Conference Realignment: What Next?

[Savannah Jay]

Big XII has a new TV deal with substantially higher payouts, in spite of losing Texas and Oklahoma. The old deal paid about $45 million per school and new deal is an increase (but kicks in after 2025). Annual value of their TV deal increases from $220 per to $380 million.

https://www.si.com/college/tcu/football/big-12-conference-inks-2-3-billion-media-rights-deal-with-espn-fox-sports

$45 million per school is about 10 times what the Big East pays out per school.

My napkin says $31M per school, but who's counting.

It's been everywhere at $31M per school.
https://frontofficesports.com/big-12-ac ... %20returns.

Not everywhere...as a general rule, I try not to make shit up. Can't find the article where I read $45mm but this link has Big 12 payout at $42.6mm per school. I would surmise that the $31mm per school was the media deal and the higher number includes all revenues. My bad for not picking up the nuance. Really doesn't change the discussion when the Big 12 payout is multiples of the Big East, whether it's 7 times or 10 times.

https://www.si.com/college/oklahoma/football/whats-behind-the-big-12s-record-distribution-of-426-million-whats-next-for-the-league

[MUPanther]

Cost will skyrocket with sending all your sports teams to Provo, Lubback, Waco, Stillwater, Orlando, Ames, Kansas x2. While this is chasing a football dream that will not happen in terms of winning at a high level and risking hurting men's & women basketball. Boy, how things have change in a year by going to the Myrtle Beach Bowl.

[Xudash]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/college-football-expansion-big-12-has-new-team-on-radar-for-realignment/ar-AA1bHauG?cvid=08e6eec7fb1d482ebfbb11c978ce9575&ei=100

Whatever does happen on the expansion front, it's clear that Yormark is trying to rebound from losing football powers Texas and Oklahoma, and position the Big 12 as one of the big three conferences in college football and sports more broadly, and is willing to pursue whatever plan helps him achieve that goal.

I get that Yormark is aggressively doing the job he has been hired to do, but he strikes me as doing a good imitation of the Tasmanian Devil as he feverishly spins his way across the landscape, looking for something that will stick.

I get that circumstances change and that things can end up being evaluated in a manner that is dissimilar to how they may have been evaluated previously, but I still can't see how UConn is going to move the needle at the football media level for a Southwest-centric watered down football conference.

So, Yormark wants to pursue media deals in possible football and basketball tranches to "maximize" the hoops component now. Fine. UCONN can help with that. But it still is about the BASKETBALL NUMBER. UCONN is in no position to deliver football value. How does Yormark put together an offering to UCONN that makes sense, while still being beneficial to an expanded Big 12?

Just for giggles, what do you do if you're UCONN if Yormark comes back and tells you that the "media analysts and partners" have concluded that you're worth say $20mm per year in distributions; we'll bring you in, but not on equal terms with the other members.

They wouldn't come in on equal terms immediately anyway. And we can only hope that every last dime of the $30mm exit fee from the Big East is due and payable should they choose to exit. Someone is putting together a fun differential analysis spreadsheet on a discounted cash flow basis.

https://www.chron.com/sports/uconn-mens-basketball/article/big-east-big-12-conference-realignment-18117925.php

[Savannah Jay]

Cost will skyrocket with sending all your sports teams to Provo, Lubback, Waco, Stillwater, Orlando, Ames, Kansas x2. While this is chasing a football dream that will not happen in terms of winning at a high level and risking hurting men's & women basketball. Boy, how things have change in a year by going to the Myrtle Beach Bowl.

LOL...did you look at UConn's football schedule? In the last 2 years, they've gone to Orlando, Miami, Muncie, IN, Logan, UT, and Fresno, CA. This year, Houston and Atlanta, among their roadies. Travel costs will not skyrocket from what they are already doing.

Big 12 mens and womens hoops will not be a step back from the Big East. UConn would be joining the two previous NCAAT champs in Mens hoops. On the womens side, losing OU and UT definitely changes the strength of Big 12 but UConn ruled the Big East during their current stint.

This isn't about being good at football. It's about closing an athletic department budget deficit that's $40-$50mm per year the last couple years. I don't want them to leave...but they may not have a choice.

Now, Dash presents a different discussion. A half-assed (half the revenue) invitation from the Big 12 would be reason to give pause, IMO. "Wait, Iowa State gets a full share and we only get half a share?"

[ArmyVet]

Seems like UConn will accept if offered an equal terms Big 12 spot. The question becomes how quickly does UConn lose it's northeast recruiting base if their games are all over the place again. Fascinating times in Storrs.

[EMT]

Cost will skyrocket with sending all your sports teams to Provo, Lubback, Waco, Stillwater, Orlando, Ames, Kansas x2. While this is chasing a football dream that will not happen in terms of winning at a high level and risking hurting men's & women basketball. Boy, how things have change in a year by going to the Myrtle Beach Bowl.

LOL...did you look at UConn's football schedule? In the last 2 years, they've gone to Orlando, Miami, Muncie, IN, Logan, UT, and Fresno, CA. This year, Houston and Atlanta, among their roadies. Travel costs will not skyrocket from what they are already doing.

Big 12 mens and womens hoops will not be a step back from the Big East. UConn would be joining the two previous NCAAT champs in Mens hoops. On the womens side, losing OU and UT definitely changes the strength of Big 12 but UConn ruled the Big East during their current stint.

This isn't about being good at football. It's about closing an athletic department budget deficit that's $40-$50mm per year the last couple years. I don't want them to leave...but they may not have a choice.

Now, Dash presents a different discussion. A half-assed (half the revenue) invitation from the Big 12 would be reason to give pause, IMO. "Wait, Iowa State gets a full share and we only get half a share?"

It's totally about football. But there's an argument that basketball recruiting might suffer if all of your away games are long flights. You can play in the Big12 and have shorter trips than from UConn. It's the BC/ACC argument. If you are good enough for the ACC, why play at BC when you can play at Wake and have a bunch of bus rides.

[Jasper67]

Cost will skyrocket with sending all your sports teams to Provo, Lubback, Waco, Stillwater, Orlando, Ames, Kansas x2. While this is chasing a football dream that will not happen in terms of winning at a high level and risking hurting men's & women basketball. Boy, how things have change in a year by going to the Myrtle Beach Bowl.

LOL...did you look at UConn's football schedule? In the last 2 years, they've gone to Orlando, Miami, Muncie, IN, Logan, UT, and Fresno, CA. This year, Houston and Atlanta, among their roadies. Travel costs will not skyrocket from what they are already doing.

Travel costs will most definitely skyrocket. It’s not about where the football team played last year, it’s about the fact that all of UConn’s 21 other athletic teams will now have to travel 9 sites west of the Mississippi in the Central and Mountain time zones.

[billyjack]

Fun exercise is to watch an interview of Brett Yormark. Wait 5 minutes to allow your jaw to raise back up into its normal position.

Then, go have a cup of coffee and pet your cat.

Then watch another interview, this time of human-Sominex Jim Mora. Go have another cup of coffee and pet your dog.

Then imagine hitching your athletic wagon to the caravan being navigated by these two clowns.

Then imagine midtown-Manhattan (the real one in NY), Madison Square Garden, and playing in NBA arenas and some of the greatest cities in North America.

Then imagine your football team sucking elephant nuts in 84-3 losses 2,000 miles away in Waco. Have dinner at the Waco Whataburger.

Travel to Chestnut Hill and investigate the state of BC Eagles' athletics over the past 15 years. From Boston, drive west on i-90 to Syracuse and ask about their football team over the past 10 years.

Open up the New London Day sportspage and read that Donovan Clingan is tranferring to play for Pitino along with other former 5-star UConn commits.

*Then* make a decision on whether to leave the Big East for the Big-12 Truckstop league.

[aughnanure]

Not everywhere...as a general rule, I try not to make shit up. Can't find the article where I read $45mm but this link has Big 12 payout at $42.6mm per school. I would surmise that the $31mm per school was the media deal and the higher number includes all revenues. My bad for not picking up the nuance. Really doesn't change the discussion when the Big 12 payout is multiples of the Big East, whether it's 7 times or 10 times.

https://www.si.com/college/oklahoma/football/whats-behind-the-big-12s-record-distribution-of-426-million-whats-next-for-the-league

Yep, the $42.6M was the record combined payout in 2021-2022 including NCAA tourney credit, College Football Playoff and bowl payouts and schools’ third-tier television rights. New deal is around $31M, a slight increase from the $28M it was at.

https://theathletic.com/3744588/2022/10 ... -espn-fox/

[sju88grad]

Fun exercise is to watch an interview of Brett Yormark. Wait 5 minutes to allow your jaw to raise back up into its normal position.

Then, go have a cup of coffee and pet your cat.

Then watch another interview, this time of human-Sominex Jim Mora. Go have another cup of coffee and pet your dog.

Then imagine hitching your athletic wagon to the caravan being navigated by these two clowns.

Then imagine midtown-Manhattan (the real one in NY), Madison Square Garden, and playing in NBA arenas and some of the greatest cities in North America.

Then imagine your football team sucking elephant nuts in 84-3 losses 2,000 miles away in Waco. Have dinner at the Waco Whataburger.

Travel to Chestnut Hill and investigate the state of BC Eagles' athletics over the past 15 years. From Boston, drive west on i-90 to Syracuse and ask about their football team over the past 10 years.

Open up the New London Day sportspage and read that Donovan Clingan is tranferring to play for Pitino along with other former 5-star UConn commits.

*Then* make a decision on whether to leave the Big East for the Big-12 Truckstop league.

Billyjack, this is why you’re my favorite poster…..I especially love the “watch them transfer to play for Pitino part!”….…I hope UConn leaves soon rather than have this drag on….we were fine before they came back and we’ll be fine when they’re gone…..I just think it’s a stupid move…..