UConn starting to get respect.
- Thread starter SinBin
- Start date
The news I heard at the time said a formal vote was never takenAdditional info for the skeptics:
Big 12's discussions to add UConn have stalled
The Big 12's conversations about potentially adding UConn as a member have stalled.www.espn.com
"Per sources, the talks stalled and ended up being tabled because of the timing. With the initial season of the 16-team league underway and schools facing uncertainty in the House v. NCAA case as well as looming decisions on revenue share, adding membership simply wasn't a priority.
The decision to table the talks doesn't come as a big surprise. Back when UConn emerged as part of the talks last month, an aura of skepticism hung over the Huskies potentially being added.
At the time, ESPN reported that there needed to be some votes added for the league to get the votes of 12 of the 16 Big 12 presidents it would have needed to add UConn."
That means at least 5 teams didn't want us, and that was that...
CL82
NCAA Woman's Basketball National Champions
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2011
- Messages
- 62,176
- Reaction Score
- 238,780
Sort of. Remember that the pitch here was basketball first and then football in 2031. That isn't a scenario where we immediately made everyone money. Here's the language that talks about value:Additional info for the skeptics:
Big 12's discussions to add UConn have stalled
The Big 12's conversations about potentially adding UConn as a member have stalled.
"Per sources, the talks stalled and ended up being tabled because of the timing. With the initial season of the 16-team league underway and schools facing uncertainty in the House v. NCAA case as well as looming decisions on revenue share, adding membership simply wasn't a priority.
The decision to table the talks doesn't come as a big surprise. Back when UConn emerged as part of the talks last month, an aura of skepticism hung over the Huskies potentially being added.
At the time, ESPN reported that there needed to be some votes added for the league to get the votes of 12 of the 16 Big 12 presidents it would have needed to add UConn."
That means at least 5 teams didn't want us, and that was that...
The Huskies have long been coveted by Yormark, who sees college basketball as an undervalued asset. UConn has the best combination of men's and women's basketball teams in the country, as the men's team has won the past two national championships. It also touches the New York market, which would in theory add value in any upcoming television deals.
Yormark was speculating that we would bring an increase in value at some point in the future due to basketball strength. If I recall correctly, the schools that backed that play did so based upon their belief in Yormark's strategic skills. That's a lot different than immediately putting money in people's pockets. Under those circumstances, we would likely get in. What we offered them, instead was a partial membership for five years with the promise that we would suck less in football in 2031. That's a speculation play, which unsurprisingly is a harder sell.
Keep in mind that while ESPN agreed to give us a pro rata share, Fox did not, which makes sense since Fox already has the "valuable" part of our portfolio, namely, basketball games. So we weren't putting money in anyone's pocket, we were temporarily, hopefully, diluting schools shares. That's the reason we couldn't get the necessary votes.
Interestingly, it seems like Yormark got most of that right. We continue to be a power in both men's and women's basketball and football continues to improve. That's a good thing, but until television media partners will pay us enough so that we don't dilute school shares plus paying additional amount so every school makes more money, it doesn't make sense to add us, at least under the current funding paradigm. If that changed so that the proceeds of March Madness were distributed amongst the schools, rather than being used to fund the NCAA, our value takes a quantum leap. If value can be derived from Internet presence sometime in the future, that's something else that we excel at. But those things aren't the current world, so we are left as an interesting, but not quite desirable property.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 8,812
- Reaction Score
- 25,096
I believe we would need 12 votes for the B12.
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 8,812
- Reaction Score
- 25,096
Shame on me for forgetting about Mora calling out pretty much everyone, including us, for not investing in the program and NIL. That criticism changed the course of the football program and I believe it is a proof point on the view that UConn is almost always successful when invested and given a level playing field.
CL82
NCAA Woman's Basketball National Champions
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2011
- Messages
- 62,176
- Reaction Score
- 238,780
You're probably right. I was basing that on a quick scan of the article Dan posted.
Jetskies
Jets + Huskies Fandom = Character Building
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2022
- Messages
- 880
- Reaction Score
- 3,681
I'm at the point where i am feeling that no one will add us as long as we're the shy girl sitting in the corner of the gym at the dance. We're ignorable and so the message is clear - become unignorable.
to get in the P4, just gotta forget about the P4, and focus harder than ever on nothing more than winning against better and better... and better opponents. It's a mountain to climb, but we have climbed mountains before. So... we do it.
Next up (in no particular order):
as long as we're the one knocking on the door to a conference, they won't let us in because they know we're available (psychology is stupid, i know) --- so, keep kicking *** and become the belle of the ball. The phone calls will come on their own. The goals above are hard enough for a program with P4 money, and we're being forced to do it in the desert. Which is why we can. <3
to get in the P4, just gotta forget about the P4, and focus harder than ever on nothing more than winning against better and better... and better opponents. It's a mountain to climb, but we have climbed mountains before. So... we do it.
Next up (in no particular order):
- beat a top 25 (P4) program (not liberty 2022)
- schedule a reasonable P2 big brand and beat them (ole miss? auburn? wisconsin?)
- reasonable, as in a reach but a doable reach... not Ohio State and Oregon.
- go 12-0 or 11-1
- make the CFP
- consistently send skill position players to the NFL draft (not just linemen)
- linemen alone means we had a bad year; skill position guys means we put up serious points and won games.
- get in & win the pop tarts bowl, or similarly prestigious non-CFP bowl
as long as we're the one knocking on the door to a conference, they won't let us in because they know we're available (psychology is stupid, i know) --- so, keep kicking *** and become the belle of the ball. The phone calls will come on their own. The goals above are hard enough for a program with P4 money, and we're being forced to do it in the desert. Which is why we can. <3
Last edited:
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 10,239
- Reaction Score
- 11,222
Isn’t that special. Now, beat Air Force.
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2011
- Messages
- 484
- Reaction Score
- 1,179
That was back in Sept, 2024-maybe we'll be looked at differently now as this growth in FB keeps occuringAdditional info for the skeptics:
Big 12's discussions to add UConn have stalled
The Big 12's conversations about potentially adding UConn as a member have stalled.
"Per sources, the talks stalled and ended up being tabled because of the timing. With the initial season of the 16-team league underway and schools facing uncertainty in the House v. NCAA case as well as looming decisions on revenue share, adding membership simply wasn't a priority.
The decision to table the talks doesn't come as a big surprise. Back when UConn emerged as part of the talks last month, an aura of skepticism hung over the Huskies potentially being added.
At the time, ESPN reported that there needed to be some votes added for the league to get the votes of 12 of the 16 Big 12 presidents it would have needed to add UConn."
That means at least 5 teams didn't want us, and that was that...
Hopefully there's more of an "understanding" between DB and Yormark (ie. postponement or proof of change required before he presents it to presidents again)-I thought I read somewhere that they want to see us putting money (NIL) in football before they'd take all sports teams, or did I misunderstand?
Or maybe I'm just shooting for the stars.
I was there when Skip Holtz was our HC back in 90s and I live in Raleigh, NC and was here during the ACC transfer screw-overs. (I went to bed thinking we were in and Louisville slipped in last minute)--now fast forward to 2025, I can honestly say that those in my part of NC (UNC/NC State/Duke--I am unsure if a Wake Forest lean) ACC schools are pro- UConn coming to ACC as per the local radio talk shows.
But personally, I'd prefer BIG 12 due to future conference stability
Last edited:
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2025
- Messages
- 95
- Reaction Score
- 710
I remember this quote but had forgotten about it until you posted, thanks for sharing.Additional info for the skeptics:
Big 12's discussions to add UConn have stalled
The Big 12's conversations about potentially adding UConn as a member have stalled.
"Per sources, the talks stalled and ended up being tabled because of the timing. With the initial season of the 16-team league underway and schools facing uncertainty in the House v. NCAA case as well as looming decisions on revenue share, adding membership simply wasn't a priority.
The decision to table the talks doesn't come as a big surprise. Back when UConn emerged as part of the talks last month, an aura of skepticism hung over the Huskies potentially being added.
At the time, ESPN reported that there needed to be some votes added for the league to get the votes of 12 of the 16 Big 12 presidents it would have needed to add UConn."
That means at least 5 teams didn't want us, and that was that...
I always thought the "timing" comment was interesting. If it was really a bad time to be discussing it, they never would have been discussing it in the first place. But if people remember correctly, the story about their interest in us came out right before the start of the football season... Then we proceeded to come out and get dismantled by Maryland 50-7 week 1. All of a sudden, the timing was bad to discuss Big XII expansion, lol.
I think they really were interested in adding us and were nearing the support needed. The whole "bring in their hoops now, and give football 5 years to improve" angle seemed to be satisfactory even to those who thought our football would always be bad. One could argue with a Big XII membership on the horizon recruiting would have improved before we were in the league and our football wouldn't be atrocious from day 1, which is what many in the Big XII feared. I can see a clear vision there that is easy to get people to buy into. Get what you want right now, don't worry about the negatives for 5 years... But getting dismantled by a mid tier B1G team (at best) immediately squashed that vision in the minds of the naysayers. The margin of defeat against that quality of opponent confirmed to many at the time we didn't even belong in FBS, nevermind a "power" league.
At that point I think it was impossible for Yormark to get us an invite. Rather than disparage the program and the university for the terrible loss, it was easier to blame it on "bad timing" and table the discussions until the optics were better. It's not really a lie, since it was bad timing for such an embarrassing loss.
It's also why if we have another 9 win season or better, and basketball has another good tourney run, I think we see these discussions pop up again this spring.
Jetskies
Jets + Huskies Fandom = Character Building
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2022
- Messages
- 880
- Reaction Score
- 3,681
normally i would say 1 bad game shouldn't define something as consequential as conference invite talks. I still don't necessarily believe this "maryland" theory is what happened, but if it is, then wouldn't be surprising. For UConn, any game like that is traumatizing to a P4 conference that is eager to preserve its status & chances to survive as consolidation continues.
XII probably fears that either them or the ACC (or maybe both) will cease to exist in the coming years, and they are doing all they can to make sure it's not them. They are super super sensitive to any UConn loss, much less a drubbing like Maryland 2024. That game hurt me.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2025
- Messages
- 95
- Reaction Score
- 710
To elaborate a bit, after losing Oklahoma and Texas and backfilling with 4 "G" candidates the Big XII as a whole was worried about keeping pace with the B1G and SEC in football. To an extent, they and the ACC are already being looked at as "little brother." So any move they make to further that perception can be seen as a big misstep.
I think that is why there was reluctance to bring us in, even if it was basketball this season and football in 2031. But you can assuage those fears a bit by kicking the can down the road in terms of football membership and putting qualifiers in place before extending the offer, both of which they were rumored to be doing. I think this strategy was working and slowly but surely more and more decision makers in the Big XII were coming along to the idea. This is why the rumors started making it into the media. But if the goal is to keep pace with the B1G and SEC in terms of perception and on field performance, bringing in a team that gets absolutely walked by a middle tier B1G team will do the opposite. People were calling us an "FCS program" and to the uninitiated losing by 43 to Maryland plays into that perception.
Perhaps I am looking into it too much, I understand a lot of what I just wrote in both posts on the subject is totally speculative. But again, I don't understand why it was even being discussed if the timing was so poor. It seems much more likely something happened to table the discussions, whether it be the Maryland loss or something else entirely.
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2011
- Messages
- 23,359
- Reaction Score
- 15,380
I don’t buy it. Are fans influenced by that type of loss? Sure. Fans are influenced by a bad drive. University Presidents and ADs are influenced by money, and the predictions about what it means financiallly are set forth in 40 page heavily researched power point presentations. Goldman (or whomever) isn’t redoing their power point because a football team has a bad or good game.
But that’s speculation. I don’t know any more than anyone else.
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2025
- Messages
- 95
- Reaction Score
- 710
I get what you're saying. I know money is the driving force, but I know they are worried about their brand and overall perception of the league as well. Even if they aren't, perceived strength of the league is important because of money involved with the CFP. Coming off a stretch where our best finish in almost 15 years was 6-7, I think it was an uphill battle to convince them we would be competitive in the league and getting demolished just further convinced them we didn't belong. Who knows?
I know the narrative in the media has been we need to convince these leagues we belong in football. But perhaps that's all it is, a media driven narrative.
I'll just always find it odd that it was a good time to discuss us joining, until it wasn't. Unless it was never truly being discussed and the reporting was BS or greatly exaggerated.
Here's what gets me. I've always felt Oklahoma State was a very solid program and one of the best in the Big 12. Okie State is 1-8, 0-6. Is Okie State killing the perception of the Big 12? No. 1 or 2 bad games or even an entire sheety season doesn't mean Okie State won't be back. UConn is rising from the ashes despite roaming independently. It's football. It's coaches, players, support. Any program can rise up given the right people and resources. Screw the narratives
UConn has shown in multiple sports that it wins championships on an even playing field. It is now getting to bowl games without an even playing field. Give UConn the same resources as the rest of the conference and UConn will be competitive.
There are currently 6 P4 programs winless in conference play. I bet UConn hits the ground running in a P4 conference and avoids that blemish
bcu
michigan st
penn st
purdue
okie st
arkansas
UConn has shown in multiple sports that it wins championships on an even playing field. It is now getting to bowl games without an even playing field. Give UConn the same resources as the rest of the conference and UConn will be competitive.
There are currently 6 P4 programs winless in conference play. I bet UConn hits the ground running in a P4 conference and avoids that blemish
bcu
michigan st
penn st
purdue
okie st
arkansas
- Joined
- May 21, 2018
- Messages
- 259
- Reaction Score
- 642
The thing that gets me, we were rejected or didn't have the votes for football by schools that themselves haven't really done much lately. B12 lost their marquee brands in TX and OK. We have THE brand in women's basketball, men's basketball is a new blueblood. I understand football drives the bus but having big brands in 2/3 and a rising football program isn't too shabby. I wish we would/could schedule a couple B12 football games.
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 8,812
- Reaction Score
- 25,096
I agree, but I think we can sell more tickets for these ACC games.
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2011
- Messages
- 13,458
- Reaction Score
- 23,985
And I bet we never go 0-the league in both football and basketball in the same year. That is a really tough thing to do. Only ever done 1 time by the self proclaimed New England’s team so it is a very high bar though I hear they might do it again.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 5,004
- Reaction Score
- 19,304
Becoming interesting is the first step to becoming coveted. And if there are two conferences interested all the better. Keep on winning. The articles are starting to flow about the unappreciated jewel in Connecticut. The basketball is a given. Yormark was pushing for us. Perceptions shift. The ACC has reason to want UConn. We can compete. There are lots of natural and some traditional rivalries. The more this tale of resurrection keeps percolating, perhaps the BIG 12 takes another peek at us. Benedict has his eye on the pulse out there. He'd prefer us in the ACC but there are lots of ideas brewing. Some have advocated for a Big East/ACC merger. Others think a few defections by ACC teams to the SEC/B1G provides the BIG 12 with the opportunity to grab some remnants. Meanwhile, bit by bit, win by win, UConn starts to make More and Mora sense. Stay tuned.
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2025
- Messages
- 105
- Reaction Score
- 647
Saturday was about the perfect selling point for UConn football. An ability to not only compete with but beat power opponents in front of an energized fanbase. That will do wonders long-term to our recruiting, fan engagement and overall pull. It’s the kind of stuff that encourages donors to support even further.
where UConn really belongs is in the B1G. Flagship, public and cold weather. If the B1G took UConn it basically dominates the Northeast market, and programs like BC and Cuse will suffocate in further obscurity. It also provides RU with a local rival leveraging up regional interest. Plus, the B1G needs a credible BB power that delivers. Put UConn in and within 3-4 years it would be in the middle of conference pack.
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 8,812
- Reaction Score
- 25,096
How many games have we played at home this year which you think was played in cold weather? Our first game this year was on August 30th. The high that day was 98 degrees. The day of the game against Duke, the high was 56. This narrative that we are a cold weather team is bogus.
Been outside the last few days?
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 8,812
- Reaction Score
- 25,096
Yes and there were no football games played
I think the weather operates without reference to the day of the day. We’ve had warm weather but I can remember years where sitting in those seats was a matter of mind over matter.