Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[Mike80]

Commish: Big Ten will consider adding 12th member

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Big Ten officials will likely discuss expanding to 12 schools to accommodate the new Big Ten Network, commissioner Jim Delany said.

The network, which is scheduled to launch Aug. 30, would benefit from an additional big-name university in a large television market, Delany said.

"I think we need to look at it in the next year," he told the Des Moines Register on Wednesday. He offered no specific candidates.

"The broader (the network) is distributed, the more value (expansion) has. We have eight states. With expansion, you could have nine," he said.

In football, a 12th school could mean two divisions and a postseason playoff. That's an appealing concept to the startup network.

In football, a 12th school could mean two divisions and a postseason playoff. That's an appealing concept to the startup network.

"Any television executive would do whatever they could to be able to air a game like the Big Ten championship," said Mark Silverman, Big Ten Network president. "It would be worth a considerable amount of value."

Coaches think otherwise, said Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz.

"I've not met anybody in coaching that really enjoys it," Ferentz said of the divisional playoff format. "There's a lot of downside to it, in my opinion."

Among the concerns are missing out on a BCS bowl by losing the
conference title game.

Delany said expansion would not guarantee the Big Ten would create an extra game.

Here we go again......

SI.com

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Why, why, why...

 

[sandgk]

Why, why, why...

The one good thing he mentions adding a ninth state to the eight state conference - so unless South Bend is considered in a State of it's own the Commish surely doesn't eye ND as a target.

Oh wait - forget I said that ...

Delany said of Notre Dame: "There aren't many universities that produce that kind of value."

 

[starBUCKS]

Back to talks of Mizzou?? Notre Dame doesn't want to give up that NBC money... unless their contract is up.

 

[Mike80]

The one good thing he mentions adding a ninth state to the eight state conference - so unless South Bend is considered in a State of it's own the Commish surely doesn't eye ND as a target.

Oh wait - forget I said that ...

I caught that first part too....

Does that mean Missouri or maybe Louisville??

If it isn't ND, the choices for this "idea" are kinda slim....

 

[Mike80]

Back to talks of Mizzou?? Notre Dame doesn't want to give up that NBC money... unless their contract is up.

The TV contract was renewed in 2008 I think....

It might be up after this year I don't know....

They are giving up on having their games broadcast nationally on Westwood One after this year as well....

 

[Jaxbuck]

They suck at football now but I've always thought Syracuse would be a good fit. I'm all for the 12th team being a softy.

 

[IronBuckI]

As long as this means adding an additional Big Ten game to the schedule (now made possible by having an even number of schools) I'm for it. Don't really care one way or the other about a conference championship game.

 

[jwinslow]

If this has to be done, I'd like to pick up Louisville. Quality football team, and good tradition for basketball.

"Any television executive would do whatever they could to be able to air a game like the Big Ten championship," said Mark Silverman, Big Ten Network president. "It would be worth a considerable amount of value."

Never mind devaluing the greatest rivalry game in sports. Television executives, from a not yet started nor successful network no less, should not be involved in this monumental decision.

a) Split up OSU/UM, risk a repeat
b) Put OSU/UM in the same division, risk a 'b12 north' parallel in the other division

 

[starBUCKS]

They suck at football now but I've always thought Syracuse would be a good fit. I'm all for the 12th team being a softy.

If Cuse enterend the Big-10, their recruiting would benefit huge. They would probably dip more in to Penn, Ohio and New Jersey. They could do a complete make over... break-up with Greg Robinson, and go after someone like Darrell Hazel (damn that would be good for them), Ron English, Frank Solich, Mark Snyder maybe even John Cooper. All just hypothetical for their benefit.

 

[sandgk]

Boise State anyone?

 

[tibor75]

University presidents will never go for this, particularly for an academic lightweight like Louisville, Cuse, or Missouri. IT's ND or nothing.

 

[Jaxbuck]

Television executives, from a not yet started nor successful network no less, should not be involved in this monumental decision.

IIRC they offerd ND at the same time they offerd ND. ND passed but if that was the sequence ( I honestly don't remember it well I was in the Army at that time and deployed a lot) they were ok with a 12 team B10 a long time ago.

I agree that no matter how you divide it up, a 12th team lessens The Game.

 

[TheMile]

University presidents will never go for this, particularly for an academic lightweight like Louisville, Cuse, or Missouri. IT's ND or nothing.

Rutgers and Syracuse aren't academic lightweights, and I'd think along with Notre Dame they're the only three feasible candidates.

9. University of Chicago (they're in the "academic Big 10," if I recall correctly)
14. Northwestern University(IL)
20. University of Notre Dame(IN)
24. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
34. Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison
41. U. of Illinois - Urbana - Champaign
47. Pennsylvania State U. - University Park
52. Syracuse University(NY)
57. Ohio State University - Columbus
60. Rutgers - New Brunswick(NJ)
64. Purdue Univ. - West Lafayette(IN)
64. University of Iowa
67. Univ. of Minnesota - Twin Cities
70. Indiana University - Bloomington
70. Michigan State University
88. Univ. of Missouri - Columbia

I know the US News rankings aren't perfect, but they are convenient.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

Rutgers brings the NY market. For a good discussion about this, check out the WV board.