UConn still exploring joining the Big East

[TedBaxter]

...and less high profile non-conference games. 20 confeence games are too incenstious IMO. You can still have an 18 game schedule with 11 teams. You don't have to play EVERY team twice in the same season.

Yes you do. One of the huge selling points for players, coaches and fans. Legitimate champion every year.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

I would be all in favor of adding UConn. It adds another two guaranteed quality games. Further, we could expect to see this as our likely every year schedule:

• 20 conference games
• 4 exempt tourney games (usually 2-3 high majors)
• 2 additional high majors (Wisconsin and Gavitt)
• 5 additional games (dealer's choice)

Obviously the fear would be what those 5 additional end up being, but that would likely limit us to a maximum of 7 cupcakes in any given year (including exempt tourney, and guessing 7 would be very rare) and I would guess would more likely lead to 4-6 cupcakes. Get a neutral site and a H/H along with a 3-game exempt tourney, you're looking at 4 cupcake games.

My guess is the average would be 5 cupcake/buy games. Considering we've had 16 such games in just the past two years, I think UConn would be a welcome addition. I imagine it would be a profile boost for their program as well (as it has been for Butler, Creighton, and Xavier).

Also, if nothing else, it would be absolutely amusing to see UConn come crawling back after all the back-and-forth as they tried to flee. What's that? You tried going it on your own with your fancy new football conference and it all went ass-end-up on you? So sorry, now kiss the ring, here's hoping you can raise your current status above DePaul.

[MU/Panther]

Over what period of time is the additional the TV deal? If it is 10 year deal, then the additional $100 million does not result in a change in per team income.
I would really be hesitant to add schools to the conference if there was no more money for the existing schools.

The Big East/FS1 deal is a 12 year deal.

[MU88]

The article was a prediction, not a statement. No way UConn leaves AAC for the Big East. According to their 2015 filing, the AAC has $19 million in revenue from TV, radio, etc. The BE has a bit over $30 million. The AAC had over $46 million in NCAA grants (including $24 million from the Basketball fund and $6 million in grants), while the BE had $11 million (with only $4 million coming from the bball fund). The extra funding from the bball fund appears to be going to to the former BE schools as payback. Plus, the conference is burning through cash reserves at a rate of about $10-$11 million per year, probably for the same reason. I would guess ACC conference revenues will stabilize around $55 million per year in a couple years, or just under $5 million per member (after Navy gets a share). BE revenue, which is around $47 million now, will probably jump to around $60 million or so when the conference starts receiving a full 6 year share of its NCAA credits, or about $6 million per school.

While UConn may make a few bucks peddling its football program as an independent or in a lesser conference, it certainly doesn't make sense to jump to the BE for an extra $1 million per year, when you have a significant exit fee with the AAC. Plus, I am sure the AAC is hoping that its tv contract will improve during the next negotiation. So, unless FOX throws a ton of cash to provide incentive for UConn to switch conferences, which I doubt, I don't see any reason for UConn to make the switch. Further, UConn can't survive as in independent like BYU. It doesn't have a worldwide following like BYU. Majors aren't coming to Storrs to play in a 44,000 seat stadium.

The article is pure speculation and I don't believe it.

[TheSultan]

The article wasn't just pure speculation. It had this: "Sources have told FanRag Sports that UConn has consistently looked into joining the Big East as a basketball only member as long as it could find another home for its football program."

Now ultimately you are very likely correct. UConn isn't going anywhere because, while they aren't happy with their current situations and have looked at alternatives, the AAC is the best place they can be right now.

[Goose85]

By adding UConn, the current Big East schools would get no extra money. No way would I add two teams without a guaranteed bump in revenue for existing Big East schools (using the previously mentioned extra $100 million over 12 year figure).

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

I disagree that current schools wouldn't see a money bump. Add UConn but give them a smaller share to start. Right now UConn gets what, about $1.5M per year as a full member of the AAC? Come here as a full member, pay them 80% to start, and they still make almost a million more, and that's without any money they get once they figure out what to do with football. Even if they tried independent I'd guess they'd more than double their television revenue by joining us.

With the 20% share, give a 2% boost to the C7, a 1% boost to the other 3, and put the remaining 3% in the league coffers. Everyone wins.

[Goose85]

I disagree that current schools wouldn't see a money bump. Add UConn but give them a smaller share to start. Right now UConn gets what, about $1.5M per year as a full member of the AAC? Come here as a full member, pay them 80% to start, and they still make almost a million more, and that's without any money they get once they figure out what to do with football. Even if they tried independent I'd guess they'd more than double their television revenue by joining us.

With the 20% share, give a 2% boost to the C7, a 1% boost to the other 3, and put the remaining 3% in the league coffers. Everyone wins.

Basketball just isn't worth much, so I am not sure moving UConn to the Big East would result in Fox wanting to pay a bunch more money.
Does UConn move the TV needle so much so that they are worth at least $5 million per year to Fox?

I'm just skeptical that UConn is worth much from a TV contract standpoint.

[TheSultan]

Basketball just isn't worth much, so I am not sure moving UConn to the Big East would result in Fox wanting to pay a bunch more money.
Does UConn move the TV needle so much so that they are worth at least $5 million per year to Fox?

I'm just skeptical that UConn is worth much from a TV contract standpoint.

Ultimately I agree with your conclusion. But it isn't just about moving the needle, it's about providing better content. If you have 10 teams playing a full round robin, that's 90 conference games. If you have 11 teams playing a full round robin, its 110 conference games. Are those 20 extra games a year, plus the non-conference games that UConn would bring, worth $5 million more than the programming already in place on FS1 and FS2?

I suspect the answer is no.

[MU_Iceman]

UConn is never going to be much in football anyway, and if I remember right that state/school has HUGE financial issues...Might be best in the long term to get out of D1 football(or football altogether).