UConn Smoke

[Xudash]

According to Stever, all publicity is good publicity, so this is a good thing.

[Hall2012]

Pretty ridiculous that the AAC basically just told the majority of the league "you're worthless to us and we're willing to give these select few schools that we value a financial advantage in order to prop them up and keep you down."


If we want UConn - this is the opening to grab them - that's a school with a lot of pride who shouldn't take kindly that message they were just given. My stance has always been that if UConn wants to come we should happily welcome them, but we absolutely DO NOT need them - as has been evidenced by the league success to date. We're also not interested in them as a short term stepping stone to a P5 conference.


Our message to UConn is simple - the AAC clearly does not value your program as we see it is willing to go out of its way to give your competition, UCF, Cincy, etc a tangible advantage over your for the long-term future. While we here in the Big East don't need you by any means, we recognize your value and would treat you as a full and equal member of the league (after a brief probation period of course), thus giving you a fair and equal opportunity to be successful in the league. Should you choose to agree to this contract (say GOR or massive buyout, something commiting their future through our next media rights deal), we'd be willing to waive the probation period and give you a full financial share from the start.


There you go - take it or leave it. Either we get extra money while UConn's on probation, we use their guaranteed presence to boost our next media rights deal, or they reject it and nothing changes.

[adoraz]

Just a theory, but since Big East's CBS secondary TV rights are ending soon, maybe ESPN is involved.

ESPN absolutely does not want to pay UConn F5 money, but they don't want to lose them entirely either.

Seems like this could be a win for all parties (Fox, ESPN, UConn, Big East).

[stever20]

Just a theory, but since Big East's CBS secondary TV rights are ending soon, maybe ESPN is involved.

ESPN absolutely does not want to pay UConn F5 money, but they don't want to lose them entirely either.

Seems like this could be a win for all parties (Fox, ESPN, UConn, Big East).

I could easily see that.

[gtmoBlue]

Pretty ridiculous that the AAC basically just told the majority of the league "you're worthless to us and we're willing to give these select few schools that we value a financial advantage in order to prop them up and keep you down."


If we want UConn - this is the opening to grab them - that's a school with a lot of pride who shouldn't take kindly that message they were just given. My stance has always been that if UConn wants to come we should happily welcome them, but we absolutely DO NOT need them - as has been evidenced by the league success to date. We're also not interested in them as a short term stepping stone to a P5 conference.


Our message to UConn is simple - the AAC clearly does not value your program as we see it is willing to go out of its way to give your competition, UCF, Cincy, etc a tangible advantage over your for the long-term future. While we here in the Big East don't need you by any means, we recognize your value and would treat you as a full and equal member of the league (after a brief probation period of course), thus giving you a fair and equal opportunity to be successful in the league. Should you choose to agree to this contract (say GOR or massive buyout, something commiting their future through our next mEdia rights deal.

There you go - take it or leave it. Either we get extra money while UConn's on probation, we use their guaranteed presence to boost our next media rights deal, or they reject it and nothing changes.

Surely u r not suggesting "assistance" in UConns potential exit of the AAC?

[kayako]

For the American to essentially put all of its chips into UCF, USF, Memphis, Houston and Cincinnati, it is essentially telling ECU, Tulane, Tulsa, Temple, UConn and SMU that they are not only not as valuable, but that they also have zero chance of reaching the levels that the top half have had in the past five seasons. .

Honestly, UCF, USF, Memphis, Houston, and Cinci is a solid core for what they're trying to do. The truth is other schools are replaceable parts. I mean how long can Temple stay relevant in a region with no interest in college football and getting fleeced by the Eagles every year with no solution in sight? If this move is needed to keep the 6 core schools together, it's a no brainer.

[Hall2012]

Pretty ridiculous that the AAC basically just told the majority of the league "you're worthless to us and we're willing to give these select few schools that we value a financial advantage in order to prop them up and keep you down."


If we want UConn - this is the opening to grab them - that's a school with a lot of pride who shouldn't take kindly that message they were just given. My stance has always been that if UConn wants to come we should happily welcome them, but we absolutely DO NOT need them - as has been evidenced by the league success to date. We're also not interested in them as a short term stepping stone to a P5 conference.


Our message to UConn is simple - the AAC clearly does not value your program as we see it is willing to go out of its way to give your competition, UCF, Cincy, etc a tangible advantage over your for the long-term future. While we here in the Big East don't need you by any means, we recognize your value and would treat you as a full and equal member of the league (after a brief probation period of course), thus giving you a fair and equal opportunity to be successful in the league. Should you choose to agree to this contract (say GOR or massive buyout, something commiting their future through our next mEdia rights deal.

There you go - take it or leave it. Either we get extra money while UConn's on probation, we use their guaranteed presence to boost our next media rights deal, or they reject it and nothing changes.

Surely u r not suggesting "assistance" in UConns potential exit of the AAC?

If that happens to be an effect of the deal then so be it. I'm looking ahead to our next media rights deal, which is still a ways off but will have a big impact on the long term viability of the conference. I believe we'll be just fine without them, but recognize that having them makes us a more valuable basketball conference and will increase the value of our deal. If they guarantee bringing us that future value, I'd happily skip a probationary period where they don't get a full share of conference payouts.

[Omaha1]

I don’t agree with the assumption that adding UCONN somehow makes us a significantly more valuable property. If anything, seeing how poorly their own conference views them should tell us something.

[stever20]

I don’t agree with the assumption that adding UCONN somehow makes us a significantly more valuable property. If anything, seeing how poorly their own conference views them should tell us something.

In football they're one of the 10 worst teams in the country right now....

But in basketball they have such a history, and with a new coach, are looking like they're back on an upswing. There would be no better pickup possible than UConn.... Absolutely none.

Given Big East doesn't have football- their football program doesn't hurt them in the least....

[Hall2012]

I don’t agree with the assumption that adding UCONN somehow makes us a significantly more valuable property. If anything, seeing how poorly their own conference views them should tell us something.

The AAC only cares about football, in which UConn is hot garbage. I think the Big East should place a bet on Dan Hurley turning UConn basketball back into a national power. My only reason to vote against bringing them back, is the fear of what Dan Hurley could do in this league, cleaning up NY and NJ at Seton Ha's expense.