Why the Conference winning matters

[nelsonmuntz]

MONEY. We need money. A lot more than we are getting now. I hope I am wrong, but I think the athletic program will be grossing about $5MM a year less from the conference than it was in the Big East. The AAC will not have the big BCS/bowl check or big NCAA Tournament Units check going forward that it did before. TV revenue is just over half what the old agreements were generating. I don't know what the AAC's share of playoff revenue will be, but that is the only new source of revenue. And this doesn't even address the reduced gate from less fan interest in the AAC schools than there was in the Big East schools. UConn has a great accounting program, and I am going to guess that one or two of them could help the President and BOT figure out that the current athletic department is not viable long term. The exit fees bought UConn time, but it needs to get its revenue up.

This is a really, really, really big problem. If the AAC is still getting $2MM a year from its TV contract in 5 years, UConn will no longer be a national program in either football or basketball. The AAC has to find a way to renegotiate the contract or get more revenue or the schools in the league will not be competitive. AAC schools can not realistically compete with schools that are average $20MM from their TV contract ALONE, or even the catholic schools who are getting $5MM a year. The AAC, and UConn, need more TV money, and they need it quickly.

Aresco talked repeatedly about a 2 year "look in" to the TV contract. He has talked a lot of junk, so who knows that the look in involves or how much it can move the needle, but it certainly wouldn't hurt for the AAC to have several teams ranked and the rest of the schools at least competitive in the two major sports.
A better AAC will generate more money and help UConn be viable until there is additional conference realignment. The American could be UConn's home for the next 10 or more years. UConn needs the AAC to be a viable platform for the Husky athletic program, and that means UConn needs quality opponents that are generating better ratings and can somehow generate more revenue for the athletic program. Otherwise, we are dead.

 

[sdhusky]

yup

 

[BlueDogs]

This is the biggest existential threat to the program by far and goes well beyond football.

 

[Husky92]

If the AAC is still getting $2MM a year from its TV contract in 5 years, UConn will no longer be a national program in either football or basketball.

Your wrong Nelson, the AAC can still be getting $2MM a year in five years and UCONN will be just fine...as long as we are no longer in it!!!

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I'm torn. On one hand, rooting for the AAC helps the perception of the league, however each UCF, Cinci or USF win is a check mark in their column to get a life raft out.

 

[ZooCougar]

So you are saying we shouldn't disband the football program now?

MONEY. We need money. A lot more than we are getting now. I hope I am wrong, but I think the athletic program will be grossing about $5MM a year less from the conference than it was in the Big East. The AAC will not have the big BCS/bowl check or big NCAA Tournament Units check going forward that it did before. TV revenue is just over half what the old agreements were generating. I don't know what the AAC's share of playoff revenue will be, but that is the only new source of revenue. And this doesn't even address the reduced gate from less fan interest in the AAC schools than there was in the Big East schools. UConn has a great accounting program, and I am going to guess that one or two of them could help the President and BOT figure out that the current athletic department is not viable long term. The exit fees bought UConn time, but it needs to get its revenue up.

This is a really, really, really big problem. If the AAC is still getting $2MM a year from its TV contract in 5 years, UConn will no longer be a national program in either football or basketball. The AAC has to find a way to renegotiate the contract or get more revenue or the schools in the league will not be competitive. AAC schools can not realistically compete with schools that are average $20MM from their TV contract ALONE, or even the catholic schools who are getting $5MM a year. The AAC, and UConn, need more TV money, and they need it quickly.

Aresco talked repeatedly about a 2 year "look in" to the TV contract. He has talked a lot of junk, so who knows that the look in involves or how much it can move the needle, but it certainly wouldn't hurt for the AAC to have several teams ranked and the rest of the schools at least competitive in the two major sports.
A better AAC will generate more money and help UConn be viable until there is additional conference realignment. The American could be UConn's home for the next 10 or more years. UConn needs the AAC to be a viable platform for the Husky athletic program, and that means UConn needs quality opponents that are generating better ratings and can somehow generate more revenue for the athletic program. Otherwise, we are dead.

 

[Adios]

Uh, the schools already know. Thank you, Captain Obvious.

 

[ZooCougar]

AAC! American AAC!

 

[nelsonmuntz]

So you are saying we shouldn't disband the football program now?

If you don't think there isn't a trigger date for that, you are kidding yourself.

Our athletic department is not viable right now. If it doesn't figure out a way to generate more revenue and be competitive, the BOT and Herbst will come up with a way that a lot of fans are not going to like. Basketball has more options than football, and costs a lot less to operate.

Diaco is a "bet the program" hire. I don't see the BOT approving another $1.5MM coach in 4 years if Diaco is failing unless the program has come up with a lot more revenue somehow, which probably doesn't happen if the program is failing. Diaco has to be successful.

 

[UCFBfan]

I'm torn. On one hand, rooting for the AAC helps the perception of the league, however each UCF, Cinci or USF win is a check mark in their column to get a life raft out.

I think that the life raft USF, UCF, or Cincy would get would not be the one sent for us. I can't see the ACC taking another Florida school and forget the B1G taking any of those three. So I think it's Big 12 for them. UConn wouldn't even be a consideration for the Big 12 nor should we be. The WV experiment is not working so well. I think the only thing that would suck would be them leaving before we have a chance to leave as well. That's the only negative I see in this. The ACC might be open to taking Cincy but I don't see it. So I say the better the conference does, the better it is for us as long as we're in it.

I can't believe I'm going to say this but I actually agree with what Nelson has to say here.

 

[HawkHusky]

I think that the life raft USF, UCF, or Cincy would get would not be the one sent for us. I can't see the ACC taking another Florida school and forget the B1G taking any of those three. So I think it's Big 12 for them. UConn wouldn't even be a consideration for the Big 12 nor should we be. The WV experiment is not working so well. I think the only thing that would suck would be them leaving before we have a chance to leave as well. That's the only negative I see in this. The ACC might be open to taking Cincy but I don't see it. So I say the better the conference does, the better it is for us as long as we're in it.

I can't believe I'm going to say this but I actually agree with what Nelson has to say here.

I'd rather UCONN be in the Big 12 than the Conference USA hodgepodge...

 

[ecasadoSBU]

I'd rather UCONN be in the Big 12 than the Conference USA hodgepodge...

be careful what you wish for...

 

[HawkHusky]

be careful what you wish for...

If Big 12 offered UCONN today, I'd take it without hesitation. We can't hold all our eggs in the ACC/B1G baskets.

 

[UCFBfan]

I'd rather UCONN be in the Big 12 than the Conference USA hodgepodge...

Don't disagree as a P5 is a P5 conference. That being said I don't see the Big 12 ever inviting UConn.

 

[weyuo]

The travel now is gonna be a killer for the athletes(and the AD budget, yikes!!) can you imagine if UConn was in the Big 12? I can't. ACC or B1G or.... a future northern D-1 all sports conference that makes more sense for UConn, Pitt, WVU, Cuse, BC, ect.

 

[Colt house75]

The travel now is gonna be a killer for the athletes(and the AD budget, yikes!!) can you imagine if UConn was in the Big 12? I can't. ACC or B1G or.... a future northern D-1 all sports conference that makes more sense for UConn, Pitt, WVU, Cuse, BC, ect.

agree on the travel aspect...which-for now-is the reason the AAC is a short term viable alternative until the TV contracts get re-done or an invite to B1G or ACC is made and why pulling and rooting for the AAC teams in the bowls makes sense...as all AAC members do not know the next avenue in CR.

 

[HawkHusky]

The travel now is gonna be a killer for the athletes(and the AD budget, yikes!!) can you imagine if UConn was in the Big 12? I can't. ACC or B1G or.... a future northern D-1 all sports conference that makes more sense for UConn, Pitt, WVU, Cuse, BC, ect.

That new conference is never going to happen. Others here pointed this out to me: the Big 12 travel would be about the same as the current AAC one.

AAC: Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Tulsa, Memphis, Cincinnati, Orlando, Tampa, Greenville NC, Philly, Annapolis

Big 12: Texas x4, Oklahoma x2, Kansas x2, Iowa, West Virginia

Other than Temple/Annapolis, no one's a bus ride away in either league.

 

[rich1122]

I would say that we may be on the clock. Probably we got the right coach, but honestly we just have a fan base that does not care. Winning and energetic coach will help, but if we continue to have a half empty stadium each week, then all bets are off. It never caught on with alumni and we have had almost zero population growth, especially among younger folks. So we have to something more than send out an occasional email to generate interest. I think that the clock may be ticking. I hope that I am wrong.

 

[Colt house75]

I would say that we may be on the clock. Probably we got the right coach, but honestly we just have a fan base that does not care. Winning and energetic coach will help, but if we continue to have a half empty stadium each week, then all bets are off. It never caught on with alumni and we have had almost zero population growth, especially among younger folks. So we have to something more than send out an occasional email to generate interest. I think that the clock may be ticking. I hope that I am wrong.

Don't think we're on the clock...but from a business perspective...much more has to be done from a marketing perspective to all prospective fans than what was done up until 2 years ago. Marketing and sales has increased but now needs intense effort to reel in the Connecticut marketplace. Corporate sponsorships to our largest Corporations, greater alumni interaction, direct sales to alums and cross selling into the basketball fandom, youth days when seats are available, special events such as set "first responders day(s) -reduced price for any fire, police , and emt honoring their efforts", Boy Scouts Day (half price tickets), CPTV game delay of every game, better coverage by SNY (the "home of the Huskies"), permanent nominal $2 game day reduced price ticket to any one under 12 accompanied by an adult (if available) , senior citizen half price ticket (if tickets available) accompanied by a child under 12 for $2, use of AAA, direct sales to Connecticut's largest employers discounting blocks of tickets for purchases of 20 or more tickets to a game, and a free game day bus train and barbecue for current students followed by lottery (using corporate sponsorships) for Co-Op "Bucks" to buy books.
...market and Sell into your valley (if seats are empty-give to those who would never have an opportunity and create your fan base).
.....and winning football team.

Warde has started some of the above to his credit. We all need to follow through and bring our friends and kids to the games...see you on National Signing Day...............

 

[rich1122]

We have to get alumni to get to at least one game. Something has to go on at the college to make it a draw. Get back with old friends etc. Kids are not coming back just to be in E. Hartford. They talked about putting up hotels etc on site, but nothing happened. Up hill battle.

 

[ZooCougar]

I would say that we may be on the clock. Probably we got the right coach, but honestly we just have a fan base that does not care. Winning and energetic coach will help, but if we continue to have a half empty stadium each week, then all bets are off. It never caught on with alumni and we have had almost zero population growth, especially among younger folks. So we have to something more than send out an occasional email to generate interest. I think that the clock may be ticking. I hope that I am wrong.

The stadium is half empty because of three losing seasons. Honestly, thinking about it is very frustrating to me, because after Louisville punked us, Warde saw to it to bring PGDL back for year three, basically sentencing the team to another losing season and poor ticket sales.

Once we start winning again, the place will fill up. But the students still won't show for a Thanksgiving home game, and the tailgaters will show up late for kickoff because their precious food is so much more interesting than the game. But all in all, everything will be pretty good once we start winning again.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I'm pretty sure whaler has pointed this out a few times, but attendance was decreasing when we were going through our most successful stretch in program history.

Sure, winning will help but there's a lot ofother factors in play here.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

When you include the playoff shares and bowl money, i would not be surprised if the revenue differential between the P5 and UConn will be $30MM or more per year. No business can expect to compete with that gap. Fans at the Rent are nice, but TV is the driver.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

The travel now is gonna be a killer for the athletes(and the AD budget, yikes!!) can you imagine if UConn was in the Big 12? I can't. ACC or B1G or.... a future northern D-1 all sports conference that makes more sense for UConn, Pitt, WVU, Cuse, BC, ect.

A future northern D-1 all sports conference? Great idea. Pitt, WVU, Cuse, BC? We could call it the . . . call it the . . .why, call it the Big East Too. And then maybe Penn State will want to join and, who knows, maybe even Notre Dame will join in all sports so it can market itself in NYC and Boston. For a while the Irish could play home conference games in South Bend and then all away games at Met Life Stadium or Gillette. Yeah no way the Big 12 would be a better deal. In fact wasn't why BC declined the ACC offer and stayed in the Big East . . . because their nearest conference rival was so far away?

 

[TouchdownHusky]

I would say that we may be on the clock. Probably we got the right coach, but honestly we just have a fan base that does not care. Winning and energetic coach will help, but if we continue to have a half empty stadium each week, then all bets are off. It never caught on with alumni and we have had almost zero population growth, especially among younger folks. So we have to something more than send out an occasional email to generate interest. I think that the clock may be ticking. I hope that I am wrong.

Here's a couple of thoughts: 1.) Stop scheduling "weak " D-2 teams for the opener (problem solved for next year), 2.) Stop playing the opener on a Thursday night during the first couple of days of a new school year for kids throughout the state, 3.) More games at noon or 3:30, fewer at night and finally, stop playing home games the first weekend in December.