UConn to Big XII Imminent?

[Waquoit]

Endeavor is hugely influential, if the're in UConn's corner, that will carry weight. It was started by Ari from Entourage.

 

[CL82]

The Big Mover and Shaker to Watch in UConn and the Big 12
By Pete Mundo

As the reports continue to surface around the Big 12 Conference exploring expansion with the UConn Huskies, there is one entity in all of this that should not be overlooked.

That would be the Big 12’s consulting firm, Endeavor.

As ESPN’s Pete Thamel initially reported, Big 12 athletic directors and presidents spent time on a call on Monday where the topic of adding UConn to the conference was discussed.

Then, as we first reported at Heartland College Sports on Monday afternoon, a source shared with us that Endeavor, the agency that consults for the Big 12 Conference, handled a big portion of Monday’s presentation to Big 12 athletic directors and Presidents.

Endeavor’s Big 12 History
Endeavor has worked with the Big 12 for nearly all of Brett Yormark‘s tenure as Big 12 Commissioner. At the time Yormark brought on the company in September of 2022, Karen Brodkin, Co-Head, WME Sports and EVP of Content Strategy and Development, Endeavor, said, “We are proud to bring the full power of the Endeavor network to bear for the Big 12. Brett and his team are innovating, upgrading and commercially accelerating value across the full spectrum of Conference assets, including media, content, partnerships, championship events, music, entertainment, international events and Web3, and we look forward to partnering with them to realize all of their ambitions.”

The agency has been previously accused by some as playing puppet master in the conference realignment game.

Endeavor has played a role in the Big 12 branching out and trying new things in the college sports landscape, like helping plan the Kansas vs. Houston game in Mexico.

The forward-thinking company has been a perfect fit for Yormark’s leadership style in the Big 12 as he pushes the limits for what college sports looks like well into the future.

Why UConn for the Big 12?
As Endeavor noted in the meeting on Monday, based on a source I spoke with, the company is high on UConn for the Big 12, as it would give the conference more leverage in its next television deal by incorporating the New York City and New England markets, to go along with the Huskies’ high brand equity.

For those pointing to Rutgers‘ move to the Big Ten as a failed experiment into the NYC media market, these moves are not comparable. Rutgers football is irrelevant compared to UConn basketball. When it comes to college sports in the Northeast, basketball runs the show. And when it comes to running the show in basketball, there’s UConn, and then there’s a drop off to Syracuse, Villanova, St. John’s, etc.

So with the conversations clearly advancing between both sides, there will be a continued push from the Big 12’s top consultants to seriously consider this move. Now, it’s up to the Big 12 athletic directors and presidents to warm up to it.

Big 12 Expansion: Endeavor Promoting UConn as Possible Addition

As the reports continue to surface around the Big 12 Conference exploring expansion with the UConn Huskies, there is one entity in all of this that should not be overlooked. That would be the Big 12’s consulting firm, Endeavor. As ESPN’s Pete Thamel initially reported, Big 12 athletic directors...

www.heartlandcollegesports.com

I would like that quote. more if it didn't have a fundamentally flawed understanding of the benefit that Rutgers brought to the Big Ten.

 

[CTBasketball]

If you’ve read the tweets in this thread then you’re as informed as anyone. It seems that they’re voting on UConn as an Olympic sports member as soon as 26 and football by 31, provided we hit some financial milestones. We have no other details other than a ballpark of $15mill/year until full membership. People are hoping for a football scheduling agreement in the meantime

No baseball?

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Interesting article I thought I’d drop here on how much it would cost to leave the Big East.

Have they really run the numbers on the travel costs of the Big East compared to the Big 12? I mean Xavier, Creighton and DePaul aren’t exactly road trips for non football sports. Sure the travel costs wil be more but not by as much as you would think.

 

[bendm]

No baseball?

baseball is an olympic sport... and in this context olympic sport = everything other than football that the conference sponsors. big12 doesnt have hockey so that would have to stay where it is. i dont have all the answers you desire, no one does yet.

 

[John]

I never thought Nelson and I would be so fully aligned on an issue, but we are on this one. This is a total quagmire and no one is going to be imune to the potential pain. Right now it is impossible to determine what labor costs will be to be competitive at any given level and that includes the Bamas and Michigans of the world.

Be careful what you wish for........

if that's the attitude then just roll up the big time athletics carpet for UConn and then we'll be safe.

 

[DoctorWho85]

I don't care if they build a new stadium in Vermont... I'll be there for all the home games! Let's goooooo!!!

I wish that was the case for me. I'm stuck in ND for awhile because of school and my job at said school.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

These are the types of details that need to be worked out. UConn can definitely get an invite if uconn agrees to very favorable terms for the big 12, but what UConn wants is a reasonable compromise. Most in the big 12 are willing to meet in the middle, but the key is convincing almost all or all to meet in the middle in order to maintain cohesion within the conference. Some schools want UConn to essentially prove that uconn can win in football before joining the conference and receiving a full share of tv money while most schools are fine with UConn simply showing significant monetary investment first before getting a full and equal share of money.

I guess the game at Maryland on Saturday has a lot more riding on it than just a win or a loss. Even a close loss would be looked at favorably by Big 12 AD’s.

 

[CTBasketball]

I guess the game at Maryland on Saturday has a lot more riding on it than just a win or a loss. Even a close loss would be looked at favorably by Big 12 AD’s.

Don’t kid yourself. Unless we win 45-0 not one game is going to change the public opinion of UConn football.

 

[UConn Dan]

So if FOX is being a c*** blocker then we need AD Dave to march into the NYC office and tell them to ante up some e f f ing money or they'll risk losing having any UConn basketball content when we go to the ACC.

 

[Durks07]

Endeavor is hugely influential, if the're in UConn's corner, that will carry weight. It was started by Ari from Entourage.

 

[gsmooth]

I guess the game at Maryland on Saturday has a lot more riding on it than just a win or a loss. Even a close loss would be looked at favorably by Big 12 AD’s.

I am hoping, I think we all are hoping, that UConn gets invited before that game. Maryland is arguably the toughest team on the schedule for UConn.

 

[bendm]

So if FOX is being a c*** blocker then we need AD Dave to march into the NYC office and tell them to ante up some e f f ing money or they'll risk losing having any UConn basketball content when we go to the ACC.

idk why they can't just renegotiate the BE deal once we leave back down to what it was and give that ~$2mill/year to the BIG12. sounds like espn will cover the rest.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

if that's the attitude then just roll up the big time athletics carpet for UConn and then we'll be safe.

Or, rather than jump on the B12 offer to maybe join in 2031 if they still like us and they are still around, we cool our jets because a big change is about to happen and some of the P4 may decide this big-time athletics thing is not for them.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

idk why they can't just renegotiate the BE deal once we leave back down to what it was and give that ~$2mill/year to the BIG12. sounds like espn will cover the rest.

Relax on Fox. They are negotiating. We don't know what they really need to make this move happen.

 

[king conn]

So if FOX is being a c*** blocker then we need AD Dave to march into the NYC office and tell them to ante up some e f f ing money or they'll risk losing having any UConn basketball content when we go to the ACC.

The reports say ESPN is footing it, which would mean Fox has no say. We can leave the Big East anytime we want as well, they can't hold us there.

 

[businesslawyer]

So much hot air. You know what we actually know? That UConn and the XII are seriously talking. Beyond that, we have a bunch of internet posts where we don't know what any of the sources are, and traditional media then talking about unsourced and unreliable internet posts.

We will know something when we know something.

 

[bendm]

Or, rather than jump on the B12 offer to maybe join in 2031 if they still like us and they are still around, we cool our jets because a big change is about to happen and some of the P4 may decide this big-time athletics thing is not for them.

i wont believe it until i see it. the P3 schools other than maybe NW, Vandy, and UCLA will raise tuition, shut down entire academic departments and get rid of every olympic sport other than bball (and whatever women's sports they need to balance out football for Tile IX sake) before getting rid of football.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Have they really run the numbers on the travel costs of the Big East compared to the Big 12? I mean Xavier, Creighton and DePaul aren’t exactly road trips for non football sports. Sure the travel costs wil be more but not by as much as you would think.

I’m pretty indifferent to changing conferences in general. But those teams would be the closest games to travel too in the Big 12.

Every team except 3 are two time zones away. The competitive disadvantage that we’ll be putting ourselves at would be interesting if we do end up joining.

 

[gsmooth]

So much hot air. You know what we actually know? That UConn and the XII are seriously talking. Beyond that, we have a bunch of internet posts where we don't know what any of the sources are, and traditional media then talking about unsourced and unreliable internet posts.

We will know something when we know something.

Truer words have never been spoken when it comes to forums, blogs, and news cycles in general.

You are forgetting this is the Boneyard. It's like you don't even know us anymore.

 

[psilotic]

I am very curious as to what "financial benchmarks" really means.
We built a $91.7M stadium that we all realize needs upgrades beyond more seating. But the Rent is nowhere near the dump the XL is.
We built a $48M practice facility that has stood the test of time.
Our football budget rivals many P4s. Coaching salaries are admittedly below average but if Mora gets it done the way Edsall did in his first go-round then he'll deserve to be paid as highly as other B12 coaches.
If they want to make increased attendance a standard that's fine. Need some motivation for the hoop-centric, football-resistant part of the fan base to get on board.

 

[UConn Dan]

The reports say ESPN is footing it, which would mean Fox has no say. We can leave the Big East anytime we want as well, they can't hold us there.

The rights are shared. ESPN is adding money to the pot to get us to the Big 12, meaning each team will get an additional piece; Fox is not adding money with our addition, meaning each team will have to take a cut. The net is budget neutral. If Fox adds a little bit, it would be net gain for everyone. Capisce?

 

[superjohn]

i wont believe it until i see it. the P3 schools other than maybe NW, Vandy, and UCLA will raise tuition, shut down entire academic departments and get rid of every olympic sport other than bball (and whatever women's sports they need to balance out football for Tile IX sake) before getting rid of football.

Waylon has been talking about football disappearing in America for the past decade+.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

if that's the attitude then just roll up the big time athletics carpet for UConn and then we'll be safe.

The Big 12 could add us for hoops, and never add us for football. If that happens, you could roll up the big time athletics carpet for UConn.

 

[freescooter]

It got leaked by a Podcaster. I'm sure they hoped this was done behind the scenes. Whoever leaked this wanted to sabotage it.

This has been a huge problem for years. The basketball only folks even within the UConn AD have continually tried to undermine the football program. And for that matter any program they see as challenging basketball’s dominance. Ask former coaches. Ask Cav. While I have zero evidence a NEWBE groupie leaked this, I have no doubt one of the guys who thought our conference issue was done now that we are in the NEWBE leaked this.