UConn guard Paige Bueckers brings the ball up court during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against South Carolina in Columbia, S.C., Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP/Nell Redmond)
- UConn proposes football independence until 2031, aiming to join Big 12 without impacting current revenue shares.
- Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark sees potential in UConn's strong presence in the New York area market.
- UConn's struggling football program contrasts with its nationally prominent men's and women's basketball teams.
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DALLAS – Big 12 presidents are scheduled next week to discuss potentially inviting UConn to the conference after school officials made an in-person pitch to the league that included a hefty investment in the Huskies’ struggling football program, two people familiar with the discussions told The Associated Press on Friday.
The people said a plan to add UConn, which has won the last two men’s college basketball national championships, would include the school’s football team staying independent before being added to the Big 12 in 2031 and not require current members to take a cut in their current expected conference revenue share.
The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the conference and school were not making their discussions public.
The Athletic first reported the Big 12’s renewed interest in UConn.
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UConn’s Pitch to Big 12
UConn officials were in Dallas last week to present to the Big 12 a plan for major investments to the athletic programs, the vast majority of which would be focused on football, one of the people said.
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark, a former executive with the Brooklyn Nets, has long been intrigued with getting a foothold in the New York area market, where UConn has a tremendous presence.
Big 12 membership has been cool on the idea of adding the Huskies to their already powerful basketball conference because UConn’s football program has been flailing for years and they feared the school would not add value to the league’s media rights deal.
But adding the school in a cost neutral move could be appealing.
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Financial Considerations
The Big 12’s new six-year agreements with ESPN and Fox kick in next year and will pay members about $31.7 million per school annually.
The people who spoke to the AP said a definitive decision for either side is not imminent and Yormark must still build consensus among his members. The Big 12 is about to begin its first year as a 16-team conference after adding Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah from the Pac-12 last year.
After landing those schools, interest in UConn receded in the Big 12 but not necessarily for Yormark.
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UConn’s Current Conference Situation
UConn rejoined the Big East in 2020 for most of its sports after leaving the American Athletic Conference. The Huskies have been a football independent since, going 10-27 with one bowl appearance.
With Army joining the AAC this year and UMass scheduled to join the Mid-American Conference in 2025, UConn and Notre Dame will be the only remaining major college football independents.
While football has lagged at UConn, the men’s basketball program has returned to prominence in the Big East under coach Dan Hurley. And the women’s basketball program remains one of the best in the country.
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