Big East schools vote to add UConn

The presidents of the Big East schools voted by conference call Monday to invite and accept UConn to the conference.

The details of the move are set to be reviewed by Attorney General William Tong and then the UConn Board of Trustees would meet Wednesday to vote whether to accept. If approved, a formal announcement of UConn joining the Big East could come as soon as Thursday. News of the vote was first reported by CBS Sports.

It was reported over the weekend that UConn was on the verge of moving its athletics programs from the American Athletic Conference to the Big East. UConn could begin play in the conference for all sports the Big East sponsors as soon as the 2020-21 school year. The move, however, leaves the football program without a home as the Big East schools do not play the sport.

School officials have been discussing three football options: trying to stay in the AAC, going independent or looking for another conference. Schools officials have reportedly not considered dropping the program or moving to the FCS level.

Some financials of the situation became clearer Monday. Sources told The Courant the exit fee from the AAC could be as high as $12 million because UConn would not be giving a full 27 months notice. The first payment of $2.5 million would be due once UConn notified the AAC of its withdrawal. The Big East entry fee is believed to be about $2.5 million.

A Big East spokesperson declined comment Monday. Multiple spokespeople of Big East athletic departments either declined comment or deferred to the UConn athletic department. UConn has not offered a statement since Saturday that read: “It is

our responsibility to always be mindful of what is in the best interest of our student athletes, our fans and our future. With that being said, we have been and remain proud members of the American Athletic Conference.”

Gov. Ned Lamont weighed in on the UConn-Big East move at a news conference in Milford after signing a bill that would expand craft beer sales.

“I know a little bit about the back and forth on it. I think it could be a great thing for the state,” Lamont said. “Let’s face it, UConn, in particular UConn basketball, we can compete with anybody. We’re ready to take on the very best. Let’s see how the negotiations go, I think we ought to know something within a week or so.”

In Hartford, during his Fore the Kids charity golf tournament, UConnwomen’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma told the media he doesn’t expect a move to have a big impact on his program. The team has yet to lose a game in conference play in the AAC.

“From a competitive perspective, we’re going to be successful wherever we go,” Auriemma said, waving of the nostalgia component. “It can’t be nostalgia because the other league doesn’t exist. It’s not the same.”

The AAC was formed after the demise of the old Big East conference during a conference re-alignment period in which UConn was left without a spot in the Power 5. Many of the schools with the strongest athletic programs joined together in hopes of earning a major TV deal that would bring significant revenue to the schools and conference.

While the conference landed a 12-year, $1 billion deal with ESPN earlier this year in which UConn would receive an annual payment of about $7 million. UConn officials criticized the contract, which moved a lot of games off linear TV and onto a streaming platform, effectively limiting exposure they claimed.

The UConn athletic department has grappled with financial issues for the last few years with a $41 million deficit during 2018 that was subsidized by the school and student fees. The team’s football team has also struggled in recent years, drawing smaller crowds to home games, which has also hurt revenue.

Attention now turns to the UConn Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. in Room 109 of the Wilbur Cross Building. A move to the Big East nor withdrawal from the AAC were on the agenda as of Monday evening, but they are expected to be added prior to the meeting.

Lamont is the president of the board and it is chaired by former state Speaker of the House Thomas Ritter. Ritter declined comment Saturday, but his son, current majority leader of the state’s House of Representatives Matt Ritter, said the move could be a boost to downtown Hartford and the XL Center. Former UConn women’s basketball standout Rebecca Lobo is also on the 20-member board.

Someone only following Randy Edsall on Twitter this weekend might be surprised to hear news of a move to the non-football-playing Big East. That’s because the UConn football coach was busy tweeting out updates on recruiting, new jerseys and a renovated locker room.

Just before 1 p.m, Edsall tweeted a gif of Sergeant Schultz from Hogan’s Heroes that said “I see nothing, I hear nothing, I know nothing!”

Edsall has not spoken publicly on the move at all.

Sunday, however, he sent out multiple tweets with a photo feature UConn playing football at Rentschler Field. In the sky is a spotlight with the “Block C” logo. It’s an image Edsall uses any time he lands a verbal commitment from a recruit.

“@UConnFootball continues getting it down for 2020. Eliminate the distractions!” he wrote.

“All you need is the right people who believe!” the second one read.

Later that day he tweeted a photo of himself with former Huskies players Kendall Reyes and Tevrin Hendrix who were visiting campus. By 10:13 a.m. he sent a tweet of a photo from a football camp on campus. Then came yet another recruit/spotlight tweet.

Edsall re-tweeted new quarterback Mike Beaudry, who said “Couldn’t ask for a better place to be. Blessed and grateful. Excited for the future!”

Then came a re-tweet of some new UConn football jerseys. The jerseys have an old-school UConn feel similar to the Dan Orlovsky-era and helmets with a “Block C” logo.

And after that, Edsall and school officials unveiled the new Fraser Family Locker Room. The locker room was paid for with the help of a donation from longtime UConn football supported Chris Fraser. Edsall also agreed to match 10 percent of donations toward the next million, up to $100,000, out of his pocket.

Several players tweeted their excitement, including safety Oneil Robinson, who said “want to give a special shoutout to the Fraser family for the new lockers, they’re definitely wavy.. #UConnFootball appreciate you guys, thank you.”

Courant reporters Mike Anthony and Alex Putterman contributed to this report.

What Big East move?