Can Rutgers Afford to Say No if Big Ten Calls?

If the Big Ten follows through on their proposal, and adds a 12th team, what would Rutgers do if invited?  That's a very tough question!

It's hard to say if Wisconsin's Athletic Director Barry Alvarez's announcement, one which advocated Big Ten expansion, was serious or just another attempt at scaring Notre Dame into joining. 

If the Big Ten is legitimately going to add a 12th team, there are about 10 or 12 teams around the country that should be on alert—Rutgers is definitely one of them.

From an emotional standpoint, it would be difficult for Rutgers to break ties with fellow Big East members.  Boston College went through this four years ago and bitter feelings spilled out amongst fans, journalists, coaches and state officials.

It would be difficult to break allegiances with schools they went through the rebuilding of the conference with, five years ago.  The Conference has grown in quality and it has grown monetarily. 

Though the Big East can't equal the dollar amount that each Big Ten team receives from television, the Big East has grown and has shown great potential for future growth.

Big East football lacks the prestige of most of the other BCS football conferences—it has to earn its reputation on the field!  That just what it's been doing

Thinking about Michigan, Ohio States and Penn States coming to Piscataway is very exciting, but will the quality of football be any better than it is in the Big East?

If one looks at this year's top Big Ten teams (Ohio State, Penn State, Iowa & Wisconsin) and compare them to Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, West Virginia and Rutgers, it's hard to say which conference is stronger.

The Big Ten is more top heavy than the Big East.  Syracuse, last place in the Big East, defeated Northwestern and lost to Minnesota in overtime.  These two Big Ten teams are bowl bound.

Rutgers hasn't been a factor in Big East Basketball since they entered the conference, but the Big East is the second best basketball league in the country—the NBA is still the best.

As for basketball, leaving the Big East would appear to be difficult.  There are just too many teams too close in distance, to be replaced with trips to Iowa and Minnesota.  Penn State did it, but they're 200 miles west of New Brunswick.

So what are the reasons for Rutgers to leave, if asked?  What's on the plus side of the work sheet?

I think money and security stand out as the two biggest reasons. 

Big Ten teams earn about $20 million dollars a year from television. Big East teams are in the $5-9 dollar million range.  The issue of revenue has been magnified due to the tough economy and, in Rutgers' case, paying for the recent stadium expansion.

Security in the Big Ten means not having to worry about replacing teams from raiding conferences.  It means not having to worry if the conference is going to survive every time expansion is brought up by a stronger conference.

Tradition could be important.  Big Ten football certainly has more tradition than the Big East.  But like I mentioned earlier, tradition and prestige are really just images.  If the Big East has another year like 2009, their image is going to improve quickly.

Penn State, and the rivalry that could develop with them, could be important.  Rutgers doesn't have a true rival in the Big East.  Penn State doesn't have a true rival in the Big Ten.

Both schools are developing rivals in their conferences, but a Rutgers-Penn State rivalry is a natural.  The states share a border, go head to head in recruiting and they played every year from 1981-95.  Penn State shares a border with Ohio, but Ohio State already has a true rival.

Tradition in basketball now leans toward the Big East.  It's been around long enough, it's won enough National Championships, and in the last couple of years, it has overtaken every other conference in the country.

Money and security are pressing issues.  It would be hard for Rutgers, or any Big East team, to say no to the Big Ten.

Boston College made a big geographical move when it left the Big East for the ACC.  Traveling has to be more costly and more difficult for fans, who once could drive to most away games in less than eight hours.  This has to be a consideration.

Another consideration has to be the way the pie is sliced.  The Big East shares everything eight ways.  The Big Ten would have 12 shares.  It still seems that Rutgers would be better off financially in the Big Ten, but future revenues might change the equation.

As a fan of Rutgers and the Big East, it's no secret that this conference has always been the underdog when compared to the other BCS conferences.  It's been pleasing the see the growth it's made, and especially rewarding to see the conference come from the brink of destruction, during the ACC raids, to where it is today.

If Rutgers, or any other Big East School makes a break for the Big Ten, it would be disappointing for the members of the Big East,  To be fair, the Big East has been disappointing to its members.

The Big East is still in a position to get raided, nothing has really changed since the ACC came in and took away Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College.  The conference had to take some of the blame for what happened five years ago.

If the Big East is raided again, the conference has to take just about all the blame.  Expansion is something that the Big East hasn't gotten around to yet.  The delay might lead to another raid.  The way the conference has approached this issue might be considered negligence, if another team leaves.