A new report about a top conference pursuing UConn could be the first step in an eventual death blow to the legendary Big East conference.
Conference expansion has been one of the biggest stories in college sports over the last 10 years. For decades, the Power 5 conferences were the cream of the crop, but they were also surrounded by several other noteworthy leagues. However, with the value of television rights as high as ever, certain conferences have started to eat away at their counterparts.
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Over the last few years the SEC, Big Ten, and Big 12 have made some major acquisitions from other conferences. Strengthening their status as an elite content provider and severely damaging counterparts like the Pac 12, Big East, and ACC.
When it comes to the Big East, basketball has always been the strength of the conference. And as long as they have the iconic UConn men’s and women’s basketball program, the Big East remains on solid footing. However, that grip is on shaky ground.
Big 12 has reportedly renewed its pursuit of UConn
There were rumblings last year of the Big 12 making a play to bring in the program that has won back-to-back championships in men’s basketball. Well, The Athletic reported on Friday that the conference has restarted that pursuit in recent months despite claims they ended last summer.
The outlet claims sources have informed them Big 12 and UConn decision-makers are set to meet next week about a potential move. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is a Northeast native and a former Brooklyn Nets executive. And he allegedly has been trying to make in-roads to bring the Huskies to the conference since last summer. Even before they landed Pac 12 teams Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah.
Yormark has made it a top priority to make the Big 12 an elite basketball conference to boost potential revenue in future TV rights negotiations. UConn rejoined the Big East in 2020 and leaving it again would be a surprise. However, The Athletic speculates that the goal in another move would be to help grow the universities football program via the recognition of the Big 12 football brand.
It is unclear at this time if all the schools currently in the conference have signed off on adding UConn to the Big 12. Losing UConn would be a major blow to the Big East and would push it further to being a fringe conference in college sports instead of its former position as a major brand.
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