Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[PlanetFrnd]

SIAP

http://cfn.scout.com/2/1241548.html

Big Ten Expansion?

What Does It Mean?

By Richard Cirminiello

Realignment ? it?s not just for the offseason any longer.

Reports broke early Sunday that the Big Ten is eyeing two new members, Rutgers of the Big East and Maryland of the ACC. Kudos to Jim Delany and his staff for keeping a lid on this story, because absolutely no one has leaked a word about it until apparently both parties were already at the altar and deep in negotiations.

For the Big Ten, this makes sense for obvious reasons?viewers. The league wants into Baltimore, Washington D.C. and New York City, and the TV markets they bring. There?s hidden gold in landing the Terrapins and the Scarlet Knights for reasons that transcend whatever takes place on the field, court or diamond.

Rutgers also makes sense from an academic standpoint. Always among the top football programs every time the Academic Progress Report comes out, the Scarlet Knight players pull their weight.

The Big Ten has been dancing around these two programs since the expansion and realignment talk started. With most of the top players in the discussion finding a seat - Missouri appeared to be destined for the Big Ten, but that obviously didn't happen - and with the Texas rumors never finding any legs, this is a nice move. Remember, the SEC might be the best football conference, but in terms of fan bases, alumni, money, academic prestige - for the most part - and TV, the Big Ten rules the roost...

 

[Dryden]

Apparently the Maryland BoR vote is today at 9:00am?

Anyone know if this is on the Web like the Nebraska meeting was?

 

[Buckeye86]

Pod 1
Ohio State
Wisconsin
Purdue
Rutgers

Pod 2
Michigan
Michigan State
Northwestern
Virginia

Pod 3
Nebraska
Iowa
Minnesota
Indiana

Pod 4
Penn State
Illinois
Maryland
North Carolina

Pod 1 never grouped with Pod 2 for a season schedule, Pod 3 never grouped with Pod 4 for a season schedule.

With two pods combined, that would give each team 7 conference games, so there is room for two crossovers with the pods you're not grouped with (possibly both going to the pod that you never play) that year (some protected, like OSU vs. tsun, of course) and three OOC games.

Things I like about this: Penn State would never not play either Ohio State/Wisconsin or tsun/tsun State despite being grouped in the "newbie" pod and therefore the Big Ten conspiracy to hold them down continues. Throw in a "protected" crossover game with Nebraska every season for extra laughs. Also, the same thing applies to Nebraska as far as always playing the top teams from pod 1 or pod 2 since pod 3 and pod 4 are relatively weak in comparison. The "protected" crossover with Penn State actually makes sense as it bumps up their sos as the top teams in the "weak" pods.

Things I don't like about this: Ohio State tied to Rutgers every season (Georgia Tech might be better in this regard simply for the guaranteed game down south every other year) and the game against tsun State taking a huge hit since the 'protected' crossover game with tsun would take away opportunities to play them frequently (always playing the two crossover games against that pod would help out somewhat).

You have to make some sacrifices though, and in my opinion that is about the best possible scenario.

I have zero confidence the Big Ten will do anything remotely similar if they do manage to raid the ACC for a +4 expansion.

 

[zincfinger]

Pod 1
Ohio State
Wisconsin
Purdue
Rutgers

Pod 2
Michigan
Michigan State
Northwestern
Virginia

Pod 3
Nebraska
Iowa
Minnesota
Indiana

Pod 4
Penn State
Illinois
Maryland
North Carolina

As you said, any possible scenario is going to have some down sides, but one other arguable negative of this scenario is that UVA might strongly dislike this setup. If possible schedules are being proposed to the schools before they agree to anything, and because:
i) UVa is at least the second most coveted pick-up here, and
ii) UVa is probably a harder sell than Maryland,
maybe you would want to switch UVa and Maryland. Stick Maryland with the pod where they're playing almost all midwestern schools every other year, and let UVa pal around with UNC.

 

[Muck]

Sorry... I was referencing my previously mentioned pods. I have a unique way of understanding myself even when no one else does

Pods:
North - Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, Illinois
Central - Penn State, tOSU, Indiana, Purdue
East - Rutgers, Maryland, UVA, UNC
West - Neraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota

So, every 3 years you would have a division of tOSU, PSU, Indiana, Purdue, Rutgers, UNC, UVA and Maryland. Keeping the "4 Kings" evenly divided.

Gotcha. I was trying to figure out how the 33% correlated to my post.

 

[Muck]

I dont like being wed to the damn pedsters season after season...

Amen to that. I so wish Ohio State & Wisconsin had gone into the Legends with TSUN & Sparty in the Leaders. TSUN really would have been the better choice to leverage TV sets in NY etc.

Agree. MD, GT, Va, and ND is probably the best the B1G can hope for. 2nd best would be NC instead of ND.

How about ND instead of GT? (So MD, UNC, VA & ND)

Apparently the Maryland BoR vote is today at 9:00am?

Anyone know if this is on the Web like the Nebraska meeting was?

I've been keeping up with the discussion on one of the main UMD blogs. There doesn't seem to be a live feed (I believe it is actually a conference call).

Edit: Forgot the link...

http://www.testudotimes.com/2012/11/19/3664972/university-maryland-terrapins-big-ten-acc

 

[Wingate1217]

How about ND instead of GT? (So MD, UNC, VA & ND)

I somehow think they will try to stay independent....especially with the season they are having this year.
They are probably in talks with NBC right now trying to re-negiotiate their TV contract right now...

 

[Muck]

I somehow think they will try to stay independent....especially with the season they are having this year.
They are probably in talks with NBC right now trying to re-negiotiate their TV contract right now...

I agree, I was responding to CleveBuck's suggestion of ND instead of UNC. If ND was replacing one from the list I would rather it be GT. UNC + ND is better than UNC or ND.

 

[Muck]

Jeff Ermann ‏@insidemdsports A source with knowledge of the situation tells http://InsideMDsports.com #Maryland has decided to move to the #BigTen

And there it is.

 

[MaxBuck]

NYC is much more of a college basketball town than college football.

If the YES network and BTN become corporate sisters, believe me, that will change. Marketing the brand across the platform is the way to build the brand, and in this case the brand is B1G football.

There's also a substantial base of Ohio State fans in NYC. Probably the largest college fanbase there.

 

[Woody1968]

If the YES network and BTN become corporate sisters, believe me, that will change. Marketing the brand across the platform is the way to build the brand, and in this case the brand is B1G football.

There's also a substantial base of Ohio State fans in NYC. Probably the largest college fanbase there.

I would say we are 3rd behind PSU and Notre Dame. Just from personal experience. Syracuse is big here too, especially basketball. Rutgers has a lot of Alumni, but I don't see them as sports fans.

 

[Abenaki]

Jeff Ermann ‏@insidemdsports A source with knowledge of the situation tells http://InsideMDsports.com #Maryland has decided to move to the #BigTen. http://maryland.247sports.com/Board/67/-MAJOR-IMS-NEWS-BREAK--14142962 ?
Details

Seems to be done.

 

[Woody1968]

And there it is.

LOL: From that Maryland site:

Eff you, Bojangles conference. We're going to Olive Garden!

 

[Muck]

LOL: From that Maryland site:

From what little I've seen of them so far they do seem to have a good sense of humor.

OK now for the important question...

Can we get a vBet on who #14 will be?

 

[Woody1968]

From what little I've seen of them so far they do seem to have a good sense of humor.

I already like them more than the pedsters.