Expansion of the Big Ten

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>Ladies and Gentlemen,</p>

<p>There are rumors that an announcement on which school would join the Big Ten would be announced on Friday. </p>

<p>The schools that are rumored to be joining consists of:
-Missouri, currently a member of the Big 12
-Univ. of Pittsburgh, currently a member of the Big East
-Rutgers, currently a member of the Big East
-Texas, currently a member of the Big 12
-West Virginia University, currently a member of the Big East</p>

<p>Most likely the Big Ten committee will choose a school depending on their location, student population, academics, and athletics. </p>

<p>I want to know which school people think would be the one joining the Big Ten. </p>

<p>I say Rutgers would be the candidate due to their academics, similar student population, and their location since no other school has a market in the Tri-State area.</p>

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<p>Could you put up a link that says a decision could be made so soon? I for one would most like Texas to join as they have the most to offer. Here’s an interesting (though long) article on the whole debate.</p>

<p>[The</a> Big Ten Expansion Index: A Different Shade of Orange FRANK THE TANK’S SLANT](<a href=“http://frankthetank.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2009/12/27/the-big-ten-expansion-index-a-different-shade-of-orange/]The”>The Big Ten Expansion Index: A Different Shade of Orange – FRANK THE TANK'S SLANT)</p>

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<p>there are tons of rumors out there. given the timeline announced by the big ten in december (which specified that there wouldnt even be an announcement on whether the conference intended to expand for at least 12 months), my gut tells me that every one of them is unfounded.</p>

<p>that said, the decision will ultimately boil down to three things:

  1. does the school have the requisite academic profile;
  2. does the school have a decent athletic department;
  3. does the school have the ability to get the big ten network on basic cable in a significant number of new households.</p>

<p>that is, after a school clears the academic and athletic hurdles (and rutgers, syracuse, pitt, missouri, notre dame and texas/a&m–theyd likely have to be a package deal–certainly do) its going to be about money. pitt adds no new households because of penn state. west virginia might not clear the academic bar (rightly or wrongly) and doesnt add many households, anyway. both syracuse and rutgers only make sense to the extent that they can tap into the nyc market. if texas is willing to bolt, as they were in the late 90s (or notre dame wakes up), the decision is easy. absent either, my moneys on missouri.</p>

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<p>from the college football thread</p>

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<p>I just heard from my friend that an announcement is going to be made on Friday. Don’t know where he got that information from but I’m sure an announcement would be coming soon. </p>

<p>Even though Texas would make a great fit, I think it’s going to lose a lot of points because they weren’t a land-grant institution like every other Big Ten school. It is a small point but I feel like other schools like Missouri, Rutgers, and West Virginia would get more points due to this.</p>

<p>EDIT: I doubt Syracuse would get much points also because they are a private institution.</p>

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<p>I’m gonna say Mizzou though I don’t think it’s going to happen for at least a year or so. I’d be shocked if something happened this week…</p>

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<p>Texas? Are you guys high? Why the hell would Texas join the Big 10? Let’s get serious here.</p>

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<p>Yeah Texas says “**** THE BIG 10!”</p>

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<p>For the last time, WVU cannot get into the Big 10 because they lack the academic credentials. No non-AAU schools are going to get the invite (except MAYBE Notre Dame). I think that the most likely schools to get invited are Pittsburgh (extremely likely), Missouri (likely to get an invite at least), Rutgers (good chance), Syracuse (maybe), and Texas (Snowballs chance in hell of accepting but I’m sure the B10 will at least put out feelers.) </p>

<p>If the Big East is going to get hit at all then the state government of Pennsylvania is going to lean HEAVILY on PSU to get Pittsburgh into a legitimate conference. They fit the profile really well. While they don’t really open up any new markets for the B10 the logic of the move and PSU will probably see Pittsburgh in the B10 in the next few years.</p>

<p>Missouri fits the profile very well, already has big-time facilities and would open up more market for the B10. The question with them isn’t ‘does the B10 want to invite them?’, it’s ‘is the B10 willing to pay off the B12 to take them, and does Missouri want to go?’ I have no idea what the answer to either of those questions are.</p>

<p>I have a hunch that Rutgers will get considered, and probably invited. They were considered back in 1993 and haven’t gotten worse since then. They fit the profile, good market, it’d be a smart move for all parties involved (other than the deteriorating Big East.)</p>

<p>Syracuse could possibly happen, if other teams fall through. The B10 has a private school already, so that isn’t a non-started. Relatively low enrollment and a weird TV market (in NY but not NYC, so what’s that get you?) won’t help either. A good basketball program won’t hurt though.</p>

<p>Texas would be an absolute coup for the B10 to bring in. Fits the profile perfectly, has a huge national name, opens up a gigantic new market, etc. etc. But why would UT leave the B12, a conference that makes sense for them in every single way? Well, they wouldn’t. I’ll be absolutely stunned if they accepted a bid, but you know the B10 is going to be throwing everything they have at the pipe-dream of a major Texas school in the B10.</p>

<p>There are a couple other schools that could make sense for various reasons. Rice has money and market potential but is awful and doesn’t fit the profile at all. Tulane is in a similar boat but with less money. TAMU is basically in the same situation as UT, it’d be great for the B10 but why would they go? Maryland is an interesting choice, but I don’t think they’d leave the ACC. Nebraska is a possibility, basically in the same situation as Missouri.</p>

<p>And of course there is Notre Dame. They will be (and probably are semi annually) contacted about joining the B10. This next major shake-up could be huge, with the B10 and PAC 10 adding teams, the B12 replacing teams, the BE having a massive restructuring and adding football teams while spinning off basketball teams and the mid-majors getting jerked around to whomever will take them. If ND wants to be in a conference in the next couple decades this might be their last chance, because if the B10 expands to 14 I doubt they’ll further expand to 15 (or 16) for ND, and the BE could end up looking entirely different than it does now. If ND doesn’t want to take the chance of their football team being on the outside looking in and their other teams (ND is BE in everything but football) then now might be the time to pull the trigger.</p>

<p>Overall I think that some time in the next few (1-4) years the B10 will be come the Big 14. If the B12 is poached they’ll replace with mid-majors or possibly a BE team. If the BE is poached they’ll more or less be forced to finally spin off their absurd number of non-football teams and restructure, taking on several mid-majors and trying to keep their place at the table. The Pac-10 will probably become the Pac-12, and either the MWC or the WAC will cannibalize the other. The ACC will probably emerge unscathed, unless they decide (stupidly) to add a couple more teams, but I really don’t see that happening.</p>

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<p>I don’t think adding Rutgers or Syracuse will do much for market expansion (Pitt doesn’t do anything because of geography) because people tend not to follow losing teams no matter where they are. New Yorkers would rather follow the Jets and Giants than the whipping boys of Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan.</p>

<p>Texas will not leave its in-state rivals and Oklahoma. Notre Dame is great because of their nation-wide appeal, geographic fit, and rivals, but they see themselves as above the Big 10 I think. Not happening.</p>

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<p>Missouri or Texas leaving would not be as outrageous as it sounds. The Big-12 TV contracts are, relatively speaking, pretty bad. With extra revenue from the championship game plus expansion of the Big-10 network into either the St. Louis/Austin media markets, the Big-10 could easily pay out a lot more TV money than either school gets now.</p>

<p>Plus, Missouri already plays a rivalry game with Illinois, and with an 8-game conference schedule, Texas could easily schedule an annual Oklahoma/A&M series + 2 other OOC games. Texas might also be harboring lingering discontent with the Big-12 over getting left out of the Big-12 title game last year.</p>

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<p>Texas is not going to happen. I’m sure that would nearly double travel costs. For football and men’s basketball, not a big issue. For all the Olympic sports, much bigger problem. Also, for Texas to join the Big 10, the conference will have to go in and change bylaws. Texas currently does not meet the criteria because they are not in a state or next to a state with a Big 10 school. My likely thought is Missouri.</p>

<p>And jbusc, I believe 2010 is the last time Missouri and Illinois play in football for at least a little while. The Arch Madness game is being discontinued. I don’t know about the Bragging Rights basketball game though…</p>

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<p>Clearly you don’t understand the biggest factor of all, $$$. Does Texas fit the Big XII well? Ya of course I mean they are the cream of the crop in many sports, highest academic profile, and geographic closesness, but thats not all a conference needs to offer.</p>

<p>Would Texas be a likely candidate for the Big Ten? No probably not, however it would be in the Longhorns and Big Ten’s best interest if they did. They would essentially create a super conference. Now why would the longhorns want to join you ask? Well that is fairly simple…</p>

<p>One, academics of the Big Ten FAR out does that of the Big XII. Basically every member of the Big Ten dominates all members of the Big XII and its not even close. The faculty of Texas is all for a move I am sure. Back in the early 90s Texas wanted to join the Big Ten and probably would have if offered a spot. Some may argue that Texas would “Lose all their rivalries”. No not really, they’ve only been part of the Big XII something like 15 years and all they really have is Texas AnM and Oklahoma. If they want em’ so bad they could play in non-conference every year. But the biggest factor, $$$, is what would really hook the horns for the Big Ten. Each and every Big Ten team no matter how crappy they are that year makes 22 million dollars. You know how much Texas makes, even despite how good they are? About 12 ish million. And thats if they make a BCS bowl. 10 Million dollars essentially doubles what they make from the Big XII and is nothing to scoff at. It would help pay for their “olympic sports” to travel too. And now that I think about it, the 22 million $ number would likely go up as the BTN makes it way to homes in Texas bringing in some nice revenue.</p>

<p>So ya, unlikely, but the move would benefit all involved A LOT. (Except the Big XII who would basically die if BT stole Texas)</p>

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<p>Missouri, Notre Dame, Rutgers & Pitt make sense. West Virginia does not due to its poor academics. Missouri is a natural that will fortify the existing Big 10 market. Notre Dame is a natural that will enhance revenue for all, including Notre Dame. Pitt will help basketball revenue & raise its academic profile by associating with the Big 10. Rutgers needs a heightened academic profile & offers the Big 10 a share of the largest TV/radio market in the country.
Texas is unlikely, but everyone would benefit from this speculated affiliation.
Post #5: Is Northwestern University a land grant institution? NU is the only private school in the Big 10. What is the relevance with respect to whether or not a university in the Big 10 is a land grant institution?</p>

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<p>I’m pretty sure it’s not Notre Dame (no desire to join a conference) or Pitt (no new market) but I’m opening up to Rutgers being a possibility if they do some sort of ACC-style division split that focuses on balance instead of geography.</p>

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<p>Do we get a thread like this every year or what?</p>

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<p>The only school I would like to see join the B10 is Notre Dame, and they don’t want to join a conference.</p>

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<p>Post #17: I totally agree with you, but Missouri is also a very good–not great as would Notre Dame be–match.</p>

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<p>Texas wouldn’t join the Big 10 because nothings better than beating Oklahoma and Texas A&M.</p>

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<p>The current rumors are that some Pittsburgh athletes have been informed that a move to the Big 10 will be announced Thursday.</p>