Should UConn Consider Leaving The Big East?

The University of Connecticut Huskies could be the next domino to fall in the never-ending college sports realignment saga.

Over the weekend, reports from ESPN and The Athletic, among others, revealed that UConn has been exploring a move to the Big 12 Conference. Those explorations progressed to the point where UConn made a presentation to the Big 12 administrators.

But does it make sense for the Huskies to jump ship?

UConn infamously made a substantial miscalculation when it left the Big East Conference initially to move to the American Athletic Conference. The hope that a football-focused conference would provide a lift never materialized, leading the Huskies to return to the Big East. Their basketball program has flourished since, winning back-to-back National Championships.

So why leave for the Big 12 now?

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Head coach Dan Hurley of the Connecticut Huskies addresses the media after the National College Basketball Championship game against the Purdue Boilermakers at State Farm Stadium on April 8, 2024.  (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

UConn Would Have To Transform Its Football Program For Big 12 Competition

UConn would likely be required to cover a multi-million dollar exit fee, with Front Office Sports reporting that the fee would run $15 million. There's also a 27-month notice period for early conference departures, though UConn would be hoping to leave with significantly less notice.

How does that make sense for a program that's already faced budget shortfalls in recent years?

As always, these conversations return to media rights payouts and future positioning. The Big East's media deal pays less than $10 million per year to member schools. The Big 12 pays more than $30 million, according to Front Office Sports. That gap represents a significant increase to the athletic department's bottom line in year one, not to mention in year five or ten. The Huskies may also see the writing on the wall, that consolidation and realignment is going to destroy small and mid-major conferences sooner rather than later.

The last thing schools want is to be stuck holding the bag; essentially the Oregon State/Washington State situation.

UConn's football program has long been an afterthought, and the school would have to invest significantly for it to rise to the level of a Big 12 school. That's not going to happen overnight, but it's a near certainty that part of its presentation was that the increased revenue would be used to make the football team and facilities better.

There's also geography; UConn would be in the same conference as Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, TCU and Baylor. But as the ACC and Big Ten have demonstrated, geography doesn't matter in the modern era. Virtue signaling from universities over climate change aside.

So what's the answer, does UConn to the Big 12 make sense? Yes and no. Yes, it future-proofs the Huskies' conference situation and provides increased revenue. No, it doesn't because UConn in the same conference as schools in Arizona is absurd.

The pros for UConn though, likely outweigh the cons. No pun intended. A new basketball rivalry with powerhouse Arizona would be created. More money, more ratings, more investment. Like most realignments, it seems a matter of when, not if.