UCONN to pay $17 million to AAC

[BullyPulpit]

Under the terms of the deal they will get to join the Big East on July 1, 2020, as reported by the incomparable Pornstache McMurphy. 

A cool $1.5 million per school in addition to the roughly $650,000 or so per year in extra TV revenue. 

So, UCONN leaves the conference with a negligible impact to the AAC and each conference member will make at least an addition $9.3 million over the next 12 years, not counting the reduced split for bowl revenues and NCAA basketball tournament dollars???? Sounds like a big win for the AAC. 

[Rizman]

They should call that the Dumbass fee.

[BullyPulpit]

7 minutes ago, Rizman said:

They should call that the Dumbass fee.

It is a shockingly bad decision. I could understand if the Big East were light-years ahead of the AAC, but that just isn't the case. The conference is slightly better in basketball over the past 5 years and probably not better aside from Villanova. Their football program will now languish as an independent. From what I can gather, the Big East TV deals work out to around $5 or 6 million per school, so it isn't as if they are receiving more money out of it either. Sure, travel costs will be reduced somewhat for Olympic sports, but other than that and renewing a few traditional rivalries, I just don't get it.  

[Rizman]

Neither do I.  

[MMW]

11 minutes ago, BullyPulpit said:

It is a shockingly bad decision. I could understand if the Big East were light-years ahead of the AAC, but that just isn't the case. The conference is slightly better in basketball over the past 5 years and probably not better aside from Villanova. Their football program will now languish as an independent. From what I can gather, the Big East TV deals work out to around $5 or 6 million per school, so it isn't as if they are receiving more money out of it either. Sure, travel costs will be reduced somewhat for Olympic sports, but other than that and renewing a few traditional rivalries, I just don't get it.  

I actually get it.  They want to play schools that their fans actually have heard of or care about - and not necessarily in football.  There are plenty of people from Big East schools sprinkled throughout the North East (at work, the gym, in the neighborhood) that can foster rivalries and drive interest.  It is like the opposite of what Boston College did (but I understand their decision as well at the time as well). 

I applaud them.

[BullyPulpit]

4 minutes ago, MMW said:

I actually get it.  They want to play schools that their fans actually have heard of or care about - and not necessarily in football.  There are plenty of people from Big East schools sprinkled throughout the North East (at work, the gym, in the neighborhood) that can foster rivalries and drive interest.  It is like the opposite of what Boston College did (but I understand their decision as well at the time as well). 

I applaud them.

Butler, Creighton, Depaul, Marquette don't fit the bill, but the other 6 do. The problem is that they are essentially doing so at the expense of a football program that they have invested tens of millions of dollars into (including a stadium). If they truly have studied the subject and think that they will raise more money from donations by making the switch, then it will likely balance out financially and they will have the benefit of playing games that are more regionally appealing. It isn't like the basketball programs were struggling to get fan support even with the AAC schedule. I understand they were left on a geographic island, but to pull the trigger without having a plan for the football team makes the decision baffling. I venture to guess they will struggle mightily to schedule a full slate of games for the 2020 season. 

[Mike Stuben]

Let me sum up UConn's problem. 

Their MBB program was once at the top, but they dropped and can't figure out how to get back there. You can't tell people we are broke and don't know how to fix it, so you need something external to blame. So they blamed the AAC. People bought their claim, so now they have to do "what the people want."

[Gismo]

25 minutes ago, Mike Stuben said:

Let me sum up UConn's problem. 

Their MBB program was once at the top, but they dropped and can't figure out how to get back there. You can't tell people we are broke and don't know how to fix it, so you need something external to blame. So they blamed the AAC. People bought their claim, so now they have to do "what the people want."

I think this, or close to it.

[Bullrush33]

1 hour ago, BullyPulpit said:

It is a shockingly bad decision. I could understand if the Big East were light-years ahead of the AAC, but that just isn't the case. The conference is slightly better in basketball over the past 5 years and probably not better aside from Villanova. Their football program will now languish as an independent. From what I can gather, the Big East TV deals work out to around $5 or 6 million per school, so it isn't as if they are receiving more money out of it either. Sure, travel costs will be reduced somewhat for Olympic sports, but other than that and renewing a few traditional rivalries, I just don't get it.  

Football program was dying. It was the right choice for their basketball programs

[puc86]

It sounds like a bargain