Yormark confirms that the big 12 was in expansion talks with Connecticut and Gonzaga but indicates neither program is being pursued any longer.

[huskymedic]

Assisted access link<<

-> UConn had extensive talks with Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark over the summer. Yormark coveted UConn basketball and was willing to take football, and the invitation was far closer than many realize. UConn higher ups tell me they went to bed one night believing it was done, and were ready to put it on a Trustees agenda, but no one anticipated the Pac 12 completely imploding as it did. So instead of UConn and Colorado to the Big 12, it was Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah. The Huskies and the ACC touched base, but the ACC took in Cal, Stanford and SMU.

“You can control that,” UConn AD David Benedict said. “I’m sure the thing that made us attractive is both success athletically as well as the university academic profile. We just have to continue doing those things and good things will happen.<-

 

[upstater]

Do they?

Here is my thing, if the Big 12 can convince that basketball is undervalued, which it is imo, then the clock starts on the big east getting a bigger deal or it will get taken .

It will be hard to convince anyone to join but I agree on your second part. If they don't add, they'll lose valuable members.

The trick is whether schools like Syracuse, BC, Wake Forest, a few others would join. Memphis, South Florida and Temple may be other additions.

You'd need a 10 member football wing, which could be easily constructed. But would Syracuse, BC, WF & even Duke join?

 

[buddy]

Assisted access link<<

-> UConn had extensive talks with Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark over the summer. Yormark coveted UConn basketball and was willing to take football, and the invitation was far closer than many realize. UConn higher ups tell me they went to bed one night believing it was done, and were ready to put it on a Trustees agenda, but no one anticipated the Pac 12 completely imploding as it did. So instead of UConn and Colorado to the Big 12, it was Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah. The Huskies and the ACC touched base, but the ACC took in Cal, Stanford and SMU.

“You can control that,” UConn AD David Benedict said. “I’m sure the thing that made us attractive is both success athletically as well as the university academic profile. We just have to continue doing those things and good things will happen.<-

Once again passed over by the ACC despite being in "contact" with them? What makes anyone think things will change for UConn. It seems to me the ACC policy is anyone but UConn.

 

[Dooooooomed]

 

[History Geek]

It will be hard to convince anyone to join but I agree on your second part. If they don't add, they'll lose valuable members.

The trick is whether schools like Syracuse, BC, Wake Forest, a few others would join. Memphis, South Florida and Temple may be other additions.

You'd need a 10 member football wing, which could be easily constructed. But would Syracuse, BC, WF & even Duke join?

I'm sure the numbers are being run somewhere. Does an eastern league whose non-football members realistically compete for national championships and a "G5" football wing rise from the ashes of conference realignment? We would fit that nicely into that. Obviously will only happen if the financials/fit for university missions make sense for all. Yes, coast-to-coast leagues seem like the future, but there are lots of $$$ and eyeballs on the East Coast. Add the regional rivalry thing that has made the Big East so much fun for member school fan bases and I think it could work.

 

[upstater]

I'm sure the numbers are being run somewhere. Does an eastern league whose non-football members realistically compete for national championships and a "G5" football wing rise from the ashes of conference realignment? We would fit that nicely into that. Obviously will only happen if the financials/fit for university missions make sense for all. Yes, coast-to-coast leagues seem like the future, but there are lots of $$$ and eyeballs on the East Coast. Add the regional rivalry thing that has made the Big East so much fun for member school fan bases and I think it could work.

The problem for the BE basketball schools is that they'll have to expand if basketball is properly monetized. They'll suffer otherwise. The mega conferences are going to eat up all the basketball money that would come in if the NCAA goes away.

 

[drayenob]

Dom Amore’s Sunday Read: UConn, Big East still together but there could always be something more powerful out there, Hurley on Huskies’ depth and more

Backdoor

UConn higher ups tell me they went to bed one night believing it was done, and were ready to put it on a Trustees agenda, but no one anticipated the Pac 12 completely imploding as it did. So instead of UConn and Colorado to the Big 12, it was Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah. The Huskies and the ACC touched base, but the ACC took in Cal, Stanford and SMU.

“You can control that,” UConn AD David Benedict said. “I’m sure the thing that made us attractive is both success athletically as well as the university academic profile. We just have to continue doing those things and good things will happen.

 

[Luna]

Assisted access link<<

-> UConn had extensive talks with Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark over the summer. Yormark coveted UConn basketball and was willing to take football, and the invitation was far closer than many realize. UConn higher ups tell me they went to bed one night believing it was done, and were ready to put it on a Trustees agenda, but no one anticipated the Pac 12 completely imploding as it did. So instead of UConn and Colorado to the Big 12, it was Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah. The Huskies and the ACC touched base, but the ACC took in Cal, Stanford and SMU.

“You can control that,” UConn AD David Benedict said. “I’m sure the thing that made us attractive is both success athletically as well as the university academic profile. We just have to continue doing those things and good things will happen.<-

Nice article… very informative…I'm thinking we will stay with fox and get a good bump in money…sounds like Hurley really likes the freshmen potential

 

[JMick]

Dom Amore’s Sunday Read: UConn, Big East still together but there could always be something more powerful out there, Hurley on Huskies’ depth and more

Backdoor

UConn higher ups tell me they went to bed one night believing it was done, and were ready to put it on a Trustees agenda, but no one anticipated the Pac 12 completely imploding as it did. So instead of UConn and Colorado to the Big 12, it was Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah. The Huskies and the ACC touched base, but the ACC took in Cal, Stanford and SMU.

“You can control that,” UConn AD David Benedict said. “I’m sure the thing that made us attractive is both success athletically as well as the university academic profile. We just have to continue doing those things and good things will happen.

No one could see the PAC 12 imploding???? Really??? I swear a bunch of us could go get jobs at these universities as conference realignment consultants. We know just as much as these idiots do.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

No one could see the PAC 12 imploding???? Really??? I swear a bunch of us could go get jobs at these universities as conference realignment consultants. We know just as much as these idiots do.

People were talking about this since the spring. Now, I still thought they’d survive with an SDSU or something but the reality of their instability was very visible.

 

[KryHavok]

The Huskies and the ACC touched base

Translation: they said they still aren't interested in us. Gut punch after gut punch.

 

[ZooCougar]

Dom Amore’s Sunday Read: UConn, Big East still together but there could always be something more powerful out there, Hurley on Huskies’ depth and more

Backdoor

UConn higher ups tell me they went to bed one night believing it was done, and were ready to put it on a Trustees agenda, but no one anticipated the Pac 12 completely imploding as it did. So instead of UConn and Colorado to the Big 12, it was Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah. The Huskies and the ACC touched base, but the ACC took in Cal, Stanford and SMU.

“You can control that,” UConn AD David Benedict said. “I’m sure the thing that made us attractive is both success athletically as well as the university academic profile. We just have to continue doing those things and good things will happen.

Narrator: It wasn’t even close to being done.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

What hurt us the most was the imbecilic leadership from Kliavkoff. If the P-whatever received what would have appeared as even a reasonable deal, Colorado would have been the only departure.

The other three "four corners" schools made it pretty clear that their preference was to remain in the Pac. Oregon and Washington knew their future was in the B1G but they needed a bridge (until desperate times emerged). If Kliavkoff was a) straightforward with the member schools and b) somewhat self aware of what the market was willing to bear the Pac would have survived at least the length of another media deal.

 

[CL82]

Narrator: It wasn’t even close to being done.

Exactly! Well, except that the article actually says the opposite of that. But otherwise, spot on.

 

[CL82]

What hurt us the most was the imbecilic leadership from Kliavkoff. If the P-whatever received what would have appeared as even a reasonable deal, Colorado would have been the only departure.

The other three "four corners" schools made it pretty clear that their preference was to remain in the Pac. Oregon and Washington knew their future was in the B1G but they needed a bridge (until desperate times emerged). If Kliavkoff was a) straightforward with the member schools and b) somewhat self aware of what the market was willing to bear the Pac would have survived at least the length of another media deal.

The killing stroke was the B1G swooping in at the 11th hour and picking up Oregon and Washington for a fire sale price. If that doesn't happen, Arizona, Arizona state, and Utah don't move and we're in. It was that close.

The thing is though, I really don't see an offramp for us anymore, other than possibly joining the dregs of a picked over ACC in a best of the rest conference. And even then I'm not certain about.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

The killing stroke was the B1G swooping in at the 11th hour and picking up Oregon and Washington for a fire sale price. If that doesn't happen, Arizona, Arizona state, and Utah don't move and we're in. It was that close.

The thing is though, I really don't see an offramp for us anymore, other than possibly joining the dregs of a picked over ACC in a best of the rest conference. And even then I'm not certain about.

Our “off ramp” will be when basketball contracts are negotiated separately from football. Or when the ncaa tournament money is negotiated in a manner that favors unequal distribution like the CFP. Assuming we’re still elite in MBB and WBB that’s the moment we’re snatched up. Or the Big East doubles in value. Need that to happen sooner rather than later.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Our “off ramp” will be when basketball contracts are negotiated separately from football. Or when the ncaa tournament money is negotiated in a manner that favors unequal distribution like the CFP. Assuming we’re still elite in MBB and WBB that’s the moment we’re snatched up. Or the Big East doubles in value. Need that to happen sooner rather than later.

I have a strong suspicion that there will be world peace before those things happen.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The killing stroke was the B1G swooping in at the 11th hour and picking up Oregon and Washington for a fire sale price. If that doesn't happen, Arizona, Arizona state, and Utah don't move and we're in. It was that close.

The thing is though, I really don't see an offramp for us anymore, other than possibly joining the dregs of a picked over ACC in a best of the rest conference. And even then I'm not certain about.

Shy of a miracle, becoming part of a lesser ACC down the road seems to be our best outcome.

 

[superjohn]

Shy of a miracle, becoming part of a lesser ACC down the road seems to be our best outcome.

I think UConn will turn that down.

 

[Glastonhusky]

If they're willing to take Gonzaga for all sports, why wouldn't they be interested in us for all sports except football, with some kind of scheduling agreement for football? We're a much strong brand and bring in the NY market.

 

[kemba]

If they're willing to take Gonzaga for all sports, why wouldn't they be interested in us for all sports except football, with some kind of scheduling agreement for football? We're a much strong brand and bring in the NY market.

They are. We want football

 

[UCFBfan]

Our “off ramp” will be when basketball contracts are negotiated separately from football. Or when the ncaa tournament money is negotiated in a manner that favors unequal distribution like the CFP. Assuming we’re still elite in MBB and WBB that’s the moment we’re snatched up. Or the Big East doubles in value. Need that to happen sooner rather than later.

Unfortunately I don't see us surviving long enough for that to happen. Football is barely hanging on and is one of two remaining independents (ND doesn't count) I wouldn't be shocked if UMass finds a home within the next 2-3 years. If UConn can't find a spot for their football team and keep their other sports in the BE, I'm not sure what the immediate future may hold.......

 

[UConnTrumbull]

If they're willing to take Gonzaga for all sports, why wouldn't they be interested in us for all sports except football, with some kind of scheduling agreement for football? We're a much strong brand and bring in the NY market.

Starting to think UConn admin is waiting for the new Big East contract numbers. If it’s disappointing we take Big 12 sans football.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I think UConn will turn that down.

I seriously doubt that. Being in an all sports conference with what would likely be the bottom 2/3 of ACC football programs would without question make more sense than what we are attempting today.

 

[CL82]

Our “off ramp” will be when basketball contracts are negotiated separately from football. Or when the ncaa tournament money is negotiated in a manner that favors unequal distribution like the CFP. Assuming we’re still elite in MBB and WBB that’s the moment we’re snatched up. Or the Big East doubles in value. Need that to happen sooner rather than later.

Unless of course the P* schools choose not to include us in that contract. Then we're just screwed.