USC and UCLA to the BIG Ten

[uconndogs]

Kids won't "regularly" be traveling 3k miles. Even when they do travel, this isn't the 1970's. They have laptops, tablets, cell phones and ebooks and can do some reading and basic coursework while flying (Even wihtout wifi onboard).

Part of college is prepping you for "real life" and plenty of current workers travel and have to get work don on the fly (Nice pun Chin).

My primary point being that all of this is being done with little consideration for the student athlete........and as these athletic departments essentially become pro franchises these kids will be professional athletes with little if any regard for academics.

........and yeah, I get that aircraft have wifi........

 

[Chin Diesel]

My primary point being that all of this is being done with little consideration for the student athlete........and as these athletic departments essentially become pro franchises these kids will be professional athletes with little if any regard for academics.

........and yeah, I get that aircraft have wifi........

I understand but a 3 hour plane ride isn't much more harsh than a bus ride from Seton Hall back to Storrs. Especially if they are taking charter flights.

I also think for the Olympic and non-revenue sports will go to a regional pod system within the conference and then teams come together for the conference championships.

 

[cohenzone]

So down the road it will be the NCAA league with a different name. How many divisions is one league? The question is when will the monster devour itself. D1 College sports are becoming a big turnoff to me. Trinity students are pretty satisfied to beat Wesleyan.

 

[kibblesnbits]

Well, this certainly makes the Gonzaga to the Big East talk sound less absurd. I hoped that at some point there would be a reorganization into regional leagues in an attempt to mimimize travel costs and try to pretend that D-1 athletes are actually student-athletes. Now I believe we are looking at a hybrid with 2-3 leagues with national audiences and massive footprints with the left-overs creating regional alliances. I will bet some of the best attorneys in the nation will be racking up billable hours in the next few months developing legal theories for dissolving a GOR.

 

[huskysupporter]

Would love if UCONN can get into a regional conference for all sports, including football.

Leftovers from ACC would be perfect.

 

[UConnRock]

Would love if UCONN can get into a regional conference for all sports, including football.

Leftovers from ACC would be perfect.

Shoot for the stars…..Football gets respectable, men’s hoops make a couple of nice tourney runs, women’s hoops stays on track, new president gets UConn into AAU. Then the B1G decides they want to fully conquer NYC and New England. Don’t get me wrong, I would take ACC leftovers, but you have to dream B1G.

 

[Sportsman5]

Shoot for the stars…..Football gets respectable, men’s hoops make a couple of nice tourney runs, women’s hoops stays on track, new president gets UConn into AAU. Then the B1G decides they want to fully conquer NYC and New England. Don’t get me wrong, I would take ACC leftovers, but you have to dream B1G.

Definitely possible.

However, from a $$ perspective UConn doesn't add as much value to the BIG 10 as it does other conferences who have no northeast presence. TV subscriptions and games in New York or Boston are very valuable to conferences not named the ACC or BIG 10. Ex. UConn might give up 1 home football game and 2 basketball games per year to neutral sites in a major north east city for a certain number of years as part of getting invited into a better conference. UConn would probably give up all home football games for 10 years to get an SEC invite haha.

I know it would have sounded insane just 1 week ago, but UConn probably has a better chance of being invited to the PAC 12 than it does the BIG 10 at this point. The jokes about UConn in the SEC seemed insane (and it still is insane) but UConn adds more value in regards to money and exposure to the SEC than it does to the ACC or BIG 10 because it gives them a presence between New York and Boston that contains 20+ million people.

The key for UConn is we (hopefully a few generous boosters) need to pump in NIL money to show that we can compete with the big boys in football. This is a measurable thing that we can use to pitch conferences. I know it would have sounded crazy a few years ago, but showing that we can pay 500k per year for a top 15 ranked high school QB recruit and being competitive every year is actually valuable.

 

[giddyup]

Some fans of the ACC pending junior league teams like BC, Syracuse, Pitt and VTech are already crying that they should be part of a B1G northeast division like the old Big East with PSU and Rutgers. The irony is too rich for words.

 

[RSTuthill]

UConn isn't getting an invite anywhere that is attractive. They will stay independent. JMHO.

 

[shizzle787]

UConn isn't getting an invite anywhere that is attractive. They will stay independent. JMHO.

If enough dominoes fall, we will be in the ACC. It won't take a miracle.

 

[UConnRock]

Some fans of the ACC pending junior league teams like BC, Syracuse, Pitt and VTech are already crying that they should be part of a B1G northeast division like the old Big East with PSU and Rutgers. The irony is too rich for words.

Would BC, Pitt, Syracuse or VT would be more attractive to B1G than UConn? An argument could be made for UConn.

 

[Redding Husky]

Didn’t 5 ACC schools turn us down? Miami, FSU, GT, Clemson, and BC. If some of them are gone, where else can the ACC go but UConn & WVU?

Or maybe the ACC leftovers combine with the Big 12 leftovers?

 

[RSTuthill]

If enough dominoes fall, we will be in the ACC. It won't take a miracle.

Remember the word I used was attractive. A far flung ACC patched together as a salvage project would not be too attractive.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Shoot for the stars…..Football gets respectable, men’s hoops make a couple of nice tourney runs, women’s hoops stays on track, new president gets UConn into AAU. Then the B1G decides they want to fully conquer NYC and New England. Don’t get me wrong, I would take ACC leftovers, but you have to dream B1G.

The B1G would extend an invite even if we were not yet in the AAU, on the understanding that eventually we would be. If UConn football see’s a a long overdue resurgence under Mora, then add two of the best (historically speaking) basketball programs in the country and Penders baseball crew, the academic standing of the school, then I think the B1G seriously looks at inviting UConn. If Mora can manage anything close to a 500 season, the ball starts rolling.

 

[shizzle787]

The B1G would extend an invite even if we were not yet in the AAU, on the understanding that eventually we would be. If UConn football see’s a a long overdue resurgence under Mora, then add two of the best (historically speaking) basketball programs in the country and Penders baseball crew, the academic standing of the school, then I think the B1G seriously looks at inviting UConn. If Mora can manage anything close to a 500 season, the ball starts rolling.

We are not worth $100 million per year. Washington and Oregon aren't even worth that.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

If enough dominoes fall, we will be in the ACC. It won't take a miracle.

Agreed....but the ACC will look like the old Big East by that point.

By the time UConn gets an invite....FSU, Clemson, Miami, North Carolina will definitely be gone. Some combination of NC State, Duke, Virginia, Louisville might be gone. Of course ND will have ended the play 5 ACC teams commitment.

Still probably better than being independent....but it won't be anything near what the ACC is today.

I know that sounds pessimistic...but it's hard to be optimistic with anything regarding conference realignment and UConn.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

We are not worth $100 million per year. Washington and Oregon aren't even worth that.

We are worth that much if we are in the B1G. MSG basketball on the Big Ten Network, mens and womens, you do realize that recruiting for Mora, Hurley and Geno becomes 10 times easier. Ticket sales for women’s games alone throughout the B1G would see a huge increase. UConn has many friends in the B1G.

 

[Stinger92860]

We are not worth $100 million per year. Washington and Oregon aren't even worth that.

This why tiered payouts will be the norm in the not too distant future. What are we worth? 20-25M? Or more?

 

[shizzle787]

Agreed....but the ACC will look like the old Big East by that point.

By the time UConn gets an invite....FSU, Clemson, Miami, North Carolina will definitely be gone. Some combination of NC State, Duke, Virginia, Louisville might be gone. Of course ND will have ended the play 5 ACC teams commitment.

Still probably better than being independent....but it won't be anything near what the ACC is today.

I know that sounds pessimistic...but it's hard to be optimistic with anything regarding conference realignment and UConn.

I don't see the SEC or Big 10 going past 20. My bet is that 4 schools + ND leave the ACC. It would basically be the old Big East + Ga Tech, VaTech, Duke, NC State, Wake. Not playing against Clemson, UNC, Miami, or Florida State is not going to hurt my feelings.

 

[shizzle787]

This why tiered payouts will be the norm in the not too distant future. What are we worth? 20-25M? Or more?

Unlikely. European soccer leagues have already figured this out. The EPL makes more because every club gets the same base amount. However, there is a % determined by performance, which we may see going forward.

 

[shizzle787]

This why tiered payouts will be the norm in the not too distant future. What are we worth? 20-25M? Or more?

Technically, we are worth what we are getting paid now + plus some due to the fact that we are the big brand in the Big East. I would hazard to guess in the range of 15-20 million/year.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Agreed....but the ACC will look like the old Big East by that point.

By the time UConn gets an invite....FSU, Clemson, Miami, North Carolina will definitely be gone. Some combination of NC State, Duke, Virginia, Louisville might be gone. Of course ND will have ended the play 5 ACC teams commitment.

Still probably better than being independent....but it won't be anything near what the ACC is today.

I know that sounds pessimistic...but it's hard to be optimistic with anything regarding conference realignment and UConn.

People are way overvaluing what Miami brings. We are 20 years removed from the early 00's.

 

[huskymedic]

We are not worth $100 million per year. Washington and Oregon aren't even worth that.

We are worth that much if we are in the B1G.

This why tiered payouts will be the norm in the not too distant future. What are we worth? 20-25M? Or more?

Realistic math discussion here:

-> Thompson said the Big Ten’s decision to add two Los Angeles-based universities was rooted in a simple math equation. The 14 existing conference members know they’ll receive approximately $71.4 million per university under the new Fox deal. Adding two more partners only made sense if they could generate a minimum of $143 million in additional distributable revenue. <-

-> The Big Ten appears focused on trying to lure Notre Dame into the fold right now. After that, Oregon and Washington may be of interest to the Big Ten. However, Thompson estimated that those two Pac-12 universities, along with the Oregon and Washington television markets, would only generate an additional $60 million in combined additional revenues.

It doesn’t kill the possibility of Oregon and Washington following USC and UCLA into the conference. It just means that the Big Ten members have two options if they’re going to do it: A) Be OK with about $6 million less annually to have UO and UW in the house; or B) Welcome Oregon and Washington, but inform the newcomers that they won’t get full distributions for a while.

Perhaps this is where Nike founder and long-time Oregon mega-booster Phil Knight might factor. He has ties to ESPN. I wonder if Knight might convince that network to make an investment in the Pac-12 and position the conference to raid the Big 12. Under that scenario the Pac-12 would survive and become the country’s No. 3 conference. Or maybe Knight would simply subsidize the Oregon-Washington entry into the Big Ten. <-

Who’s gonna be our Phil Knight?

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

People are way overvaluing what Miami brings. We are 20 years removed from the early 00's.

It may just be hype....but it feels like Cristobal has brought them back. His recruiting has been amazing. Similar to Mora here, Cristobal is making a difference.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Realistic math discussion here:

-> Thompson said the Big Ten’s decision to add two Los Angeles-based universities was rooted in a simple math equation. The 14 existing conference members know they’ll receive approximately $71.4 million per university under the new Fox deal. Adding two more partners only made sense if they could generate a minimum of $143 million in additional distributable revenue. <-

-> The Big Ten appears focused on trying to lure Notre Dame into the fold right now. After that, Oregon and Washington may be of interest to the Big Ten. However, Thompson estimated that those two Pac-12 universities, along with the Oregon and Washington television markets, would only generate an additional $60 million in combined additional revenues.

It doesn’t kill the possibility of Oregon and Washington following USC and UCLA into the conference. It just means that the Big Ten members have two options if they’re going to do it: A) Be OK with about $6 million less annually to have UO and UW in the house; or B) Welcome Oregon and Washington, but inform the newcomers that they won’t get full distributions for a while.

Perhaps this is where Nike founder and long-time Oregon mega-booster Phil Knight might factor. He has ties to ESPN. I wonder if Knight might convince that network to make an investment in the Pac-12 and position the conference to raid the Big 12. Under that scenario the Pac-12 would survive and become the country’s No. 3 conference. Or maybe Knight would simply subsidize the Oregon-Washington entry into the Big Ten. <-

Who’s gonna be our Phil Knight?

Sound logic, but it has nothing to do with the Northeast metroplex from Boston to Philly and Washington. The B1G would love to have that market, the problem is that no one from Boston to Philly to DC gives a rats @ about Oregon and Washington. They and the BTN need one northeastern school with a rabid fan base and 22 national championship banners hanging in the rafters, and I’m not talking about BC or Rutgers.

 

[hank970]

If enough dominoes fall, we will be in the ACC. It won't take a miracle.

If that many dominoes fall, it'll be the ACC in name only. UConn is and would be better off staying in the new Big East.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

If that many dominoes fall, it'll be the ACC in name only. UConn is and would be better off staying in the new Big East.

Disagree, simply because I don’t think Providence, St Johns, and Georgetown play football at all while at least Wake Forest, Duke and Georgia Tech do field D1 football teams.

 

[huskymedic]

Sound logic, but it has nothing to do with the Northeast metroplex from Boston to Philly and Washington. The B1G would love to have that market, the problem is that no one from Boston to Philly to DC gives a rats @ about Oregon and Washington. They and the BTN need one northeastern school with a rabid fan base and 22 national championship banners hanging in the rafters, and I’m not talking about BC or Rutgers.

The B1G already has Rutgers, Penn State and Maryland. Considering the Pacific Northwest would be new markets for the B1G and the former president of Fox Sports thinks they (UO/UW) still come up short to a magic number - grabbing UConn (and New England) is not going to add $71m+ in distributable accretive revenue annually to their coffers yet alone the $100m you claimed above.

I wish it was so but I don’t see the pixie dust to make it happen.

 

[Slick]

People are way overvaluing what Miami brings. We are 20 years removed from the early 00's.

The NIL is big for Miami. They are paying the QB from Glastonbury over 1 million per year

 

[CONN78SEJ]

The B1G already has Rutgers, Penn State and Maryland. Considering the Pacific Northwest would be new markets for the B1G and the former president of Fox Sports thinks they (UO/UW) still come up short to a magic number - grabbing UConn (and New England) is not going to add $71m+ in distributable accretive revenue annually to their coffers yet alone the $100m you claimed above.

Do you know how many people live per square mile in the Pacific Northwest? Salmon don’t watch the BTN, Lol, and Rutgers brings zero to the table, Maryland is the B1G’s version of West Virginia (just ask FHCRE), and State College is closer to Youngstown Ohio than it is to Philadelphia, much less Madison Square Garden. Your argument is incredibly weak. All I’m saying is if Mora succeeds, anything can happen.