What’s ahead for UConn as it enters first ‘real offseason’ in portal, NIL era

[bendm]

Could impending rev-share changes help Cinderellas in the future? 'Everybody will be in the game'

This needs to be bumped to infinity. some noteworthy quotes:

Though Big East budgets are a fraction of those in the power leagues — their schools earn $4 million to $5 million annually in conference distribution compared to $40 million-plus in the P4 — Big East members are financially strong enough, with donations, university subsidies and basketball revenues, to share a portion of the $20.5 million.

As many as a dozen non-power league Division I schools — many of them in the Big East — are planning to spend at least $5 million on their men’s basketball roster next year, with a smaller group hoping to reach the $6 million and $7 million marks, those with knowledge of the plans told Yahoo Sports.

“In the Big East,” says Duke athletic director Nina King, “their basketball revenue-share portion will be a lot more than what those of us can do who have Division I power football programs.”

“Big East schools next year can pay $6 million or more to their basketball team,” said Houston athletic director Eddie Nunez, “and that’s a game-changer.”

Though he declined to comment on his distribution plan, UConn athletic director David Benedict believes that “at minimum” schools need $5 million for a men’s roster, $1 million to $2 million for a women’s roster and in the “neighborhood of $5 million” for a Group of Six football roster. Such figures, he believes, will put those teams near the top of their respective sports in the revenue-share era.

 

[boog204]

One thought about the Portal is that the National Champion is really handicapped. It's like picking last in the draft. You have to wait so much longer to have access to the pool of players. So winning two years in a row didn't help us in the portal. Remember, we didn't do well after 2023 either until Cam entered the portal really late in the process.

So at least we don't have those disadvantages this year.

Maybe I'm cynical, but I'd think pretty much everyone (including us) has some sort of feelers out there for potential "portalers." Hurley said at least 1/2 his team had already been contacted and in some cases knew where they were going with NIL talks. I'd imagine most teams already do this. Why else would guys enter the portal with "do not contact" if everything has not already been in motion?

 

[Deepster]

Pro - Hurley's strength is as a recruiter. You can assume that also translates to keeping guys he wants to keep.
Pro - We have a list of recent guys succeeding in the NBA.
Pro - We have lots of title success, including recent success. That starts to wither a little each year you fall short of conf/NCAA success.
Pro - Coaching staff and facilities. We match or beat anyone there.
Con - Other teams are drooling at grabbing guys with our pedigree.
Con - Our conference probably doesn't help all the time.
Con - Not sure how our NIL stacks up to elite competition when we/they really want someone.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Cooper wasn't in the portal. I think winning is a huge advantage with HS kids. Hence our great class coming in. It might be an attraction for some really high character transfers like Spencer. But it seems like most transfers are mercenaries out for the money, with everything else secondary.

It definitely helped with McNeeley, who was a late decommit. But again, a high school guy, not a portal guy.

There's a definite disadvantage in the portal for teams that make a run. Look at what St. John's was able to do already because they lost.

 

[HuskyHawk]

It definitely helped with McNeeley, who was a late decommit. But again, a high school guy, not a portal guy.

There's a definite disadvantage in the portal for teams that make a run. Look at what St. John's was able to do already because they lost.

That's the only point I was trying to make. We were disadvantaged in the portal the last two years and just got really lucky with Cam entering late and with Reed. This year we should be in better position.

 

[Hunt for 7]

This needs to be bumped to infinity

So Pitino said pretty much the same thing. But are we not the only BE school that has a football program. If so couple that with a women’s basketball team that is going to want their share we may be at a disadvantage. Quite a dilemma football could be our ticket into a P-4 conference but could also hurt us until that happens.

We have to spend on football to make it competitive at the right level. But we all know no matter what our football team accomplishes it would take a miracle to make them more popular than our basketball team(s).

 

[ctchamps]

One thought about the Portal is that the National Champion is really handicapped. It's like picking last in the draft. You have to wait so much longer to have access to the pool of players. So winning two years in a row didn't help us in the portal. Remember, we didn't do well after 2023 either until Cam entered the portal really late in the process.

So at least we don't have those disadvantages this year.

Started this thread Jan 25th that stated the same thing:

The 2024 Portal Conundrum

 

[bendm]

So Pitino said pretty much the same thing. But are we not the only BE school that has a football program. If so couple that with a women’s basketball team that is going to want their share we may be at a disadvantage. Quite a dilemma football could be our ticket into a P-4 conference but could also hurt us until that happens.

We have to spend on football to make it competitive at the right level. But we all know no matter what our football team accomplishes it would take a miracle to make them more popular than our basketball team(s).

Benedict said at least $5 mill on bball, so that would be at the high end among the P5, but yes, SJU and Nova could outspend us given they dont have football.

 

[huskymedic]

Benedict said at least $5 mill on bball, so that would be at the high end among the P5, but yes, SJU and Nova could outspend us given they dont have football.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Pretty gross.

 

[Edward Sargent]

One thought about the Portal is that the National Champion is really handicapped. It's like picking last in the draft. You have to wait so much longer to have access to the pool of players. So winning two years in a row didn't help us in the portal. Remember, we didn't do well after 2023 either until Cam entered the portal really late in the process.

So at least we don't have those disadvantages this year.

On the other hand it is partly offset by doing better with HS recruits

 

[superjohn]

Pretty gross.

This is what many people on the board wanted.

 

[Iluvsuebird]

Stewart was not used well enough this year. He has some game to him but spent a lot of time standing in the corner. Several times he made a big play when the team was in a drought. I think he can have a very good junior season at uconn and he certainly needs to be recruited.

I disagree with the premise that he wasn't used well. He had a tough time getting free off the dribble. He made uncontested 3's, but otherwise had a tough time freeing up. His defense got better, which is to his credit. But again, who was he replacing? Alex? Come on. And he got a huge chance when Liam went down and did nothing with that chance. He had ample chances to make a jump. Let's not make excuses.

 

[SubbaBub]

We couldn’t have a better coach. Imagine if he had SEC resources

If reports are correct we need an extra $5-6M from somewhere.

 

[knicksin7]

Pretty gross.

We have every rich hedge fund guy living in Connecticut, why can't we do the same.

 

[bendm]

i'm just glad it's not an SEC or BIG10 team. i've got no problem w/ SJU winning chips. we havent had a real rival in years and it will keep the BE relevant. confident we'll still be right there w/ them thanks to Hurley.

 

[superjohn]

We have every rich hedge fund guy living in Connecticut, why can't we do the same.

We never really seem to have brought them into the fold for whatever reason and it shouldn't matter they didn't go here before people weigh in on that. It's a tiny state and they live here, we should be able reel in a few of these guys with all the winning the program does and how much it means to the state.

 

[knicksin7]

We never really seem to have brought them into the fold for whatever reason and it shouldn't matter they didn't go here before people weigh in on that. It's a tiny state and they live here, we should be able reel in a few of these guys with all the winning the program does and how much it means to the state.

I imagine more of them went to Yale but yeah you're right. Look at what Stevie Cohen did for the Mets.

 

[NJHusky]

If reports are correct we need an extra $5-6M from somewhere.

Can we give Repole an honorary degree?

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

They don’t care…it’s not their money

True... maybe some of these fat cat University presidents will feel pressure from their boards and or the market pressures of the looming student apocalypse. Hell, some must be getting nervous now given the current administration's take on federal funding to colleges.

 

[Deepster]

Can we give Repole an honorary degree?

He's actually a really cool guy. Huge Mets fan and big horse guy at Saratoga. Every time he wins a race, the winners circle is filled with his big party. I'm not shocked at all he's latched on to Pitino/SJU/MSG and having an impact.

 

[DogMania]

It's flat out mind blowing how college sports went from an amature oriented ecosystem to a professional ecosystem on steroids more than any existing professional league that have many controls such as player destination and movement restrictions (I.e draft and year's served free agency constraints), salary caps, taxes for exceeding payroll limits, player salary slotting/bands, etc., while college athletics has absolutely no restrictions or limits other than number of eligibility years.

I'm okay with players getting some compensation and allowed to change programs but there needs to be guardrails, contracts, etc. to get this whole mess under control. It's not fun for most of the fans, coaches, ADs, etc. and does not seem sustainable. It's primarily benefitting many of the players, agents, some boosters and a minority of big pockets programs that have unlimited coffers.

I guess it does add some post season intrigue as to what players each program loses and/or adds via the portal and is no longer just the marathon high-school recruiting that usually moves at snail's pace throughout the summer and fall. Maybe it's not so bad...tweaks to it could make it more enjoyable for everyone, but who knows how long that will take?!?!

 

[Zonepress]

“It’s not fun for most of the fans coaches ads etc and it does not seem sustainable “
I actually think that Nil/ transfer brings more interest to CBB( for the top schools anyway)
Fans don’t seem to be staying home and
Tv ratings the past weekend we’re up so I’m not sure of the level of unhappiness
As far as coaches ads etc not being happy
Don’t see why anyone would care about that
They are extraordinarily well compensated, and there’s no shortage of people looking to take their job
to be determined if NIL is sustainable at this level
The marketplace will determine that
On the other side I’m sure the players are very
Happy being able to earn lots of $

 

[Jonathan14]

I imagine more of them went to Yale but yeah you're right. Look at what Stevie Cohen did for the Mets.

I think you nailed it with the Steve Cohen comment. Most of the hedge fund money is in Fairfield County and, philanthropy-wise, is directed disproportionately toward New York City rather than Connecticut. I work in the nonprofit sector, and in general, it's easier to get people from the other parts of the state invested in statewide initiatives than those in Fairfield County. Obviously, that's a huge generalization, and with the amount of wealth in CT, it really does seem like UConn should be able to reel in a few more Fairfield County megadonors who'd like to be a big fish in a small pond rather than sending their donor dollars to NYC.

 

[Deleted at users request]

I'd like to believe that at least one of our sophomores is capable of making the 'Solo' elevation. If one or more does then they would be our best option. Just imagine if Ross and/or Stewart made that performance jump.

Just saying there is some great potential with our experienced junior Champions.

Solo developed a lot this year from the opportunity he had. I think both players you mentioned can do the same if it’s their team next year.

They just need the time, rope, and role to do it.