UConn to the NBE?

[billybud]

The Autonomous Five have already broken away...for all intents.

The autonomy measures -- which the power conferences had all but demanded -- will permit those leagues to decide on things such as cost-of-attendance stipends and insurance benefits for players, staff sizes, recruiting rules and mandatory hours spent on individual sports.

A new 80-member voting panel, which will include 15 current players, will determine autonomous policies for the five leagues. The power conferences will also carry more voting power on general NCAA matters. Athletic directors will have a much larger representation than before, when presidents mostly controlled the system. Rice's Leebron called the new governance structure a "shift of responsibility" and a "huge vote of confidence" in the athletic directors and players.

 

[Adios]

People have been predicting the death of the Big East since it split. The only thing that is dying is UConn's athletic program. In a stunning development, joining a southern mid-major conference focused on football and led by compass schools with massive enrollments was a bad fit for UConn sports. Who could have predicted that?

Shut up.

 

[upstater]

I’m not saying higher ed will go away, far from it. I think there’s a chance that it transitions away from the classic campus-based experience and towards more online classes.

Furthermore, I think we’re going to see more and more smaller, expensive private schools fade away. Which helps @Stainmaster ’s point, although it really has nothing to do with the football/basketball school split.

The small private schools are at death's door, really. The only thing that is keeping them afloat right now is the refusal to open more seats at state schools.

I am sure there are ways to transition to a beneficial online class experience (but right now, the data shows online ed has been a big failure because they haven't reimagined education for the space). That being said, there's such a scarcity of resources that you'd have to divert them and spend an enormous amount to create that digital platform. The educational sector is not up to it. The state sector isn't up to it. The private sector isn't up to it. And by the time anyone really spends that money to develop it, there won't be enough people trained in their specialities to make it even worthwhile. Maybe Bill Gates will save us... but he hasn't yet.

 

[gampelcrazies]

Um, people come here and set the vibe for the programs. Waaaaaaa! Georgetown! Waaaaaaa! While the best kids want to play for P5 schools as proven over and over again.

Remember there was an article about dropping football in the Courant not long ago because of douchenozzles like you?

Giving thousands in donations a year, buying football season tickets, buying mbb season tickets, wbb season tickets makes me a douchenozzle?

I want what’s best for this university. For the now the aac is where we are. But if football doesn’t get it together in the next couple seasons it’s time to rethink this whole football thing.

You can’t let a football team keep dragging now the entire athletic department.

 

[Dooley]

Well I have some advice for the football team. WIN. If you start winning you won't have to worry about other schools using message board posts against us in recruiting.

We aren't having these discussions because New Big East fans stir the pot. We are having these discussions because football has been a joke for almost 10 years now. UCONN IS A BASKETBALL SCHOOL! And the New Big East is a better fit for UConn basketball.

This endless debate doesn't just impact football recruiting. The single best and most impactful tool for opposing coaches to use when selling his/her school as being better than yours: instability. There's nothing more unstable than this nonsense. Memphis - who is in the same exact conference - can't get out of the way of 5-star recruits. And yeah, they're probably paying them handsomely and the admission standards are not nearly as high as UConn (a whole other UConn recruiting discussion), they're still loaded and play in the AAC.

This debate does nothing but drive a wedge in between the fanbase and arms our competitors with very easy, very impactful recruiting ammo to keep our top targets away from us. You're falling for what all Villanova or any other, troll wants: keep the debate going so we continue to shoot ourselves in both feet.

 

[uconngb]

Every time this expands, it becomes less credible. For instance, the bit about close ties to the UConn AD. Our guy has southern ties at the biggest football schools. This would be career suicide for him. He would resign long before it ever came to something like this.

I meant the UConn Athletic Dept, not the actual AD

 

[gampelcrazies]

For what it's worth. When I was talking to someone high up in the athletic department about a month ago. I brought up the Big East and said it could be a possibility.

 

[ToolzieFan]

This endless debate doesn't just impact football recruiting. The single best and most impactful tool for opposing coaches to use when selling his/her school as being better than yours: instability. There's nothing more unstable than this nonsense. Memphis - who is in the same exact conference - can't get out of the way of 5-star recruits. And yeah, they're probably paying them handsomely and the admission standards are not nearly as high as UConn (a whole other UConn recruiting discussion), they're still loaded and play in the AAC.

This debate does nothing but drive a wedge in between the fanbase and arms our competitors with very easy, very impactful recruiting ammo to keep our top targets away from us. You're falling for what all Villanova or any other, troll wants: keep the debate going so we continue to shoot ourselves in both feet.

I think the point this misses is that the AAC is a better conference for Memphis than it is for UConn. I know there have been some good basketball teams and that some of the programs are in good position for a few years. Still, it’s a step up for Memphis from the Great Midwest Conference and Conference USA. Since they’ve never been in an elite conference and had some success, the AAC fits them fine. Meanwhile - forgetting about the New Big East for a moment - the AAC is a significant step down from the Big East for UConn. We have no natural rivalries, and we don’t get a tournament in MSG anymore. UConn would have never become an elite program without the Big East, so we can’t assume we can turn around fully in another conference. That’s not to say UConn can’t have success in the AAC; it’s just that saying “Team X is succeeding while in the AAC” ignores the basketball history of UConn and the rest of the conference.

 

[don356]

People have been predicting the death of the Big East since it split. The only thing that is dying is UConn's athletic program. In a stunning development, joining a southern mid-major conference focused on football and led by compass schools with massive enrollments was a bad fit for UConn sports. Who could have predicted that?

I haven't seen anyone predicting the death of any league expect the b12. Those schools aren't going anywhere as all they do is play basketball. Nova's dream at one time was to elevate itself to big time football but it didn't take. P5 conferences aren't taking any non football schools.

 

[Dooley]

I think the point this misses is that the AAC is a better conference for Memphis than it is for UConn. I know there have been some good basketball teams and that some of the programs are in good position for a few years. Still, it’s a step up for Memphis from the Great Midwest Conference and Conference USA. Since they’ve never been in an elite conference and had some success, the AAC fits them fine. Meanwhile - forgetting about the New Big East for a moment - the AAC is a significant step down from the Big East for UConn. We have no natural rivalries, and we don’t get a tournament in MSG anymore. UConn would have never become an elite program without the Big East, so we can’t assume we can turn around fully in another conference. That’s not to say UConn can’t have success in the AAC; it’s just that saying “Team X is succeeding while in the AAC” ignores the basketball history of UConn and the rest of the conference.

A step down from the OLD Big East? Absolutely. But as we all know, that Big East version included Louisville, Pitt, Syracuse, Notre Dame, etc. This version of the Big East is nowhere near that level and also comes with less money and less exposure than what we enjoy today.

If UConn fans spent less time arguing this and more time trying to help out UConn to win in the AAC, then that would surely expedite things. Let our coaches recruit kids without having our fanbase derail those efforts.

 

[gampelcrazies]

A step down from the OLD Big East? Absolutely. But as we all know, that Big East version included Louisville, Pitt, Syracuse, Notre Dame, etc. This version of the Big East is nowhere near that level and also comes with less money and less exposure than what we enjoy today.

If UConn fans spent less time arguing this and more time trying to help out UConn to win in the AAC, then that would surely expedite things. Let our coaches recruit kids without having our fanbase derail those efforts.

What can UConn fans do exactly?

 

[Dooley]

What can UConn fans do exactly?

Stop debating this would be a great start. Goal is stability - presenting a solid, unified "nation". Too much Big East nonsense here and out on social media and in regular media that prospects we recruit are exposed to it at some point or another. That makes it very easy for opposing coaches to plant seeds of doubt in the UConn name and sway those kids elsewhere.

 

[gampelcrazies]

Stop debating this would be a great start. Goal is stability - presenting a solid, unified "nation". Too much Big East nonsense here and out on social media and in regular media that prospects we recruit are exposed to it at some point or another. That makes it very easy for opposing coaches to plant seeds of doubt in the UConn name and sway those kids elsewhere.

The AAC is stable?

 

[UConnNick]

Don't forget for the revenues you are only counting the TV contract. UConn makes several a million a year in bowl revenues too, obviously that money isn't available to the Big East ever.

Also, football is the only sport that can guarantee us checks for 1+ million dollars in Sat. afternoon payday games. It's sad that we're relegated to playing these games, but the current national champs still think there's enough benefit in scheduling us for such games. Join the new Big Least and that money goes bye-bye, along with the football program.

 

[gampelcrazies]

Also, football is the only sport that can guarantee us checks for 1+ million dollars in Sat. afternoon payday games. It's sad that we're relegated to playing these games, but the current national champs still think there's enough benefit in scheduling us for such games. Join the new Big Least and that money goes bye-bye, along with the football program.

So the future of our football program is to get blown out and cash checks?

 

[metsfan2323]

The AAC is stable?

Until the next round of expansion it is at which point UCONN will be in play for at minimum a spot in a reconfigured BIG12.

Stay the course. AAC basketball has caught up with C7 basketball and is in the process of passing them.

 

[Guapo]

I have a #hottake

There are legitimate arguments ~on both sides~

Shocking, I know.

 

[zls44]

Stop debating this would be a great start. Goal is stability - presenting a solid, unified "nation".

This has, literally, and I cannot stress this enough, zero impact.

Every SEC fanbase is completely psychotic and they're doing ok.

 

[zls44]

So the future of our football program is to get blown out and cash checks?

Its the present of the football program, so

 

[UConnNick]

Giving thousands in donations a year, buying football season tickets, buying mbb season tickets, wbb season tickets makes me a douchenozzle?

I want what’s best for this university. For the now the aac is where we are. But if football doesn’t get it together in the next couple seasons it’s time to rethink this whole football thing.

You can’t let a football team keep dragging now the entire athletic department.

Men's and women's BB are also losing money. Should we fire Hurley and Auriemma and get rid of those programs as well? It will be a lot of fun when we join the Northeast Conference as an Olympic sports only program. Wait, I'm not even sure they would take us without the big three revenue producing sports.

 

[gampelcrazies]

Men's and women's BB are also losing money. Should we fire Hurley and Auriemma and get rid of those programs as well? It will be a lot of fun when we join the Northeast Conference as an Olympic sports only program. Wait, I'm not even sure they would take us without the big three revenue producing sports.

What are you talking about? I never brought up money. You did.

And if one of the main reasons we are keeping football is so we can get 1 million dollar checks from Clemson then we should close the entire athletic program down.

At least the other pro football people who argue me with me have better points.

 

[whaler11]

Men's and women's BB are also losing money. Should we fire Hurley and Auriemma and get rid of those programs as well? It will be a lot of fun when we join the Northeast Conference as an Olympic sports only program. Wait, I'm not even sure they would take us without the big three revenue producing sports.

The men’s basketball program doesn’t lose money. The women’s program probably breaks just about even.

 

[Adios]

Giving thousands in donations a year, buying football season tickets, buying mbb season tickets, wbb season tickets makes me a douchenozzle?

I want what’s best for this university. For the now the aac is where we are. But if football doesn’t get it together in the next couple seasons it’s time to rethink this whole football thing.

You can’t let a football team keep dragging now the entire athletic department.

If you want what's best, keep supporting the school. You don't think they are trying to be a P5 school? P5 schools generally agree we are a P5 school.

Hence, this Villanova moron trying to amp up his conference as if it is a viable option. UConn considers Big Ten schools peer schools, not freaking Seton Hall and DePaul and Butler.

You clearly do not understand the dynamics of a modern athletic department. We are not dropping football. One of the dumbest things I've ever heard about UConn. Amazing that obtuse fans can help hold back the program, rather than fight the fight.

 

[UConnNick]

If you want what's best, keep supporting the school. You don't think they are trying to be a P5 school? P5 schools generally agree we are a P5 school.

Hence, this Villanova moron trying to amp up his conference as if it is a viable option. UConn considers Big Ten schools peer schools, not freaking Seton Hall and DePaul and Butler.

You clearly do not understand the dynamics of a modern athletic department. We are not dropping football. One of the dumbest things I've ever heard.

Not only does UCONN consider itself a peer to P5 schools, but the Big 10 officially recognizes UCONN as a P5 school for scheduling purposes. As Butch correctly points out, they do not consider schools like Seton Hall, DePaul and Butler as P5 worthy.

BTW, UCONN isn't spending many millions of dollars to build a new, sorely needed baseball stadium, softball stadium and hockey arena because we're about to drop football and make a move to a lesser conference.

 

[Zissou]

There are many fans that support staying AAC and many that support exploring alternatives. Many on this board have reasoned approaches and intelligently support their views.

Butch is not one of these. He is a frustrated bully that does not have the intellect to support his own position and resorts to insults and name calling to make up for his inability to articulate a reasoned debate. It’s probably why they called him Butch, and he doesn’t even realize it.

Anyway, one path is to stay the course. Remain AAC and keep showing a $40M loss at the expense of taxpayers. Keep growing expenses at the current rate. Record a 1/2 Billion (with a B) over the next 10 years with a half full rent.

An alternative is to cut football expenses in half, to the rest of G5, and save $10M a year. $20M a year spending isn’t sustained on a $7M TV deal that includes both basketball and Football.

I’ll take Seton Hall and Butler. Butler has been to 2 finals in recent memory and the Hall is a competitive regional foe. Keep up those road trips for all sports to Tulane, Tulsa, and East Carolina while you take shots at the Hall.

If you actually get picked by the Big Ten to pair with Rutgers as a regional rival, then you have some standing to look down on the Hall. Until then, calling yourself a Big Ten peer is a stretch, a huge stretch.

 

[uchusky32]

Havent been over here in a while. Good to know we still in the mix to get into P5. Wait what. Next!

 

[whaler11]

P5 schools generally agree we are a P5 school

P5 schools have totally, completely and fully agreed that UConn is not in the P5.

 

[Drew]

Piling on here.

Once again, exit terms:

UConn pays the AAC $10M and has to wait 27 months to leave, OR...
UConn negotiates an early exit (12 months) and pays ~ $11M-$12M

UConn then goes from making $7M/yr in the AAC to making $5M/yr in the nBE.

UConn goes from having revenue games aired on the ESPN/ABC platform to having basketball only on Fox Sports network (a viewership reduction of at least 1/3).

I had hoped the new AAC would put this idiotic idea to rest already but it clearly hasn't. No school, not even UConn, is going to pay $10M-$12M to go to a conference that 1) pays less money; 2) provides far less exposure. That makes absolutely zero sense.

These threads need to be auto-sorted into a BY spam/junk box.

Not to mention the ~$2mm per year in CFP payouts

 

[Adios]

P5 schools have totally, completely and fully agreed that UConn is not in the P5.

No duh. And at the same time, notice we're getting home and homes with P5 schools. Geez.

I'll make a resolution to not mention conference realignment again. The hopefulness people express on here is more a personal reflection than the freaking school. Never imagined Connecticut residents/fans would be so emo/spoiled.

 

[whaler11]

No duh. But notice we're getting home and homes with P5 schools. Geez.

uconn is so p5 that it’s running a 40 million dollar deficit in the aac with a 7 million dollar tv contract that seemingly runs into the next century.

but some p5 dregs will play at rentschler. cool.