nLV: Can UConn afford to remain in a conference with this make-up?

[CannonVol80]

I posted this on the ESPN board looking for comments and just thought I'd see what people here thought.

An article on the ESPN site has this description of the upcoming "Big East" (assuming they get to keep the name):

In 2014, the Big East will be left with a 10-member conference: UConn, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, South Florida, SMU, Temple, Tulane and UCF. East Carolina, originally signed as a football-only member, is expected to be made a full member in 2014, Big East commissioner Mike Aresco has said.

In 2015, Navy is scheduled to join the Big East as a football-only member. Tulsa and UMass are the leading candidates to become the Big East's 12th member if the league decides to expand, sources told ESPN.

Big East gets NBC offer

The question is can UConn survive as a power school in any sport with the composition of that conference, or must they make a concerted effort to get in to one of the current big 4 conferences? Thoughts.

Jim

 

[cwbytruckers]

I posted this on the ESPN board looking for comments and just thought I'd see what people here thought.

An article on the ESPN site has this description of the upcoming "Big East" (assuming they get to keep the name):

In 2014, the Big East will be left with a 10-member conference: UConn, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, South Florida, SMU, Temple, Tulane and UCF. East Carolina, originally signed as a football-only member, is expected to be made a full member in 2014, Big East commissioner Mike Aresco has said.

In 2015, Navy is scheduled to join the Big East as a football-only member. Tulsa and UMass are the leading candidates to become the Big East's 12th member if the league decides to expand, sources told ESPN.

Big East gets NBC offer

The question is can UConn survive as a power school in any sport with the composition of that conference, or must they make a concerted effort to get in to one of the current big 4 conferences? Thoughts.

Jim

I guess the UCONN women will never lose a conference game ever again.

 

[Blood Runs Orange]

I don't expect it will change the overall standing of their football program at all, as they weren't exactly world-beaters before this year.

In Men's basketball, their prestige will take a hit. But they still have Cincy, Memphis, and Temple in their conference. U of Memphis ran a strong basketball program for years with far less in-conference competition.

 

[Vols4life]

Uconn womens basketball schedule would take a lot of hits strength wise wow...they would only play maybe 5 big games a year

 

[ukvols]

Uconn womens basketball schedule would take a lot of hits strength wise wow...they would only play maybe 5 big games a year

The UConn Women will probably make up for the loss of competition by scheduling more non-conference games against top competition.

 

[governmentmule]

well it has all ways been a basket ball league,they can survive with ooc scheduling,maybe,if there are enough teams that want to play them,they have been awful picky about the football only members,they will have to let some of them play some basketball now

 

[WVU05UT09]

If UConn fails to get entry into one of the Big 4 or ACC, then you will likely see it go the way of Louisiana Tech and Old Dominion. I realize they are somewhat different due to the number of titles and their place in history, but $$$ and television exposure are really going to define the line between the haves and have nots.

 

[tim]

The women sports will have to step up ooc play for tv consideration. I wouldnt watch them play a single team in that conference on tv.

 

[governmentmule]

The women sports will have to step up ooc play for tv consideration. I wouldnt watch them play a single team in that conference on tv.

i wouldn't watch em anyway,unless there playing the Lady Vols

 

[CannonVol80]

When I originally posted this question, I was thinking from a two-fold perspective. One, I think continued play in a conference of this make-up would ultimately have a negative affect on recruiting because the competition would have to come from the out of conference schedule. Unfortunately, and this has been seen in UConn's schedule in the past, many ADs put emphasis on getting as many home games as possible in the OOC schedule and the top schools simply are not going to agree to anything other than a home and home contract so I think fewer of the top schools would appear on the UConn schedule after a period of time.

Second, is the money thing. Basketball, particularly women's basketball, doesn't bring in enough revenue to fund their own program, much less other sports. There has been declining attendance at UConn women's home games over the past several years and I think that the same has been true for the men's games. Despite a belief by some of the current fanbase, I don't think that playing in a conference of this composition will allow either the UConn men's or women's programs to remain at the level that they currently enjoy.

A move to a stronger conference is almost mandatory, in my opinion.

Jim