UCONN

[Eldon]

I do not think dropping football matters. One or two football schools would not wag the Big East's tail. The only risk would be that they would leave for a football conference. You solve that problem by making the buyout high enough to either totally discourage them leaving or make it profitable enough that you do not really care if they leave. As far as a second team, if you are going to allow football make the same offer to Cincinnati. Then I would offer Memphis, if Cincy is not interested.

My guess is that Xavier would be vehemently opposed to this, just as Nova would be staunchly against adding Temple.  I like Memphis, but aren't they trying to build up their football program?

[GooooMarquette]

Why would they drop to the FCS level? You don't make any money at that level.

How much they making in the AAC?  Gotta believe most of UConn's revenues are from hoops.

[chapman]

Who comes with them?

Cheap answer - they're enough that it doesn't matter.  Is it worth staying at 11 for a year or two to better evaluate the best team 12?  

Cincy comes to mind as the other re-join, except we chose X and are good with that decision, and unlike UConn they care about football.  So the same list pops up - with a little more openness to 1) publics (VCU, Wichita State) and 2) possibly those with football.  

[source?]

How much they making in the AAC?  Gotta believe most of UConn's revenues are from hoops.

Football and basketball jointly are getting $126 million/year for 7 years. The BE deal was basketball and ancillary sports for $500 million over 12 years. We have 10 teams, they have 11/12 for football.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/tu/football/aac-tv-deal-is-with-espn-cbs-sports/article_be99055d-ac62-502c-9ce3-eb99bb0f59aa.html

[kryza]

We'd be crazy not to let them in even without any concessions. It immediately increases the brand image.

I think a good rule for the future could be that if a team's football team makes LESS money than the basketball team, they should be allowed. If however, the football team starts to make more than the basketball team they will get the boot.

That way football can never drive the bus.

[brewcity77]

Sounds like lacrosse only, so doesn't seem like that big of a deal, though long term it could open the door for more.

[Anti-Dentite]

I just found out last week that Butler has a football program, had no idea.

[source?]

Sounds like lacrosse only, so doesn't seem like that big of a deal, though long term it could open the door for more.

Any chance of a link? Just curious.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Thought the Bearcats were headed to the Big12?

[source?]

Sounds like lacrosse only, so doesn't seem like that big of a deal, though long term it could open the door for more.

Looks like the women are already in for lacrosse, they don't have a men's team.

[brewcity77]

Looks like the women are already in for lacrosse, they don't have a men's team.

Men's team goes D1 in 2018.

[MU82]

You take UConn. Duh.

They can play football in any league they'd like or go indy, and the Big East makes the exit fee for leaving the conference seriously onerous with no loopholes.

So if the ACC or Big 14 comes a'callin' one day and UConn leaves, they or their new conference pays through the teeth. A decent consolation prize.

One or two football schools out of 12 won't hurt the Big East brand at all, while UConn hoops seriously helps the basketball brand.

No-brainer of all no-brainers.

[AirPunches]

You take UConn. Duh.

They can play football in any league they'd like or go indy, and the Big East makes the exit fee for leaving the conference seriously onerous with no loopholes.

So if the ACC or Big 14 comes a'callin' one day and UConn leaves, they or their new conference pays through the teeth. A decent consolation prize.

One or two football schools out of 12 won't hurt the Big East brand at all, while UConn hoops seriously helps the basketball brand.

No-brainer of all no-brainers.

This exactly. Make high exit fee. Collect $ if they leave. 1-2 football teams makes no difference to "brand". No one cares about the perception and if the BE lost a school to another conference down the road. I see it as another good game or two on marquettes schedule each year.

[brewcity77]

My thought for exit fee would be $75M. More than the ACC and enough that if they leave it's a legit windfall for everyone. Take them and Dayton, be done with expansion.


But again, don't think this is for basketball. More likely just pairing their developing men's lacrosse program with their extant women's program in our league.

[ChicosBailBonds]

This times 1,000

They can call Fox all day, but the bylaws are clear....doesn't mean a thing.  Univ presidents make the decision and the contract has a decade left.

Only way I would do this if schools gave up all their media rights in the future, were subject to no splitting of NCAA tournament rev for at least 2 years.

Obviously if it is done, then you need to see what FOX is willing to pony up.  Considering right now Fox has overpaid for the current deal, they might not be in the mood for tacking on because ultimately they have to sell this though to the TV distributors who are already balking at their increases...see Uverse and Fox Sports.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Men's team goes D1 in 2018.

So a conference call with Big East presidents to vote in UCONN for Men's lacrosse in 2018?  That could be done on Survey Monkey, a'nia?

[D'Lo Brown]

Football has been a hindrance to UConn - it's what landed them in the AAC instead of the BE.  If they come to their senses and drop it (or at least drop to the level of Nova/GTown), then by all means let them in.  If they don't, tell 'em to enjoy the AAC until they do.

There is exactly 0% chance that they will go back to I-AA or D-II. That would be complete insanity.

The program has had a rough last few years due to a string of bad coaching decisions. In the last few years, they have not been good, but over the last 15 years this program has been on a meteoric rise. Under Randy Edsall, Uconn was a very respectable program in a good football conference.

I think you are implying that Uconn's primary goal was to get into the new Big East, and/or that the new Big East didn't want them because of football and that they were resigned to the AAC. That is completely wrong. They wanted to get into a power football conference. Uconn was simply the last one standing in the musical chairs / circus of the conference realignment. They got f***ed, Rutgers somehow found a seat and Uconn had no place to go. And they're still in a weird position because the power football conferences have settled down. But of the options they had (they sucked, of course), the AAC was the best fit overall.

[ChicosBailBonds]

There is exactly 0% chance that they will go back to I-AA or D-II. That would be complete insanity.

The program has had a rough last few years due to a string of bad coaching decisions. In the last few years, they have not been good, but over the last 15 years this program has been on a meteoric rise. Under Randy Edsall, Uconn was a very respectable program in a good football conference.

I think you are implying that Uconn's primary goal was to get into the new Big East, and/or that the new Big East didn't want them because of football and that they were resigned to the AAC. That is completely wrong. They wanted to get into a power football conference. Uconn was simply the last one standing in the musical chairs / circus of the conference realignment. They got f***ed, Rutgers somehow found a seat and Uconn had no place to go. And they're still in a weird position because the power football conferences have settled down. But of the options they had (they sucked, of course), the AAC was the best fit overall.

Rutgers is a member of the AAU, that's big stuff to the Big Ten.  UCONN is not.  Rutgers also grabs a TV market, even if they aren't a big draw, that UCONN does not.  That helps with subscriber rates that the Big Ten could force on cable and satellite providers.

[keefe]

Husky football to the MAC

http://www.bigeastcoastbias.com/2015/2/5/7974553/why-uconn-should-rejoin-the-big-east

[MUFlutieEffect]

Just don't add Dayton.  Please, please, please... no Dayton...

[mug644]

Then pick up UMass too, and stay at this 12 for a decade+.

As someone who lives 15 minutes away from UMass, I'd love this, but as is pointed out about UConn, UMass has made serious financial commitments to their football program within the last few years, after having decided NOT to drop it. I don't see them dropping it, just to get their b-ball team in the BEast. And, after all, the A-10 is better than UConn's AAC.

If Uconn is the one doing the calling, I have to imagine they're willing to make some sort of concession to join... Or go back on something that kept them out in the first place?

You mean they'd need to become a Catholic school?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I haven't seen anything locally yet.  Will post if I do. 

There's a thread for this Tweet on the UConn Boneyard site, however someone there must be reading MUScoop because they posted "according to Marquette fans, it's for men's lacrosse." 

[GooooMarquette]

Rutgers is a member of the AAU, that's big stuff to the Big Ten.  UCONN is not.

Nebraska isn't either....

[GGGG]

What would UConn's motivations be to join the BE if they still planned to keep their football team?  The Boneyard is implying this is only for lacrosse. 

[bradley center bat]

How much they making in the AAC?  Gotta believe most of UConn's revenues are from hoops.

Football always makes more than basketball. Their TV deal is $2 million per year and they got all the C-7 credits from the old Big East.