UConn escape plan - The Big East

[Bill Marsh]

UConn offers no recruiting area that's appealing to a major conference. Their football program is poor with no tradition. Their stadium is a dump. Their fan base is nonexistent for football.

Hard to see UConn getting an invite anywhere. Don't blame them for holding onto a shred of hope, since the upside of the Power 5 pipe dream is so great, but it's just hard to see a scenario in which case UConn is appealing. Their best hope is that Bob Diaco can turn them into one of the better programs in the AAC by the time another wave of expansion arrives.

Mack, the UConn stadium is a dump? It's 10 years old. What are you talking about?

Their fan base is not nonexistent for football. They have had seasons since the move up to the Big East when they have sold out their stadium. Their average attendance has been roughly the same as BC's over the past 10 years. Their attendance has been a problem during the past couple of years when their team has been awful. Obviously that has to change. But their fan base will support the program if they put a decent product on the field.

[Bill Marsh]

There's a lot of wishful thinking going on here about UConn's prospects for a P5 invite with hopes that they'll default to the Big East. As someone who lives in CT near both Hartford and UConn, I can assure you that UConn will absolutely not give up on their football program. Nor should they.

Those who criticize the football program, the lack of tradition, and the lack of a fertile recruiting area are only looking at the glass as half empty. UCoon does bring assets that are desirable for any P5 conference. They absolutely dominate the sports news in a state of 3.6 million with no instate competition from any other college or pro team. The state has. The highest per capita income in the country, which translates into advertising dollars. Local TV stations in Nartford include western Mass in their broadcast area, swelling the TV market to the 4-5 million range. Who else is out there who brings that size market with that kind of affluent viewership with no competition for viewer loyalty?

While conference realignment is all about football, candidates for expansion have not necessarily been football powerhouses. Here are some of the schools that have been added by conferences in expansion:

Colorado to the PAC-12
Rutgers to the Big Ten
Maryland to the Big Ten
Syracuse to the ACC
Boston College to the ACC

Football powers? Fertile recruiting areas?

Telling UConn to give up on its hopes for a P5 invite is like telling Rutgers 15 years ago that they had no shot at the P5. If you predicted Rutgers to The Big Ten even 3 years ago, raise your hand. How about Louisville? Anyone figuring them for the ACC 15 years ago? Heck, they were just hoping for the Big East at that point. Louisville and Rutgers both invested in their programs and steadily built them up until someone wanted them. That's what UConn will do until someone wants them too.

The only thing we know for sure about realignment is that we don't know anything for sure.

[Piratefan]

I'm the last person to defend RU but NJ talent in FB is like Texas compared to Ct. Answer why Uconn hasn't been taken? Also, it is bleeding cash in FB so it can't last forever.

[Bill Marsh]

I'm the last person to defend RU but NJ talent in FB is like Texas compared to Ct. Answer why Uconn hasn't been taken? Also, it is bleeding cash in FB so it can't last forever.

NJ hs football is fine, but that isn't why they were taken. They were taken for their market and because as a university they're a good fit for the Big Ten.

UConn hasn't been taken because of timing. Their strengths haven't fit the needs of those seeking an addition at the time. But you're using circular logic, claiming that they haven't been taken yet, so they never will be. Following that logic, Rutgers, Louisville, TCU, Utah, etc should never have been taken . . . until they were.

UConn isn't bleeding cash at all. They still have the war cheat they built up for exit fees when the conference broke up. They still have NCAA credits paying into the conference from the successes of all the departed members, money that still comes into the AAC and not to the schools who earned those credits.

You're taking a very negative attitude by claiming they're bleeding cash. From their POV, they're making an investment. It's what any business does when they're building their product before they've begun to turn a profit. The issue isn't whether they're losing money, it's how well financed they are. As the flagship university of the most affluent state in the country, they're very well financed. They're in it for the long haul.

It took Louisville 25 years of investing to get to a P5 conference, 15 years to get to the BE when it was the P6. It was all about commitment and financing. Those 2 things didn't waiver at Louisville and they won't at UConn either.

[Piratefan]

I have nothing against uconn and wish it well. I don't see it getting a F5 invite but what do i know?

[Bill Marsh]

I have nothing against uconn and wish it well. I don't see it getting a F5 invite but what do i know?

Did you see Rutgers getting a P5 invite? Louisville? TCU? Utah?

[MackNova]

I have nothing against uconn and wish it well. I don't see it getting a F5 invite but what do i know?

Did you see Rutgers getting a P5 invite? Louisville? TCU? Utah?

No. Yes. Yes. Yes. Most thought Louisville was going to the ACC or Big 12 once the Big East fell apart. TCU was an obvious candidate to leave from the second realignment started with its football success and recruiting ground. Look at TCU's history. Utah was also the best western candidate from a football perspective that didn't diminish the Pac-10/12 brand.

Have you been to Rentschler? Calling it a dump is a little harsh, but it's a very basic stadium nowhere near campus. It's a good size for a stadium, so every seat is solid, but parking is just brutal.

The only conference UConn makes any sense for geographically and academically is the ACC. If it becomes an AAU school, things may change for the Big Ten, but those are also the two worst Power 5 conferences for football and probably won't want a program that's never won more than 9 games and has declined without Randy Edsall. Maybe the Big 12, but it's just so far away from every other school in that league. I guess that's the case with the AAC as well.

[JOPO]

I have nothing against uconn and wish it well. I don't see it getting a F5 invite but what do i know?

Did you see Rutgers getting a P5 invite? Louisville? TCU? Utah?

In my opinion, the Big Ten absolutely should have taken UConn over Rutgers. Maybe if RU continues to embarrass itself (and they will, it is never a matter of "if" but "when") the Big Ten will boot them because they aren't worth the trouble and invite UConn like they should have the last go around.

I sort of feel bad for UConn but really don't want them back in the Big East. Ten teams is perfect for basketball, we get to play a true home and home schedule which I absolutely love. Also, in a few years I really don't think the UConn of old is going to be what you see going forward. Just look at how they are struggling this year in what is truly a mid-major, possibly one-bid, conference. How will that help them in recruiting going forward? It won't and their recruiting will start to drop off. I also don't want to throw a lifeline to a school that will be continually be looking for what they perceive as greener pastures that they also perceive as not being offered in the Big East. Why? We've already been there, done that! Plus, when we wanted to continue a series with them they said no so hey, you don't want to play us now why should we try and save you later?

[Bill Marsh]

I have nothing against uconn and wish it well. I don't see it getting a F5 invite but what do i know?

Did you see Rutgers getting a P5 invite? Louisville? TCU? Utah?

No. Yes. Yes. Yes. Most thought Louisville was going to the ACC or Big 12 once the Big East fell apart. TCU was an obvious candidate to leave from the second realignment started with its football success and recruiting ground. Look at TCU's history. Utah was also the best western candidate from a football perspective that didn't diminish the Pac-10/12 brand.

Have you been to Rentschler? Calling it a dump is a little harsh, but it's a very basic stadium nowhere near campus. It's a good size for a stadium, so every seat is solid, but parking is just brutal.

The only conference UConn makes any sense for geographically and academically is the ACC. If it becomes an AAU school, things may change for the Big Ten, but those are also the two worst Power 5 conferences for football and probably won't want a program that's never won more than 9 games and has declined without Randy Edsall. Maybe the Big 12, but it's just so far away from every other school in that league. I guess that's the case with the AAC as well.

Mack, I think you misunderstood my point about Rutgers, Louisvile, TCU, and Utah. I wasn't talking necessarily about whether anyone saw the invites coming at the time they happened but some years in advance. Let's say 10 years in advance.

Rutgers - No one saw this one coming even a day in advance of the announcement.

Louisville - Once West Virginia got the Big XII invite, Louisville was in Limbo. That's where they were expected to get an invite. When it didn't happen, it seemed they were screwed unless the Big XII changed it's mind about 10 members. No one expected the ACC to break it's rule of sticking to teams on the Atlantic Coast. (Notre Dame is the obvious school they'd make an exception for, but that was seen as an exception.) Louisville was also thought to not be acceptable to the ACC because of their academics. Their selection was a surprise.

TCU - for many this was a surprise because the Big XII already had the Texas market locked up. As a smaller private school, it didn't seem that they added anything despite the fact that they have a good football program. Many thought that the Big XII would look to expand their markets since this was an obvious problem with their members outside Texas - especially after they lost Colorado, one of their 2 biggest markets outside Texas.

Utah - Were they really an obvious pick before Urban Meyer turned their football program into a winner? They were the 2nd best program in a state smaller than CT.

Looking 10 years in advance of these schools' selections is important because UConn isn't positioning themselves for an invitation tomorrow. They're taking the long view by investing in their facilities and by upgrading their programs. If Diaco is successful in doing for UConn football what was done at TCU, Utah, Boise, Louisville, etc, would that change their profile in 8-10 years? I would think it would.

As for the UConn stadium, it is off campus. So is Miami's. If everything else is up to par, that won't matter. The stadium is expandable. If UConn can build a winner and demand for tickets increases, they can do what Rutgers did and add 10,000 seats to bring it to 50K. The stadium's infrastructure is still fairly Ne's, so while expanding, they can also give the rest of it a face lift and add other amenities.

Those who want to make UConn appear to be an unattractive candidate are looking for negatives. The basic qualities that conferences are seeking are already there - state flagship in a good size state, excellent academics, good market, devoted following, good financing, high level of commitment both from boosters and from the state. Anything else like the stadium can be built or improved.

One final comment about UConn's market. One this gets brought up, too often the Hartford/New Haven market is referenced, which is nonsense. The entire state is UConn's market as well as some portions of surrounding states. Tell me another state of 3.6 million that has only one state university commanding the state's entire attention in the P5. Other than Ohio, it doesn't exist. As far as markets, there isn't a better expansion candidate out there.

[Bill Marsh]

I have nothing against uconn and wish it well. I don't see it getting a F5 invite but what do i know?

Did you see Rutgers getting a P5 invite? Louisville? TCU? Utah?

In my opinion, the Big Ten absolutely should have taken UConn over Rutgers. Maybe if RU continues to embarrass itself (and they will, it is never a matter of "if" but "when") the Big Ten will boot them because they aren't worth the trouble and invite UConn like they should have the last go around.

I sort of feel bad for UConn but really don't want them back in the Big East. Ten teams is perfect for basketball, we get to play a true home and home schedule which I absolutely love. Also, in a few years I really don't think the UConn of old is going to be what you see going forward. Just look at how they are struggling this year in what is truly a mid-major, possibly one-bid, conference. How will that help them in recruiting going forward? It won't and their recruiting will start to drop off. I also don't want to throw a lifeline to a school that will be continually be looking for what they perceive as greener pastures that they also perceive as not being offered in the Big East. Why? We've already been there, done that! Plus, when we wanted to continue a series with them they said no so hey, you don't want to play us now why should we try and save you later?

I also do not want to see UConn back in the Big East. This conference should stay true to its new identity. I also like 10 members in the conference, but if forced to expand, they should stick with basketball schools who are in a position to make a long term commitment.

UConn basketball will be fine and will not decline. This year is not a good measure because they are rebuilding a national championship team that lost 3 starters. The current team has hit some bumps, but they will improve as the season progresses and will have a good shot at the tournament by season's end. Ollie is an excellent coach and he will have them peaking at the right time.

UConn is essentially where Louisville was in the old CUSA. With UConn, Temple, Cincinnati, Memphis, and SMU, this is still one of the top 8conferences. With strong OOC scheduling, they will have the SOS they need for the tournament and the marquis games they need to bring in fans.