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Rothstein's update:

The Big East and UConn have had recent discussions about the Huskies joining the conference, multiple sources told FanRag Sports.

FanRag Sports reported last week that UConn had looked into joining the conference and one source confirmed on Wednesday that the Big East would take the Huskies in all sports.

The issue then for UConn would be to find a home for its football program, which wouldn’t be able to join the Big East because the doesn’t league’s participants do not have football.

“The Big East would take UConn in everything, but they need to resolve what they’re going to do with football,” one source said. “That’s the only thing that’s standing in the way of a marriage.”

the thing that I don't get is the logic that going to 20 games to keep the precious round robin will automatically help the conference get more spots.

The games that would be taken out of the OOC schedule won't be the exempt tourney games, it won't be the Gavitt games, it won't be the top tier games. It'll be the dreg games.

So let's take Seton Hall this year. The games that would get removed would be your games like Fairleigh Dickinson, Central Conn., or Delaware. 2 wins. Replaced with UConn. So say they go 1-1 in those 2 vs UConn. Now, instead of Seton Hall being where they are at 15-9 they would be at 14-10, and in far more danger of missing the tourney.

So, UConn football as an independent I think is doable... 6-6 gets them into a bowl... they can schedule more regional teams... they could sign a cheapo football TV deal with Fox or NBC...

Schedule could look like:
Sept: ACC, B1G, MAC, Sun Belt.
Oct: MWC, American, C-USA, local FCS.
Nov: New Mexico State, Army, BYU, finish with UMass every year.

So 12 games:
November is set with 4 other independents.
One game in Sept or October will be vs a local FCS.
That leaves 7 games to fill, and UConn has 10 FBS conferences to grab games from.
Shouldn't be tough at all to work this out.

Get an SEC, Big-12 or PAC-12 in Sept or Oct... doesn't have to be Alabama or UCLA, just get Vanderbilt or Washington State.

What is the problem? Show some confidence in your brand. A problem with UConn is that their American Athletic opponents aren't real rivals, so playing them every year gets stale and dull. So just trade Tulane, Tulsa and UCF for Rice, Air Force and Bowling Green... and that's worst case scenario for them in terms of scheduling... at least new teams come to visit Rentschler and the UConn fans get some variety, different strategies, different talent.

Of course, they could work out games with BC, Syracuse, Pitt, etc, rather than Bowling Green and Toledo, and better major schools as well could be possible even if you play them in Foxboro.

And hoops wise, the resurgence in interest will be huge for UConn, MSG will be even louder, and the ACC will flip out again.

I really don't see too much risk.

I would support UConn to the Big East as long as the conference stays round-robin and goes to 20 conference games. I love the round robin.

UConn provides:
1. National brand (just a down year, IMO. I'm not going to try and argue otherwise, just my opinion)
2. Increased attendance at MSG (which should help to extend the contract when it is up)
3. Interest from FOX (and in general, the next TV contract)
4. Traditional rival for half the league

Also, I would slap an enormous exit fee on them just in case the Big Ten or ACC comes calling 5-10 years down the road.

bmorex wrote:I would support UConn to the Big East as long as the conference stays round-robin and goes to 20 conference games. I love the round robin.

UConn provides:
1. National brand (just a down year, IMO. I'm not going to try and argue otherwise, just my opinion)
2. Increased attendance at MSG (which should help to extend the contract when it is up)
3. Interest from FOX (and in general, the next TV contract)
4. Traditional rival for half the league

Also, I would slap an enormous exit fee on them just in case the Big Ten or ACC comes calling 5-10 years down the road.

I think after this year, you may if UConn comes aboard see the round robin vanish. The round robin could wind up costing Seton Hall, Providence, Georgetown, or Marquette a tourney spot. Adding UConn and going to 20 games(and don't kid yourself, the games that would get dropped would not be the tougher games, it would be the dreg games)- would hurt the conference and not help it.

When you say an enormous exit fee how much are you thinking. Also would UConn agree to something like that. I would think it would need to be in the $50,000,000 range at least. You know they want then big time football dollars so they would leave in a second given the opportunity.

I would like to see 75mil for exit fees. Get a shit ton of lawyers to read the contract over and over again to make sure there are no loopholes to get out of it and have a clause in there that UConn guarantees to pay the full amount for exit fees. Also throw something in there that says UConn waives their right to go to court to get a reduced exit fee. That should persuade them from trying to leave.

Also you could do the same thing for UC. That would produce some really good rivalry games and it would basically kill off the aac and relegate them to a 1 bid mid major while the BE would look like a 7-8 bid league every year.

XU/UC
Butler/UC
UC/UConn
Nova/UConn
Providence/UConn
UC/Marquette

...More UConn from Rothstein...

Jon Rothstein ‏@JonRothstein 2h2 hours ago

More Sources: UConn, Big East have had recent discussions about expansion. STORY @FanRagSports:

21 replies 168 retweets 112 likes

http://www.fanragsports.com/cbb/rothstein-uconn-big-east-recent-discussions-expansion/

Jays people appear to be getting onboard with this over on the BJU...

If only UConn joins the 20 game double round robin is a nice fit.

Projecting that it will cause BE bubble teams to miss the tourney is a reach. If they drop dreg games for a stronger SOS that is taken into account. If the selection was based solely on number of wins everyone would be seeking a weak SOS, which is not the case.

UConn strengthens the conference and the SOS. It likely improves the schedule of all members.

More importantly from bmorex:

UConn provides:
1. National brand (just a down year, IMO. I'm not going to try and argue otherwise, just my opinion)
2. Increased attendance at MSG (which should help to extend the contract when it is up)
3. Interest from FOX (and in general, the next TV contract)
4. Traditional rival for half the league