UConn to Big XII Imminent?

[bendm]

I can understand Utah... In terms of ASU, it seems like their wild-ass President was hell bent to stay in the Pac iirc and went kicking and screaming into the Big12. Was it because he didn't want to associate with the lesser academic schools of the Big12 as compared to the Pac? Wondering if our academics might help with him? Just looked up his bio and lo and behold he got his Masters and PhD from Syracuse. Sigh.

Idk the reason maybe they get a lot of students from California and there’s no CA universities in the big12, but ASU shouldn’t be pretending it’s as an elite academic institution.

 

[huskymedic]

maybe I’m totally wrong but in all the successful realignment bids over the years is it not quite rare to have reports of “hard no” votes against a school that is ultimately added?

Seems there’s usually a consensus when it happens, and frankly there should be. Not a great way to be welcomed in, with multiple prospective conference mates saying yeah no thanks

Happens…

Conference Realignment: ACC still does not have votes to add Cal and Stanford

Will the ACC expand and add the two west coast teams?

www.si.com

“In an earlier report that came out a couple of weeks ago, it was Florida State, Clemson, North Carolina, and NC State that were voting against adding both schools and one vote would need to flip if Cal and Stanford wanted to join the conference (expanding requires 12 out of 15 votes). From what Marcello is reporting, it does not sound like any of those schools have flipped their votes.”

Things is Dodd doesn’t even allude to what leadership level his UConn temperature check occurred at (Conference? University President? AD?, Assoc AD?, Head Coach?).

 

[cellocgg]

Are we? 8 schools literally leaked their votes today lol

This was yesterday

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Idk the reason but ASU shouldn’t be pretending it’s as an elite academic institution

Yup, but like all these pretenders on the academic side, they do. They are big in research and got AAU status in 2023.

 

[superjohn]

We are held to a different standard because we aren't in a power conference. We will always be held to a different standard until that changes. Some people really don't understand this.

This is the problem, I can't believe people fail to understand it.

We're used and abused right now. The networks know how much we're worth but they want us on the cheap. The power football schools know how valuable UConn basketball is but they still want to pretend football is the only thing that matters. Yormark totally gets it and some of these schools he absolutely saved seem to not give a care about the man who single-handedly saved their conference and saved so many of these schools.

 

[superjohn]

Idk the reason maybe they get a lot of students from California and there’s no CA universities in the big12, but ASU shouldn’t be pretending it’s as an elite academic institution.

ASU has elite coeds.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

ASU has elite coeds.

That doesn't hurt.

 

[JohnFSilver]

remember when acc didn’t want smu, cal and Stanford and the national media begged acc to take them. and, someone said that smu is a joke in that conference.
but uconn tries to position itself long term, for shame!

 

[JohnFSilver]

ASU has a 100% acceptance rate. I don’t want to listen about big 12 academics. UConn dwarfs those schools.

 

[Viet Vet]

The Arizona Schools are in the Pacific Time Zone for at least 6 weeks at the start of Football season as AZ does not change its time in the fall or the spring. It is on MST in the winter and early sprng, and PDT in the summer and early fall.

USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington will travel across the continent to Rutgers. Are we too fragile to travel to Arizona/ASU?

 

[ZooCougar]

USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington will travel across the continent to Rutgers. Are we too fragile to travel to Arizona/ASU?

He's 100% a troll.

 

[Waquoit]

ASU has a 100% acceptance rate. I don’t want to listen about big 12 academics. UConn dwarfs those schools.

I remember reading that "if Disney World had a Collegeland, it would be ASU."

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

So a lot of people are wondering about why the Big12 is contemplating UConn now as opposed to later/if-when the ACC implodes. Why might that be? Could it be:
1- ESPN is signaling that they will execute the ACC media deal before next Feb so Yormark wants to make his next move now, possibly because...
2- the Big12 needs UConn now to push a Big12 Network deal over the goal line?
3- and/or maybe Allstate wants a northeast presence before agreeing to a naming rights deal?

What else??

 

[jostar1]

So a lot of people are wondering about why the Big12 is contemplating UConn now as opposed to later/if-when the ACC implodes. Why might that be? Could it be:
1- ESPN is signaling that they will execute the ACC media deal before next Feb so Yormark wants to make his next move now, possibly because...
2- the Big12 needs UConn now to push a Big12 Network deal over the goal line?
3- and/or maybe Allstate wants a northeast presence before agreeing to a naming rights deal?

What else??

He wants 3-4 years of UConn's presence in the Big 12 before he starts negotiating the next TV contract.

Yormark was smart enough to get a stipulation in the current contract that he can negotiate football and basketball separately in the next contract.

Contract language, strong basketball identity could present options for Yormark, Big 12 down the road

“In our recent TV negotiations, which obviously were concluded about a year ago – we gave ourselves some optionality when you think about our back-end rights,” Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said at Big 12 Basketball Media Days. “Not only to renew in the traditional format, but also to potentially break apart basketball from football.”

“I think my job as commissioner, our job as a conference office is to explore all options, and to further monetize what we do, and to create value for our member institutions,” he said. “So, if the situation presents itself where we can create more value by decoupling football from basketball, we’ll pursue it, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to do it. It’s all about the value equation. At least we have the optionality to pursue that if we feel that’s appropriate.”

https://www.wboy.com/goldandbluenation/could-big-12-have-separate-media-rights-deals-for-basketball-football-in-the-future/#:~:text=As%20it%20stands%2C%20the%20Big,some%20flexibility%20down%20the%20road.

 

[upstater]

So a lot of people are wondering about why the Big12 is contemplating UConn now as opposed to later/if-when the ACC implodes. Why might that be? Could it be:
1- ESPN is signaling that they will execute the ACC media deal before next Feb so Yormark wants to make his next move now, possibly because...
2- the Big12 needs UConn now to push a Big12 Network deal over the goal line?
3- and/or maybe Allstate wants a northeast presence before agreeing to a naming rights deal?

What else??

It's because the B12 wants a northeast presence and the meltdown of the ACC isn't going to help it in that regard more than a UConn addition. So no BC and no Syracuse. Pittsburgh is a natural along with Virginia Tech.

 

[GoConn]

Yormark smirking when UConn is brought up

 

[Exit 4]

So a lot of people are wondering about why the Big12 is contemplating UConn now as opposed to later/if-when the ACC implodes. Why might that be? Could it be:
1- ESPN is signaling that they will execute the ACC media deal before next Feb so Yormark wants to make his next move now, possibly because...
2- the Big12 needs UConn now to push a Big12 Network deal over the goal line?
3- and/or maybe Allstate wants a northeast presence before agreeing to a naming rights deal?

What else??

1) Its Yormark & Endeavor, his consulting team that is pushing for UConn more than the B12 itself.
2) They know the value of UConn Mens and Womens BB in the northeast, particularly in markets like NY. In fact, UConn's Womens program performs, from a media standard point, as if it was a second above average Mens program. When you buy UConn you get basically two basketball assets for the price of one. We have the facts to support this and we are selling it.
3) ESPN is (finally?!?) willing to help in a meaningful way, making this financially viable. Every expansion/move in conf realignment has required willing media partners. Not clear we have had the financial support in the past.
4) Adding UConn gets their conf brand into a completely new and very large northeast market (builds on large markets with TX & FL). Yormark is clear in that video clip posted this evening he is valuing new markets. More markets is good for ideas such as the All State naming plan.
5) Why now? Get us in now to help juice that next contract in 2031. Get us now for better leverage when some other ACC schools become available.

 

[cellocgg]

Yormark smirking when UConn is brought up

feels weird hearing him talk after seeing his face plastered on YouTube thumbnails

 

[jostar1]

Yormark smirking when UConn is brought up

Would he be smiling like that when UConn was brought up if things weren't going well?

 

[UDann]

We are held to a different standard because we aren't in a power conference. We will always be held to a different standard until that changes. Some people really don't understand this.

I agree except none of those teams lost to Holy Cross. By far the worst game I ever had the displeasure to watch in person.

 

[metsfan2323]

Yormark smirking when UConn is brought up

That interview is actually very encouraging, there is reason to hope!

 

[ctchamps]

Would he be smiling like that when UConn was brought up if things weren't going well?

Some people here will spin he had a bout of gas.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

One thing that makes me feel better about this go-around of Conference Realignment is that the Big East has actually been pretty good for us and its hard to feel bad about where the basketball program is right now. Whether its the B12 now, or the ACC after FSU/Clemson bolt, I feel better about our long-term prospects than I used to.

That being said, conference realignment always rubs our face in the dirt, so I'm ready for that too.

 

[Sloth55]

Would he be smiling like that when UConn was brought up if things weren't going well?

Him envisioning us getting another swift kick to the balls might be cause for a smile.

 

[CL82]

Would he be smiling like that when UConn was brought up if things weren't going well?

I don't know he kind of seem to justify presenting Connecticut as a candidate and he hit the "value "pretty hard.