Val Ackerman Retires | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Val Ackerman Retires

This is great but we better not lose Benedict because of it....that is my fear. Maybe someone like Jay Wright?
Not sure the other 10 presidents would be in favor of the UConn AD taking over and I don’t think DB would want to take that position anyway. He’s got a pretty good gig and he can out on top if he gets us into a P4.
 
Based on the 2024 FY, we received $2 million more from the BE than any other school

I am incorrect. Looks like it’s somewhere between even and “eat what you kill”. Point remains though, UConn still heavily subsidizes other programs.
 
Finally!!! This is huge - finally might see some positive changes to the conference...or just any change in general is good. Seems like she did absolutely nothing for the league. Doesn't even matter who the next hire is tbh. Just someone different will do wonders.
 
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The great irony is the inevitability of our departure means that we have absolutely zero leverage. The moment we get a P4 offer we're gone. There's nothing that Big East could do to keep us. Because that's true, why should they do anything for us at all?
They shouldn’t. And they won’t. I don’t believe the central office has anything to do with the way the refs call our games — we make the league too much money to want to harm our basketball product — but they are not going to favor us over the other members who they count on staying there.
 
I don't want to just trash Val as who knows if this is a health thing or what, but new leadership was necessary. Val's success is mostly due to Jay Wright, Geno and Hurley.

I don't know what she did specifically to help Villanova become an elite power, but she did work on a very unusual and successful move returning UConn to the Big East - a move that probably would have benefitted a couple of other ACC teams, but "TV Money". At the time she saved the Big East and really helped UConn tremendously.

I don't have too much issue with the TV contracts that have been signed and I think the round-robin in men's basketball is great for fans but hurts the teams in the rankings. I think Val needed to be a bit more aggressive - I think she looked a little too hard at the American and what expansion did there. The Big East will be fine for a couple years thanks to Hurley and Pitino, but Hurley may burn out and Pitino is old. The league isn't really in position to be anything more than a better A10 if UConn, St John's and Nova fall off. It sucks for schools like Providence and Creighton that seem like they are trying and have that non-football anchor now. We all know UConn leaves the minute the next shakedown occurs and there's an opening for a league that sponsors football. Then what happens? She should have taken a few more risks.
 
Do you guys think it is really the commissioner that makes a difference? If it was, we would be full members in the Big 12 by now.
I don't understand why she or any commissioner makes a difference of us getting into the Big 12?
 
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A lot of the trash talk is warranted, BUT I will say the TWO biggest things she did -- and they are major for the success of the Big East:

1) Extended the Big East Tournament - MSG contract (without UConn included)
2) Brought in UConn -- she pushed the presidents to vote yes
 
Not sure the other 10 presidents would be in favor of the UConn AD taking over and I don’t think DB would want to take that position anyway. He’s got a pretty good gig and he can out on top if he gets us into a P4.

Would think the next Big East Commish will be hand selected by the usual suspects -- Nova, PC, SJU, GTOWN, to prioritize the interests of these schools......just like every other Big East Commission we've ever had.
 
A lot of the trash talk is warranted, BUT I will say the TWO biggest things she did -- and they are major for the success of the Big East:

1) Extended the Big East Tournament - MSG contract (without UConn included)
2) Brought in UConn -- she pushed the presidents to vote yes
I have to think the BET was a no brainer. Maybe I'm wrong about that.

And the only people ticked about us coming back to the Big East are PC fans. We've been a cash cow for the league since returning.
 
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Would think the next Big East Commish will be hand selected by the usual suspects -- Nova, PC, SJU, GTOWN, to prioritize the interests of these schools......just like every other Big East Commission we've ever had.
Guaranteed. Shanley is the President of the Board.
 
I have to think the BET was a no brainer. Maybe I'm wrong about that.

And the only people ticked about us coming back to the Big East are PC fans. We've been a cash cow for the league since returning.
Remember the Big Ten was trying to make a play to get into the rotation an MSG. The best they could do was hosting the tourney there the week before the Big East.
 
Based on the 2024 FY, we received $2 million more from the BE than any other school

This is gratifying to see, even though our total distribution is less than $10 million:
IMG_7145.jpeg

Connecticut joined the new Big East in 2021. There's an interesting correlation with revenues:
IMG_7146.jpeg
 
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They shouldn’t. And they won’t. I don’t believe the central office has anything to do with the way the refs call our games — we make the league too much money to want to harm our basketball product — but they are not going to favor us over the other members who they count on staying there.
I agree. That said, if specific refs have vendettas against specific coaches, they should be fired.
 
Interesting that she gave herself a half million dollar bonus in 2024. I'm not sure if that was replicated in 2025. That's a nice little parachute on your way out the door.

IMG_7147.jpeg
 
Interesting that she gave herself a half million dollar bonus in 2024. I'm not sure if that was replicated in 2025. That's a nice little parachute on your way out the door.

View attachment 119845

The idea that the BE commissioner alone rakes in about 25% of what it's league members make in tv dollars is gross.

She really earned it thought, mountaintop and all.
 
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