Big Ten Expansion: 18 Million Reasons to Opt for Rutgers

If the Big Ten Conference is seriously considering expanding, Rutgers should be a serious candidate: and there's 18 million reasons why Rutgers makes sense.

Where Does Big Ten Expansion Stand?

Last week Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany told Colin Cowherd the fact-finding search on expansion would conclude in three to four months. He explained it was premature to talk about anything expansion-related until the committee issued their recommendations. He added that remaining an 11 team conference was a real option.

Who Are the Candidates?

Wisconsin's Athletic Director Barry Alvarez notified the media that he didn't expect Notre Dame to be interested in making a move, and Notre Dame's Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick has been quoted as saying, "Notre Dame will not be the 12th team in that conference.."

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has reported what most Big Ten execs have known for a while—the Texas Longhorns are not one of the 15 teams the search committee is considering.

Of the 15 universities the search committee is supposedly researching, the names that speculators mention most are Missouri, Syracuse, Rutgers, and Pittsburgh.  We've also heard that Nebraska, Iowa State, Connecticut, and West Virginia are candidates. 

In exploring the idea of expansion, the Big Ten may be considering adding one, three, or five teams. Barry Alvarez and other Big Ten AD's have said they are not warming up to the idea of adding "one more team to share the pie with," let alone three or five.

It's Not About Proximity

If the Big Ten is set on adding a team that's close in distance, Rutgers is not a good choice.

Although college sports teams travel greater distances with greater ease than ever before, Rutgers sits 250 miles east of the Big Ten's most eastern school (Penn State).

Missouri is more centrally located. Pittsburgh is west of Penn State, and Iowa State is located in the same state as Big Ten member Iowa.

It's Not About Tradition

As most fans know, Rutgers and Princeton played the first college football game in 1869, but if the Big Ten is looking for a traditional football power, the choice of Rutgers would be a stretch.

Since Greg Schiano took over as head coach in 2000, Rutgers has steadily improved its football program, and has become relevant in discussions of top 25 rankings.

With that being said, the Scarlet Knights have not won a Big East Championship or played in a BCS bowl game.

Big East partners Syracuse and Pittsburgh have longer and more storied pasts, and both have won National Championships.

Rutgers did win one National Championship: in 1869 Rutgers and Princeton were co-holders of the first Championship (no one else was eligible).

It's Not About a Large On-Campus Stadium

Last year, Rutgers completed the first expansion to its stadium. They raised the capacity to approximately 54,000.

Although they do have the Meadowland and its 80,000 seating capacity available, their policy has been to play home games on campus. It's important for Rutgers to justify the $120 million stadium expansion and face lift.

Missouri, Nebraska, and West Virginia all have larger on-campus stadiums.

It's Not a High Profile Basketball Program

If the Big Ten is looking to add a school with a solid football program, as well as a solid basketball program, Rutgers does not qualify.

In all their years, the Scarlet Knights have gone to only six NCAA basketball tournaments. Die-hard New Jersey basketball fans still console themselves by talking about the 1974 Rutgers basketball team, Rutgers' only team to make the Final Four.

Even though the university is in the heart of one of the most fertile basketball recruiting grounds, Rutgers has never come close to winning a Big East league championship or tournament.

Most schools that the Big Ten exploratory committee is considering have stellar basketball programs.

It's Not About Football Recruiting

If the Big Ten is looking to get exposure for their brand in an area known for good football recruiting and Rutgers would be a good choice. New Jersey is known for being a solid area for football talent.

But if it was only about football recruiting, any Florida School such as USF would be a better choice. Western Pennsylvania, an area that has produced great college and pro players, makes Pittsburgh a better choice than Rutgers.

It's Not About Academics

Rutgers is a fine university. It's academics are good and they are a member of the Association of American Universities, to which all Big Ten Schools belong, a point which the Big Ten has made clear is important when considering new members.

Although Rutgers' Academics present no problem for Big Ten presidents and AD's, most of the other candidates can also meet their requirements, and are also fine schools.

It Is About 18 Million Reasons

As television viewers in the 1960's were reminded, "There are eight million stories in the Naked City," Big Ten officials should be reminded there are 18 million people in the New York City marketing area.

Los Angeles is No. 2 with 12 million and Chicago, the heart of Big Ten country, has nine million.

The New York City Marketing area runs from Long Island to Eastern Pennsylvania, and includes parts of New York state and New Jersey. Rutgers is located practically dead-center in this region.

Rutgers has made good progress bringing in better numbers from this area. 

The area is a stronghold for the professional teams of New York and Philadelphia, of which there are more than a dozen. Competing with them for disposable income in not easy.

But Rutgers has marked its territory and the "State of Rutgers" completely includes this area. Rutgers has started getting quality recruits from not only New Jersey, but from New York and Eastern Pennsylvania.

Former Scarlet Knights Ray Rice and Brian Leonard came to Rutgers from New York, and current Rutgers quarterback Tom Savage(formerly Pennsylvania's No. 1 recruit) just became a freshman All-American.

The area is huge, Rutgers is the only BCS team within its borders, and the growth potential for the Big Ten could be staggering.

It's been said that Penn State hasn't brought in as many new viewers as the Big Ten was expecting, but the thought of Michigan and Ohio State going to Rutgers Stadium or the Meadowlands has to be attractive to Jim Delany and his staff.

Adding any team will be a gamble. Adding three or five teams would really be a gamble. Expanding to an area with 18 million reasons for success probably makes the odds a lot better.