With the creation of the Big 10 Network and being available on HD channels, the expansion of the Big 10 is probably being expedited.
Who will get the call and will the Big 10 expand by more than one team?
Let's examine some possibilities.
The Big 10 adds one team scenario.
The “Pitt” Panthers would give the Conference two teams in Penn., but the Pittsburgh market would not bring TV money as PSU draws from there already.
PSU with Paterno would veto this— odds are not likely with any major media market.
WVU are a team on the rise in football and basketball. The Mountaineers are not a major television market and bring no "must have" to the table.
Syracuse Orange is an interesting team.
They were once a football power and currently have a great basketball program. However, they are not looked on, as New York City's team, which means the TV area they control, would not be as large as you might think.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights are New Jersey's team and the first to bring substantial broadcast revenue to the bargaining table.
They have gone from “no” to “whoa!”
They are historically, not a generaly good program in either football or basketball, but playing the Big 10 football schedule would result in about a .500 record.
Louisville Cardinals— a Kentucky market, is not a major viewing plus, however, they are a program on the rise in both football and basketball.
15 comments Last one added 12 months ago — Leave a Comment
Tony Mah about 1 year ago
You forgot to mention that the Big Ten would only be interested in schools with comparative academic track records, enrollment size and atheletic variety to other Big Ten schools. They do not want to integrate a small school into the conference nor a school which would not reflect positively on the conference's academic standards. These are important considerations when it comes to expansion.
Edit Comment Cancel
Bob DaBuckeye about 1 year ago
Tony, you bring up a good point. I touched on it with Navy but didn't go into full detail. The Big 10 will not lower its standards just to add a school. The next school to join should be a leading academic based college as well as a strong sports history. Boston College, Notre Dame and Navy have the best academic-sports mix of schools I discussed.
Edit Comment Cancel
Neil Foley about 1 year ago
"Boston College, Notre Dame and Navy have the best academic-sports mix of schools I discussed."
Obviously Notre Dame goes without saying, but BC and Navy a better academic-sports mix than Syracuse or Pitt? Really? Believe me, neither BC's nor Navy's academics are that much superior to Syracuse and Pitt - anyway not as far superior as Syracuse and Pitt are over both those fine institutions in terms of sports.
Personally, I think the Big Ten continues to wait out Notre Dame. They are in no rush. If they ever finally do give up on the Irish, I expect the choice to come down to Missouri, Rutgers, or Syracuse.
Edit Comment Cancel
Timothy Leary 12 months ago
don't kid yourself. navy is far superior than cuse and pitt. BC is also a step ahead of those two but not quite at the level of navy
Edit Comment Cancel
Timothy Leary 12 months ago
in terms of academics, not sports
Edit Comment Cancel
Neil Foley about 1 year ago
"Syracuse Orange is an interesting team.
They were once a football power and currently have a great basketball program. However, they are not looked on, as New York City's team, which means the TV area they control, would not be as large as you might think."
Agree, the Orange will not bring New York City anymore than Penn State brought in Philly. Comcast designated Philly a pro-sports and Big East city. NYC would be designated the same by Time Warner and Cablevision.
However, don't underestimate the strength of upstate New York TVs. Big East regional stations that carry Big East games on these upstate stations have reach into just under 3 million TVHHs. That's more some states. And as the last three years have shown in football, that reach remains, even when the Orange haven't been good in football. In other words, those TV stations aren't bailing on Big East Regional TV just because the Orange aren't doing well in football.
"Rutgers Scarlet Knights are New Jersey's team and the first to bring substantial broadcast revenue to the bargaining table."
If any team can eventually carry NYC for Big Ten other than the Irish, it just might be Rutgers. But NYC fans tend to be front-runners, which likely means only a successful Rutgers team is likely to do that for the conference. So the big question is, can Rutgers prove to be successful in the Big Ten, competing against the likes of Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State? If the answer to that is yes, the Big Ten should stop waiting for Notre Dame and grab them. If the answer is that they aren't sure, might as well wait a few more years to see if the Irish come around.
Edit Comment Cancel
Tony Mah 12 months ago
I doubt very much that the Big Ten schools in the midwest (as opposed to PSU) would be in favor of adding Rutgers simply because of the travel distance. RU is just not in "Big Ten country". I can just hear the coaches complaining about making the long trek to NJ. Heck they still bitch and moan about travelling to State College! Still, in my estimation the scenario of adding a conference member should mimic the way Penn State was added.
Consider: a huge enrollment, high academic credentials, a strong committment to sports, not too far from "Big Ten country" - all this and a new TV market with new recruiting territory. How could they resist!
Very few other schools fit this profile. The number one candidate would have to be Notre Dame because of the national TV market, and that alone carries huge weight. But that would also mean adding a third school from the state of Indiana. Only two other states, Michigan and Illinois have more than one school in the conference. Is there a down side to that? I don't know, but I am sure those opposed to expansion would find fault somewhere.
Every other choice to me is "iffy" because no one brings to the table what Penn State brought. I would not even consider any school that is as far flung as Syracuse or Rutgers, so that leaves a scant few choices. I like Kentucky a lot, but you're not going to lure anyone away from the SEC. Louisville may be a good fit, but is it a big enough institution? West Virginia is close, but they would have to adjust their admission criteria - an athelete like Noel Devine would never be able to pass entrance into a Big Ten school. I like Nebraska as well, but is that too far away? I don't think you're going to steal anyone away from the Big Twelve either, so that eliminates Missouri and Kansas.
When you stop and analyse all that goes into adding a member to the conference, you're left without any clear cut choices, and all of them but one involve raiding another conference. What the ACC did to the Big East a few years ago I find very distasteful, and I don't think the Big Ten is that underhanded and cutthroat. They would respectfully ask permission to court some school and go through various channels and jump through various hoops just to begin a dialogue. So just because we have a new TV network, I wouldn't look for expansion any time soon, unless by some miracle the Irish come a calling.
Edit Comment Cancel
Ryan Staab 12 months ago
Academically, Rutgers would be an excellent choice (since the Big Ten is an academic alliance first and a sports conference second), and the Big Ten Network would probably love to get into the largest media market in the country. Like others have said though, the distance from the rest of the Big Ten teams is a problem (especially Iowa, Wisky and Illinois), however, whether or not Rutgers can compete with the likes of Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State football are an entirely different matter altogether.
Best case scenario for wooing Notre Dame is if the Domers continue to underperform and NBC finds a way to void their TV contract. The conference already has three Indiana schools, why not bring in a fourth? Ohio State definately would not be willing to let another Ohio team join the conference (UC fans hate Ohio State anyway) and Nebraska and Mizzou have long been Big XII stalwarts.
Another problem is trying to figure out a way to work the number "12" in the Big Ten logo, not to mention how/where to split up the conference and determining the best location for a Big Ten championship game. ;)
Good analysis. Seems there's been a lot of Big Ten expansion talk the last few weeks.
Edit Comment Cancel
Keith Shelton 12 months ago
Notre Dame is the ideal candidate for expansion. That would be a dream come true for the Big 10.
In reality though ND is much more likely to join the Big East in which they are affiliated with basketball than the Big 10.
they will probably remain independent as they'd have no reason or incentive to join a conference.
Edit Comment Cancel
mike moran 12 months ago
Notre Dame is not going to join a football conference, so the big 10 should move on. If ND did decide to join they would be a better fit with the big east football schools should that conference ever split. Ideally this new big east would bring in boston college , penn st and one other school (memphis?). Then the BE would have an traditional eastern based conference(for most part). The B10 could then add some combo of missouri, iowa st. nebraska maybe texas. The other conferences would than have to adjust. Vanderbilt to acc. east carolina or memphis to sec. The big 12 could then either raid c-usa or try for utah or byu b4 the pac 10 does. Of course then what do we do about the basketball focused schools? thats another post
Edit Comment Cancel
Ryan Staab 12 months ago
I'm not criticizing your comment, but I'm just curious why the Big Ten, a predominantly eastern midwest conference, go after a team like Texas or Colorado? Someone mentioned Colorado a few posts back.
And like you said. Logically, if ND football went to any conference, it'd be the Big East.
Edit Comment Cancel
mike moran 12 months ago
I think Colorado came up because rumor has it they are having "disagreements" in the big 12. I don't think they belong in the b10 but others might. I don't think texas does either but if you want a good tv market there is an arguement for them. Nebraska is rumored to have problems with some of the texas schools and although it borders big 10 state iowa, i dont think it should join the b10 either. It has the name and history. Goegraphically missouri and iowa st make sense. From some of the postings and articles i've read, it sounds like the big 12 has some internal issues.
Edit Comment Cancel
Keith Shelton 12 months ago
I think if Colorado changed conferences, it would be to go to the MWC. logically they wouldn't really fit anywhere else.
Edit Comment Cancel
Alex Koenigs 12 months ago
No one in the Big 12 is going to leave. It's a better conference, no argument.
Edit Comment Cancel
Alex Koenigs 12 months ago
No one in the Big 12 is going to leave. It's a better conference, no argument.
Edit Comment Cancel
Leave a Comment
You must register to post a comment.