UConn Headed To Big 12?? That's The Unofficial Report

[RockyMTblue2]

I'm real torn about this.

 

[EricLA]

I'm real torn about this.

Torn? in what way? It would be a dream come true for the University. And also start laying the groundwork for a big football stadium expansion, and moving the program forward and upwards...

 

[Centerstream]

Let's see...the Big12 has an exclusive contract with ESPN (mostly ESPN+) to broadcast a ton of sporting events. Most of them are the school's network. For example this past season, almost every Oklahoma (I do realize that they are now in the SEC, but they weren't before July 1st) softball game was broadcasted, again most via ESPN+. But they were produced by the school. So...maybe SNY can get the rights to broadcast every WBB game not carried by the major networks and become the school's production team.

 

[ERWUC65]

Big 12 now has 16 schools, closest to UCONN is probably Cincinnatti. Most of 2024-2025 Schedule already set. Travel would be a challenge, but might be nice to play new schools since Big East is no longer competitive.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Torn? in what way? It would be a dream come true for the University. And also start laying the groundwork for a big football stadium expansion, and moving the program forward and upwards...

I'm a romantic who got hooked on the Old Big East a long time ago. That's the torn part. Big 10, Big 12, SEC insufferably stuck on themselves. But business is business. Follow the $$$. And the move might keep a certain coach at UConn until the end of his career or he foolishly goes pro.

 

[CL82]

Let's see...the Big12 has an exclusive contract with ESPN (mostly ESPN+) to broadcast a ton of sporting events. Most of them are the school's network. For example this past season, almost every Oklahoma (I do realize that they are now in the SEC, but they weren't before July 1st) softball game was broadcasted, again most via ESPN+. But they were produced by the school. So...maybe SNY can get the rights to broadcast every WBB game not carried by the major networks and become the school's production team.

I don't think that will happen. Part of what precipitated our departure from the ACC was the fact that ESPN indicated it would no longer subcontract the games out to SNY. The good news is that under our existing big east deal none of the UConn women's basketball games are streaming only. That may be an indication that woman's basketball, and particularly Connecticut women's basketball, is getting a long overdue appreciation of its value.

If we get an offer from a power conference, and I detest that designation, we take it. That said, I enjoy Connecticut being a member of the big east with more road games that are drivable. I very much like the men's basketball tournament in MSG. That is a phenomenally, good environment, particularly if you are a Connecticut fan. But if we're given a choice between getting 6 1/2 million dollars as a media distribution or $35-$40 million, the differential is too large for us to decline the offer. Think about it, upon our getting full distribution rights our athletic department would go from being in the whole roughly $35-$40 million to being breakeven or at least close to it.

 

[maple]

This would only be an improvement for UConn as far as I'm concerned. I remember the OBE fondly and I'm glad we got to kinda re-live it for a while, but the B12 has what we need to keep thriving in this new era of college sports.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Zarathustra]

I'm real torn about this.

I think that it must be a "SLOW" day for sport coverage..... Until it happens,... to me
this is just another opportunity to click on some "CLICK BAIT".

 

[Steelerone]

I've followed Uconn football for several years, since they were members of the old Yankee Conference and my opinion has not changed, but, rather, been re-enforced. Football is not, has never been and will never be a priority. The sport was too expensive to begin with and with NIL and the shrinking of conferences it would be even more difficult to attempt to match even second rate teams. To offer your team as a sacrifice goat for top ranked teams for a "payday" is cruel to the players and just enhances the losing record. Basketball is the King and the university can profit greatly if it continues to periodize the programs. Forget the Big 12, stay with the Big East. This is where we belong.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I think that it must be a "SLOW" day for sport coverage..... Until it happens,... to me
this is just another opportunity to click on some "CLICK BAIT".

I hear you. I read your post and that was almost exactly my thought when I saw the post. Followed closely by this:

 

[maple]

It's a P5 conference, which means more money and better levering for future contracts. Attracts talent in areas like football (which currently runs the ship in the college sports landscape). Better opponents overall.

But more $$$ is the biggest thing.

The Big East was a step up from the AAC. And the B12 is a step up from the BE.

 

[HuskyNan]

Central Floridians could see UConn in person again at UCF! Me likey

 

[GirlBoo1020]

It's a P5 conference, which means more money and better levering for future contracts. Attracts talent in areas like football (which currently runs the ship in the college sports landscape). Better opponents overall.

But more $$$ is the biggest thing.

The Big East was a step up from the AAC. And the B12 is a step up from the BE.

Until the Big12 falls apart from the final round of conference realignment in 5 years and UConn is left with no back up plan as the Big East ship will have sailed.

The plan has always been for the Big 10 and SEC to create two super conferences and then leave the NCAA together.

 

[MSGRET]

Until the Big12 falls apart from the final round of conference realignment in 5 years and UConn is left with no back up plan as the Big East ship will have sailed.

The plan has always been for the Big 10 and SEC to create two super conferences and then leave the NCAA together.

If UConn joins the Big 12 and if conference realignment happens, UConn will end up joining either the Big 10 or SEC.

 

[maple]

Until the Big12 falls apart from the final round of conference realignment in 5 years and UConn is left with no back up plan as the Big East ship will have sailed.

If/when the B12 closes up shop, if we are in the B12 we will be in a much better position to get into whatever good conferences are left than if we stay in the BE. The current Big East is not the ceiling for us. It is the ground level. The AAC was the basement.

 

[MSGRET]

Central Floridians could see UConn in person again at UCF! Me likey

I might be able to convince the wife to travel to either AZ or UT so that I can see UConn play live. The only game I ever saw was in Reno when they had Gabby's homecoming game.

 

[GirlBoo1020]

If UConn joins the Big 12 and if conference realignment happens, UConn will end up joining either the Big 10 or SEC.

Unfortunately that is not what is going to happen, unless of course UConn football becomes a middle of the pack team in football in the Big 12 in the next few years. I don't follow football so i have no idea if thats possible. Otherwise, they'll be part of the left behind schools scrabbling for a solutions and no basketball conference to fall back into either. A move to the Big 12 could very well spell the end of the both mens and womens basketball programs in the next decade imo.

 

[CL82]

Until the Big12 falls apart from the final round of conference realignment in 5 years and UConn is left with no back up plan as the Big East ship will have sailed.

The plan has always been for the Big 10 and SEC to create two super conferences and then leave the NCAA together.

I don't think that's a likely outcome, but let's assume, for a moment, that it is correct.

For the purposes of argument, let's also assume a $40 million per school distribution payout from the big 12. That would be $200 million earned in five years.

And you would want the university to walk away from that for what reason exactly?

 

[maple]

Unfortunately that is not what is going to happen, unless of course UConn football becomes a middle of the pack team in football in the Big 12 in the next few years. I don't follow football so i have no idea if thats possible. Otherwise, they'll be part of the left behind schools scrabbling for a solutions and no basketball conference to fall back into either. A move to the Big 12 could very well spell the end of the both mens and womens basketball programs in the next decade imo.

Regarding football, first of all it would take some big donors stepping up for NIL, but money talks and enough of it can get you at least SOME modicum of success. Could we become a middle of the pack team in 5 years if UConn joined the B12 today? Yes. Because football getting into a P5 conference would be HUGE for the program. Players want to play in big conferences, they want to be on TV, they want to get paid. All of those things will breed success. You're not going to be the new Alabama but you will be decent.

However, UConn basketball's future depends SOLELY on their successes alone. It is our flagship program. If the university continues to pay the coaches well and continues to make good hires (when necessary), then it doesn't matter what conference we're in. Honestly, UConn WBB and MBB were in the awful AAC and they still brought home titles.

 

[GirlBoo1020]

If/when the B12 closes up shop, if we are in the B12 we will be in a much better position to get into whatever good conferences are left than if we stay in the BE. The current Big East is not the ceiling for us. It is the ground level. The AAC was the basement.

It depends on what schools are left over and how much damage is done to the basketball programs by the time it happens. I think UConn likely has better odds to land in a good situation in the Big East than the Big 12 if the Big 10/SEC do in fact pull away.

 

[huskeynut]

While I'm not holding my breathe, if the Big 12 offers UConn in with all sports, UConn has to take the offer and go.

 

[GirlBoo1020]

I don't think that's a likely outcome, but let's assume, for a moment, that it is correct.

For the purposes of argument, let's also assume a $40 million per school distribution payout from the big 12. That would be $200 million earned in five years.

And you would want the university to walk away from that for what reason exactly?

Because I do not work at UConn and them having 200 million dollars and no competitive athletic programs doesn't do anything for me. Great Uconn has 200 million dollars but the basketball programs are essentially killed. Yay?

 

[CL82]

Because I do not work at UConn and them having 200 million dollars and no competitive athletic programs doesn't do anything for me. Great Uconn has 200 million dollars but the basketball programs are essentially killed. Yay?

There's a whole lot of presumptions in that statement.

Why would you believe that the basketball programs would be "killed" in the big 12? Right now the men's basketball program is widely viewed as the best program in college basketball. How moving to the big 12 change that?

Similarly, the women's basketball program is widely considered to be the best women's basketball program of all time. Move to the big east was never a good one for women's basketball because the big east conference, overall, hurts are ranking due to we competition. Part of the reason why our preseason is so difficult is to offset that.

The big 12 is widely perceived to be the strongest men's basketball conference. Playing in it would create potential for great matchups including, hopefully, an annual home and away game with Kansas. Games with perennial top 20 program Houston and reuniting an old sort of rivalry with Cincinnati would also be good for the men's program.

Similarly the big 12 would set up games for Connecticut versus Iowa, Baylor and reunite us with old conference mate UCF.

I understand that you don't care that in your hypothetical we are by the big 12 conference somehow fails infive years of big 12 membership (Which I believe is unlikely to the point of ridiculousness) would be worth $200 million to Connecticut. Reasonable people, however, I think would agree that $200 million to the university, into the state of Connecticut is enormously valuable.

Let's say that your hypothetical about the demise. The big 12 is correct, but you're off by five years. Then that 200 million becomes 400 million. The difference between what we make in the big east and what we would make in a power conference is enormous. More importantly, if the big 12 is somehow destroyed by the consolidation of power between the big 10 the SEC, certainly the big east would be destroyed before hand. In essence, affiliation with the power conference means that the universities athletic programs continue to remain viable. Those of us who have been fans for decades and want to be fans for many decades more realize that making 4 1/2 million dollars currently isn't sustainable. Think about this, our entire big east media distribution doesn't even pay for Dan Hurley salary.

 

[Sifaka]

There's a whole lot of presumptions in that statement.

You wrote it as I was thinking it. ‍

Disclaimer- I am no longer a Ct taxpayer. I have never set foot in Storrs. My loyalty is to the WBB team and its coaches and support staff.

A move to a so-called power conference makes sense, especially now that the bogus “student/athlete” myth is debunked. College sport, at least for football, basketball, and maybe baseball, is an entertainment business. My beloved masochistic pastime, cross country running, is still a sport.

If and when the SEC and running dogs leave the now toothless NCAA, would CT be better off in a third tier conference, or one with more prestige, more money, and better media contracts?