Connecticut Lawmaker Wants Donors to Pay for UConn's Exit From AAC

The $17 million exit fee must be paid in full by 2026.

HARTFORD, Conn. — The top Republican in the Connecticut Senate wants private donors to pick up the cost of UConn's departure from the American Athletic Conference.

Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano wrote on Thursday to the school's new president, Tom Katsouleas, urging him to have the UConn Foundation pick up $20.5 million tab and not students or taxpayers.

That figure includes UConn's $17 million exit fee to the AAC and a $3.5 million entrance fee to rejoin the Big East for the 2020-21 school year. The exit fee must be paid in full by 2026.

UConn has said it plans to use the school's share of AAC revenue from 2019 and 2020 to help pay the fee, along with money generated from sources such as athletics, dining, housing and parking.