UConn going broke a cautionary tale for UCF, USF and other Group of 5 schools (Mike Bianchi Orlando Sentinel Commentary)

[Pudge]

I’m at a bar listening to a band ... I’ll circle back

 

[StunningSteve]

Yeah, no

Unfortunately, revenue and exposure matters.

The former Big East was buoyed by football money and ESPN.

The new Big East has 4 million and FS1.

I think Mike Aresco has a point here: "Connecticut has expressed a desire of going back to a romanticized past that was the former Big East,” Aresco said. “It would typically be very rare for a large state university to do that based off basketball. If you are in college athletics at the highest level, you need to be all in with football.”

 

[Exit 4]

Unfortunately, revenue and exposure matters.

The former Big East was buoyed by football money and ESPN.

The new Big East has 4 million and FS1.

I think Mike Aresco has a point here: "Connecticut has expressed a desire of going back to a romanticized past that was the former Big East,” Aresco said. “It would typically be very rare for a large state university to do that based off basketball. If you are in college athletics at the highest level, you need to be all in with football.”

Is this a real Aresco quote? If so it’s rather damning in that it’s loaded with disrespect for the choices available for UConn. It shows he really felt UConn was boxed in and had to take whatever slop he was serving.

 

[jostar1]

Is this a real Aresco quote? If so it’s rather damning in that it’s loaded with disrespect for the choices available for UConn. It shows he really felt UConn was boxed in and had to take whatever slop he was serving.

I had the same thought---that I couldn't believe that he said it.
However, he did say it. I found it in the following article:

American Athletic Conference commissioner not concerned about Connecticut departure

 

[UConnNick]

Providence was a power in the 80’s but a conference doormat from 1990 on. Georgetown wasn’t awful but I don’t remember it ever being ranked, even with Rebekah Brunson, the best player there. Seton Hall was horrible under Phyllis Whosis (don’t remember). It’s been a decent team only recently.

The best BE teams were UConn, Rutgers, ND, Louisville, DePaul, and St. John’s.

And the best three of those teams by far (Rutgers, ND and Louisville) are gone.

 

[upstater]

State schools don’t “go broke”. Private schools do. They choose to characterize subsidies as it suits their needs and agenda .. be it the cost of repairing a slate roof to justify buying a new house or bailing on a sports program. It’s like McEnroe calling out sport program welfare when the real culprit is the billion in wages and benefits. It’s all welfare, just not the kind he likes.

It’s actually $600 million divided by 3500 schools. The other $400m is used to run the sports championships and fund the NCAA.

 

[Guapo]

Exactly.

Eventually I see the big money teams, such as Texas, asking themselves why do I have to fund Iowa State? Or, Florida State asking, why is wake forest getting This cash?

Or every single sec team asking why Vanderbilt is getting cut a check.

UConn was doing this in the aac in a smaller scale. The $7 million was ridiculous money to Tulane and Tulsa.

So, UConn leaves and thinks it is more valuable than what the aac is giving them per year as a group. This was aresco’s biggest issue. In theory, pooling resources should have meant UConn gets more money than what was possible Indy. I don’t think that is the case. They might be worth more as an Indy.

Edit: if the AAC was a business, the sum of the parts is worth more than the league together. That’s how I feel about the aac. If this was a business, they would be broken up and sold.

I think this is a mostly accurate understanding of the moves schools and conferences outside the P5 are making, including UConn, however I don’t think the same logic applies to your projections of the future of some of these Power conferences.

I think, as UConn fans, we’ve seen that every conference move that UConn has been involved in going back to the formation of the Big East has been about tv and money, however that’s not the institutional history of these other conferences for the most part.

Living here in Atlanta, it’s my understanding that the SEC and it’s member schools love Vanderbilt for multiple different reasons and would much sooner circle the wagons around Vandy than jettison the school from the conference.

I don’t know about FSU, but I know the other North Carolina schools would die on a hill defending Wake if the ACC ever tried to kick them out.

I know this all probably sounds gooey and feel goody but it’s the truth and I think a lot of the sentiments expressed here represent a profound misunderstanding of how college sports operate outside the northeast.

 

[Guapo]

I think this is a mostly accurate understanding of the moves schools and conferences outside the P5 are making, including UConn, however I don’t think the same logic applies to your projections of the future of some of these Power conferences.

I think, as UConn fans, we’ve seen that every conference move that UConn has been involved in going back to the formation of the Big East has been about tv and money, however that’s not the institutional history of these other conferences for the most part.

Living here in Atlanta, it’s my understanding that the SEC and it’s member schools love Vanderbilt for multiple different reasons and would much sooner circle the wagons around Vandy than jettison the school from the conference.

I don’t know about FSU, but I know the other North Carolina schools would die on a hill defending Wake if the ACC ever tried to kick them out.

I know this all probably sounds gooey and feel goody but it’s the truth and I think a lot of the sentiments expressed here represent a profound misunderstanding of how college sports operate outside the northeast.

Anyway Bianchi is a a doofus and it’s totally embarrassing that he’s carrying Arseco’s water like this.

 

[CL82]

Unfortunately, revenue and exposure matters.

The former Big East was buoyed by football money and ESPN.

The new Big East has 4 million and FS1.

I think Mike Aresco has a point here: "Connecticut has expressed a desire of going back to a romanticized past that was the former Big East,” Aresco said. “It would typically be very rare for a large state university to do that based off basketball. If you are in college athletics at the highest level, you need to be all in with football.”

Perhaps, though I think the point is "Ah fook, I never thought that they would actually leave? Great, ESPN is going cut our deal and everyone is going figure out how bad it was in the first place. I've got to start spinning this so I can minimize the damge."

 

[huskyrob1]

Unfortunately, revenue and exposure matters.

The former Big East was buoyed by football money and ESPN.

The new Big East has 4 million and FS1.

I think Mike Aresco has a point here: "Connecticut has expressed a desire of going back to a romanticized past that was the former Big East,” Aresco said. “It would typically be very rare for a large state university to do that based off basketball. If you are in college athletics at the highest level, you need to be all in with football.”

What the hell are you smoking? Schools with football teams were leaving the old Big East left and right.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Also amazing that Aresco keeps saying this.

Ssshhh, it's important for the Mikester to keep spewing on behalf of himself and his conference

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Fortunately, legitimate net revenue, exposure, and reasonably well-educated brains matter.

"At first glance: Each AAC school will get just under $7 million (gross) per year starting in 2020-21 ...

The fine print: Most games will be on ESPN+, a pay web service ($4.99 per month) with only 2 million subscribers, rather than linear or “real” TV; schools are responsible for on-campus production costs, which some estimate could lower their net annual take by as much as $2 million; and the deal is for 12 years ...

'That’s what blew me away,' San Diego State AD John David Wicker says, 'that 13 years from now they’re still going to be getting $7 million (gross) per school, knowing what things cost today and what they might cost in 13 years. I think that’s too long'."

 

[uconnell]

I believe UConn and USF not UCF have agree to continue playing.

I hope we never play UCF everagain as I don’t like their coach and the team plays way physical a nice word for dirty. It’s not worth getting our players hurt.

 

[Chief00]

UConn has lost control of its football venue and half of their home BB games to quasi state agencies with politically connected leadership and staffed with expensive and inflexible union labor contracts.
All are ingredients for financial disaster.

 

[Chief00]

I can talk economics with anyone. I don’t judge other people, but I have enough knowledge and experience to talk with anyone about a balance sheet on any company.

The statement implies a lack of knowledge regarding the qualifications required. The population of financial people with the knowledge across industries to truly do that is a small one. I am deeply skeptical.

 

[John Greene]

I think this is a mostly accurate understanding of the moves schools and conferences outside the P5 are making, including UConn, however I don’t think the same logic applies to your projections of the future of some of these Power conferences.

I think, as UConn fans, we’ve seen that every conference move that UConn has been involved in going back to the formation of the Big East has been about tv and money, however that’s not the institutional history of these other conferences for the most part.

Living here in Atlanta, it’s my understanding that the SEC and it’s member schools love Vanderbilt for multiple

Like UGA, Bama and Auburn would also have Vandy's back. Your point on institutional history is important but for many here history has been one kink after another while never getting what they consider reasonable compensation.

 

[huskymedic]

UConn has lost control of its football venue and half of their home BB games to quasi state agencies with politically connected leadership and staffed with expensive and inflexible union labor contracts.
All are ingredients for financial disaster.

Tough to lose control over something you never had control of to begin with...

 

[Stinger92860]

I had the same thought---that I couldn't believe that he said it.
However, he did say it. I found it in the following article:

American Athletic Conference commissioner not concerned about Connecticut departure

What else can he say. He can’t agree with move. In my view, we are the only school in the aac that has value in basketball and tier 3. No one else could take the chance we have. Let’s see what happens with football, we wont know for a while whether it was the proper move.

 

[Guapo]

What else can he say. He can’t agree with move. In my view, we are the only school in the aac that has value in basketball and tier 3. No one else could take the chance we have. Let’s see what happens with football, we wont know for a while whether it was the proper move.

It’s not a right or wrong thing; it’s a legal thing.

 

[Chief00]

Tough to lose control over something you never had control of to begin with...

Incorrect observation. At one time UConn played in Memorial Stadium and the Fieldhouse - both controlled by the University.
#ChiefCertified

 

[huskymedic]

Incorrect observation. At one time UConn played in Memorial Stadium and the Fieldhouse - both controlled by the University.
#ChiefCertified

You and I both know that wasn’t the context of your original point but touché.

 

[JohnFSilver]

The statement implies a lack of knowledge regarding the qualifications required. The population of financial people with the knowledge across industries to truly do that is a small one. I am deeply skeptical.

Well. Worked in investor relations and used to write c-suite facing reports that executives used for strategic purposes. Wrote stock market reports that were read out on CNBC by our owner. Talked with fund managers daily about their view on the balance sheet, capital allocation and the use of FcF daily.

And I read.

Edit: to your point, expertise would be in diversified industrials, REITs, and financial services.

Lol.

 

[billybud]

Ahh....all I need to know about finances and sports is found in that biblical tale....

A program can be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Ahh....all I need to know about finances and sports is found in that biblical tale....

A program can be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver.

You mess with the bull you get the horns!

Lol. It really isn’t that difficult or complicated. Just a lot of jargon. Anyone can do it .

 

[huskyrob1]

Incorrect observation. At one time UConn played in Memorial Stadium and the Fieldhouse - both controlled by the University.
#ChiefCertified

Does it really benefit UConn at all to play games at the XL Center? Why not play all their home games at Gample? I can think of a lot of advantages for the men's and women's teams if they did that.