As we're seeing, in the era of pay-for-play, the Kentucky brand holds zero value. Players will come play for Golden, Pitino, Hurley, May, etc, or they'll play for Pope if they're the highest bidder. Kentucky having a "22 million dollar roster" (complete BS, anyone with a brain knows this) furthers the argument that the Kentucky brand means nothing. Duke and Florida have excellent coaches/recruiters, and have an enormous payroll. Kentucky basketball as we know it, is dead.
Kentucky Brand Means Nothing
- Thread starter GoneFishin916
- Start date
Whoever put that figure out has learned a harsh lesson if they are still around. You are absolutely right 95% only care about the money, like Freemans lame excuse as to why he signed with St John’s. It was convenient with the current atmosphere around Kentucky basketball circles. Haugh for Florida said he loved Florida and playing for Golden, although giving up a spot in the lottery for the love of the school seems like a stretch. They need to put the transfer rule back like it was then you have to sit out a year each time after that. As for the NIL, you have to play three fourths of the following year to get the money.
Kentucky Wildcats men's BB = top 10.
www.sportsbusinessjournal.com
Study shows most valuable men’s, women’s college basketball programs
A new study shows the Univ. of North Carolina men’s basketball team has the highest valuation in the sport at $378M.
www.sportsbusinessjournal.com
that might be true, but Haugh is FOS if he really believes that he would have stayed prior to pay-for-play
It's about the money and COACH before the program. Right now Pope is our handicap.
It doesn’t when the AD makes a bad coaching hire but we will be back. Kick us while we’re down, but we will be back. All these trolls that hate UK are enjoying getting us all worked up. When Pope gets let go and a good coach is brought in these trolls will see what the UK brand means.
Some people need to think about it without letting their own feelings as a fan get in the way. If people are being honest, they would admit if they had a son that was a McDonald’s All-American, they wouldn’t want to take a chance on Mark Pope coaching their kid right now.
In short term Kentucky can out pay most schools but if Pope doesn’t prepare a player for the NBA, it could cost them a lot more money in the long run. Our program is a really easy target for negative recruiters to attack right now.
I think what still carries weight is 22,000 in Rupp Arena. And that is it.
No high school kid or portal kid is coming to UK because of 8 titles, Anthony Davis, Dan Issel, or Adolph Rupp.
They will come for the money, and if the UK coach has a reputation of developing players into the NBA.
Pope does not have that reputation at all, and the recruiting results he has had in 3 years proves that.
Stokes is a must, must, must get for Pope. If Stokes goes elsewhere, next season will be 15 loss minimum.
And it will be Pope's last at UK.
No high school kid or portal kid is coming to UK because of 8 titles, Anthony Davis, Dan Issel, or Adolph Rupp.
They will come for the money, and if the UK coach has a reputation of developing players into the NBA.
Pope does not have that reputation at all, and the recruiting results he has had in 3 years proves that.
Stokes is a must, must, must get for Pope. If Stokes goes elsewhere, next season will be 15 loss minimum.
And it will be Pope's last at UK.
Duke and UConn. Those are the big 2. One of them has won a title on average every 3 years since 1991.
our brand is fine, we also pay more than anyone else. the brand that is in the dumps is Pope's. everyone thinks he is a terrible unlikeable coach
We're still a name but if you grew up in Georgia, play for Wake Forest, and UK is offering you 2.5M while Ohio St. is offering 3.4M, you're probably choosing the money. That's why a GM with connections is important in this new world. A college coach and his staff can't do all of this on their own.
I think the brand means a lot but only if things were equal. I’ve you have equally qualified coaches at a brand like Kentucky vs any random school and the money is the same. UK is gonna have a draw. That being said, the quality of coaching and a chance to win means alot to some, a cash grab means a lot to others. Another reason Pope should have hired a GM.
The invent of NIL money has leveled the playing field and just the name Kentucky is no longer the big drawing card it once was as with most so called blue blood school. Schools now need a edge and it starts with a coach with a proven coaching record a record of getting players to the NBA and NBA connections none of which Pope has. If Pope had any hopes of coaching Ky for more than one more year he should have had the good sense to have put out feelers to say TayShaun Prince or Rajon Rondo names recruits and their familys know, someone they could learn from with NBA titles and records.
No college basketball brand with the possible exception of Duke has significant value with elite or probably even high players.
The coach, role, and money is most of the "brand" now. That being the case, the same is probably true of coaches. Once they are Kentucky worthy they no longer need Kentucky or UNC or Kansas.
There is still cache with middling 4 star and below guys.