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

[RSTuthill]

Strange that the ACC has not reached out to UConn. BCU and possibly Syracuse are two chess moves from being checkmated, and they are just sitting tight. If the Big 12 adds UConn, and maybe Pitt or UVA after the ACC dissolves with a Clemson and FSU departure, then BCU and possibly Syracuse are finished. If the Big 12 already has UConn, then NO league is adding BCU. If the ACC falls apart, BCU could end up downgrading to the Patriot League. Syracuse has a shot at a soft landing, not sure how to handicap it.

Everyone can play out those outcomes, so why are they not doing something about it? It is possible that the FSU and Clemson suits are theatre to get ESPN to boost its contract with the ACC. Otherwise, the last thing that the ACC should want is another conference having a program in the northeast. You would think they would intervene to invite UConn.

I am not gonna lose any sleep worrying about BC and Syracuse, and neither should you. But of course your point is that BC and Syracuse could possibly be screaming at the ACC to defend its turf and take UConn before the elephant gets its trunk under the tent flap. Good point, actually.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Maybe its too late for that

Good point. Part of me is still furious at the ACC when they turned us down and took Louisville. But there are some benefits to the ACC over a Dallas-based conference, even if the ACC may soon lose some of its key members.

 

[RSTuthill]

Does UConn have a large enough football fan base to fill a 45,000 seat stadium?

Done it many times. Just not happening with a death of W's. Go out to YouTube for some ancient history and signature wins. Baylor was one. West Virginia, Pitt, Michigan (3 pt. loss) and a number of others.

 

[ZooCougar]

Does UConn have a large enough football fan base to fill a 45,000 seat stadium?

We used to get 40k in the Rent during the Big East days.

I highly doubt the On Campus stadium would be built that big.

 

[Stinger92860]

Does UConn have a large enough football fan base to fill a 45,000 seat stadium?

Yes, and it has been full often. We hosted Michigan. The current stadium is expandable to 50K, it was constructed with that potential outcome.

As I think about other examples of a full stadium and strong scalping demand include WVU, Cincinnati, Houston, and Baylor. All teams we have beaten. We could have beaten Michigan at home in 2013, losing 24-21 before 42K.

 

[jostar1]

Yes, and it has been full often. We hosted Michigan. The current stadium is expandable to 50K, it was constructed with that potential outcome.

As I think about other examples of a full stadium and strong scalping demand include WVU, Cincinnati, Houston, and Baylor. All teams we have beaten. We could have beaten Michigan at home in 2013, losing 24-21 before 42K.

The Rent can be expanded to 60,000 per the construction company.

University of Connecticut Rentschler Field Football Stadium | Gilbane

Accelerated project schedule delivers this state-of-the-art stadium three months early and on budget The state of Connecticut selected the joint venture

www.gilbaneco.com

 

[Stinger92860]

The Rent can be expanded to 60,000 per the construction company.

University of Connecticut Rentschler Field Football Stadium | Gilbane

Accelerated project schedule delivers this state-of-the-art stadium three months early and on budget The state of Connecticut selected the joint venture

www.gilbaneco.com

With an invite maybe we get a Rent expansion with the refurb, unless they would actually build a stadium on campus.

 

[SubbaBub]

Does UConn have a large enough football fan base to fill a 45,000 seat stadium?

If they are playing good teams, yes. With sub-100 results, no. UConn sold out nearly every game in the old Big East days before conference realignment before the American Conference was created. There are no current B12 teams that wouldn't draw well. I would expect close to 40k per game easy during the first few years at least.

The better question is will UConn in a AAC heavy B12 be able to draw enough talent to not be a complete doormat and actually compete near the top of the league. It's unclear how the new NIL format will affect the pecking order in a Texas/OU free B12. Using the BCS era as a reference, none of the P12 transfers would be considered dominant in this combined league, outside of OSU, WV, TCU neither would the B12 holdovers. The rest are AAC/CUSA programs that have riden the CR wave upward. UConn was as good or better at the time. No reason to think that on an even field, a UConn with it's overall high level AD couldn't compete in this version of the B12.

 

[87Xfer]

Have seen a few new articles about joining the Big 12, including this one.

Sources: UConn in early talks for joining Big 12

and twitter

 

[CL82]

Interesting take.

There is an interesting kernel of truth there at the end.

 

[CL82]

Does UConn have a large enough football fan base to fill a 45,000 seat stadium?

Probably, given that when it was in a BCS conference, it had something like 31 sellouts of the rent, including the Michigan game, which was actually 2600 above stadium capacity.

 

[ZooCougar]

There is an interesting kernel of truth there at the end.

The only way to deal with a troll.

Honestly why do we allow these people to post here?

 

[CL82]

With an invite maybe we get a Rent expansion with the refurb, unless they would actually build a stadium on campus.

Pretty sure it's gonna be one or the other given that the big 12 is giving us seven years to demonstrate" investment in our program.

 

[ctchamps]

Does UConn have a large enough football fan base to fill a 45,000 seat stadium?

There is a misconception in many parts of the country that the northeast does not value football. That is patently false. Fans in the northeast are passionate about the Patriots, Giants and Eagles. But that is the professional game.

In college PSU could challenge any region for stadium attendance. As for Connecticut, in addition to prior posts indicating how UConn drew when we were good, the Yale bowl has over a 61,000 seating capacity and in the days before football was the major draw in college sports you would see that stadium at capacity when Yale played Princeton or Harvard. Calvin Hill (Cowboys) was a Yalie when I ushered there in the 60's. Crowds were electric.

UConn is Connecticuts team. There is no rival in this state. When the football program gets back to being good you can bet your Texas dollar the seats will be filled. Football programs better get us now!

 

[amory]

It is so wild to hear these podcasters saying ESPN has their thumb on the scale for UConn here.

We’ve been navigating the wasteland of post-realignment college athletics, essentially homeless for over a decade. ESPN has never done a damn thing for us and I don’t see why they’d start now.

 

[ZooCougar]

It is so wild to hear these podcasters saying ESPN has their thumb on the scale for UConn here.

We’ve been navigating the wasteland of post-realignment college athletics, essentially homeless for over a decade. ESPN has never done a damn thing for us and I don’t see why they’d start now.

Women's Hoop is saving our butts. Women's sports has never been more valuable and I think that may be the difference in this round.

 

[Waquoit]

ESPN has never done a damn thing for us and I don’t see why they’d start now.

Because it's in their business interests to do so.

 

[hank970]

I can see Syracuse getting into the Big XII. I don't think UConn has animosity towards them and wouldn't try to block them. I feel like UConn getting into the Big XII is Yormarks plan to try and attract schools like Syracuse, Pitt, Duke and other basketball focused schools. I think Cuse's problem is, they hold themselves in such high regard that they consider themselves a shoo-in for the B1G.

That's pretty salty, considering that UConn is not yet a member of the B12. Even so, I'm sure the Syracuse folks are relieved to learn of your good will and potential Largesse.

You think Syracuse's problem is that they hold themselves in such high regard that they consider themselves worthy of a B1G invitation? I've read more than a few posts in the Bone Yard which fantasize about UConn being worthy of the same, bloviating about its status as a state flagship, it's USN&WR ranking, its status as a land-grant university, its relative proximity to State College, PA, and so on, while also neglecting to acknowledge UConn's rather unimpressive research portfolio and endowment, its lack of AAU membership*, and other metrics and factors of possible interest to the B1G.

*this is a cue for someone to point out that Michigan State was invited to the B1G before achieving AAU status, and/or mention Nebraska's subsequent demotion, blah blah blah.

 

[superjohn]

Women's Hoop is saving our butts. Women's sports has never been more valuable and I think that may be the difference in this round.

Back to back is saving our butts more but Caitlin Clark all of a sudden making women's basketball popular certainly helps.

 

[ZooCougar]

Back to back is saving our butts more but Caitlin Clark all of a sudden making women's basketball popular certainly helps.

Can you imagine how silly the Big 12 will look if they pass abd then this winter Hurley is unleashing his rage on basketball and the nation is in love with Paige?

 

[Waquoit]

Women's Hoop is saving our butts. Women's sports has never been more valuable and I think that may be the difference in this round.

How funny is that? From "not moving the needle" to moving the whole damn process.

 

[cellocgg]

Isn't it strange how ESPN Is paying more to push UConn to the B12 instead of a conference they wholly own the rights to? It seems like even they are done with ACC

 

[Bazz4A]

As I’ve said before, idk how anyone has a definitive opinion on this being a plus or minus move for the program, and basketball specifically. There are pros and cons to going, pros and cons to staying. Count me 53% in on the staying side - which means 11 people will quote this post telling me why it’s the dumbest take ever.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I am not gonna lose any sleep worrying about BC and Syracuse, and neither should you. But of course your point is that BC and Syracuse could possibly be screaming at the ACC to defend its turf and take UConn before the elephant gets its trunk under the tent flap. Good point, actually.

UConn should have been in the ACC 10+ years ago, and they should be in now. Maybe someone at BCU should talk to a strategy professor at their business school to explain just how royally ruined the athletic program will be if the next two chess moves go against it. Even if FSU and Clemson don't win their GOR lawsuit, the ACC is letting another league right into its backyard, which is just stupid strategically. The ACC should have merged with the BE5 in 2012 rather than pick the league off piecemeal. Take WVU, Pitt, Rutgers, Syracuse and UConn, and lockup the Northeast. With those schools, the ACC would have had a hammerlock on the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, and its long-term survival would be assured. Now other leagues are sprinkled among the ACC schools, diluting the regional value.

I do think the Big 12's interest in UConn is in part because no one believes FSU or Clemson are actually going to win their cases, and UConn is one of the last decent expansion targets left for the P4. I don't think the Big 12 would be looking at us if the ACC's collapse was imminent.

 

[Kolumbo]

Paige Bueckers is likely going to be the star this year in women's basketball, especially if UConn makes a run. More pub for UConn and the XII.