**Latest news on UConn / Big 12 rumors....**

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Gonzaga to PAC 12:

Hoops powerhouse Gonzaga to join Pac-12 in '26

Gonzaga is set to join the Pac-12 for the 2026-27 season, the conference announced Tuesday.

www.espn.com

 

[the Blades]

Wash St. and OR St. ......literally taking a page out Uconn, Cincy and USF's playbook when the only thing they had left from CR was each other an about $105 million in loot. (except those 3 sold the BE name).

Now the PAC 2 keeps everything from the PAC 12( name, $$$, NCAA credits, etc. ) and is pretty much forming a west coast version of the BE/AAC.

Yep The PAC 2 continues on the path of the American as they rebuild the conference by now bringing in a hoops only school. Can anyone say Wichita St. ?.........can a FB only school ( like Navy) be far behind ?

Sources: UTEP leaving C-USA for MWC, Gonzaga leaving WCC for Pac-12

The conference realignment dominoes continue to fall.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

UConn has declined PAC 12:

 

[the Blades]

UConn has declined PAC 12:

View embedded media

Yep, I posted this last week

 

[the Blades]

UConn has declined PAC 12:

View embedded media

Or for the visual take........but if the PAC wants to "show Uconn da money !!! " and lots of it....

 

[the Blades]

this FB season should be a good trial run on $$$ investment with NIL in the program. Mora started working with a collective that met in NYC last winter, headed by former Uconn FB player Mike Burton (yep names on the practice facility). They brought in 27 high level NIL transfers this offseason to upgrade the talent level.

I'd say with a 9 win season and the first bowl win since 2010 (plus vs. a P-4 team ) Mission accomplished !

(AUG 2024- ) UConn pours NIL money into football: 'Tired of being disrespected
Dave Benedict said it a few months back " We’re going to pour gas on ( NIL )".... “We’re going to double it next year, at least......”We’re going to win in football. I’m tired of being disrespected as a brand, nationally, because of football. " And now with DB extending Coach Mora's contract and #Winning....it didn't take long....so once again people are talking, LOL !

UConn Football: Are the Huskies Ready to Join a Power 4 Conference?

The UConn Huskies ended the 2024 football season on Saturday with a dominant 27-14 win over the UNC Tar Heels in the Fenway Bowl. It caps off a 9-4 season for UConn, which gives the program the most wins since 2007 under Randy Edsall, when the program also went 9-4 and lost the Meineke Car […]

www.heartlandcollegesports.com

Could the ACC Pounce First? (excerpts)​

" Heartland College Sports has learned that the Huskies remain of serious interest for Yormark......The ACC if they get there sooner than later..which has already tried to make a play for the NYC market....realize the value in having a league tournament comprised of Syracuse, Notre Dame, UConn, Boston College" ....could rival the Big 12 from a quality and basketball brand perspective...... If the race is on, the Big 12 and its decision makers would be wise to look at the potential addition of UConn as part of the arms race that college sports has become."

 

[the Blades]

I'd say with a 9 win season and the first bowl win since 2010 (plus vs. a P-4 team ) Mission accomplished !
And now with DB extending Coach Mora's contract and #Winning....it didn't take long....so once again people are talking, LOL !

Big 12 is probably more stable, I still like the ACC rivalries/locations way better, but win in FB and people are talking, LOL !
even hoops guys...

 

[the Blades]

Zanetto suggested on the Locked on Podcast that ESPN could add a financial "sweetener" that might incentivize Big 12 or the Allstate 12 as it will soon be known, to do this deal with UConn.

YEP...Winning football has added once again to more CR talk, so Zanetto is back at it. Spending 20+ years on this board with all the CR talk( and the newbie FBS view holding us back ) has been a journey. But I can say the packed out Uconn/Fenway vibe alone was well worth the wait and even better than the Fiesta Bowl I attended . ( Uconn fans almost doubled the Fenway Bowl attendance of the BC/SMU game last year in their own backyard) .

From the putrid years of PP, Diaco and the fraudulent regime of Edsall 2.0........... Thanks again to Jim Mora, the new life that NIL has brought to the program and the Uconn players....anyway here's Locked on Uconn back at it !

(PS. side fact is Uconn's $30 mil BE exit fee, drops to $15 mil in 2026) Better not wait on us ACC !

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I think that Zanetto has improved his podcasts immensely by bringing in special guests and having other voices besides his being heard. Last week he had Set Greenberg as a special guest and although Locked On had some technical difficulties which ended up shortening the podcast, it was great to hear Seth Greenberg's opinions, as a successful former coach, on a number of different topics. Zanetto also had a very interesting podcast featuring the Irish coach who discovered UConn incoming women's 6'6" recruit Gandy Malou-Mamel and brought her to this country. It also seems like lately he has made Dan Meehan of Exit 68 something of a co-host on the podcast, as Meehan is a regular contributor and I feel like he is very good analytically and adds quite a bit to the podcast.

Regarding conference realignment, the Fenway Bowl win was a step in the right direction towards a P4 invite.

Does anyone know if Pryce Yates was talked back out of the portal? My sense was UConn might have matched an offer when he came out of the portal the first time, and maybe the second offer blew away the match?

 

[the Blades]

Does anyone know if Pryce Yates was talked back out of the portal?

Just look at his FB board thread

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Just look at his FB board thread

I saw the thread and know he is back in the portal. But that doesn't mean he has committed to someone and isn't coming back. It means he got another offer. Is it being matched? So I am asking the same question I asked in the post above.

 

[the Blades]

" Heartland College Sports has learned that the Huskies remain of serious interest for Yormark.....

UConn Football: Are the Huskies Ready to Join a Power 4 Conference?

The UConn Huskies ended the 2024 football season on Saturday with a dominant 27-14 win over the UNC Tar Heels in the Fenway Bowl. It caps off a 9-4 season for UConn, which gives the program the most wins since 2007 under Randy Edsall, when the program also went 9-4 and lost the Meineke Car […]

www.heartlandcollegesports.com

ACC or Big 12 ?..... Zanetto has the host and author above from Big 12 Country ( a displaced Nova grad, with WFAN history ) to talk Uconn and CR.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

The BIg 12 looks like the better option right now, because of stability and the TV contract, but the ACC could be the better option long term for UConn. I feel like UConn will be able to make more progress in football, sooner in the ACC. I do not believe the ACC schools are all that good in football and UConn would have a better chance at football prominence there. In basketball, there are more natural rivalries. They currently rotate the location of the ACC basketball tournament but we will have Barclay's Center in that rotation. I believe it is in DC this year.

 

[the Blades]

The BIg 12 looks like the better option right now, because of stability and the TV contract, but the ACC could be the better option long term for UConn.

Me too..... I guess the only risk is if Clemson / FLA St win their freedom lawsuits and as Mundo mentions if UNC ( to the SEC and maybe another, NC st or Miami, Virginia ?) was to happen. But even still with former BE rivals left in the ACC like Cuse, Pitt, Notre Dame, BC, Ville, Va Tech, then add in Duke, Wake, Ga Tech, SMU ( former AAC ) and Uconn would still have a better schedule than anything in the Big East hoops wise (no MSG tourney the only negative) and miles ahead of what the American was.

 

[the Blades]

For fools like this guy that Frank the Tank is "schooling", like most of the hoops only Uconn fans who want the Big East for life, it may be time. I've been saying it for years that eventually the now P-4 who control FB will be coming to control hoops next. My Indy FB/ Big East is fine until it's not, could be over ... In this case Uconn to the ACC or Big 12 "like as of yesterday"....means survival once it happens.

"The SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC rights to manage events like the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments"

Doc: Power conferences seeking more control over NCAA championships, governance

The proposal would grant the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC rights to manage postseason championships, such as the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Coach K: Big East and ACC should merge

Rick Pitino endorses Coach K’s merger proposal to create ‘mega basketball conference’

Rick Pitino supports Mike Krzyzewski’s solution for the Big East and ACC.

nypost.com

 

[the Blades]

Coach K: Big East and ACC should merge

Rick Pitino endorses Coach K’s merger proposal to create ‘mega basketball conference’

Rick Pitino supports Mike Krzyzewski’s solution for the Big East and ACC.

nypost.com

Not surprised Pitino would like it. I've mentioned this as something that I've seen talked about in CR circles in the past, but not as a merger. Uconn FB/BB, St Johns, Georgetown, Nova, Marquette ( big brands or big markets) is probably where it should end, IMHO. There is no need to take smaller brands/ lesser markets, or hoops onlies who think they'd join with a equal say.

Mainly because the hoops only schools won't and the ACC Presidents will never give them more than maybe 20-25% of TV revenue for starters. So would they go for that ? Because they certainly have no leverage. Especially when schools like SMU, who has no business being in the ACC, "bought" thier way in for ZERO TV money.

And don't forget the hoops only schools having equal voting rights, was how a once great all sports conference, fell apart in the first place. MIS-lead by the bottom feeders from Providence (Tranghese/Marinatto) who haven't been noticed on a national level since Ernie D. and Marvin Barnes.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

No equal say, their shares get prorated based on what they bring in. If they want to try to develop football programs they are free to do so but it's all based on what they bring in and no football is allowed in unless it's certified as FBS D-1 calibre.

I think the idea is worthy of discussion based on such a model. It would enhance the basketball side and would benefit UConn if it's allowed in as a full 2 sport member of the merged conference. You could call it the Big East Coast Conference or BECC.

I think the merger works on the basis of Yormark's theory that basketball is being undervalued. So give it the valuation it warrants based on the revenue achieved.

 

[the Blades]

As we all know, Pitino could only pray if Uconn leaves the Big East that there is some scenario where St. Johns is included too.
If not and Uconn leaves...... the Big East will keep heading downward ( only 3 NCAA teams last year) and eventually be dictated to by the P-4 $$$ as I posted above. But here's a look at some chatter a couple years ago regarding 3 BE schools and the BIG 12 ( + Gonzaga too @ the time) below. ( not the greatest source but you get the point)

Regarding Uconn we already know about their constant talk with the Big 12/Yormark is 100% real. But there would be no need for the whole package of BE teams to the ACC or the BIG 12 and TV paying them all. Haven't we seen that over and over in CR...ie. old Big East / PAC 12 ? >>>TV doesn't merge.... they poach certain schools and devalue what's left behind (UCONN, CINCY now WASH St/ OREGON ST, etc. ?)

So Uconn's play in all of this is the ACC vs. Big 12 / TV trying to grab a valuable sports program (FB, MBB, WBB) and market that the other doesn't have. Pitino and Coach K's complete merger talk is nice but not realistic.

 

[the Blades]

Speaking of CR and looking back, it sure looks like staying as a big fish in the small pond of the AAC just gets worse competition wise for those who didn't get out.