UConn to new Big East? What happens to Husky football?

[UConnNick]

Some website called Digital Sports Desk is reporting our basketball programs (and I assume all other Olympic sports) are joining the new Big East prior to the 2020-21 season. At first I thought it was a bad joke on somebody's part, but several posters on the BB board are lending some credence to it.

If true, what happens to our football program? In the past, NBE commissioner Val Ackerman has practically said she'd have to see a wrecking ball taken to PAWS-ARF before they'd entertain the notion of us joining their league.

I hope it's total nonsense, but I'm not sure it is.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Some website called Digital Sports Desk is reporting our basketball programs (and I assume all other Olympic sports) are joining the new Big East prior to the 2020-21 season. At first I thought it was a bad joke on somebody's part, but several posters on the BB board are lending some credence to it.

If true, what happens to our football program? In the past, NBE commissioner Val Ackerman has practically said she'd have to see a wrecking ball taken to PAWS-ARF before they'd entertain the notion of us joining their league.

I hope it's total nonsense, but I'm not sure it is.

The only theory that makes this even semi-plausible is if Fox sets up a scheduling deal that lets us go independent. Say 6 games against P5. I don’t know how else it is even feasible. I doubt the AAC lets us stay for football.

 

[UConnNick]

The only theory that makes this even semi-plausible is if Fox sets up a scheduling deal that lets us go independent. Say 6 games against P5. I don’t know how else it is even feasible. I doubt the AAC lets us stay for football.

There are a few problems with going independent. The biggest is scheduling. If we were ND or BYU it wouldn't be a problem, but nine years of losing seasons makes us about as attractive as New Mexico St. or UTEP.

With no conference tie ins, we get no bowl games...ever, unless we miraculously become BYU or ND.

No bowl games means no bowl money and exposure, and no conference means no shared bowl revenue from the conference.

Also, if we start having to play a strange schedule with teams like Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Monroe, and Middle Tennessee State on our home schedule, who's going to attend the games?

 

[storrsroars]

would some mod please fix the header...

 

[gampelcrazies]

As someone who wants UConn in the new big east. I don’t think nor do I want anything happens to this football program. If they make this move they have a trick up there sleeve for football.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Basketball board spelled UConn correctly in the title of their thread. Football is looking small time right now.
And they have five pages of threads (Only 2 of which are about @Chief00 ).

 

[UCFBfan]

Basketball board spelled UConn correctly in the title of their thread. Football is looking small time right now.
And they have five pages of threads (Only 2 of which are about @Chief00 ).

They have 5 pages because they are blowing their load all over this idea. There's nothing positive about this for the football team unless they have magically convinced the AAC to let us keep our football team and move out the rest of our sports. Why they'd want the worst of all of our programs is beyond me....

Secondly, I'll be honest, I never got the whole hope of our return to the BE. It's not what it was when we left and when all of these big deals are up, it basically seals our fate of ever getting a seat (which was a .01% chance as it was). This isn't going back to playing Pitt, Cause, BC. This is facing Nova and G-Town. To be honest, Nova was the only remaining BE team on the NBE that I ever cared about when we played on the BE. Who really got pumped to play Seton Hall? DePaul??

I don't know. This rumor has been around for awhile....not sure they'd be doing the upgrades they're doing if they knew they were not going to be in a safer spot than independence. If the stadium is not very full now, just wait until that independent schedule comes out....

 

[billybud]

Might as well go small and give up football or go FCS in football as to go indy.

Me? I don't really believe that UConn is ready to throw in the towel and declare that the basketball program can't be a good one in the AAC competing with Memphis, Cincinnati, UCF, et al.

 

[gampelcrazies]

They have 5 pages because they are blowing their load all over this idea. There's nothing positive about this for the football team unless they have magically convinced the AAC to let us keep our football team and move out the rest of our sports. Why they'd want the worst of all of our programs is beyond me....

Secondly, I'll be honest, I never got the whole hope of our return to the BE. It's not what it was when we left and when all of these big deals are up, it basically seals our fate of ever getting a seat (which was a .01% chance as it was). This isn't going back to playing Pitt, Cause, BC. This is facing Nova and G-Town. To be honest, Nova was the only remaining BE team on the NBE that I ever cared about when we played on the BE. Who really got pumped to play Seton Hall? DePaul??

I don't know. This rumor has been around for awhile....not sure they'd be doing the upgrades they're doing if they knew they were not going to be in a safer spot than independence. If the stadium is not very full now, just wait until that independent schedule comes out....

Football isn’t going Indy if this happens.

 

[Palatine]

Nothing abut this in the Courant this morning.

No legit source confirms any of this.

 

[whaler11]

Nothing abut this in the Courant this morning.

No legit source confirms any of this.

lol

 

[Chief00]

The only theory that makes this even semi-plausible is if Fox sets up a scheduling deal that lets us go independent. Say 6 games against P5. I don’t know how else it is even feasible. I doubt the AAC lets us stay for football.

All I can say is Fox Sports is all in on this with $’s. What conferences do they influence?

 

[Stinger92860]

The only theory that makes this even semi-plausible is if Fox sets up a scheduling deal that lets us go independent. Say 6 games against P5. I don’t know how else it is even feasible. I doubt the AAC lets us stay for football.

Even if independent is true, there are no bowl tie-ins and FS can’t contractually agree to 6 games. What is the financial benefit to fox sports that makes them help us our brand? I don’t see it.

 

[Exit 4]

This “story” is Click Bait 101. Ugh.

 

[metsfan2323]

UGH, please don't take away my football team!

Maybe this is why the AAC announced the elimination of divisions.

The school needs to deny this soon or.......

 

[gampelcrazies]

This “story” is Click Bait 101. Ugh.

It could be. But why drop a click bait article late on a Friday night?

 

[Hoophound]

A great UConn basketball team could literally save the Big East from it’s presumed long term fate and it clearly ups the value of the conference to Fox and MSG.

My theory is that this may be a negotiation by which UConn intends to let the AAC see what the value of their deal is without UConn. ESPN will not like losing the UConn basketball teams with ESPN+ needing content. Maybe UConn can get SNY back on the table by pushing this. Even if UConn has nothing to do with this story, they might want to take advantage of it now that it is out there so visibly.

 

[JMick]

A great UConn basketball team could literally save the Big East from it’s presumed long term fate and it clearly ups the value of the conference to Fox and MSG.

My theory is that this may be a negotiation by which UConn intends to let the AAC see what the value of their deal is without UConn. ESPN will not like losing the UConn basketball teams with ESPN+ needing content. Maybe UConn can get SNY back on the table by pushing this. Even if UConn has nothing to do with this story, they might want to take advantage of it now that it is out there so visibly.

this is just as much an f$^#@ you to ESPN if it's true and holds up. and I say good riddance. they can themselves.

 

[huskymedic]

I could care less what the BigEast says - find a UConn comment Jeff.

 

[TMB4405]

Many of my friends who claim to be Uconn fans love this idea. What they fail to realize is we have zero in common with the NBE schools. I would hate this and to me signal the ultimate demise of all Uconn sports.

How about the hoops team win the aac a couple of times before bitching about how bad it is.

 

[gampelcrazies]

Many of my friends who claim to be Uconn fans love this idea. What they fail to realize is we have zero in common with the NBE schools. I would hate this and to me signal the ultimate demise of all Uconn sports.

How about the hoops team win the aac a couple of times before bitching about how bad it is.

How about football finishes over .500? Or is that too much to ask?

 

[metsfan2323]

How about football finishes over .500? Or is that too much to ask?

Get lost. The basketball only fans blaming the AAC for baskeball's demise has always been a laughable belief for ignorant people.

Ollie hurt basketball much more than being in the AAC did. Mick freaking Cronin dominated this league and had Cincy in the tourny every single year, a competent basketball coach could have done the same for UCONN.

 

[Ldandy]

would some mod please fix the header...

Seems ok to me.

 

[Chief00]

Nothing abut this in the Courant this morning.

No legit source confirms any of this.

LOL - I did.

 

[TMB4405]

is

Of course football needs to be better. I just don’t understand the people who believe moving back to a shell of the league we were once in will fix all problems.