Who gives two $#!T$?

[CodyJ.]

Really? ND go away. Who cares?

UConn has EXTREMELY good athletics and other schools would LOVE to play against us in all sports. Our academics are very good also (accept for prior basketball). There is zero reason to believe that the sky is falling.
When anyone thinks college sports in New England, the FIRST answer is UConn always. We are the relevant colligate team for all sports in New England. Period. Huge market for teams to play us and get ratings, etc.

If the BE is relevant, awesome. If not, that’s fine too. UConn will find its niche and be fine.

Get a grip people. Cash is King and there is a butt load of it to be made from UConn sports. You all are sharting in your pants over nothing.

 

[mattp]

I agree, the ND defection registers about a 2 on my Give-a-Crap-o-Meter

 

[CodyJ.]

I agree, the ND defection registers about a 2 on my Give-a-Crap-o-Meter

seriously. i just dont get the anxiety and craziness surrounding this.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

seriously. i just dont get the anxiety and craziness surrounding this.

You mean other than it possibly being the worst case scenario for UConn, right?

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Really? ND go away. Who cares?

UConn has EXTREMELY good athletics and other schools would LOVE to play against us in all sports. Our academics are very good also (accept for prior basketball). There is zero reason to believe that the sky is falling.
When anyone thinks college sports in New England, the FIRST answer is UConn always. We are the relevant colligate team for all sports in New England. Period. Huge market for teams to play us and get ratings, etc.

If the BE is relevant, awesome. If not, that’s fine too. UConn will find its niche and be fine.

Get a grip people. Cash is King and there is a butt load of it to be made from UConn sports. You all are sharting in your pants over nothing.

I don't want you to think I'm jumping on you. No intent on this being personal. But this line of thinking is so naive (maybe a function of youth).

When this whole D1/Big East decision was being considered (build a stadium, add better facilities, upgrade scholarships, etc), it was with the intent of taking the field against the likes of Miami, BC, Syracuse, Virginia Tech and the rest of the Big Time programs. It was never so UConn could line up against South Florida, San Diego State, SMU, Temple and Buffalo as main stays.

This whole BS of conference realignment on a wide spread basis and the TV pimps that are driving that bus, is unprecedented and really needs to be address on some type of higher level (FTC?, Congress?). It's exclusionary. It's elitist.

It's also a real danger to UConn football and maybe athletics in general. What you are seeing today (playing Notre Dame, beating South Carolina in a bowl game, having Michigan visit the Rent as well as Tennesse coming too, going to the Fiesta Bowl) is the result of work and planning that took place 10-15 years ago. It didn't occur overnight, nor will the debilitating effects of this shakeout occur overnight. Ten years from now - if things continue as they are going - UConn athletics will be lucky to be in some mid-tier conference (The Conference of MisFit Toys) that is irrelevant in the Big Time college football/TV world. If they play any name schools, it will be in the role of Akron vs Wisconsin or Samford (not Stanford) vs Georgia or Lousiana Tech vs LSU. They will be to the big schools, what UMass, URI, Maine, Hofstra and Fordham have been to UConn.

So no this isn't good, not at all.

 

[businesslawyer]

seriously. i just dont get the anxiety and craziness surrounding this.

Here is why people give a crap, very breifly.

Is the loss of ND, directly, a material hit to the Big East? Well, somewhere between relevant and material. ND, despite what people here think, did help us more than it hurt us in bowl negotiations, and was pulling an above-average weight in basketball. So it hurts. But not desperately.

More importantly, for those of us who thought the answer was UConn going to another conference, this cuts off the two most likely exits for the immediate future. By far, the most likely exit was to the ACC. If ND joined as a full football member, taking them to 15, I was confident we would be 16. But with ND now a non-football member, that door is closed for now. The longshot escape route was the Big Ten wanted to make a play for the NY market, it got ND and also took us and Rutgers and a 16th. With ND aligned with the ACC and Syracuse in it, the Big Ten can no longer make acquisitions that will make it the single dominant player in NY. So any chance (which I thought was slim but others had hope for) of that is gone as well. The Big Ten could add us and Rutgers, and compete for NY, but it won't dominate it (and without domination there the move makes no sense).

That is why. I'm glad it didn't ruin your day, but the upset is perfectly rational.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

These last 2 posts by BL and TDH..........agree with almost all of it.

 

[RioDog]

Yup. As much fun as it is to watch the post count balloon on the realignment board, way too much hand-wringing going on here.

 

[metsfan2323]

The Big Ten could add us and Rutgers, and compete for NY, but it won't dominate it (and without domination there the move makes no sense).

Not sure why you would say that. Rutgers and UCONN (and Penn State) would give the B1G significant play in the tri-state area. Why does it make no sense without "domination"?

Seems like a capricious thing to say.

 

[CodyJ.]

Here is why people give a crap, very breifly.

Is the loss of ND, directly, a material hit to the Big East? Well, somewhere between relevant and material. ND, despite what people here think, did help us more than it hurt us in bowl negotiations, and was pulling an above-average weight in basketball. So it hurts. But not desperately.

More importantly, for those of us who thought the answer was UConn going to another conference, this cuts off the two most likely exits for the immediate future. By far, the most likely exit was to the ACC. If ND joined as a full football member, taking them to 15, I was confident we would be 16. But with ND now a non-football member, that door is closed for now. The longshot escape route was the Big Ten wanted to make a play for the NY market, it got ND and also took us and Rutgers and a 16th. With ND aligned with the ACC and Syracuse in it, the Big Ten can no longer make acquisitions that will make it the single dominant player in NY. So any chance (which I thought was slim but others had hope for) of that is gone as well. The Big Ten could add us and Rutgers, and compete for NY, but it won't dominate it (and without domination there the move makes no sense).

That is why. I'm glad it didn't ruin your day, but the upset is perfectly rational.

I see some of your points. but because a conference doesnt get Syracuse with Uconn and Rutgers means it wont have the dominent market in the NY area?? Syracuse? Basketball maybe, not football. This isnt the 90's.

And as far as New England goes, UConn is the team. They dont call the New England Patriots the Boston Patriots. When it comes to the New England(not NY) market you have UConn.

Im still not worried. And if it were the hopes of UConn football to play LSU, Texas, ND, Mich, etc, why was a 40K seat stadium made?

UConn will come out of this just fine. Again, how many sports championships has UConn had in the last 20 years? Its in the teens for sure. All colleges want to play us in all sports.

 

[Excalibur]

Really? ND go away. Who cares?

UConn has EXTREMELY good athletics and other schools would LOVE to play against us in all sports. Our academics are very good also (accept for prior basketball). There is zero reason to believe that the sky is falling.
When anyone thinks college sports in New England, the FIRST answer is UConn always. We are the relevant colligate team for all sports in New England. Period. Huge market for teams to play us and get ratings, etc.

If the BE is relevant, awesome. If not, that’s fine too. UConn will find its niche and be fine.

Get a grip people. Cash is King and there is a butt load of it to be made from UConn sports. You all are sharting in your pants over nothing.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Here is why people give a crap, very breifly.


More importantly, for those of us who thought the answer was UConn going to another conference, this cuts off the two most likely exits for the immediate future. By far, the most likely exit was to the ACC. If ND joined as a full football member, taking them to 15, I was confident we would be 16. But with ND now a non-football member, that door is closed for now. The longshot escape route was the Big Ten wanted to make a play for the NY market, it got ND and also took us and Rutgers and a 16th. With ND aligned with the ACC and Syracuse in it, the Big Ten can no longer make acquisitions that will make it the single dominant player in NY. So any chance (which I thought was slim but others had hope for) of that is gone as well. The Big Ten could add us and Rutgers, and compete for NY, but it won't dominate it (and without domination there the move makes no sense).

That is why. I'm glad it didn't ruin your day, but the upset is perfectly rational.

Now your talking. Couldn't agree more on this latter point.

 

[NHUConnfan]

What I don't understand is that literally less than a year ago, people were wishing that ND left the BE because it meant a greater chance of UConn going too!

When did that change all of the sudden?

EDIT: I don't see why ND not going as a football member really changes things, this is just the beginning of part deux of major conference realignment. Teams will be leaving the ACC, teams will be entering.

 

[Excalibur]

What I don't understand is that literally less than a year ago, people were wishing that ND left the BE [join the ACC as an all-sports partner] because it meant a greater chance of UConn going too!

When did that change all of the sudden?

Fixed it for you. I don't think many people envisioned this happening -- another conference letting ND in with independence in football.

 

[CodyJ.]

Well, I may eat crow on this one. Just like on my prediction of the NCS vs. UConn game.

I just dont see the panic here. ND is a joke and doesnt control what UConn does. ACC has maybe 4 good teams and the rest are "mid-tier". ND, ACC, i dont care personally.

We will see UConn playing big time schools as soon as we can compete with the major football schools. Right now, we cant. Not with the Offense like this. Getting into the best conferences and playing the major schools comes with playing that way. Look at basketball for instance. Gotta pay our dues and get there first.

Regardless, UConn sports will always play outstanding competition.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

What I don't understand is that literally less than a year ago, people were wishing that ND left the BE because it meant a greater chance of UConn going too!

When did that change all of the sudden?

EDIT: I don't see why ND not going as a football member really changes things, this is just the beginning of part deux of major conference realignment. Teams will be leaving the ACC, teams will be entering.

It changed when they joined as a non football member.

And nobody is leaving the ACC with a $50 million exit fee.

 

[NHUConnfan]

Fixed it for you. I don't think many people envisioned this happening -- another conference letting ND in with independence in football.

And as many said, it's only going to change soon. This move comes with an increase in the buyout which has only pissed off the schools that feel like there are greener pastures. Even if it's not ND's football program that makes this movement, this buyout certainly achieved the same effect. Just watch...

 

[NHUConnfan]

It changed when they joined as a non football member.

And nobody is leaving the ACC with a $50 million exit fee.

Good thing it doesn't go into effect right away. Meaning that teams like FSU have more willpower to .

 

[businesslawyer]

I see some of your points. but because a conference doesnt get Syracuse with Uconn and Rutgers means it wont have the dominent market in the NY area?? Syracuse? Basketball maybe, not football. This isnt the 90's.

And as far as New England goes, UConn is the team. They dont call the New England Patriots the Boston Patriots. When it comes to the New England(not NY) market you have UConn.

Im still not worried. And if it were the hopes of UConn football to play LSU, Texas, ND, Mich, etc, why was a 40K seat stadium made?

UConn will come out of this just fine. Again, how many sports championships has UConn had in the last 20 years? Its in the teens for sure. All colleges want to play us in all sports.

The scuttlebutt we've heard is that outside of TOSU, Michigan and Penn State, no one in the Big Ten had any interest in expanding east anyway. The argument that those who wanted to could make is that if you get our teams to play games in the Metro area regularly, because we already have fanbases there, and you add our energized NYC fanbases to the fanbases of the locals you add, we can both increase interest in college football in metro NY and become the dominant player. that is worth the investment.

Not having Syracuse is a minor blow. Not having Notre Dame, with Syracuse, and to a lesser degree BC and Pitt and MD, is a major one, as it will bring ND regularly to venues that are drivable from the northeast. That will keep the market fragmented no matter what the Big Ten does, and with a fragmented market there is no reason to think you can actual make NY care more about college football.

At least that's how I would see it, and be willing to bet on it, if I were the President of Iowa or Purdue.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Good thing it doesn't go into effect right away. Meaning that teams like FSU have more willpower to .

I really hope that you and the others who see this as no big deal are correct. I would happily eat 5 lbs of crow on this.

 

[NHUConnfan]

I really hope that you and the others who see this as no big deal are correct. I would happily eat 5 lbs of crow on this.

Seeing that you've done it time and time before, I have great confidence you'll do it again.

 

[mattp]

It changed when they joined as a non football member.

And nobody is leaving the ACC with a $50 million exit fee.

Am I the only one that thinks this may ultimately help us? My goal has always been the B1G. the ACC was a better option than where we are, but not our best home by any means. Now that ND is off the table (and and ACC is now off the table), why wouldn't the B1G want to pick up UConn and Rutgers to pick up the east coast/NYC? We're now the only two east coast teams available.

Maybe my thought process is flawed, maybe it's correct, but I think assuming this is definitely a bad day for UConn is incorrect (aside from Calhoun who I'd have liked to see stay through the "lost year"). I think the chances of this helping us are equal to the chances of it hurting us as far as conference realignment goes. Now that the ACC has been aggressive, the B1G may be forced to act, b/c if the ACC does decide they want us and RU, the B1G is basically forever locked out of the east coast. All of this may be exacerbated by the fact that they're premier east coast property is very much damaged by one of if not the worst scandal in modern sports.

 

[CodyJ.]

At least that's how I would see it, and be willing to bet on it, if I were the President of Iowa or Purdue.

Ok, so the entire region wont be taken up by one conference. ENTIRE region. Like every single D1A team from Maryland to SouthBend to UConn. I think this is a bit of a stretch. There is still a butt load of money to be made on what is not in the ACC. Sooo much money to be made. Screw the confernces, the TV stations can get the rights to ALLL the teams in this region.
There is no blow, it was a jab to the face in annoyance. Not a left hook to the chin. not by any stretch

 

[businesslawyer]

I really hope that you and the others who see this as no big deal are correct. I would happily eat 5 lbs of crow on this.

Obviously, as would I.

 

[businesslawyer]

Ok, so the entire region wont be taken up by one conference. ENTIRE region. Like every single D1A team from Maryland to SouthBend to UConn. I think this is a bit of a stretch. There is still a butt load of money to be made on what is not in the ACC. Sooo much money to be made. Screw the confernces, the TV stations can get the rights to ALLL the teams in this region.
There is no blow, it was a jab to the face in annoyance. Not a left hook to the chin. not by any stretch

All I can tell you is that with Notre Dame still independent the idea of moving East wasn't attractive enough to the Big Ten to make them want to do it. It's tough seeing how ND aligning with another conference won't make it even less likely.