Big 10 Expansion

[troublesome one]

This discussion has ebbed a bit after flirting with schools as far away as The University of Texas. (Yeah, like they're going to leave the Big 12). Notre Dame is always in the mix but they won't reliquish their lucrative TV contract for football.

Several factors should be considered:
1. Academic Excellence - The Big Ten has always had high academic standards. Any case for admission should start here.
2. Strong "Revenue Sport" Presence - Let's face it, swimming doesn't pay the bills (sorry IU). Competitive programs in football and men's basketball are a must.
3. Geographic Proximity - UT made no sense from a travel and scheduling perspective. Try flying from Happy Valley to Austin on a Tuesday in February. Even with a charter it's a haul.
4. Rivalry Possibilities - There are intrastate and interstate rivalries that currently exist in the Big 10. Look to expand those possibilities with any expansion.
5. Number of Schools - If you add one it would be the Big 12 and you could have an East/West division or North/South. Add too many and you become the Big East.

With this in mind I would humbly nominate Pitt.

Good academics, Top 20 football & men's basketball programs, closer than Penn State, creates Pitt - Penn State & Pitt - Ohio State rivaliries, limits the expansion to a manageable level. The only thing this doesn't do is open up new TV markets.

I welcome any comments or suggestions.

[TheBigB]

In short, I think you are thinking too much within the geographical and cultural confines of conferences, as evidenced by the "like they're going to leave the Big 12" comment. If it were a simple matter of a geographical/cultural addition, I'd agree that Pitt would be the best choice. This expansion talk, however, is all about money, especially in football. The Big Ten is looking into expanding into a new market, which is why you see Rutgers thrown in the mix - NYC sort of fits that bill.

The Pac 10 is pretty much all set to offer Colorado and Utah spots. The Big Ten wants to get in front of this rather than react, which is why the talk is settling around what they plan to do. The likely scenario emerging at this point is four super conferences, with the SEC ready to poach whatever the Big Ten leaves behind. The financial status of the Big 12 is not nearly as good as the Big Ten, which is why the Texas suggestion keeps coming up.

If expansion happens, it won't be by one team - it will either be by three teams or five teams. You won't see a 12-team Big Ten. This is not going to be an evolutionary change; it will be revolutionary.

[matt_s]

Rutgers - While it is more of a NY market, is it really a mass market draw for NY?
Pitt- Geographically makes sense, good rivalry with PSU, good academicxs. but doesn't add much in terms of media market coverage
Missouri - Makes geographic sense, could make some nice rivalries with Illinois and Iowa - St. Louis is an bigger market draw, but probably already somewhat impacted with Illinois.

I've always thought ND makes a lot of sense. I think Kentucky brings a lot to the table for basketball but very little in other sports. If geography is tossed out the window, then hop to Texas.

There aren't a lot of current connections to this school, but I'd throw LSU and Tennesee out there for consideration. West Virginia could be interesting in some ways as well.

[hairypumper]

If you want a huge draw get Texas and OU. Why bring half a rivalry when you can get one of the biggest? Yes, I have been to a couple of Texas-OU weekends. Easily comparable to Michigan-Ohio State.

[TheBigB]

Rutgers - While it is more of a NY market, is it really a mass market draw for NY?
Pitt- Geographically makes sense, good rivalry with PSU, good academicxs. but doesn't add much in terms of media market coverage
Missouri - Makes geographic sense, could make some nice rivalries with Illinois and Iowa - St. Louis is an bigger market draw, but probably already somewhat impacted with Illinois.

I've always thought ND makes a lot of sense. I think Kentucky brings a lot to the table for basketball but very little in other sports. If geography is tossed out the window, then hop to Texas.

There aren't a lot of current connections to this school, but I'd throw LSU and Tennesee out there for consideration. West Virginia could be interesting in some ways as well.

Even given bad feelings about past overtures, if Notre Dame showed interest in the Big Ten they'd be all over that. Academically, it's not a perfect fit (Notre Dame is mainly an undergraduate institution and not a research behemoth like most of the current B10 schools), but it's close enough. I agree with your comments on Rutgers and Pitt, but the argument I've seen is that it wouldn't be about how popular Rutgers is but about having a foothold in the area.

None of the current SEC teams are going to be considered, and I don't think any have any reason to leave. The SEC is doing just fine. West Virginia probably wouldn't be considered for academic reasons.

[james_t]

Big Ten quashes expansion idea
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany e-mailed conference officials Tuesday to stamp out a rumor that four schools had already been offered a chance to join the league.
Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith confirmed Tuesday that Delany had quashed a report that the Big Ten had offered expansion spots to Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Rutgers.
Asked if there was anything to that speculation, Smith said, “Nothing. There’s no truth to it whatsoever. Actually, Jim sent us all an e-mail telling us there’s no truth to that — which we knew. There’s no extensions of offers that have been made, so that’s not true.”
The conference is looking at expanding from its current 11 members so that it can extend the reach of its lucrative cable network and add a league championship game in football.
The Big Ten athletic directors will meet May 17-19 in downtown Chicago. They will be joined by faculty representatives, senior women’s administrators and the head coaches in football and men’s and women’s basketball. But Smith said the meetings were routine and nothing would be decided in terms of expansion.

[hideaway70]

Big Ten quashes expansion idea
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany e-mailed conference officials Tuesday to stamp out a rumor that four schools had already been offered a chance to join the league.
Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith confirmed Tuesday that Delany had quashed a report that the Big Ten had offered expansion spots to Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Rutgers.
Asked if there was anything to that speculation, Smith said, “Nothing. There’s no truth to it whatsoever. Actually, Jim sent us all an e-mail telling us there’s no truth to that — which we knew. There’s no extensions of offers that have been made, so that’s not true.”
The conference is looking at expanding from its current 11 members so that it can extend the reach of its lucrative cable network and add a league championship game in football.
The Big Ten athletic directors will meet May 17-19 in downtown Chicago. They will be joined by faculty representatives, senior women’s administrators and the head coaches in football and men’s and women’s basketball. But Smith said the meetings were routine and nothing would be decided in terms of expansion.

They will officially deny the expansion rumors until the day they hold a press conference announcing which teams are joining the conference.

[troublesome one]

And now the Pac 10 wants to poach from the Big 12?

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5251329

[nathandiehl]

And now the Pac 10 wants to poach from the Big 12?

Goodbye Big 12!
Hello Little 6!

[zdog1962]

NCAA and Conference greed continues unabated.

[troublesome one]

Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Trib weighs in today:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...5816071.column

[TheBigB]

Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Trib weighs in today:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...5816071.column

I agree with him, mostly. One thing I would add - if the Big Ten was looking southward, I think Georgia Tech would make a fine addition as well. They don't add *that* much on the sports front - decent but not spectacular tradition - but they do add more than Rutgers, and a footprint in Atlanta would be nice. Academically, Tech might not be that well rounded, but they share a lot in common with Purdue and for many of the better engineering programs in the Big Ten they often are one of the "peer schools" that are used for the "how are we doing?" comparisons. I think that it would only be slightly more likely to happen than Texas, but I don't think it would be impossible.

FWIW, the latest hot rumor has Nebraska announcing at the end of this week that they will join the Big Ten. There have been a lot of hot rumors that stayed just that, but this one seems to have some basis.

[troublesome one]

Nebraska, but their basketball is TERRIBLE!!!

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5268408

[zdog1962]

Goodbye Big 12!
Hello Little 6!

Sounds like the Big Twelve is going to cease to exist. It is amazing how much cash these football programs rake in.

[troublesome one]

Sounds like the Big Twelve is going to cease to exist. It is amazing how much cash these football programs rake in.

Remember that the Big 12 was put together from the old Big 8 and the old Southwest Conference in the 90's.

I really don't see how a Texas fits in the PAC 10, though. But it's not up to me.

[zdog1962]

Remember that the Big 12 was put together from the old Big 8 and the old Southwest Conference in the 90's.

I really don't see how a Texas fits in the PAC 10, though. But it's not up to me.

They fit because their footbal program is in the top 3 in revenue in the nation. I believe that the Pac 10 and Big Ten both should be required to change their names. The new name reflect a true geographic relationshio to their members or a number that matches their current number of members.

[tallrob]

Remember that the Big 12 was put together from the old Big 8 and the old Southwest Conference in the 90's.

I really don't see how a Texas fits in the PAC 10, though. But it's not up to me.

Or Iowa State for that matter.

[hideaway70]

So has anyone heard if there is still. the possibility of additional teams moving to the Big 10 (or 11 or 12 or...?) ?.

Someone made a point on Mike and Mike this morning that ND would save enough in travel expenses to away games by joining the conference to offset the loss of revenue frm losing their NBC TV contract.

Also seems like Missouri would be a good addition especially as a basketball program...

[matt_s]

So has anyone heard if there is still. the possibility of additional teams moving to the Big 10 (or 11 or 12 or...?) ?.

Someone made a point on Mike and Mike this morning that ND would save enough in travel expenses to away games by joining the conference to offset the loss of revenue frm losing their NBC TV contract.

Also seems like Missouri would be a good addition especially as a basketball program...

My understanding is that the expansion to 12 by Nebraska is all that is being acknowledged at this time. I think if they expand beyond 12 the next stop will be 16.

[tallrob]

Colorado is going to the Pac 10.