UConn to Big East May Be Gaining Steam

[dennismenace]

You can enjoy living in your head. What you just described is not the way of the future. In 20 years from know when P5 schools are paying players' salaries and providing family members with housing, there will be no quality player that will turn down P5 for any other conference, not even the Big East. You may think this sounds preposterous, but this is exactly what the P5 schools are looking to do by shifting away from the NCAA and making public their desire for a split. I believe the B1G is already providing 4-year scholarship guarantees for its student-athletes, with more changes like that on the way. Bottom line, you are deluded into thinking that just because the Big East, A10, and other non-P5 basketball leagues have historically competed with the P5, that will always be the reality. That doesn't become truth just because it makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. 20 years from now, the BE tournament will be on the same level as the NE10 or the Little East Tournament. Playing Georgetown or Villanova will mean nothing when the quality of play will be worse than the Fieldhouse days.

You may want to turn this program into ECSU or Conn College, but the rest of us sure as hell don't. We enjoy UConn being a big time, "blue blood" institution whose athletic department can compete with any of the top schools in the nation. And we will get "nasty" about it when people try to destroy what so many people have worked so hard to build.

I believe you are right. The rest of the pieces are in place including academics. Football seems to be starting to track. Good articles on the BY today by a reporter on why UConn and BYU should be admitted to the Big 12. Though I am not a FB fan yet, the thought of Texas or Oklahoma coming to CT or Yankee Stadium sounds pretty awesome.

 

[lange10]

I don't see what's difficult, to be honest. I never played football; in fact my high school didn't even have a team. I've never enjoyed college football. But, like many of you once were/currently are, I am a student at UConn. I have pride in my university - no matter the sport. I am a die hard men's basketball fan. My grades and productivity level certainly slipped once I discovered this site and became hooked on following recruiting. If you attended/are attending UConn support each damn team. You don't like college football? Suck it up, I don't either but the tailgates with my buddies are crazy fun, the product on the field is getting better and better each year under Bobby D, and most importantly FOOTBALL DRIVES THE BUS. Fill the rent vs Maine, UVA and Cuse and you basketball junkies will be very, very happy a few years from now when Kansas is in town and the atmosphere is comparable to the old big east days. My freshman year was our first year in the AAC, also our most recent national championship so I can't complain. Best weekend of my life. But god damn am I tired of playing Tulane and ECU in front of a lackluster 8,000 fans at gampel. I get it. They don't sell. Solution? Start caring about UConn football, round up your buddies, and fill the rent. Then we will never have to call ECU a conference game again. See you September 1st at the rent.

Edit: sorry for the rambling. Toilet thoughts.

TL;DR: fill the rent, if you go in with an open mind UConn football and the game day experience will grow on you. Basketball junkies, in doing so we will finally never have to call ECU a conference opponent again.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Wow. Some of this is so foreign to me. I move to CT when I was 5, from KC. I grew up a Nebraska fan mostly, but liked Michigan due to cool uniforms and "Hail to the Victors". I knew every college team in all the conferences from those days (70's) and watched games with my dad. He introduced me to UConn basketball in the late 70's, going to see them at the Civic center (Corny, McKay, Bailey etc.) and then I went to UConn in 1984. Did I go to every UConn football game? No, maybe half of them. It was 1AA...minor leagues. That was frustrating. I went to almost every soccer game and every basketball game. Then Law-school in Kansas (which actually had good teams from 91-94). D1 football was a blast.

I've never been to the Rent, mostly because I'm out of state and coach basketball on Saturdays. But I plan to fix that this year now that I'm not coaching (will still probably need to skip one of my daughter's games, in what will be her last season). Nothing is more exciting to me than the prospect of UConn stepping up and really competing in big time football. The Big East was 3/4 of the way there, but as a kid from KC, the Big 12 is another level. We have to do what we can to make it happen. And I can't even imagine seeing my two alma maters playing hoops regularly. Playing hoops in the new Big East? That's ok I guess. But let's not pretend it's the old Big East.

 

[Confident Carl]

Actually your numbers are somewhat inaccurate.
Every AAC member earned almost $2million in football playoff money from the NCAA plus
$1.5 million from ESPN
.5 million from CBS
That's about the same as the Big East gets with 4 times the exposure.
The most important thing is football particularly if Successfull keeps you in the game
The AAC is still earning revenue fron our 2011 NC, Louisville's 2013' and UConn's 2014
Last year was a good year for the Big East but I doubt we could get any money as a new member.

UCONN if not invited to the B12 would receive their piece of the exit money which would be between 20- 40 Million depending on how many teams leave. I don't want UCONN to go backwards. UMASS is dying to get in to the AAC. They had football in the MAC and Bball is in the A-10. That set up sucks and some boneheads want a similar fate for UCONN? Granted the Big East get's paid more but it's a similar model. Besides the MAC
wouldn't want UCONN for football only anyway. They booted UMASS who is no struggling to survive as an Independed in football. So that leaves CUSA or the Sunbelt for UCONN??? - NO THANK YOU!
And don't forget UCONN would have to pay. 10 Million exit fee as well!

UCONN won a Men's and 3 Women's National Championships in Bball as members of the AAC. The league has done very well all things considered. The AAC is lead by one of the best sports TV execs in the business in Mike Aresco. Hopefully after losing several teams they will restructure and Aresco can get a better TV deal. I am still leaving the door open for an ACC or B1G invite in the next several years.

 

[huskiesNhoos]

Again, why sacrifice even 4 Saturdays if you just don't care about going and think the experience is sorta meh?

Because you're the key to improving our chances in conference realignment...also, bring like 5000 friends...

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I posted the other day how UConn could survive the next 7 or 8 years
What people on this board fail to grasp is the AAC has been the most successful G5 conference with its potential flagship, UConn a football no show.
With a successful UConn,Temple,and Navy programs no other conference will match the AAC . I even think you could break a Airforce or someone else loose from the MW . Especially since there are zero exspansion candidates who move the needle.
A dominate UConn football team in the AAC more than negates the loss of a Houston or Cinn. A dominate wall to wall top ten UConn BB team wouldn't hurt either.
My chief concern was BB conference depth with the loss of Cinn.

 

[djct1999]

I posted the other day how UConn could survive the next 7 or 8 years
What people on this board fail to grasp is the AAC has been the most successful G5 conference with its potential flagship, UConn a football no show.
With a successful UConn,Temple,and Navy programs no other conference will match the AAC . I even think you could break a Airforce or someone else loose from the MW . Especially since there are zero exspansion candidates who move the needle.
A dominate UConn football team in the AAC more than negates the loss of a Houston or Cinn. A dominate wall to wall top ten UConn BB team wouldn't hurt either.
My chief concern was BB conference depth with the loss of Cinn.

This is simply unrealistic.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

This is simply unrealistic.

Show me something better. I never claimed perfection .
I have one objective :
How does UConn survive intact the next 8 years intact?

There are no other options that don't involve the slow death of UConn sports.
Every Conference is defined by its top teams .
If UConn football is successful we drag the whole AAC with us.

 

[djct1999]

Show me something better. I never claimed perfection .
I have one objective :
How does UConn survive intact the next 8 years intact?

There are no other options that don't involve the slow death of UConn sports.
Every Conference is defined by its top teams .
If UConn football is successful we drag the whole AAC with us.

That is why this round of realignment is vital. For the ones left on the outside, they most likely won't remain intact for another 8 years. A team like Purdue or Wake Forest will be making 30-50 mil per year. The AAC will make less than 5. In what world do you live in where that is sustainable for 8 more years?

 

[intlzncster]

Do you ever contribute useful posts about UConn athletics or this website just a venue for you to piss people off?

Sr Testiculo and Charlie Sheen have taken direct offense to this insinuation.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

That is why this round of realignment is vital. For the ones left on the outside, they most likely won't remain intact for another 8 years. A team like Purdue or Wake Forest will be making 30-50 mil per year. The AAC will make less than 5. In what world do you live in where that is sustainable for 8 more years?

That's completly illogical
If and I believe is very doable, UConn football can be revenue neutral ,why would you destroy that sport simply because it doesn't make enough money to subsidize all the other sports that are drags on the system. You have to make a decision on what non revenue sports you will support. Without football you die.
P5 allows you to subsidize the non revenue earners ,which would be great
If your aim is to iliminate the subsidy compleletly than you have to drop all sports except men's basketball.
Every other sport including women's basketball loses money

 

[TheChamps990411]

This has everything to do with football. If our football program didnt stink we`d be in a p5 and discussing more important matters like whose cheerleaders are hotter? Its a disgrace that a bball program like Uconn is sitting in a sh@t conference because football runs the world.

 

[djct1999]

That's completly illogical
If and I believe is very doable, UConn football can be revenue neutral ,why would you destroy that sport simply because it doesn't make enough money to subsidize all the other sports that are drags on the system. You have to make a decision on what non revenue sports you will support. Without football you die.
P5 allows you to subsidize the non revenue earners ,which would be great
If your aim is to iliminate the subsidy compleletly than you have to drop all sports except men's basketball.
Every other sport including women's basketball loses money

So in this little fantasy of your does Diaco coach for 8 years? In my world, if we remain in the AAC, he bolts for first legitimate P5 job and we start the rebuild all over again. Until that coach bolts. Rinse repeat. In the interim the once strong brand of men's and woman's hoops takes a significant hit. The men because of conference affiliation and the women because Geno retires. Then what? Reality is our athletic department won't resemble anything like it does now. So again, if we are looked over now, we surely won't be more attractive 8 years from now.

 

[mauconnfan]

Since HCRE coached at least 3 more years after Deep stopped going to games, I stand by my assumption.

Ok so he wasn't the only one? I'm okay with that but he was a plain awful hire from day 1 we can agree on that right?

 

[mauconnfan]

You alone can't make it happen, just like one vote does not make a difference in an election, but you have to start somewhere and there are thousands like you. Based on what you are saying, you sound like the classic fair-weather fan: when they win and they are good you are there, when they are not you jump ship. UConn is clearly guilty in part of you feeling like you do; moves like hiring PP were a killer, but all the evidence is there to demonstrate that they get it now and that the program is moving in the right direction.

As for my comment that you liking the Giants makes it even more frustrating, the reason I feel like that is because you clearly like football. I cannot fault anyone for not coming to UConn football games if they despise football, but if you do like football and are a UConn fan and/or alum, you are doing the school a disservice by not attending the games you can afford to attend and are able to attend. And when I say "you", I am referring to everyone that feels the same as you; this is by no means a personal attack.

Duly noted and well stated. I am ok with these thoughts and I try to get to the games when I can. If they win early this year and peak my interest I will make it happen and will even bring Deepster how's that?

 

[Waquoit]

Ok so he wasn't the only one? I'm okay with that but he was a plain awful hire from day 1 we can agree on that right?

It was brutal. Plus we gave him one more year than he deserved.

 

[SubbaBub]

My decision to not renew had nothing to do with the coach. The last season I had tickets, I went in for 1 of the 6 home games and hung out in the parking lot the other 5 (with Mau for 1 of those).

I just don't like college football that much and UConn football really doesn't interest me at all. I tried. I've turned down free tickets to individual games for the last 2, maybe 3 years now.

You don't personally need to go, watch, or care. If you care about UConn athletics, then you must acknowledge that it's prosperity is directly tied to getting into one of the power leagues. It's not even a question, it's going to play out that way.

 

[Husky Pete]

You don't personally need to go, watch, or care. If you care about UConn athletics, then you must acknowledge that it's prosperity is directly tied to getting into one of the power leagues. It's not even a question, it's going to play out that way.

Amen, Brother. Buy tickets and give them away, if you can afford to, and don't want to go to the games. These are desperate times.

 

[Deepster]

Sr Testiculo and Charlie Sheen have taken direct offense to this insinuation.

How quickly the unwashed masses forget my superpowers. I mean, it's pretty much everyday Kemba reels off 5 in 5 nights at the BET, then 6 more in the Dance, right?

 

[freescooter]

Agreed. If we don't get a P5 invite, the decision to upgrade football and the manner in which we went about it are colossal institutional failures for which we'll be paying the price for a very long time.

The real problem is that we waited 5-10 years too long to upgrade. Had we done so when the Big East was formed in football, the early 90s we'd be a football school already and looked on as one. Coming in in 2003 despite some success we just don't get looked at as a "real" program. They could have ups and downs, and they all have, even the serious names. We don't have enough of a history to overcome the downs.

 

[Deepster]

You don't personally need to go, watch, or care. If you care about UConn athletics, then you must acknowledge that it's prosperity is directly tied to getting into one of the power leagues. It's not even a question, it's going to play out that way.

I don't know that I agree. I wouldn't complain for a second if the men's program never got to another Final Four again. They've far, far, far surpassed anything I could have hoped for. I'm not greedy. And I still wouldn't watch the other sports if "UConn Athletics" grew. I'm a men's basketball fan. And I don't think I'm alone.

 

[August_West]

How quickly the unwashed masses forget my superpowers. I mean, it's pretty much everyday Kemba reels off 5 in 5 nights at the BET, then 6 more in the Dance, right?

The general publics hatred for you fuels this board.


(...... And fuels my enjoyment of said board)

 

[bluejaybud]

Creighton basketball fan here, been lurking around since news about Big 12 expansion came out. I have to say, I find it preposterous to think that Villanova will be resigned to the same fate as Incarnate Word if/when the P5 split from the NCAA occurs...I also find it preposterous to think that P5 schools, who have an entire football team's worth of players to pay, would be able to outrun the BE financially when the BE only has to pay for 13 scholarship basketball players. Do you seriously think more than, say, 10 to 15 players per year in all of D-1 athletics will make more than 500k while still in school? I will admit my knowledge on how tv money works is very rusty, but when you don't have a football program to finance you give yourself a lot more breathing room for the basketball program

Lastly, I don't see how any "March Madness" style tournament game the P5 forms after breaking off doesn't include the 3rd best basketball conference in the country, with programs like Nova G'town Marquette etc. being left out. CBB is the sport of the underdog. You already ruin the tournament by stamping out the chance for exciting upsets. Excluding some of the nation's most storied programs seems like suicide.

There are things to discuss when it comes to the future of CBB and how it relates to what is happening with football-driven realignment. But, I just don't see how the Big East will "fall behind". It doesn't seem feasible to me. With the way the conference has performed since the reformation a few years ago, its still clearly one of the best conferences for basketball, top to bottom.

 

[Deepster]

The general publics hatred for you fuels this board.


(. And fuels my enjoyment of said board)

Ive been here a long time. Long enough to know with 100% certainty that I say what lots of other people think and don't post. I'm fine with that.

 

[Fishy]

In this instance, I think you've taken on the role of representing the silent nitwits.

Root for basketball, but pray for football because we're cooked if we can't find a spot in one of the P5's.