UConn & FS1’s Media Marriage: Beyond 2025

[Guapo]

ESPN+ has fewer than 14 million subscribers, and it carried more than half of the AAC men's basketball schedule last year. FS1 has more than 80 million, and CBSSN has more than 60 million. And we don't have to pay to put our games on there.

I wouldn’t bother engaging; he’s obviously bored and trolling

 

[CL82]

I wouldn’t bother engaging; he’s obviously bored and trolling

I respect a decent troll. Sadly he isn't a particularly good one. Sounds young.

 

[Waquoit]

When UConn got divorced from Football post season (no bowl ties or access point into the CFP) that was a mistake.

The AAC celebrated Houston's FF loss more than they celebrated UConn's natty. There's an old saying, "never go to the track with somebody that doesn't want to see you win." I think it can be expanded to "Never play in a conference that doesn't want to see you win." UConn made the right decision.

 

[HuskyFich]

Coastal Carolina is in South Carolina.

False. Coastal Carolina is the 51st state

lmao, technically you are right. spitting distance from ocean isle. I think you understood my point though….

 

[pj]

The only thing it lacks is football. The problem is that the market value for football games is significantly more valuable than the market value for basketball games. Don’t get me wrong, I think the move was the best thing for us, by a wide margin, but a basketball only conference, even a very good one, will always make much less money than in all sports conference.

$6 million for non-football sports rivals what the P5 programs make. UConn owns its football rights and if it can build a fan base can monetize those. It's up to UConn to be entrepreneurial and build a football program.

 

[MU in MKE]

$6 million for non-football sports rivals what the P5 programs make. UConn owns its football rights and if it can build a fan base can monetize those. It's up to UConn to be entrepreneurial and build a football program.

Don't quote me, but between the Fox Sports contract, rights to sell Womens games to SNY, reduced costs for all sports travel to conference schools, and increased revenue in a renewed MBB program I think UConn is about equivalent monetarily to where they'd be if in the AAC. That's without capitalizing on FB independence, getting a new higher contract in a couple years, or counting the production costs avoided for ESPN+ programming (and the intangibles that come with not having to stream MBB games and having all games nationally televised).

 

[Guapo]

Don't quote me, but between the Fox Sports contract, rights to sell Womens games to SNY, reduced costs for all sports travel to conference schools, and increased revenue in a renewed MBB program I think UConn is about equivalent monetarily to where they'd be if in the AAC. That's without capitalizing on FB independence, getting a new higher contract in a couple years, or counting the production costs avoided for ESPN+ programming (and the intangibles that come with not having to stream MBB games and having all games nationally televised).

That’s a question for @Storrs South

 

[Storrs South]

That’s a question for @Storrs South

Haven't look at the spreadsheet in awhile and things will change once new CFP playoff comes into play, but more or less @MU in MKE nailed it. The money over the course of that AAC deal is about the same (especially when you compare where P5 money is).

However, this assumes UConn doesn't get more money in future deals with CBS Sports Network and FS1 or any other deals that may come about not being locked into ESPN.

It also (at least until end of FS1 deal in 2025) ensures linear cable visibility for all revenue sports at UConn (football, MBB, WBB). It also doesn't include the effects of increased fan interest, ticket sales, donations, and not NIL marketability of being the Big East and on and on and on.

It's a long winded way of saying yes the money is about the same but the Big East provides the upside potential.

The one clarification point is yes if UConn stayed in AAC WBB games would only be on ESPN+ or ESPN linear, however with current Big East arrangement, it isn't UConn selling to SNY anymore. FS1 owns the WBB content and is sublicensing to SNY so that's no additional money for UConn, it's already baked into the existing contract between FS1 and the Big East.

The hope stemming back to the original article is that between the additions of not one but two national powers in MBB and WBB that the money does see a substantial uptick in value comparatively to the existing contract...but we will see.

 

[Pudge]

The BIG problem for the AAC - as WE loudly cried when they did that deal - it was too frigging long a Term. With no flexibility to earn up on new valued cash flow streams in a era that technology is booming in streaming and 39 other ways

 

[freescooter]

For schools with such modest ambitions it's pretty impressive they've rated the 4th best conference post realignment ahead of the SEC and PAC.

LOL. Yeah. Keep telling yourself that. How many different teams have gone to the Finsl Four again? LOL

 

[Guapo]

LOL. Yeah. Keep telling yourself that. How many different teams have gone to the Finsl Four again? LOL

He’s not telling himself that. The entire college sports world knows it to be fact. He’s trying to show you reality, but it’s been well established that is far beyond your grasp

 

[VCE]

He’s not telling himself that. The entire college sports world knows it to be fact. He’s trying to show you reality, but it’s been well established that is far beyond your grasp

When were the last PAC 12 and Big 10 basketball champions?

 

[MU in MKE]

LOL. Yeah. Keep telling yourself that. How many different teams have gone to the Finsl Four again? LOL

I know I claim to like visiting the Boneyard because UConn has always been my #2 team behind Marquette growing up and it's been a great place to follow BE news/happenings... but truth be told, the real reason is to catch freescooters hot takes! These are the best! You really have to work hard to cherry pick this specific of data to back up your position. (aka "only ncaa tournament, this specific round in the tournament, during this specific timeframe in years, and you can only include a team once!")

I admire the passion, dedication, and ability to ignore all widely accepted industry metrics in favor of your own beliefs. Don't let them get you down freescooter, you do you! Keep up the good fight my friend!

 

[freescooter]

Comparing ECU to Cincy and UL is ridiculous. Cincy and UL have very substantial followings both locally and nationally. They both have winning traditions in sports on a national level. ECU is popular in Eastern North Carolina and won a few football games over a few years, many years ago.

ECU was very popular in football for a period but has fallen off the grid as a result of losing. They regularly sold out, we’re ranked and out drew Wake, Duke for sure. The Big East absolutely should have added them. It is likely their basketball would have come along in the same way USF did and Miami did. Maybe not NCAA champs, but not DePaul either. In the AAC it is obviously a harder climb for a number of reasons.

And Cincinatti has a decent following now. It was, like lots of teams, up and down depending

 

[ConnHuskBask]

ECU was very popular in football for a period but has fallen off the grid as a result of losing. They regularly sold out, we’re ranked and out drew Wake, Duke for sure. The Big East absolutely should have added them. It is likely their basketball would have come along in the same way USF did and Miami did. Maybe not NCAA champs, but not DePaul either. In the AAC it is obviously a harder climb for a number of reasons.

And Cincinatti has a decent following now. It was, like lots of teams, up and down depending

How is it possible to be so absolutely wrong about everything.

 

[Waquoit]

ECU was very popular in football for a period but has fallen off the grid as a result of losing. They regularly sold out, we’re ranked and out drew Wake, Duke for sure. The Big East absolutely should have added them.

Didn't ECU stop winning at approximately the same time they joined a better conference?

 

[Guapo]

How is it possible to be so absolutely wrong about everything.

You’ve got @freescooter on one side and reality on the other and never the twain shall meet

 

[Guapo]

You’ve got @freescooter on one side and reality on the other and never the twain shall meet

and yes @Hans Sprungfeld it is “twain”

 

[freescooter]

And yet the AAC this year has 2 Super Regionals, 1 Final Four, and 1 NY6... (This year)

Seems to me they are doing pretty good..

When UConn got divorced from Football post season (no bowl ties or access point into the CFP) that was a mistake. The NBE only has FCS teams, horrid baseball, and basketball that is overly dependent on Villanova, who by the way has trended back to the mean.

What did the NBE do this year? Did it beat any P5’s in the tournament? Maybe they should’ve picked stronger Catholic schools? Will Norte Dame take Butlers call or will they laugh?

Uh-oh. You will be hearing it from the BY now. And lay me start. You forget MSG.

The fact that you are right on the money with the NEWBIE is irrelevant by the way. They just don’t get that the NEWBIE is Villanova. Indeed, I suspect the fear of Villanova reverting to the mean was behind the UConn addition.

And I’m not sure Georgia Tech-Wake is a great draw, but it likely outdraws Butler-DePaul or Seton Hall-Providence in most of the world.

 

[Guapo]

Uh-oh. You will be hearing it from the BY now. And lay me start. You forget MSG.

The fact that you are right on the money with the NEWBIE is irrelevant by the way. They just don’t get that the NEWBIE is Villanova. Indeed, I suspect the fear of Villanova reverting to the mean was behind the UConn addition.

And I’m not sure Georgia Tech-Wake is a great draw, but it likely outdraws Butler-DePaul or Seton Hall-Providence in most of the world.

you have brain worms

 

[AZHuskiePop]

ECU was very popular in football for a period but has fallen off the grid as a result of losing. They regularly sold out, we’re ranked and out drew Wake, Duke for sure. The Big East absolutely should have added them. It is likely their basketball would have come along in the same way USF did and Miami did. Maybe not NCAA champs, but not DePaul either. In the AAC it is obviously a harder climb for a number of reasons.

And Cincinatti has a decent following now. It was, like lots of teams, up and down depending

No one argued ECU as a football add
There were years when they might have been number 1 team in the state.
That was their original status
When Louisville left Aresco added them in BB that’s what opponents of ECU have been complaining about since. At least ECU is trying to improve but that’s a real rebuild.
Tulane on the other hand with their 1.1 billion endowment and some of the wealthiest alumni in the south just doesn’t care about sports.
My preference for adds at the time were BB onlies as I’m primarily a BB fan. I could visualize an excellent BB conference .Of course the myopic’s on the BB thought that was crazy.

 

[CL82]

How is it possible to be so absolutely wrong about everything.

Practice.

(FWIW, 'scooter is a better troll than a lot of the newbs we get here. He works at his craft.)

 

[Drew]

Didn't ECU stop winning at approximately the same time they joined a better conference?

ECU stopped winning the day they fired Ruffin McNeil and his offensive coordinator, Lincoln Riley because they weren’t happy with a singular 7-5 season. Whoops!

 

[ecasadoSBU]

ECU is like the 5th most popular basketball school in the state, and even lower for football...they aren't getting popular unless Duke/UNC/NC State/Wake Forest/Coastal Carolina all fall off the face of the Earth.

Wait... ECU is more popular than Coastal Carolina. Not even close.

Appalachian State has a better following than Coastal. But ECU is above both of them

 

[Guapo]

Wait... ECU is more popular than Coastal Carolina. Not even close.

Appalachian State has a better following than Coastal. But ECU is above both of them

We’ve previously established that Coastal Carolina is the 51st state