Would UConn Basketball survive the move to the ACC

[CTBasketball]

Well maybe in 13 years. Let’s see that would be $30M more per year for 13 years…$390M.

Yes, we should take that if given the opportunity.

I get the whole money issue. We operate at a deficit, so getting the $100M+ would solve a lot of problems with the athletic department. I agree it would solve all of our fiscal problems.

Just curious, what do you perceive “the mold” to be at this point?

Maybe I’m being blunt. But I’ve been a ticket holder for a long time for both sports football & basketball. When we went to the AAC, the casual fan just stopped caring. No one cared about Cincinnati, Memphis, Louisville, or Houston. The energy around the programs were way off and definitely didn’t feel right.

So if we go to the Big Ten do you think people will go crazy for a Northwestern or Iowa matchup like they do for a Providence or Villanova matchup? I would argue that the casual fan does not care. Sure the Michigan, Indiana, and Michigan St games would be cool but they’d be cool like Cincinnati or Memphis games. There’s just no bad blood or history. And people don’t care when that’s not involved.

Anyways my two cents, probably shouldn’t be including emotional thoughts in a fiscal decision, so can definitely be seen as a hot take. I understand that.

 

[Waquoit]

The AAC's impact to UConn athletic success is way overstated. Crappy coaching on both the football and men's basketball programs almost took UConn down. Women's hoops never missed a beat, again due to coaching.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Women's hoop took a horrible beating. I think that was the straw that broke the camel's back. Geno couldn't recruit in the AAC like he had before. The COVID year women's team was the worst team in the last 25 years. If they played the tournament they would have lost the first weekend. No accident that the talent like Bueckers and Fudd signed after the move back to the Big East was planned.

 

[John]

I get the whole money issue. We operate at a deficit, so getting the $100M+ would solve a lot of problems with the athletic department. I agree it would solve all of our fiscal problems.

Maybe I’m being blunt. But I’ve been a ticket holder for a long time for both sports football & basketball. When we went to the AAC, the casual fan just stopped caring. No one cared about Cincinnati, Memphis, Louisville, or Houston. The energy around the programs were way off and definitely didn’t feel right.

So if we go to the Big Ten do you think people will go crazy for a Northwestern or Iowa matchup like they do for a Providence or Villanova matchup? I would argue that the casual fan does not care. Sure the Michigan, Indiana, and Michigan St games would be cool but they’d be cool like Cincinnati or Memphis games. There’s just no bad blood or history. And people don’t care when that’s not involved.

Anyways my two cents, probably shouldn’t be including emotional thoughts in a fiscal decision, so can definitely be seen as a hot take. I understand that.

Honestly, you'd trade this (in all sports):
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska,, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, and Rutgers

For this (that leaves our football program in limbo):
Butler, Creighton, DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, St. John's, Seton Hall, Villanova, Xavier, Providence.

 

[Luna]

Honestly, you'd trade this (in all sports):
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska,, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, and Rutgers

For this (that leaves our football program in limbo):
Butler, Creighton, DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, St. John's, Seton Hall, Villanova, Xavier, Providence.

In basketball I would… the big east is better

 

[John]

In basketball I would… the big east is better

the problem is that UConn athletics is more than just basketball. There's some very good programs in our portfolio that have nothing to do with basketball.

 

[History Geek]

the problem is that UConn athletics is more than just basketball. There's some very good programs in our portfolio that have nothing to do with basketball.

Yes, the basketball-firsters and all other sports be darned don't get that their scared cow is not on an institutional island and would eventually suffer in the upcoming landscape if we don't join a bigger conference. I think a merged ACC remnants plus the "big" northeastern Big East brands could be that conference. But if the B12 offers that, we jump.

 

[metsfan2323]

So as examples here are the following great coaches who lead programs that switched conferences:

Syracuse (Boeheim) - one miracle Final Four, otherwise terrible
West Virginia (Huggins) - not great
Louisville (Mack + others) - not great
Pitt (Capel + Dixon + Stallings) - not great
Notre Dame (Brey) - 2 E8’s otherwise not great

You can argue some of these guys are good to great coaches, who have stunk it up since switching conferences.

'What did those coaches / programs do in the Big East? Cuse won one time, as did Louisville with Pitino. Point being they aren't UCONN.

Brey and Boeheim got old as did Huggins. Pitt ran off Dixon and then realized they couldn't replace him.

The ACC has put plenty of teams in the final four and they have won their share of championships.

BTW did the Big East kill Butler, St John's and Gtwon or did they wind up with coaching problems?

It's all about the coaches. If you have a good coach you will win. (see Miami)

BTW you need money to keep the great coaches.

 

[ecasadoSBU]

But will 5 National championships matter? Asking for a friend.

I don't know and I don't even want to find out. I want to keep winning National Championship in our tried and proven comfortable ground of the Big East

 

[ecasadoSBU]

Yes, the basketball-firsters and all other sports be darned don't get that their scared cow is not on an institutional island and would eventually suffer in the upcoming landscape if we don't join a bigger conference. I think a merged ACC remnants plus the "big" northeastern Big East brands could be that conference. But if the B12 offers that, we jump.

They said that 10 years ago. And yet here we are... winning championships! and playing at a higher level since joining the Big East in basketball AND football

 

[ecasadoSBU]

I get the whole money issue. We operate at a deficit, so getting the $100M+ would solve a lot of problems with the athletic department. I agree it would solve all of our fiscal problems.

Maybe I’m being blunt. But I’ve been a ticket holder for a long time for both sports football & basketball. When we went to the AAC, the casual fan just stopped caring. No one cared about Cincinnati, Memphis, Louisville, or Houston. The energy around the programs were way off and definitely didn’t feel right.

So if we go to the Big Ten do you think people will go crazy for a Northwestern or Iowa matchup like they do for a Providence or Villanova matchup? I would argue that the casual fan does not care. Sure the Michigan, Indiana, and Michigan St games would be cool but they’d be cool like Cincinnati or Memphis games. There’s just no bad blood or history. And people don’t care when that’s not involved.

Anyways my two cents, probably shouldn’t be including emotional thoughts in a fiscal decision, so can definitely be seen as a hot take. I understand that.

Sometimes I wonder whether members of the Boneyard are corporate accountants or actual sports fans.

They literally just won a National Championship as members of the Big East. The most success this team has had in almost a decade of being in the shadows. And they want to change what is working because they are more worried about the dollars?

What the heck? You want to switch something that is WORKING today and WINNING games even with a significant financial deficit (someone is paying for it. so its not a REAL deficit and more like an accounting paper deficit) to get more money at another conference without any assurance they will be able to compete at the same level and to engage fans at the same level...

We have to make a decision here. We are fans. We are not accountants. I care about WINS. Wins like what happened a week ago! Those with $200 million budgets haven't found a way to replicate what Connecticut is doing with far less. Not Just in basketball, but in many other sports (Soccer, Hockey, Field Lax, Baseball, etc)

 

[DGB]

I get the whole money issue. We operate at a deficit, so getting the $100M+ would solve a lot of problems with the athletic department. I agree it would solve all of our fiscal problems.

Maybe I’m being blunt. But I’ve been a ticket holder for a long time for both sports football & basketball. When we went to the AAC, the casual fan just stopped caring. No one cared about Cincinnati, Memphis, Louisville, or Houston. The energy around the programs were way off and definitely didn’t feel right.

So if we go to the Big Ten do you think people will go crazy for a Northwestern or Iowa matchup like they do for a Providence or Villanova matchup? I would argue that the casual fan does not care. Sure the Michigan, Indiana, and Michigan St games would be cool but they’d be cool like Cincinnati or Memphis games. There’s just no bad blood or history. And people don’t care when that’s not involved.

Anyways my two cents, probably shouldn’t be including emotional thoughts in a fiscal decision, so can definitely be seen as a hot take. I understand that.

This casual fan stopped coming when UConn joined the AAC stuff is revisionist nonsense. The casual fan stopped coming when UConn started losing too much. The 2015 AAC tournament games in the XL were electric. I was at the game when Boatright hit the game winning three against Cincinatti...the casual fan was having a good old time.

If UConn were to start losing again in the Big East, ACC, B1G, whatever...the casual fan would stop coming. That's how it works.

And as to any argument against UConn going to the B1G, I had a buddy when I was a kid that basically set his backyard on fire with a lighter and some gasoline. Upon discovering this, his dad told him he was going to take him down to the Medi-Quick to get his brain examined. I'm sorry but anyone who would argue that the Big East is a better place for UConn than the B1G should join my buddy at the Medi-Quick. Joining the B1G would be an enormous win for the University, its athletic teams, and the state. There's no other way to look at it.

 

[History Geek]

They said that 10 years ago. And yet here we are... winning championships! and playing at a higher level since joining the Big East in basketball AND football

I was initially against leaving the AAC, going indy in football, and joining the NBE. I have been proven wrong on that. Linking up with more regional historical rivals while (apparently for now) figuring out how keep the football program above water in the short term ended up being a a masterstroke by AD David Benedict et al. I still think it’s a short term fix but it has better positioned us for what may come, which frankly is still uncertain.

Where we fundamentally disagree is that I think that without big time football money, eventually all of our programs, including both men and women, will not be able compete in the upcoming arms race and not be able to continue to win championships. I think we can agree that never of us wants that to happen. If non-football sports become a bigger slice of the total revenue pie (say 40% or more), then you may be right and it may be better for UConn to stay in the NBE. While the women’s game seems to be getting more popular, I just don’t think that is going to happen. I would be happy to be wrong again.

I do think a big part of the success of the move to the NBE is the reengagement with traditional rivals. The teams we were playing in the AAC ended up not moving the needle with the fan base and hurt recruiting in many sports. That is why the move to the NBE when we did ended up being essential. However, if football remains king revenue-wise, my dream scenario would be ending up a eastern league just a notch below the P2 that have ACC remnants (most of whom would be traditional rivals, including the two most hated — Syracuse and BC), plus any of the eastern Big East schools that want to upgrade football and join us. If Duke were a part of that it would be even more fun.

In the end, we need to do what is best for the institution’s overall mission and the citizens of the state. Athletic success and the money it brought (yes, specifically basketball success) has helped turn the very good university I went to in the 1980s one of the best state schools in the country today. I think we can agree we both would like that to continue.

 

[Waquoit]

This casual fan stopped coming when UConn joined the AAC stuff is revisionist nonsense.

We were losing long-time fans, as well. You could buy season tickets on the mid-court line when the AAC came to town. The only decent crowds came when we played Big East OOC.

 

[John]

We were losing long-time fans, as well. You could buy season tickets on the mid-court line when the AAC came to town. The only decent crowds came when we played Big East OOC.

Not true, some AAC teams sold well.

 

[djct1999]

It reminds me of a Dave Chapell joke. It would be like “hooking up” with Halle Berry and she farts in your face. We’d still do it but, ew.

 

[buddy]

This casual fan stopped coming when UConn joined the AAC stuff is revisionist nonsense. The casual fan stopped coming when UConn started losing too much. The 2015 AAC tournament games in the XL were electric. I was at the game when Boatright hit the game winning three against Cincinatti...the casual fan was having a good old time.

If UConn were to start losing again in the Big East, ACC, B1G, whatever...the casual fan would stop coming. That's how it works.

And as to any argument against UConn going to the B1G, I had a buddy when I was a kid that basically set his backyard on fire with a lighter and some gasoline. Upon discovering this, his dad told him he was going to take him down to the Medi-Quick to get his brain examined. I'm sorry but anyone who would argue that the Big East is a better place for UConn than the B1G should join my buddy at the Medi-Quick. Joining the B1G would be an enormous win for the University, its athletic teams, and the state. There's no other way to look at it.

You can say that about any P5. UConn joining Big 12 or ACC would still be a great win for UConn. Good coaches, good recruits means success in any conference. Big East should be a temporary rest stop for UConn.

 

[Luna]

We would lose the recruitment battles in both the acc and big12 if we joined those leagues… we are the big east…north east basketball…things would change in other conferences

 

[LoyalFanCT]

We would lose the recruitment battles in both the acc and big12 if we joined those leagues… we are the big east…north east basketball…things would change in other conferences

I think recruitment would improve in all sports if we changed conferences

 

[John]

We would lose the recruitment battles in both the acc and big12 if we joined those leagues… we are the big east…north east basketball…things would change in other conferences

 

[ScottVib]

We would lose the recruitment battles in both the acc and big12 if we joined those leagues… we are the big east…north east basketball…things would change in other conferences

To who? Is UConn losing a recruit to Syracuse if they are in the same conference? To Providence regardless of conference? St. John’s might be the threat, but with Pitino there, they’re a threat regardless.

 

[buddy]

We would lose the recruitment battles in both the acc and big12 if we joined those leagues… we are the big east…north east basketball…things would change in other conferences

Baloney! A prolonged stay in the Big East is a death sentence for all athletics.

 

[Luna]

Im sure kids from Texas are going to want to play for Connecticut in the big 12 and fly all over the country.. instead going to a school in Texas… kids from new york are going to want their families to see them play… most kids anyway

 

[Kolumbo]

This is a no-brainer. We were undefeated outside the Big East. We had 8 losses in the Big East. Move to another conference and go undefeated.

 

[CL82]

We are fans. We have to make a decision here.

Mmm, do we though?