Would we accept Uconn if their football was in MAC?

[Barley]

If Uconn and Cincy placed their football programs in a non BCS league would the Big East welcome the rest of their sports? I have to think after the AAC loses Louisville and further becomes garbage that they might be open to the idea.

[BillEsq]

Very unlikely,

essentially their football program is already in a non BCS conference. And with Houston, SMU, and Tulsa the football will be better than anything the MAC has to offer so the only way that football moves conferences is to the Big 12 or another BCS.

The MAC has also expressed some concern with the football independent and there are rumors on the UMASS side that the MAC is going to make them choose between full membership or no membership. See UMASS boards for references. So that option might not even be available.

The third option is to go independent. Not an option unless you own your own network deal- BYU/ND, backed by the Feds Army/Navy, or incredibly desperate Idaho.

The last option is to go back to FCS. Moving to FBS is essentially a 100 plus million dollar investment so moving down is like well pissing money away. Since UConn moved up so soon i highly doubt it.

In Cincinnati position its even more unlikely, they will not put their football in the same con as instate Akron, Toledo, Ohio, ect. ect. They also don't have a true institutional desire to play with the C7 or any long history like UConn does, plus... outside of X there is 0 incentive to play anyone and the fact that X is in the league might be a further deal breaker.

So... in short Cincy... 0% chance.... UConn 10% chance....

I also don't think the BE would let either in with a FBS program, simply because as soon as a BCS league comes calling they are gone. UConn might have been a friend and a basketball school a long time ago, but they got addicted to the BCS crack, dumped their catholic girlfriends and well some times its just better to let by gones be by gones.

On a side note... UConns field Hockey team is still in the BE, you can always catch one of those game.. and field hockey players are usually pretty hot.

[marquette]

Much as I love UCONN (my mother and sister are both alumni) they are a constant flight risk. The whole point of this league was to eliminate the possibility of schools jumping ship for football conferences (and play some solid hoops). If we wanted to constantly worry about conference turnover we could have stayed in the AAC.

[TheDon]

I'd prefer to see Uconn playing basketball in the MAC. That would be priceless.

[Xudash]

Good luck convincing anyone who has anything to do with Xavier of the idea of bringing UC into the BE for anything.

[Bluejay]

I don't see any value in having two teams from the city of Cincinnati.

UConn would have to pledge their rights for a pretty lengthy period to be considered. I also doubt they are going to give up FB.

[Burrito]

Cincy is spending millions of dollars to upgrade their football stadium and is paying big bucks for their new coach from Texas Tech. They are not spending that kind of money to play in the MAC. They are hoping to receive an invite from either the BIG 12 or the ACC at some point. If Cincy does leave, UConn and Temple will be stuck in a southern conference with high travel costs and minimal revenue. (which is already the case)

UConn and Temple are going to be stuck in the AAC for a long time. Cincy might get out.

[billyjack]

UConn with football can't join us. They would have to completely dismantle their football program and demolish Rentschler (sp) to be considered. They would bail on us at the first opportunity. As it stands now, Providence and UConn are in serious recruiting wars with top prospects, and one our positives keeping us in the game is that we're in the Big East.

[Xudash]

Cincy is spending millions of dollars to upgrade their football stadium and is paying big bucks for their new coach from Texas Tech. They are not spending that kind of money to play in the MAC. They are hoping to receive an invite from either the BIG 12 or the ACC at some point. If Cincy does leave, UConn and Temple will be stuck in a southern conference with high travel costs and minimal revenue. (which is already the case)

UConn are Temple are going to be stuck in the AAC a long time. Cincy might get out.

I believe I can be objective about UC as a Xavier fan and I'll be objective about UC here. I know the stadium improvements announcement was made, but has it been funded yet (http://www.gobearcats.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121812aab.html)?

I think Nippert is a neat stadium, in terms of how it is situated on UC's campus, but it's too small, and this renovation, geared towards premium seating, isn't going to change that. Otherwise, 5/3 Arena is pretty out-of-date. It can't be a surprise to anyone that UL, with its markedly superior facilities, was chosen for the ACC, following WVU's move to the B12 and Maryland's move to the B1G.

It's hard to say whether or not we're settling into a 5 major conference package at this point, thanks to Swofford's GOR move, or whether the B1G and the SEC still intend to ultimately drive football to the 4 x 16 format (which the Pac12 would have a time of it, figuring it out). I have to believe that the odds are such at this point that UC is locked into the AAC for a while, if not for a long while.

[Dave]

I'd accept UConn as a full member, and let them do whatever they want with FB: AAC, MAC, Indy, FCS, whatever.

The upsides: Highest profile team that is a possible add. More NYC demand, for TV and MSG.

The downside: They could jump. So what? One team leaving won't destabilize a conference.

The upsides FAR outweighs the downside. The Big East should have reached out to UConn at the start. I think it's too late. They seem set on the AAC.