Per Duarte: Big 12 suspending talks with UConn

Football
61

So the big ten and acc slept on this cash cow uconn team? During the expansion The big ten added Maryland and Rutgers, ACC raided several Big East teams and they both missed on the real deal team in UConn?

62

The ACC and Big Ten weren’t really considered to be basketball conferences, and I don’t think they were willing to take a chance on UConn in an era that predates NIL/Portal

In the current era, UConn would add tremendously to an already-powerhouse basketball conference.

UConn also will be able to add to the parity of the Big 12 in the near term, because the Big 12 lacks any real marque brands in the short term. With NIL/Portal, UConn would have the ability to catch up and fast to the other Big 12 teams.

Also, UConn isn’t an AAU school, so Big Ten was never in the picture. Why the ACC never expanded with them, I have no idea. Probably too risky because the ACC depends heavily on football rather than basketball.

I know the ACC is a ticking tie bomb to collapse. I’m not sure what Yormark’s plans are, but if Big 12 could land Clemson, Miami, Louisville, and UConn, then I really think we can negotiate a big time deal. Even bigger if FSU gets in the picture

I just don’t know what future holds

63

ACC and big ten have always considered themselves to be the top bball conferences. Especially the ACC. Please see this reddit thread to learn about the ACC recent history in basketball.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CollegeBasketball/s/2XSKybwThG

64

WHAT?

Duke
North Carolina
Michigan
Indiana

are Basketball Giants!

Then you have North Carolina State and Michigan State which are very basketball centric-fan bases.

1 Like
65

I didn’t say they don’t have good elite programs.

I said they don’t brand themselves as basketball conferences, whereas the Big 12 considers themselves to be the most elite basketball conference in the NCAA, due to the quantity / concentration of elite programs within the conference

66

UConn does not bring enough to warrant an invite and that ship has sailed.

  1. Congrats to UConn football for having their 4th season since 1896 with 9+ wins. Only one of those wins was against a team that finished above .500 (Buffalo in the MAC) though. For comparison UH has had six 9+ win seasons since 2006.

  2. Staying on football, the media deal value they got for football only when they went independent is unknown but was announced as seven digits for 4 years. So likely between $1-2M/year. The MAC or Sunbelt are best fits for UConn (and UMass) if/when playing as an independent becomes unviable.

  3. Big East’s new media deal signed this past summer is about $7.5M/year per school. This is approximately 24% of the B12 media payout, so roughly how much B12 Basketball and olympics were valued. UConn is unlikely to move the needle much for B12 media valuation and travel costs/travel time would increase for non-rev sports. UConn basketball would have to have a crazy valuation to keep 16 schools whole. Same goes for Gonzaga.

  4. Playing in the Big East tournament is a big deal to UConn alumni and donors. UConn would probably only leave the BE for a full P4 invite. Not happening.

2 Likes
67

Yes, all true
We arent going to waste time with UCONN as long as ACC instability gives Big 12 opportunity to add some of their teams in future.

1 Like
68

We need to add UCONN IMO. It will solidify BB. The added brand value will lift the Big12.

Its a no brainer to me.

Does not look like the ACC is going anywhere.

69

As long as the B12 media deal includes football and basketball together, there is no incentive to bring UConn as a member.

2 Likes