Big Ten Expansion
- Thread starter PSU4U
- Start date
Who else is/was in play? I think there wasn't much left out West (though I would have loved Stanford for other than football reasons). Next move will be what's left of the ACC.
There's really not much left of interest in the West, Southwest, Central or South Central US with the exception of Texas, Texas A&M, and perhaps Missouri.
The western flank of the conference at 4 schools is unsustainable longterm. Either it needs to get to six for sustainability, or those schools should probably find a different home.
I thought the duo of Arizona State and Utah would have been great. Arizona State partly because their wrestling and ice hockey programs would fit perfectly into the Big Ten. Utah because, along with ASU, it would offer some travel relief for the current western four. I agree with those who think the Olympic sports will eventually be broken away from the current conference structure and made more regionalized. Every AD is looking for more money and they could save a lot by not flying revenue negative teams across the country.
But if western expansion is finished, there are a handful of ACC schools which would be awesome additions. No, not Pitt.
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I think ASU and Utah make a lot of sense, too. In the east, it makes sense to get into Virginia, the Carolinas, and Florida. I think both the SEC and the B1G will gobble up the best of the rest of the ACC and get up to 20 to 24 schools. The remnants of the ACC and the big 12 probably form a Conference as well. Personally, I just want see more eastern schools. I also would like to win a conference game this football season as well.
Right after Toledo and Temple.
pitt offers nothing to the B1G. No money. No fans. No stadium. No tradition. No TV following. Nothing. They would just suck money from the big boys in the B1G and provide another Rutgers level cupcake.
Stanford could still be in play I think that's the only west school any programs east of the Mississippi would vote for mainly because Stanford doesn't align politically with any of the other west coast schools.
Schools who were in play were Kansas Utah and ASU. The Big was ready to help the west coast teams but not now. If they did that would be a powerful west voting block the Big now doesn't want.
Except that it would revive one of the greatest college football rivalries. That's all.
Hear me out...a PACific coast conference with 10, 11, maybe even 12 teams would be optimum for them
Over the last dozen years, the Big Ten has added several teams that add nothing to the conference - and take away a lot.
Those types of unwise decisions have impacts - and the Big Ten will soon be feeling those in full force. They will, of course, try to mitigate going forward, but that die has largely been cast - and there is no easy way out for the Big Ten. Momentum is a very powerful force, and it works both ways.
Those types of unwise decisions have impacts - and the Big Ten will soon be feeling those in full force. They will, of course, try to mitigate going forward, but that die has largely been cast - and there is no easy way out for the Big Ten. Momentum is a very powerful force, and it works both ways.
And then they would be right back where they were in the old PAC as far as media contracts visibility and marketing are concerned.
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It really is too bad that the PAC 12 emploded. It was a great competitive conference especially for Olympic sports.
Too bad they couldn't work out a lucrative TV deal and stay intact. If there are no other western teams added to the B1G, I am not sure how long this is sustainable with the huge $ travel expenses for all the teams.
I think that’s one of the reasons why it’s important to stay free from the venture capital control is to allow changes within or dissolving the conference. I would guess within the next 5 to 10 years there will be a mega conference. It would suck to be locked into no changes
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I think there is a State Law in Virginia that requires VATech and UVA play each year.
It will be hard to get UVA without VaTech or an act of the legislator.
My thinking was similar. Only 2 schools I could think of “out west” that I felt could have value would be ASU and Utah.
They can still easily play yearly but you're right. It makes them a tougher get. Virginia and UNC are the primary targets though. By both major conferences
The Big Ten and SEC should still merge. Add UNC, UVa, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, Utah and Arizona State going to 4 divisions of 10...easy 16 team playoff without any rankings.
Then the ACC/Big XII/Pac whatever can merge for a great second tier.
Then the ACC/Big XII/Pac whatever can merge for a great second tier.
Money and Power plus International Media as in doing Big Ten business overseas primarily Europe for football basketball soccer. That is an enormous untapped market which the SEC also wants to tap. Top schools already dipping their toes into that are to name a few VA UNC GT. To say nothing of the off the charts money to be made in foreign research dollars. CLICK
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Catch1li
Well, first of all the UC money deal is still on the table and headed to a vote with or without MI or USC.Plus, the SEC and the Big Ten hate each other so whether or not any type of super conference can ever be formed between those two is doubtful imo. Or at least under the current situation between the two leagues.
Since we're looking east the latest is the VA Gov has said no to VA going to the SEC and the SEC claiming they don't have the time to get it done over the next 4 years, VA is now most likely to end up in the Big 10 where many at VA wanted to be.
B1G targets:
ND
Stanford
California
Utah
ASU
UNC
Duke
UVa
GaTech
Miami
they’ll take six to round it out. SEC will expand by six, also. Two super conferences with 24 teams each.
B12 will house the leftovers.
ND
Stanford
California
Utah
ASU
UNC
Duke
UVa
GaTech
Miami
they’ll take six to round it out. SEC will expand by six, also. Two super conferences with 24 teams each.
B12 will house the leftovers.
the B1G could have had Stanford, Cal, and ASU when it raided the PAC. They did not want them.
My best bet ND UVA GT and Miami to the Big. Duke UNC Clemson FSU to the SEC.
Stanford crapped the bed the last time they had a chance and then talked bad about the Big 10 on their way to the ACC. The fact that they will not share ANY of their research with anyone is a non-starter in the Big 10. That's what kept them out the last time.
Until SoCal pulled that crap with Cheatigan on the UC investment the Big was prepared to add Utah and ASU or Kansas. Now western expansion is dead at least for the time being. USC has some serious fence mending to do. Talk about screwing the pooch.
NC and VA governments will make themselves involved if it looks like VT and NC State are going to be abandoned by UVA and UNC. State and Tech fan bases are more similar to Penn State fans than UNC and UVA. Those fan bases are definitely whine and cheese fan bases.
Interesting times still ahead over next 5-10 years for sure.
Interesting times still ahead over next 5-10 years for sure.
Out of the ACC Georgia Tech seems like a logical target for the Atlanta audience.
First, if the B1G passes the private investment deal, how would that affect future B1G member schools?
Second, B1G is now at 18 schools. Assuming they want to go to 24 schools, and AAU membership is still important, here are my choices: Miami, Georgia Tech, UNC, Virginia, Colorado, and Arizona State. Adding these schools would make the B1G contiguous from coast to coast and northern to southern borders - a true "national" conference. I am assuming that Colorado and Arizona State would be considered "mountain" and not "western" but would still allow the "western" schools to have two additional schools closer to their location. Adding these schools encroaches a bit on the SEC (especially GT), but both GT and Miami are not flagships in their states. The SEC would still have the deep South and Texas/southern central US to themselves.
Second, B1G is now at 18 schools. Assuming they want to go to 24 schools, and AAU membership is still important, here are my choices: Miami, Georgia Tech, UNC, Virginia, Colorado, and Arizona State. Adding these schools would make the B1G contiguous from coast to coast and northern to southern borders - a true "national" conference. I am assuming that Colorado and Arizona State would be considered "mountain" and not "western" but would still allow the "western" schools to have two additional schools closer to their location. Adding these schools encroaches a bit on the SEC (especially GT), but both GT and Miami are not flagships in their states. The SEC would still have the deep South and Texas/southern central US to themselves.