If The Big Ten Expands, Could Notre Dame Be Team Number 12?

In 1990, the Big Ten Conference expanded from 10 teams to 11, with the addition of Penn State. Since then, several discussions have taken place within the conference on whether or not to expand, each time with the decision being not to expand the league. However, many feel that now is the right time to add a 12th team to the Big Ten Conference.

The 11 member teams of the Big Ten have been discussing since last year, whether or not it would be a successful move to add yet another team to the conference. The addition of Penn State to the conference was a huge success, and many in the conference, such as Penn State Coach Joe Paterno and Wisconsin Athletic Director Berry Alvarez, have stated that the addition of a twelfth team would be beneficial to everyone.

 If the Big Ten does decide to expand its membership from 11 teams to 12, which lucky team could be the next member of the conference? Could it be Notre Dame?

In 1999 Notre Dame was considered as the next team to be added to the Big Ten. However, at that time it was decided that it wasn’t the right time for Notre Dame to join the ranks of the conference. Now that the topic of including another team in the Big Ten has arisen again, Notre Dame may have another chance to join the conference.

There are a couple of reasons why Notre Dame could be considered once again for membership in the Big Ten.

The first could be the legacy of their athletic program. Like each of the schools in the Big Ten, Notre Dame is well known for its athletic program, and has had great success in the program throughout the years. This legacy shows that Notre Dame could hold their own in the conference and would provide another competitive team for the other member schools to play against.

The school may also be considered for membership in the Big Ten because of its size and visibility. Like the other schools already in the Big Ten, the athletics at Notre Dame draw thousands of fans and create a viable market for sports media and merchandise. This could mean another team drawing in a lot of money and press for the Big Ten, which could be another incentive for them to invite Notre Dame to join their conference.

Notre Dame may also be considered for this membership position based on their geographical location. Member schools of the Big Ten are located mostly in the Midwest and East areas of the nation. Notre Dame fits well into this geographical pattern because it is located in Indiana.

Although there have been no official decisions made yet on whether or not to add a 12th team, if it is decided that the Big Ten wants to expand its conference, Notre Dame may be the next school to join the Big Ten Conference.