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Coach Geno Auriemma is talking about UConn's recent decision to end its broadcast partnership with CPTV. The public television station had aired women's basketball games for eighteen seasons. WNPR's Lucy Nalpathanchil reports
Reaction in the community has been mixed since UConn announced it accepted a deal from out of state SNY to broadcast UConn women's basketball. The decision ended a long partnership with CPTV which began airing the games before UConn Women became a powerhouse in college basketball. Coach Auriemma says he wasn't surprised by the reaction from CPTV and fans to the SNY news.
"I can see where people feel a little bit threatened by it, or a little bit hurt and a feeling of we're losing something that ours. And I just think that everybody be educated on the fact that change isn't always bad, change hurts."
SNY's four-year deal with UConn is worth $4.55 million through the 2015-16 season, pretty close to CPTV's bid of $4.53 million. But Auriemma says SNY's offer deal couldn't be passed up given the company's larger audience reach throughout Connecticut and NY State.
"This move came about because of things CPTV can't do just by who they are, where they are and what their mission is. An extra thirteen million people are going to see us play. And yet people living in Connecticut will be getting as much, even more than what they were getting before."
Auriemma adds, the SNY partnership can only help the team and the university.
"You get to the point where you're so good at what you do, and everybody wants you to expand, more and more people want access to you, want to be associated with you. Those are good problems to have. And as much as it hurts CPTV to lose us, the understanding is we didn't turn our back on CPTV. That's not what this is. This wasn't a no to CPTV it was a yes to an offer that wouldn't have been there if it hadn't been for CPTV."
SNY will now broadcast UConn men and Women's basketball and football.
This note, Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network is the parent company of CPTV and WNPR.