<p>^ xiggi, so you think this gets resolved tomorrow?</p>
<p>
Sure, money is the main driving force. However, emotions and traditions are involved…and academics DOES have something to do with it when academics will be making the ultimate decision.</p>
<p><a href=“Quoting%20hawkette,%20who%20wrote%20that” title=“The USA is still almost a quarter Catholic.”>quote=xiggi</a> </p>
<p>True, but remember that the growth in Catholics in the last twenty years comes mostly from Hispanics who account now for about 1/3 of all Catholics. Those new Catholics have a better chance to root for the schools their kids attend or … Chivas USA team.
[/quote]
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<p>You got that right, xiggi. They’re sure not watching Notre Dame football. In 2009, CBS averaged 7 million viewers a game for its SEC coverage. ABC was not far behind at 6.1 million per game. NBC’s Notre Dame coverage trailed badly at 3.2 million per game, just a shade ahead of ESPN’s cable-only audience of 2.9 million per game. </p>
<p>When NBC last renewed ND’s contract, the network said they’d do OK financially as long as ND football was in the top 10 nearly every year. Well, guess what? ND hasn’t been in the top 10 (apart from a few short-lived early-season appearances), and NBC is hurting financially. At $9 million a season, ND is probably overpaid. And I think even the boys who run NBC are smart enough to figure out that these days, it’s too risky to put all your broadcast eggs in a single football program’s basket; a few down years and your revenues tank, whereas if you’re carrying a whole conference it’s guaranteed someone’s going to be on top every year. I just don’t see anyone picking up a network contract for ND as a solo act after their current NBC contract expires.</p>
<p>The Big Ten Network, by the way, draws more viewers in its core Midwest markets on most football Saturdays than any of the broadcast or other cable networks, including NBC’s Notre Dame coverage. And some financial analyses suggest that after Texas (with or without A&M) and Rutgers (IF it pulls the NYC market, which is highly questionable and a risky strategy for a generally risk-averse conference), Nebraska is the school that will add the most to the Big Ten’s coffers, not so much by adding new BTN subscribers but by increasing the network’s viewership in key Midwestern markets, thereby boosting advertising revenue. Here’s an analysis that implies Nebraska is a more important “get” for the Big Ten than Notre Dame (go to the Google Docs link to see breakdowns on the financials):</p>
<p>[Big</a> Ten Expansion: It’s The Ratings, Stupid - Black Heart Gold Pants](<a href=“Big Ten Expansion: It's The Ratings, Stupid - Black Heart Gold Pants”>Big Ten Expansion: It's The Ratings, Stupid - Black Heart Gold Pants)</p>
<p>
Hmmm…ND only makes $9 million/year in its current contract? If true, what TV network just offered Dan Beebe’s crew $14-$17 million? Are teams like Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State and Texas Tech worth nearly double what Notre Dame currently gets?!</p>
<p>[Orangebloods.com</a> - Remaining schools in Big 12 close to saving league](<a href=“http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1094038]Orangebloods.com”>http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1094038)
</p>
<p>
I guess I spoke too soon…Looks like UT has turned down Pac-10 offer and will stick with the Big 12-2. </p>
<p>[Texas</a> turns down Pac-10; Big 12 schools have framework of deal | College Sports News | Sports News | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News](<a href=“http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/colleges/topstories/stories/061510dnspoblogcoll.a2975b0c.html]Texas”>http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/colleges/topstories/stories/061510dnspoblogcoll.a2975b0c.html)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Well, aren’t they preparing Bevo for the meeting? I heard he does not like to travel too far.</p>
<p>Seriously, I do not know but I would not be surprised if Texas cuts through the gordian knot pretty soon.</p>
<p>LOLZ - crossposted with UCB’s post about announcement.</p>
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</p>
<p>If that is true, I am not sure the Aggies still want to move to the SEC and get their AM-a$$es kicked every week. </p>
<p>How much is Nebraska expected to get in the Big 10? Does not look that smart of a deal anymore!</p>
<p>Lotsa horn fans seem upset about the decision:
[Chuck</a> Carlton (DMN) says Larry Scott confirms Texas turns down Pac-10 offer](<a href=“http://www.shaggybevo.com/board/showthread.php/65759-Chuck-Carlton-(DMN)-says-Larry-Scott-confirms-Texas-turns-down-Pac-10-offer]Chuck”>http://www.shaggybevo.com/board/showthread.php/65759-Chuck-Carlton-(DMN)-says-Larry-Scott-confirms-Texas-turns-down-Pac-10-offer)</p>
<p>^ UCB, I think Beebe’s just blowing smoke with that stuff about “assurances that a TV deal could be reached” in which the Big 12 (minus 2) TV rights are suddenly going to be worth double what they are now, and the same as the SEC. That makes no sense to me. This is just a desperate last-ditch effort on Beebe’s part to save his conference, but if the schools scratch the surface on those “assurances” I suspect the whole thing will unravel.</p>
<p>“Lotsa horn fans seem upset about the decision:
Chuck Carlton (DMN) says Larry Scott confirms Texas turns down Pac-10 offer”</p>
<p>As well as the Pac-10 fans waving farewell to Texas and the Cowboys Stadium…</p>
<p><a href=“Archive blogs”>Archive blogs;
<p>So far as to the expansion, Big Ten (12) seems to be the ultimate winner afterall. :)</p>
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</p>
<p>Let’s see. Nebraska upgrades conferences and goes to a conference that now splits 22 million CURRENTLY. That’s only going to go up. If you have a better deal for Nebraska, let us know.</p>
<p>It’s also a win for Colorado. The Big 12 is not going to share revenue equally but the Pac 10 will. Colorado will be making more and upgrading conferences along the way.</p>
<p>That was interesting. From a major earthquake to a small termor. PAC 10 fans would now like to throw back Colorado.</p>
<p>Indeed, the Cornhusker is the biggest winner who no longer have to live under Texas’s terms anymore!! Go Big Red!! lol</p>
<p>For the Big Ten: </p>
<p>Nebraska is one of the top 5 college football teams with most wins.</p>
<p>Nebraska memorial stadium is scheduled to expand another ~15,000 seats, making its total capacity to nearly 100,000.</p>
<p>Nebraska’s brand new ($168 million) basketball arena - Lincoln Haymarket Arena with 16,000 seats was approved last month due open in 2013.</p>
<p>Most importantly, Huskers really embrace the new conference!! It may not provide an immediate academic upgrade we had expected from say Texas or ND, nevertheless, it’s a perfect fit in terms of value, culture and football tradition for the Big Ten.</p>
<p>Link: [HuskerBoard.com</a> - Husker Message Board](<a href=“http://www.huskerboard.com/]HuskerBoard.com”>http://www.huskerboard.com/)</p>
<p>
not if they are shooting to get to 12 teams and a championship game … maybe Utah is next</p>
<p>
Pac-10 will shoot for adding the Utes. </p>
<p>I’m disappointed Pac-10 didn’t net Texas. Perhaps Pac-10 should sweeten the deal by allowing the Horns their Bevo network in Texas.</p>
<p>
Not me. Granted Colorado isn’t very strong athletically…but I think the Pac-10 alliance will breathe new life into its sports. Colorado fans are very excited. They’ll now get to see west coast schools more frequently vs. being annexed to the Big XII South + AZ schools.</p>
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If so, he just pulled the wool over Texas’s eyes.</p>
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This thing has been a learning experience for me as a college football fan…I learned the Longhorns are nicknamed the tea-sippers (or sips) by the Aggies and Cowboys Stadium is referred to as Jerry’s World…haha!</p>
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</p>
<p>Agreed. Terrific and friendly fans and a terrific sports program. The SEC no longer has the best football conference. The Big 10 is stronger at the top AND across the board.</p>
<p>Ikenberry: ‘12 is a good number’ for Big Ten
With Nebraska on board, Illinois interim president doesn’t foresee other invitations right now</p>
<p>By Teddy Greenstein and Jodi S. Cohen, Tribune reporters</p>
<p>8:28 p.m. CDT, June 14, 2010</p>
<p>A 12-school Big Ten is just right, according to Stanley Ikenberry, Illinois’ interim president.</p>
<p>“I think 12 is a good number,” Ikenberry told the Tribune on Monday. “If there are opportunities compelling enough in the future to expand further, I suppose folks will look at those. But frankly, I don’t see anything on the horizon right now.”</p>
<p>The national picture also reflects that, with Texas announcing Monday it will remain in a 10-team Big 12 rather than bolt for the Pac-10.</p>
<p>Nebraska fled the Big 12 for the Big Ten on Friday, earning unanimous approval from Big Ten presidents and chancellors. It would take a supermajority (8 of 11) of Big Ten chiefs to approve another addition, and that would be a tough sell for Ikenberry.</p>
<p>“I am a conservative leaner on expansion issues,” he said.</p>
<p>Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said last week the league would “take a deep breath and see what the possibilities might be,” adding that the league could continue to study expansion for another six to 12 months.</p>
<p>“For us, we are in a great place,” Delany said. “We are stronger today than yesterday.”</p>
<p>Ikenberry said adding Nebraska made sense on a number of levels.</p>
<p>“One, Nebraska is an AAU (Association of American Universities) member and, academically, that was an important threshold,” he said. "No. 2, they are geographically proximate. The University of Texas, for example, a great university, great tradition, but really not practical from a geographic standpoint.</p>
<p>“And third, they have a strong athletic tradition and strong fan base. When Nebraska comes to play Illinois, there will be a high level of interest.”</p>
<p>Ikenberry said the financial benefits of adding Nebraska would be minimal. The conference paid out about $20 million to every Big Ten school last year.</p>
<p>“I don’t think it will be a windfall for us,” he said, “but I think that it will not be a sacrifice. The criteria … was not (to) diminish the revenues of any existing school. Nobody is looking for a windfall, but everybody is looking to be held harmless.”</p>
<p>Ikenberry is not just any university CEO. He spearheaded Penn State’s move to the Big Ten in 1990 before returning to a leadership role at Illinois last year.</p>
<p>“As soon as we brought Penn State into the Big Ten, we began to look for a 12th team,” he said. “I think everybody believes that having 12 members in the league is a good step. It will allow conference members to develop their schedules even more within the conference. That would be a healthy thing.”</p>
<p>Big Ten officials have discussed boosting the conference slate from eight games to nine. With 11 teams, that wasn’t possible. With 12, the math works.</p>
<p>The league also plans to create a Big Ten title game in 2011.</p>
<p>Link: [Big</a> Ten expansion: Illinois interim president says ‘12 is a good number’ - chicagotribune.com](<a href=“College Sports News - Chicago Tribune”>http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-spt-0615-big-ten-illinois--20100614,0,4108013.story)</p>
<p>^^^ Pffft…lotta Big Ten spin for landing its second choice candidate.</p>
<p>^^ Likewise, the Pac-16… ;p</p>
<p>“^^^ Pffft…lotta Big Ten spin for landing its second choice candidate.”</p>
<p>I protest! Nebraska was not the Big 10’s second choice…it was its third! hehe! Notre Dame and Texas (in no particular order) were its first two choices.</p>
<p>This said, Nebraska is a very handsome win nonetheless. </p>
<p>Here’s an oldie but a goodie:</p>
<p>What does the “N” on Nebraska’s football helmet stand for?</p>
<p>Knowledge!</p>
<p>Welcome to the Big 10 Cornhuskers!</p>