UConn to the Big East?

[zls44]

Nova vs PC on prime time got a 0.10?? Is that the real figure? Holy shhh that's awful.

Creighton-Butler and Georgetown-DePaul both did 0.1's in primetime last Tuesday as well.

At the same time on ESPN2, Pitt-UNC drew 5x that audience, followed by WVU-Iowa State drawing 3x that audience.

Gotta give it up to FS1 and the Big East. They're really consistent. They're consistently getting their asses kicked in ratings.

 

[shizzle787]

I will say though I enjoyed their coverage and broadcast they did for our game against Georgetown. Beat the HELL out of listening to Tim Welsh, and Len Elmore chit chat about nothing and just generally better than the product CBSSN tries to put out.

I've watched some Big East games on FS1 and must admit they are way better presentation-wise the AAC on ESPN networks. Also, if we were to join the NBE, their ratings would definitely go up especially if they bumped some of our Saturday games to big FOX.

 

[jibsey]

Butler currently is the only non religious affiliated university in the BE and we would be the second? Just checking.

 

[BUConn10]

At this point one thing going against us in realignment too is that some of these conferences, especialyl a basketball centric one like the Big East, simply may not want more competition from an established power that has shown it can take the spotlight in the right conditions. If I'm Villanova or Xavier in the Big East I may not want to get pushed down the totem pole, rule #1 of UConn CR or whatever.

 

[shizzle787]

At this point one thing going against us in realignment too is that some of these conferences, especialyl a basketball centric one like the Big East, simply may not want more competition from an established power that has shown it can take the spotlight in the right conditions. If I'm Villanova or Xavier in the Big East I may not want to get pushed down the totem pole, rule #1 of UConn CR or whatever.

Believe me, 90% of the fans from Georgetown, Nova, St. John's, etc. would bend over to have UConn back in the conference. UConn needs to get in a power conference (at least in basketball for now), and the Big East needs another big brand and a flaghip.

 

[gampelcrazies]

Does anybody have the ratings for our game vs. G-Town on FOX?

 

[jibsey]

At this point one thing going against us in realignment too is that some of these conferences, especialyl a basketball centric one like the Big East, simply may not want more competition from an established power that has shown it can take the spotlight in the right conditions. If I'm Villanova or Xavier in the Big East I may not want to get pushed down the totem pole, rule #1 of UConn CR or whatever.

The way we are right now, they're afraid of us? LOL

 

[storrsroars]

Does anybody have the ratings for our game vs. G-Town on FOX?

Pretty sure it was a whopping 0.19.

 

[tcf15]

Does anybody have the ratings for our game vs. G-Town on FOX?

Pulled in 764k viewers. Rating was .54.

SKEDBALL: Weekend Sports TV Ratings 1.14-15.2017 | Showbuzz Daily

 

[metsfan2323]

UCONN cannot downgrade football to "Save" basketball. Basketball is down because Jim Calhoun is gone not because of the AAC. We would all be very happy if we were where Cincy is right now. If UCONN needs to save money they can ditch some other sports before football.

Hopefully Fox will bid on the AAC when the contract is up.

Rothstein just needed some clicks.

 

[storrsroars]

Pulled in 764k viewers. Rating was .54.

SKEDBALL: Weekend Sports TV Ratings 1.14-15.2017 | Showbuzz Daily

Thanks for the correction. For whatever reason I cited the FS1 number in my reply.

 

[IMind]

I've said this many times but this is not the solution. We can hardly claim that we are too good for a league where we regularly finish 6th or so. And it is a disgrace that a league with UConn Temple Memphis SMU Cincinnati Tulsa is this bad. Of that group only Cronin has kept his program where it should be. Memphis looks like they are serious but not so sure about the rest.

Temple should be much better than they are. They play in decent arena in a basketball rich town and have easy access to great recruiting markets. They have talent.

 

[freescooter]

Temple should be much better than they are. They play in decent arena in a basketball rich town and have easy access to great recruiting markets. They have talent.

I agree. When this league was formed I wasn't too worried about the hoop side. With the pedigrees we had it looked like a layup that there would be 5 bids most years and if a couple of others stepped up it would be really strong. But you Cincinnati has maintained its program. Everyone else has really taken big steps back. It is disgraceful really.

 

[Excalibur]

Pulled in 764k viewers. Rating was .54.


SKEDBALL: Weekend Sports TV Ratings 1.14-15.2017 | Showbuzz Daily

Looking quickly, that looks like the second highest rating for Saturday college hoops on Fox this season. Butler/G-Town the previous week got a .7, and others have been in the .4 range.

 

[UConnMike04]

Obviously my first choice is the B1G or ACC, however, I don't want to let basketball die while rebuilding football for the chance of an invite in one of these conferences. As long as we can park Football in a semi-decent league (would love the AAC as football only), I'm fully on-board with the new Big East. FS1, ratings be damned. I want interesting match-ups, back in MSG in March, etc. I know football drives the bus and I know we are on a huge upswing with RE 2.0 and recruiting but we have to save basketball (yes, even the women. This league is absolutely trash for them. It's nothing more than a scrimmage).

I'd rather see Nova, PC, GTown, Xavier, Butler, Marquette, even St. John's back on the schedule over ECU, Tulsa, Tulane, UCF/USF, etc. Only teams I have semi-interest in is Temple and Houston and SMU (and they're going to crash and burn shortly). Only team I have full interest in is Cincy.

Put us back in the Big East, give us back some regional and historical rivalries and the tourney in March. Play Cincy OOC. We can't stay where we are and let basketball die while hoping football can someday get us an invite. I'm much more worried about the present than the future at this point. We need to save our brand.

 

[Travelman6]

I agree. When this league was formed I wasn't too worried about the hoop side. With the pedigrees we had it looked like a layup that there would be 5 bids most years and if a couple of others stepped up it would be really strong. But you Cincinnati has maintained its program. Everyone else has really taken big steps back. It is disgraceful really.

SMU has taken a step back? Could have fooled me...

 

[Travelman6]

Obviously my first choice is the B1G or ACC

You are living in a dream world if you think Uconn has a ¨choice¨. Uconn will feel blessed to get into the Big East again, that is if the Big East does not leapfrog Uconn for a superior and more importantly, consistent AAC team, like Cincy or even SMU or go elsewhere to another conference.

 

[Towney007]

Football can have some time, but I don't see why that absolutely means the hoops program should wait around. To be honest, I'm not sure they have the time to.

I mean on the surface, the Big East as a ratings mine doesn't seem like much, but when you look at UConn's schedule, i'd much rather play Georgetown's JV team than see almost any other team in the American. And I mean that. Because there's history. There's a rivalry. There's actual interest. If you're going to tell me that fans wouldn't rather see UConn play Providence than say... USF, East Carolina, UCF and Tulane - you're just nuts. Or even Seton Hall and St. John's at this point... and I'd absolutely eat my left shoe to get Villanova back on the schedule, Georgetown back on the schedule (both twice) and add Butler and Xavier into the mix. And Marquette isn't exactly a storied rivalry, but at least there's a little history there and it's by all accounts a pretty good program. And i'm going to go see UConn play Providence. And I'm going to show up to discount days for Seton Hall and St John's, too I guess. And Creighton is a decent program, too.

I mean in the AAC, you have a sort of, I guess rivalry with Cincinnati (in the loosest sense possible). SMU, Temple and Memphis are the only other real 'interesting' games on the conference schedule. I mean I guess Houston will get there eventually I suppose - but I just don't give two about half of the conference. There's no history there, no shared culture, no nothing. Just another game on a Thursday night.

To me - I think Uconn is a tremendous asset to the Big East across the board - if for nothing that bringing interest back. You're basically looking at your old conference minus Syracuse, Pitt and BC and BC brings nothing to the table anymore, Syracuse is likely to take a big step back in the next few years and Pitt is... Pitt. I guess. Switch that out with a steadily rising Xavier, and strong Butler program.. I'll take that just fine.

As for their ratings, it's FS1. No one watches it anyway with the exception of their UFC shows. And the Big East has a lot of the same problems we do - which is meaningful games in the W-L column and traditional rivalries. Adding UConn adds two interesting games to almost everyone's slate. And New York and stuff.

 

[Travelman6]

I'd rather see Nova, PC, GTown, Xavier, Butler, Marquette, even St. John's back on the schedule over .... Tulsa ....

I am a Uconn fan and I do not know where some of these fans get off sometimes.

Uconn is a grand total of 3-3 vs Tulsa in 3 years and one of those wins was an ugly 47 to 43 stinker. Plus, the next game is doubtful in regards to victory. The three years since Tulsa joined the AAC, they have finished AHEAD of Uconn all 3 times. Maybe Uconn can, I don´t know, try to do better than the team in the standings for once (1 game back this year too, will it be four years running?) and win more often against Tulsa before fans claim they are not interested in Tulsa....IMO this is unwarranted arrogance. But maybe I took it the wrong way.

ECU, Tulane, USF, I will give you that. They are lousy and Uconn better beat the 0 and 11 Bulls.

As for SMU, I have full interest until Uconn can actually consistently make it a game but they have kicked the c==p out of Uconn numerous times...not sure how one could lose interest in actually trying to beat a team on the road which Uconn has failed to do FOUR years in a row, not even making it a game even once, plus getting smoked two years ago after that ugly 47 to 43 game.

Be better than the teams before complaining about the conference made up of those teams. The way some people think, you would think Uconn was crushing this leauge Kansas style. No, they can´t even make it a game on the road vs. SMU, are .500 vs Tulsa, etc.

I mean I guess Houston will get there eventually I suppose -

Uconn is 2 and 4 vs Houston since they joined as far as I recall and this next game is doubtful. If Houston is ¨not there¨I am a little afraid for Uconn who has a losing record vs. them over the past 3.5 years and might have an 0 and 2 record this year...

Again, beat the teams, often, before having misplaced arrogance against them.

 

[IMind]

I like playing Houston, Temple, Memphis, Cinnci and SMU. That's a decent slate. You add in a good non-conference schedule including some old Big East foes... and I think you've got a pretty good mix. Is it my dream conference? No... but if you win 25 games against that schedule... I bet most of our attendance woes go away...

That being said... our attendance is not bad. We average 10k fans and play more than half of our games in a 10k arena. Yes the XL Center could could have better crowds but given the state of attendance declines across all sports... how many more per game are we talking... 2k... probably not 5k. We average 3k fans more and we're in the Top 25 in attendance... We don't have the arenas to average much more than that.

 

[Travelman6]

I like playing Houston, Temple, Memphis, Cinnci and SMU. That's a decent slate.

Add in Tulsa and you got it! If Uconn could play 10 to 12 games per years against them, that is not bad. If they could go 7 and 3 or 8 and 4 with that kind of slate, that would be even better because other than the occasional upset, Uconn will not lose to the other teams and finish a respectful 14 and 4 or 15 and 3, but Uconn is a long way from that. They do need to get decent non conference games. I would love to see more cuse, gtown, miami, providence, the good old rivals.

 

[freescooter]

T-man gets it. UConns problem is UConn not the conference. Cincy and SMU have managed to make some progress just as teams like Gonzaga have in other lesser leagues. Last I looked the Zags were doing pretty well. Memphis succeeded in the old CUSA and Temple did in the old A10. It is easy to blame the conference change but UConn hardly has been the dominant program in a he AAC.

 

[IMind]

It wouldn't surprise me if the people floating the UConn to the Big East were associated with the Big East. Instant ratings boost for a large portion of there TV schedule... also add in the absurdly free addition of the women's team... and you've got a lot of great content. Maybe we do it if Fox takes our football games and gives us a Notre Dame like deal.

 

[UConnfan8]

Football can have some time, but I don't see why that absolutely means the hoops program should wait around. To be honest, I'm not sure they have the time to.

I mean on the surface, the Big East as a ratings mine doesn't seem like much, but when you look at UConn's schedule, i'd much rather play Georgetown's JV team than see almost any other team in the American. And I mean that. Because there's history. There's a rivalry. There's actual interest. If you're going to tell me that fans wouldn't rather see UConn play Providence than say.... USF, East Carolina, UCF and Tulane - you're just nuts. Or even Seton Hall and St. John's at this point.... and I'd absolutely eat my left shoe to get Villanova back on the schedule, Georgetown back on the schedule (both twice) and add Butler and Xavier into the mix. And Marquette isn't exactly a storied rivalry, but at least there's a little history there and it's by all accounts a pretty good program. And i'm going to go see UConn play Providence. And I'm going to show up to discount days for Seton Hall and St John's, too I guess. And Creighton is a decent program, too.

I mean in the AAC, you have a sort of, I guess rivalry with Cincinnati (in the loosest sense possible). SMU, Temple and Memphis are the only other real 'interesting' games on the conference schedule. I mean I guess Houston will get there eventually I suppose - but I just don't give two about half of the conference. There's no history there, no shared culture, no nothing. Just another game on a Thursday night.

To me - I think Uconn is a tremendous asset to the Big East across the board - if for nothing that bringing interest back. You're basically looking at your old conference minus Syracuse, Pitt and BC and BC brings nothing to the table anymore, Syracuse is likely to take a big step back in the next few years and Pitt is.... Pitt. I guess. Switch that out with a steadily rising Xavier, and strong Butler program.. I'll take that just fine.

As for their ratings, it's FS1. No one watches it anyway with the exception of their UFC shows. And the Big East has a lot of the same problems we do - which is meaningful games in the W-L column and traditional rivalries. Adding UConn adds two interesting games to almost everyone's slate. And New York and stuff.

You are correct in every sense, its unfortunate that some people on here just refuse to believe that a P5 conference isn't calling for us anytime soon (evidenced by months ago) and that because of this conference, our basketball team IS falling behind the 8 ball (for WHATEVER reason- Ollie as a coach, non development....WHATEVER) the fact is, is that besides an OOC schedule in November and December (when UConn teams are usually still very raw) there are barely any chances to sneak top 25 wins in or play top 25 talent unless Cincy is having a great year. It makes it THAT much harder for us to make a case to be in the tourney when were having a so so year, and it makes us that much less appealing to the country. It sucks and it sucks to be in this situation, but I have always, always stuck by the mantra that UConn needs to save basketball first, before considering any other sport. Soon enough- I think were going to see (if were not already based on this thread) that UConn basketball needs saving.

 

[KembaStepback]

I don't think anyone is complaining about the top half of the AAC conference. SMU, Cincy, Memphis, Tulsa, Houston, Temple are solid programs. The rest of the conference schedule is a JOKE. ECU, UCF, USF, Tulane are just bad. THIS is the issue people have. Not only are these teams not good, there is no geographical or historical rivalry with any of these teams. I'd MUCH rather play St Johns or Seton Hall. The only cupcake game in the Big East is DePaul.

Bottom line is UConn men's basketball is fine in either conference, IMO. Would I prefer a P5? Of course. But if I were given the choice, I'd want Big East. It's where we belong, honestly. Big East would also boost attendance. People will go to the XL Center for a game against Seton Hall or St. Johns. They don't for ECU or Tulane. Playing the tournament in MSG is also nice. Sure we will have had home court in 2 of the last 3 after this season, but who cares? Playing in MSG is basically a home game and just brings better juice.

 

[Towney007]

I mean in the AAC you have:

-UConn is an elite program
-Cincinnati is a perennial top 25 team
-Memphis and Temple who have some tradition of being very good teams, usually pretty consistent, too. Tulsa's probably the penultimate mediocre team.
-While it's kind of hard to say where SMU is right now, Houston and Tulane are doing a lot of the right things and should only stand to get better.
-UCF, USF and East Carolina are atrocious.

In the Big East you have:

-Villanova is an elite program
-Xavier, Creighton, Butler, Georgetown (less so) and Marquette are perennial top 25 teams
-Providence has a some tradition of being a very good team, fairly consistent.
-Seton Hall and St John's have been mostly bad, but at least have some tradition, some brand recognition and a natural rivalry with UConn.
-DePaul is, was and always will be awful.


So by going there we're with another elite program. Instead of one perennial top 25 opponent we have four or five. Even the bad teams are teams we have history with, geographic location, etc. You know - and Providence.

I DO think the AAC stands to continue to improve. I really do. But it's not the Big East and right now - I just don't think there's much of a discussion which place would be better for UConn hoops. There just isn't.

 

[freescooter]

There is a change that would make a big difference in UConn basketball but it isn't going to the Big East. UConn made the classic error that schools and even professional teams and businesses make when an iconic leader retires. It usually takes a few years of falling performances before you can move on. I actually think we are not there yet but could be in about 2 years if we don't get back to winning games and making it past the first weekend of the dance.

 

[YearoftheHusky]

I am a Uconn fan and I do not know where some of these fans get off sometimes.

Uconn is a grand total of 3-3 vs Tulsa in 3 years and one of those wins was an ugly 47 to 43 stinker. Plus, the next game is doubtful in regards to victory. The three years since Tulsa joined the AAC, they have finished AHEAD of Uconn all 3 times. Maybe Uconn can, I don´t know, try to do better than the team in the standings for once (1 game back this year too, will it be four years running?) and win more often against Tulsa before fans claim they are not interested in Tulsa.....IMO this is unwarranted arrogance. But maybe I took it the wrong way.

ECU, Tulane, USF, I will give you that. They are lousy and Uconn better beat the 0 and 11 Bulls.

As for SMU, I have full interest until Uconn can actually consistently make it a game but they have kicked the c==p out of Uconn numerous times....not sure how one could lose interest in actually trying to beat a team on the road which Uconn has failed to do FOUR years in a row, not even making it a game even once, plus getting smoked two years ago after that ugly 47 to 43 game.

Be better than the teams before complaining about the conference made up of those teams. The way some people think, you would think Uconn was crushing this leauge Kansas style. No, they can´t even make it a game on the road vs. SMU, are .500 vs Tulsa, etc.



Uconn is 2 and 4 vs Houston since they joined as far as I recall and this next game is doubtful. If Houston is ¨not there¨I am a little afraid for Uconn who has a losing record vs. them over the past 3.5 years and might have an 0 and 2 record this year....

Again, beat the teams, often, before having misplaced arrogance against them.

In his defense, we could be 15-0 or 0-15 against Tulsa and I'd still rather see our old conference foes. No one is debating we have underperformed but I don't know how you can debate Tulsa is a draw.

 

[don356]

Fox Sports did that Big East tv deal when they were trying to force themselves into the market. At the rate subscriber numbers are going, the next deal will be much less if in fact they want to retain it or go elsewhere for content. That thing bleeds $.

 

[gampelcrazies]

When does there tv contract end. I can see ESPN buying back the rights