• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, June 25, 2025

The Many Beneficiaries of Dan Hurley’s UConn Career Crisis

  • A UConn collective raised $16,000 in donations in just 24 hours.
  • The entire Big East could benefit financially, too, thanks to upcoming media-rights negotiations and NCAA tournament prize payouts.
Apr 13, 2024; Hartford, CT, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley greets fans as he arrives at the state capitol before the teams victory parade.
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Over a chaotic five-day period, UConn men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley considered, and ultimately rejected, a reported six-year, $70 million offer to leave Storrs to coach the Los Angeles Lakers. The news cycle may have been bad for the blood pressure in the UConn basketball community, but it’s been great for their wallets: Hurley’s decision has inadvertently helped his players, his athletic department, and perhaps even the entire Big East Conference cash in.

Minutes after news broke that Hurley would stay, a UConn name, image, and likeness collective called Bleeding Blue for Good posted a similar message: “We need to raise every last dollar we possibly can to keep this train hurtling towards a threepeat,” the organization wrote on X. 

In less than 24 hours, the collective earned $16,000 in grassroots donations, going from less than $1,000 at the beginning of the day Monday to more than $17,000 on Tuesday afternoon, executive director Jared Guy Thomas tells Front Office Sports. The organization sold 25 tickets (priced at $300 each) to its “Repeat Champs” dinner in June, which Hurley will attend. Icing on the cake: One donor offered to sponsor a table for $15,000. The event could total at least $400,000. Thomas says the collective expects thousands more between the auction at the June event and fundraising from “major donors,” who generally provide at least $20,000 each and who the collective has yet to galvanize. 

“The message for us was already, ‘Winning back-to-back championships was amazing, but if you want to go for the three-peat we desperately need your support,’” he says. “I think that message stays the same, but now there’s the simple addition of ‘Dan turned down the Lakers for us. We owe it to [him] and that staff to give them every ounce of NIL support we can muster.’” 

The athletic department also began blasting out a fundraising campaign hoping to capitalize on fans’ celebrations. “NOT GOING ANYWHERE!” the Huskies X account proclaimed shortly after the news broke, blasting out a link to UConn’s athletics foundation. It’s unclear how much the athletic department has earned so far, but if the collective’s success was any indication, the numbers should go up. “Donor cultivation is an ongoing process so figures attributable to Coach Hurley’s decision are not available at this time, but we expect a significant uptick in contributions,” a UConn spokesperson tells FOS

For the Big East as a whole, the decision couldn’t come at a better time. The conference is in the middle of negotiations for a new media-rights deal, and is under plenty of pressure to deliver. The current 12-year, $500 million deal with Fox and CBS contributes to conference distributions of just around $4 million per school each year—tens of millions of dollars less than power conferences receive. Meanwhile, the gap is widening between power conferences and the rest of Division I, as the ability for power schools to potentially start revenue-sharing with players and the potential for media-rights-driven conference realignment looms.

Hurley’s presence alone wouldn’t impact the Big East’s media-rights negotiations, but the team’s success, which could have been impacted by his absence, absolutely matters. The conference’s value comes from its prowess as a basketball powerhouse. UConn, who has won two of the Big East’s four national championships in the last decade, helps generate eyeballs, marketing value, and even better TV windows for the entire conference. So if Hurley had left and the team fell into disarray, the entire conference might have lost one of its main bargaining chips. “Success is a key driver of value and interest in the broadcast marketplace for these rights,” one source says. 

The Big East also earns annual prize payouts depending on how well its teams fare in the men’s tournament—a system colloquially referred to as “NCAA units.” A UConn tournament run—regardless of whether the team wins the championship—has the potential to earn millions of dollars in units for the entire Big East. 

Whether direct or indirect, it’s clear that Hurley’s return has already paid dividends. “UConn already loved Dan Hurley in a way most coaches could never dream of,” Thomas says. “It’s safe to say that his decision to return forever cemented that legacy, and our donors at both the major and grassroots levels want to show him that.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Indiana Fever forward DeWanna Bonner (25) celebrates a 3-pointer Tuesday, June 3, 2025, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Washington Mystics at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

DeWanna Bonner May Clear Waivers After Being Cut by Fever

The Fever signed her to a one-year unprotected contract just four months ago.
Dec 28, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St-Louis watches from the bench against the Florida Panthers during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena.

PE Firm Led by Ex-NHL Star Invests in CCM Hockey

The deal marks CCM’s second private-equity investment within the last year.

How the Celtics Cut $500M Roster Bill Nearly By Half in 1..

Boston is now under the second tax apron for next season.
Dec 24, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) warms up before the game between the Browns and the New Orleans Saints at FirstEnergy Stadium

Unearthed NFL Arbitration Ruling Raises More Questions Than Answers

The NFL was cleared of collusion, but new questions have emerged.

Featured Today

Mar 15, 2025; Fort Worth, TX, USA; UAB Blazers forward Yaxel Lendeborg (3) dribbles the ball upcourt against the North Texas Mean Green during the first half at Dickies Arena

NIL Is Shrinking the Pool of NBA Draft Entrants

Agents are now advising many players to stay in school.
Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter on the red carpet before the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field
June 21, 2025

‘More Is More’: The Elite Luxury Jewelers Decking Out Athletes

Meet the elite group of luxury designers crafting the biggest statement pieces.
Dec 5, 2024; Miami, FL, USA; FIFA president Gianni Infantino presents the FIFA Club World Cup trophy during the Club Word Cup draw at Telemundo Studios.
June 15, 2025

Revamped Club World Cup Is FIFA’s Billion-Dollar Gamble

The revamped soccer event debuts amid controversy.
Jun 10, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino stands during the anthem against the Switzerland during the first at Geodis Park
June 14, 2025

Gold Cup Is Complicated for USMNT—but U.S. Soccer Has Its Eyes on..

Uncertain tournament success isn’t fazing forward-looking U.S. soccer.

Colleges Are Raising Student Fees to Pay for Athlete Revenue-Sharing

Schools are preparing to pay student athletes up to $20.5 million annually.
Wisconsin cornerback Xavier Lucas (6) is shown during the first quarter of their game against South Dakota Saturday, September 7 , 2024 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin.
June 20, 2025

Wisconsin Sues Miami for ‘Tampering’ With Football Transfer

Xavier Lucas signed NIL deals in Madison before transferring to Miami.
Dec 27, 2024; San Diego, CA, USA; The Washington State Cougars ban perform during the second half at the Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit:
June 23, 2025

Pac-12 Announces CBS As ‘Anchor’ in New Media-Rights Deal

The league may announce expansion before finalizing the rest of the package.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
June 19, 2025

Omaha Delivers Again: LSU, Coastal Carolina Set for CWS Showdown

LSU and Coastal Carolina begin their three-game series Saturday.
Washington's Ben Gorsage, right, and Orland Park Sandburg's Mateo Ramiro-Garcia tangle at the start of the Class 3A state 800-meter run Saturday, May 31, 2025 at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. Gorsage took third place, followed by Ramiro-Garcia in fourth.
June 19, 2025

Dozens of Olympic Sports Have Been Cut in Wake of House v...

Tennis, track and field, and swimming and diving appear heavily impacted.
Jun 16, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks starting pitcher Gage Wood (14) celebrates completing a no hitter against the Murray State Racers at Charles Schwab Field.
June 17, 2025

College World Series Enters Cinderella Era

A series of upsets gives the fast-growing event a new look this year.
Jun 14, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; LSU Tigers starting pitcher Kade Anderson (32) pitches against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the seventh inning at Charles Schwab Field.
June 16, 2025

How College Athlete Buyouts Could Work in the Revenue-Sharing Era

The buyouts could put both players and schools at a disadvantage.