Tensions Over AAC/ESPN Deal: UConn Not On Board

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UConn Not Happy About New AAC/ESPN Deal

The Story: Athletic director Dave Benedict has spoken, and UConn isn’t happy with the new deal that the AAC signed with ESPN that will put many games, including women’s basketball, on the pay service ESPN+.

THE DETAILS: The AAC announced its 12-year deal with ESPN that would put as many as 1,000 AAC games on ESPN+ eventually. The majority of UConn men’s basketball and football games are likely to be on the pay service and there is a real chance that UConn won’t have a local home, such as the women enjoyed with SNY. ESPN’s linear networks (the ones you can get on your cable system) will still feature plenty of AAC games but a lot of them will be shifted to ESPN+, a streaming service that charges $5 a month.

UCONN NOT HAPPY: The school released a statement that took the AAC to task over the potential loss of the SNY partnership and the fact the games will be headed to a streaming service. The school said the obvious in the statement: While the deal is good for the conference, there are components for the deal that are specifically bad for UConn.

WHAT DID BENEDICT SAY? Benedict spoke with the Hartford Courant and further expressed his concern over the new deal, calling the potential loss of SNY and lack of coverage on linear networks as a reduction of exposure for the basketball teams.

AAC/ESPN AND SNY TO SPEAK: ESPN’s Burke Magnus, the executive vice president of programming and scheduling, said ESPN will talk to SNY and other partners in coming weeks about their plans and that there are more than 18 months for these things to be settled. Let’s hope they get started soon because it looks like there was no consideration towards UConn while this deal was being negotiated.

OUR TAKE: How the heck do the AAC presidents do this deal with UConn not on board? At the end of the day, UConn just sucked the air out of the goodwill of this deal. This is mindblowing to us. UConn is absolutely in the right in its view and it is hard to believe the AAC did this without a big program fully on board. ESPN, of course, is located in Bristol, and that makes for an uncomfortable political situation. ESPN and UConn are both very important to the state of Connecticut. How do both sides get out of this one?

This is the problem with the AAC in a nutshell. UConn, and the other teams in the league, are at different levels of athletic prowess and stature. UConn, of course, has been a marquee team in the NCAA, particularly in basketball, for much of the last 30 years. Its exposure and the intensity of the fanbase overwhelm what other schools in the conference bring. UConn is a brand name nationally and now, due to conference realignment, has to take a deal that will elevate Tulane, East Carolina, etc. but hurt UConn. This is not a tenable situation. If everyone acts in their best interests, this is a good deal for the AAC and a bad deal for UConn.

What is the answer to the paradox? There isn’t one right now. The original sin of the league was the breakup of the old BIg East. The AAC was started as a lifeline for football schools left behind. It was supposed to be temporary, but this deal here is for more than a decade and it looks like UConn is getting that five-year itch.

UConn Target Kareem Reid Reclassifies

The Story: Putnam Science Academy power forward Kareem Reid, a top UConn target for 2020, has reclassified for 2019 and will look to head to college next fall. UConn, of course, is right in the thick of things for his services.

WHO IS REID? Reid is a 6-foot-7, 200-pound power forward who was a former teammate and roommate of Akok Akok. A top-100 recruit, Reid and was set to return to Putnam Science Academy next season. Instead, he will look to enroll in college this year as he has enough credits to graduate. He was a frequent visitor at UConn this season and attended a handful of games.

SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABILITY? UConn has some scholarship challenges, losing one for next season due to the Kevin Ollie fiasco. There is only one scholarship available for next season, assuming no one leaves, and the Huskies are still in contention for top-15 recruit Precious Achiuwa and would not have room. On the other hand, Reid could take a spot if Achiuwa is a longshot and the Huskies could focus a lot of their time on 2020 recruits.

GRADS AND TRANSFERS: The Huskies could use immediate help next year so they would also have to consider potential grad transfer options who can play right away. They will also be in the mix for some transfers who have to sit out, though considering the roster crunch, we find it hard to believe they would take a player who can’t play next year with that last scholarship. There are potentially some players who leave, which is normal and could open up more slots. This will most likely settle itself by the end of the semester.

How Sweet It Is; NCAA Men’s Tourney Returns

The Story: The Sweet 16 resumes tonight and there are plenty of big-time games, the first of which is Gonzaga vs. Florida State at 7 p.m.

CHALK BRACKET PAYS OFF: When Oregon as a No. 12 seed is your Cinderella, well, let’s just say Cinderella never left her stepmother’s kitchen. The big boys are out to play this year and we expect more games to be like the Duke-UCF affair than an overmatched team getting exposed. There isn’t a bad game or matchup to be had in the Sweet 16. All of these teams belong.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Can all No. 1 seeds advance? We have Gonzaga playing a very good Florida State and Virginia playing Oregon. Those two games are potential upsets. Florida State is athletic and big and can play with any team in the country. Virginia is a No. 1 seed, but its defense-first and deliberate style lends itself to close games. Oregon is riding a Kemba Walker-like run through the Pac-12 and into the NCAAs tournament and might be able to keep it going.

SWEET 16 SCHEDULE:

Morning Read

STILL NO NAPHEESA: Voters have snubbed Napheesa Collier again, with the senior forward left off the list of finalists for the WBCA’s Wade Trophy a few days after the Naismith Trophy voters also passed her up. Don’t tell Geno Auriemma. (WBCA.org)

THE ODDS ARE ON…: The three favorites to win the NCAA tournament, according to statistical projections, are, shocker, Baylor, Notre Dame and UConn — each of whom have around a 20 percent chance to take home the title. (ESPN)

DEEP BREATHS: It has been a challenging season for the women’s basketball team, which only has increased the amount of patience that Geno has had to tap into. (Hearst Connecticut Media)

ALBANY REGIONAL PREVIEW: Can UCLA challenge UConn? Kara Lawson and Lachina Robinson discuss the game in the Around the Rim podcast. (ESPN)

STEWIE CALLS OUT NCAA: Breanna Stewart has found her voice since leaving Storrs and called out the NCAA for not treating the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments equally. (AOL)

BC BEATEN: The baseball team defeated Boston College 3-1 yesterday behind a strong performance by starter Colby Dunlop and the bullpen. (UConnHuskies.com)

TIME TO SHINE: An offseason injury hasn’t hurt UConn ace Mason Feole, who is starting to again look like a brilliant pitcher. (D1Baseball.com)

TAKING THE MICK: We have all the feels for Mick Cronin, who still has yet to be offered a new contract by Cincinnati after he rejected a pay cut during his latest negotiations in the fall. Let’s hope he takes his act elsewhere this summer. (Sporting News)