Big East Expansion Again!

[UD Flyer Fanatic]

I agree - makes no sense to me for the BE to expand in the near term. I could see making a case for an 11th team and keeping the round robin format if said team were a regular NCAAT team that raised up the overall competitiveness of the league. And no I'm not making any case for my team- just honestly saying. Quality will always be welcome and geography is not important (being too close or too far) with the lone exception of travel demands.

I would advise you to keep membership to private schools if/when it does happen...

[GumbyDamnit!]

I've always kept a spot at the table for UCONN for a number of reasons:

1. They've won 4 NC's. 4. That's as many as the other 10 BE schools combined. That's some serious street cred.
2. They are a hoops school 1st. FB was/is an attempt at getting big boy money. But their fans will tell you that it is all about hoops in Storrs.
3. They didn't leave the BE, we left them. They are not Pitt or Syr or BC. We bolted on them, not the other way around.
4. I miss the rivalry. Nova and UConn have had some monstrous games over the years (Kittles vs Allen; Foye vs. Rudy Gay, etc.). I don't like their fans so it's even sweeter when you beat them.
5. They bring eyeballs to the TV, and fans to the seats. They are a national name. We'd put that game in the Wells Fargo every year and it would probably be a national TV game (reg. Fox) and theplace would be sold out.
6. It secures us as an unquestioned power conference. 2 of the last 3 NC's and 8 NC's overall. Not bad.
7. Their women's BB is fantastic. I would imagine it would help our women's BB teams to be in aligned with them.

If FB becomes dead for them; call 'em up. To the newer BE fans bases, you'd enjoy having a team like UConn in the league--another marquee BB school. Though we'd have to consider if we'd allow any of them on here to tarnish the HLOH.

[jfan]

I don't know anything about the past relationships with other BE teams, but it would be impossible to say no to UCONN's membership for the reasons listed above. The women's BB teams in the BE would have to dramatically improve recruiting or get used to constant losing by big numbers. Men's BB would be a great addition. I think it would be hard for UCONN to give up on the dream of big football money until all the expansion dust has settled and who knows when that will end.

[NJRedman]

Bravo Dash, great post!

[Xudash]

Bravo Dash, great post!

Thanks NJR.

Gumby simply amplified my points.

I am from one of the newbies, but I certainly get - AND WITHOUT QUESTION OR RESERVATION - the value of brining UCONN into the Big East.

I understand that UCONN will fight tooth and nail to protect its investment in football. It sees that as a larger, important institutional positioning tool for land grant-type schools. It wants its peers to be comprised of the Ohio State's or North Carolina's, etc. of the world.

The $60k question is whether or not it will have enough gas in the tank to make it. IF it doesn't make this new cut to the Big XII, and all indications are that it won't, how long can it last in the status quo of what may become an even lessor AAC? It's AAC unit monies are running off. The State of CT. is a fiscal mess (too bad, because it is a beautiful state). It will have to move forward with a combination of remaining AAC unit monies, student fees (a small number, comparatively) and private donor support. The ability to sustain a course speed of 50 MPH when those ahead of you are barreling forward above 90 MPH is a road to hell.

That paragraph implies a slow death to the UCONN football P5 dream.

And it again provides a segue back to the larger point - FOR US - that we have the luxury of time, and we have that as a result of the C7 crowd calling the absolute right call at the absolute right time, and then including the three of us that you decided to include from there. Thank you C7. Thank you Nova and Kris. Thank you Big East, Fox and MSG.

[Redstorm1987]

The Big East will expand in the Spring of 2017 after the B12 adds new members. The schools with good basketball /poor football will look to the Big East.
Don't make the same mistake the a10 made . They added too many mid majors and can't expand anymore.

[Wizard of Westroads]

The Big East will expand in the Spring of 2017 after the B12 adds new members.

I doubt that.

[gosports1]

UConn is not coming back even if they don't get a B12 invite. They will hold out for the hope of getting into the ACC or B10 as number 16. As long as there is a shot to get into the P5 no matter how remote they will hold on. If Texas leaves the B12 UConn will want to replace them. If reshuffling occurs and the SEC and/or Pac12 expand UConn will want to replace whichever P5 team left for those leagues

[GoldenWarrior11]

UConn is not coming back even if they don't get a B12 invite. They will hold out for the hope of getting into the ACC or B10 as number 16. As long as there is a shot to get into the P5 no matter how remote they will hold on. If Texas leaves the B12 UConn will want to replace them. If reshuffling occurs and the SEC and/or Pac12 expand UConn will want to replace whichever P5 team left for those leagues

I 100% agree. They will die trying to reach a power conference before ever considering de-emphasizing or dropping football. It's like a gambler at a casino who has lost all of his savings, down to his last few bucks, but he is convinced he can win it all back by betting his last remaining chips. It is what it is, unfortunately.

[alduflux]

I've always kept a spot at the table for UCONN for a number of reasons:

3. They didn't leave the BE, we left them. They are not Pitt or Syr or BC. We bolted on them, not the other way around.

That point is only true because the P5 didn't want them.

Everything else you said I agree with.