UCONN to Rejoin Big East

[mtrout]

They're leaving just when the conference payout will more than triple from ~2mil to ~7mil plus? I guess their entire sports program is getting tired of traveling to Houston and Tulsa for games. Regional conferences make way more sense to me...I guess they're finding this out the hard way.

We just got Wichita State. Why not replace them with someone else that makes little sense?

[BUS]

If I had a vote for those listed. Rice or La Tech.
Still thinking.

[DiamondM75]

NO way UNT. We don't need more recruiting competition in our back door.

Of that list, I would like UTEP (usually travels well and lots of local alums) or LA Tech. Also travels well and supported, would provide more recruiting presence in LA.

[ALEX LIFESON]

Another option would be to stay at 11 teams. Unless you add a program that brings prestige like U conn did in basketball, I would consider staying at 11, and splitting the money one less way. You would have to find a creative way to have the championship football game, but most of the teams listed above, don't bring much to the table.

[redpony]

I hope Aresco has the cajones to stand up to UConn and makes them pay the full exit amount plus losing any tournament monies (split with all teams). Especially since they seem to plan on leaving early. Guess we will see what kind of real commissioner he is.

[midwestpony]

For BYU it's more than football plane trips. They have a lot of small teams too such as rowing, soccer, golf, etc. Obviously football is the biggest expense, but BYU basketball flying to Philadelphia to play Temple on a Wednesday night isn't easy - hard for us, but harder for them. Also, can the BYU sports participate on Sunday? feel like that's a whole new schedule headache.

[RGV Pony]

BYU wont jump for a non P5. Ran across this last week:

BYU actually made more money than some P5 schools last year. The Cougars brought in $80 million dollars ahead of teams like Texas Tech, Iowa State and Washington State. And when compared to teams in the G5 it wasnΓÇÖt even close. Boise State brought in $38 million and UNLV brought in $42 million.

[max the wonder dog]

Where did you get a photo of Rick Billik, nicknamed the Beaker?

Found it via Google from his page on the mediation firm for which he now works. He's a retired judge.

[One Trick Pony]

BYU wont jump for a non P5. Ran across this last week:

BYU actually made more money than some P5 schools last year. The Cougars brought in $80 million dollars ahead of teams like Texas Tech, Iowa State and Washington State. And when compared to teams in the G5 it wasnΓÇÖt even close. Boise State brought in $38 million and UNLV brought in $42 million.

It's ALIVE!

[mustangxc]

I would add BYU football or all sports if they want. If not I'd need to look at attendance and ratings for football and basketball for schools like Soouthern Miss, Marshall, UAB, Western Kentucky, Northern Illinois, Boise State, etc. It has to be a school that enhances the P6 image of the conference. If not, then we are better off holding steady at 11.

[CA Mustang]

BYU wont jump for a non P5. Ran across this last week:

BYU actually made more money than some P5 schools last year. The Cougars brought in $80 million dollars ahead of teams like Texas Tech, Iowa State and Washington State. And when compared to teams in the G5 it wasnΓÇÖt even close. Boise State brought in $38 million and UNLV brought in $42 million.

That must be total revenue (donations, media, tickets, etc.) ESPN isn't paying them anywhere near $80M a year.

[Digetydog]

They're leaving just when the conference payout will more than triple from ~2mil to ~7mil plus? I guess their entire sports program is getting tired of traveling to Houston and Tulsa for games. Regional conferences make way more sense to me...I guess they're finding this out the hard way.

We just got Wichita State. Why not replace them with someone else that makes little sense?

I lived in the Hartford area for 15 years (Thankfully, I am home in Texas now)

Imagine SMU decided test joining the MAC would be an upgrade over the AAC. Even if it were true, SMU fans wouldnΓÇÖt be happy watching us play those schools over relatively local teams. Do you know anyone who went to Eastern Michigan or Ohio.

That is how Uconn fans feel about AAC basketball. Even if the AAC was a ΓÇ£betterΓÇ¥ BB conference than the Big East, UConn fans didnΓÇÖt get excited about games against Memphis, SMU, Houston, or Wichita State. They stayed home and both the men and women had lots of empty seats for home games. Donations went down.

Since the state is broke, Uconn could no longer subsidize a football program that was hemorrhaging cash. This move has really exited their BB fanbase because everyone in CT has friends who are fans of virtually every Big East school. They will show up in droves to see Georgetown, Providence, Nova, etc,

The FB team will slowly die.

[RGV Pony]

BYU wont jump for a non P5. Ran across this last week:

BYU actually made more money than some P5 schools last year. The Cougars brought in $80 million dollars ahead of teams like Texas Tech, Iowa State and Washington State. And when compared to teams in the G5 it wasnΓÇÖt even close. Boise State brought in $38 million and UNLV brought in $42 million.

That must be total revenue (donations, media, tickets, etc.) ESPN isn't paying them anywhere near $80M a year.

Yes, just as the the comps I mentioned above is total revenue. Their new ESPN # is forthcoming, but up until now it was a number between what SMU was getting in the old deal and what it will get in the new deal.

[redpony]

They will show up in droves to see Georgetown, Providence, Nova, etc,
The FB team will slowly die.

I wonder how long those 'droves' of fans will show up when uconn is always getting their butt kicked.
Their bball program died just a little earlier than ours and there is no signs it will come back to its old glory any time soon. guess they need to rename their 'huskies mascot to the 'chihuahuas '

[Charleston Pony]

UConn hoops has a chance of coming back and being competitive soon under Hurley, but their football program will probably need to drop down and play FCS level football and hope to join one of the other Big East teams (Villanova in the Colonial, Georgetown in the Patriot or even Butler in the Pioneer)

As for replacing them in the AAC, I'd like to have 12 football members but to me, only BYU makes sense and adds value (would allow Navy to play in the east where they should be). Basketball is workable with 11 schools and I kind of like a 20 game conference schedule playing everyone home/home. Will possibly motivate teams to upgrade their non-conference schedules to help build tournament resumes.