far to play, and that a stable conference today may not be as stable in the future.
His reasoning was logical & he showed compassion for the athletes.
As a US Senator he knows how to evaluate complex issues.
The proof will be whether the Big 12 actually allows UConn to join this time around or not.
Stay tuned & we'll see what happens.

I disagree. He’s out of his element on this topic

 

[jostar1]

UConn Mega-Booster Takes Stance on Huskies Possibly Joining the Big 12

UConn Collective Founder Marc D'Amelio Supports Possible Big 12 Move

With reports swirling that the UConn Huskies could be looking to join the Big 12 via expansion, an important UConn voice has spoken up. Marc D’Amelio, a Norwalk native and 1991 UConn graduate, has increasingly become a prominent figure in the UConn athletic world. As name, image and likeness...

www.heartlandcollegesports.com

 

[Geosfun]

Sources: UConn, Big 12 in serious negotiations about Huskies joining as newest expansion member

In the latest version of the deal, UConn would join the conference as a member in all sports except football starting, at latest, in 2026.

sports.yahoo.com

I'm not a fan of this move. I don't like the geography, the absence of historical rivalries, the long delay for football to join.
I the ACC is a far better fit for the Huskies. Imagine the rivalry with Duke, NC, NCState, Miami, BC, GaTech, etc. And, far less travel.
Sooner or later the ACC is going to lose FSU and Clemson. Once that happens, UConn is the logical addition. Even BC will agree.
Wait for the ACC, please!

 

[Kowalski]

I'm not a fan of this move. I don't like the geography, the absence of historical rivalries, the long delay for football to join.
I the ACC is a far better fit for the Huskies. Imagine the rivalry with Duke, NC, NCState, Miami, BC, GaTech, etc. And, far less travel.
Sooner or later the ACC is going to lose FSU and Clemson. Once that happens, UConn is the logical addition. Even BC will agree.
Wait for the ACC, please!

Disagree. You take the bird in hand because there’s no guarantee they’ll get an ACC invite if FSU and/or Clemson leave. They may instead backfill with a southern AAC school (like SMU) or or one of the PAC 2. You can’t take that chance & pass on the guaranteed opportunity to get in the 3rd best conference that preserves both your basketball & football programs long term.

If the AAC wants to extend an (unsolicited) invite to Uconn, they should step up and do it now while there’s continued uncertainty about the B12.

 

[drayenob]

I'm not a fan of this move. I don't like the geography, the absence of historical rivalries, the long delay for football to join.
I the ACC is a far better fit for the Huskies. Imagine the rivalry with Duke, NC, NCState, Miami, BC, GaTech, etc. And, far less travel.
Sooner or later the ACC is going to lose FSU and Clemson. Once that happens, UConn is the logical addition. Even BC will agree.
Wait for the ACC, please!

 

[noeynox]

I'm not a fan of this move. I don't like the geography, the absence of historical rivalries, the long delay for football to join.
I the ACC is a far better fit for the Huskies. Imagine the rivalry with Duke, NC, NCState, Miami, BC, GaTech, etc. And, far less travel.
Sooner or later the ACC is going to lose FSU and Clemson. Once that happens, UConn is the logical addition. Even BC will agree.
Wait for the ACC, please!

I must have missed where the ACC commissioner is pitching us to their presidents.

 

[Huskygrad88]

I must have missed where the ACC commissioner is pitching us to their presidents.

This. So we have no conversation with the ACC. There is the hope that maybe at some point in the future something shakes loose in the ACC, while that something (at least according to everything out there) also moves some of the other schools people want us to play out of the ACC (UNC for example). We can get more money now, in a conference that is better for many sports. All reasons to hold out hope for a conference that has never even shown interest to turn down a commissioner who clearly wants us. Got it.

 

[AllHusky]

Trivial- did anyone else notice RutgersAl commented on D’Amelios tweet?

 

[Kolumbo]

It seems to me if espn wanted the ACC to survive and compete long term, it would treat the ACC like the SEC and pay them their money. Instead it is using the GOR to keep them captive at below market rates. I know it's not that simple but that's the way it seems.

I tried to envision a scenerio where the ACC sticks together and competes with the P2 even if a couple of players leave. I don't see it. I'm sure UNC would rather go to the P2 and be a .500 team rather than compete in its homegrown conference.

I'm sure the ACC will take Oregon St, Washington St, USF, FAU, ECU, Temple, Tulane and Trinity before it invites UConn.

ACC is dead to me. Big East until the Big XII invitation comes.

 

[Exit 4]

Trivial- did anyone else notice RutgersAl commented on D’Amelios tweet?

Oh nice....

 

[John]

I think that the Big 12 is slowly morphing into a powerhouse basketball conference and, as such, realizes that the addition of Uconn is definitely to their advantage. It would probably be a good move even with the travel issues and with the losses of Texas and Oklahoma I feel Uconn can at least compare to some of the lower football teams in the conference.

they're already a powerhouse basketball conference, better than the Big East.

 

[buddy]

I'm not a fan of this move. I don't like the geography, the absence of historical rivalries, the long delay for football to join.
I the ACC is a far better fit for the Huskies. Imagine the rivalry with Duke, NC, NCState, Miami, BC, GaTech, etc. And, far less travel.
Sooner or later the ACC is going to lose FSU and Clemson. Once that happens, UConn is the logical addition. Even BC will agree.
Wait for the ACC, please!

Problem is that the ACC is never logical when it comes to UConn. They will take Tulane and USF before UConn.

 

[Smp7598]

I'm not a fan of this move. I don't like the geography, the absence of historical rivalries, the long delay for football to join.
I the ACC is a far better fit for the Huskies. Imagine the rivalry with Duke, NC, NCState, Miami, BC, GaTech, etc. And, far less travel.
Sooner or later the ACC is going to lose FSU and Clemson. Once that happens, UConn is the logical addition. Even BC will agree.
Wait for the ACC, please!

Then what? What those teams leave for the Big 12?

 

[JSB60]

The pro B12 folks seem so hostile to any opposition, and clearly the only argument for going is money. But will basketball actually get more money? I get it’s good for football and baseball fans.