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Big Ten Is Reportedly Targeting 5 Schools For Expansion

cigaretteman

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The Big Ten has already shot past the number in its name, but the conference could keep growing.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 12: Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren speaks following the cancellation of the men's basketball tournament due to concerns over the Coronavirus (COVID-19) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on March 12, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 12: Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren speaks following the cancellation of the men's basketball tournament due to concerns over the Coronavirus (COVID-19) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on March 12, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)© Provided by The Spun
According to The Action Network's Brett McMurphy, Washington became the latest Pac-12 program to explore a potential Big Ten move.

Per McMurphy, Washington "conducted preliminary discussions" about joining the conference. Lawyers and consultants represented the two sides in a meeting that did not include Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren.


Related video: What Does The Big Ten Media Deal Mean For CFB?



McMurphy previously reported that the Big Ten "is not done expanding" after adding UCLA and USC. Looking to branch beyond 16 teams, the conference is also eyeing Oregon, Stanford, and Cal from the Pac-12 as well as the independent Notre Dame.

Two weeks ago, the Big Ten signed the largest media rights deal in the history of college sports. No longer partnering with ESPN, games will air on FOX, CBS, NBC, and Peacock starting next year through 2030.

McMurphy explained that the contract, currently in the range of $7-8 billion, could escalate to nearly $10 billion if the Big Ten expands.

That's motivating the major conference to open its doors to new members. Adding more Pac-12 schools could also help ease potential travel burdens for UCLA and USC, who will become the Big Ten's only West Coast programs when joining in 2024.

By meeting with Big Ten representatives, Washington took the same preliminary step that Oregon began last week in Chicago.

 
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This might actually be good news for the Big12. If the B1G expands, that's going to further cut into potential games available to ESPN.

It would almost assuredly force the remaining PAC10 schools to merge with the Big12 in order to be able to broadcast west coast games later on Saturday night from a scheduling standpoint.

Also reduces to the Big 2 and then the ACC and Big 12 as the only remaining major conferences.

But what a drop-off after the Big 2.
 
I have zero inside information, but ever since USC and UCLA were added I’ve believed there will be more west coast teams so those two schools don’t have to travel so much.

I think the B1G settles in at 20 teams, two divisions of 10 each. Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, and maybe Wisconsin will join the former PAC-12 schools to form the Big Ten West and the rest of the conference will become the Big Ten East.
 
This might actually be good news for the Big12. If the B1G expands, that's going to further cut into potential games available to ESPN.

It would almost assuredly force the remaining PAC10 schools to merge with the Big12 in order to be able to broadcast west coast games later on Saturday night from a scheduling standpoint.

Also reduces to the Big 2 and then the ACC and Big 12 as the only remaining major conferences.

But what a drop-off after the Big 2.
The SEC will eventually poach anything worthwhile from the ACC and Big 12.
 
Iowa would play Ohio st and Michigan about once every four years.

big ten morphing from a conference to something closer to the “ncaa”.
 
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I have zero inside information, but ever since USC and UCLA were added I’ve believed there will be more west coast teams so those two schools don’t have to travel so much.

I think the B1G settles in at 20 teams, two divisions of 10 each. Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, and maybe Wisconsin will join the former PAC-12 schools to form the Big Ten West and the rest of the conference will become the Big Ten East.
Yes on the travel. They will want to have teams in sports like basketball play at least two games on a West Coast swing before flying back. Same for the West Coast schools. Fly to the Midwest and play a few games before traveling back.
 
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F Notre Dame. Join or don’t join. The conference doesn’t need them. It would be a nice TV addition, but we don’t need the drama of the never ending will they or won’t they join.
 
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F Notre Dame. Join or don’t join. The conference doesn’t need them. It would be a nice TV addition, but we don’t need the drama of the never ending will they or won’t they join.
There is no drama with ND. And anyone that doesn't understand their hesitation at joining is simply not being realistic. If they can actually get 60 million from NBC (like what is being reported)...why not wait it out just a bit longer. I would LOVE the BIG to add ND and you can bet you ass the BIG wants ND very badly. I have said it before and I will say it again, if the BIG adds ND at some point along with some other schools....it will be game, set, match in putting the BIG at the VERY TOP of the conference world.
 
Yes on the travel. They will want to have teams in sports like basketball play at least two games on a West Coast swing before flying back. Same for the West Coast schools. Fly to the Midwest and play a few games before traveling back.
Yep. There will probably be "travel partners". Iowa and Nebraska, for example, both travel to California. On Thursday night Iowa plays at USC and Nebraska plays at UCLA. Then on Saturday Iowa plays at UCLA and Nebraska plays at USC.

This won't be such a big deal in football but it will be huge in basketball and also with non-revenue sports.
 
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It’s been 5 years since the last time Iowa played Ohio State even with the current setup. And frankly I’m pretty okay with that.

One less with Ohio state due to Covid season during that stretch
 
Miami, Florida state and Clemson get them to 19. Add Kansas for the basketball and call them Vanderbilt west?
You have to get 7 teams to leave the ACC (If I recall correctly) to simply dissolve the conference.

That seems to be the easiest way to get out of the GOR.

SEC Takes FSU, GT (Or maybe Louisville for the basketball), Miami, Clemson

Big Ten Takes UNC, Duke, (Maybe NC State or UVA).

If you can get some arrangement made in that format then I think teams can move on.
 
Careful, there, Big Ten.

You're at 16 with USC and UCLA.
Targeting 5 more gets you a BlackJack

But you accidentally go over that and you bust.
 
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You have to get 7 teams to leave the ACC (If I recall correctly) to simply dissolve the conference.

That seems to be the easiest way to get out of the GOR.

SEC Takes FSU, GT (Or maybe Louisville for the basketball), Miami, Clemson

Big Ten Takes UNC, Duke, (Maybe NC State or UVA).

If you can get some arrangement made in that format then I think teams can move on.
I’d prefer the Big10, but I’ll go either way.
 
I'm good with these teams over confederate state schools. If man was setting foot on the moon about the same time your football team was allowing black players to step foot on a football field you have no business in the Big Ten
 
I think the B1G settles in at 20 teams, two divisions of 10 each. Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, and maybe Wisconsin will join the former PAC-12 schools to form the Big Ten West and the rest of the conference will become the Big Ten East.

Divisions in football are incredibly stupid. When you play only 8 or 9 conference games, divisions are a way to lock away teams, even vicious rivals, from playing one another. It stupidly kept FSU from regularly playing Georgia Tech our closest conference opponent and Virginia our “oldest” conference rivalry (UVA was essentially founded by Thomas Jefferson, a Bill and Mary grad like myself, and FSU was essentially founded by TJ’s grandson Thomas Eppes. So there’s kind of a nonfootball connection.).

Far better to use a 4 or (and I prefer this) 2 Team Pod system. They’re a little bit tougher for the dumber fans to figure out but it keeps most rivalries and big games intact while only tying up 5-6 games leaving plenty of rotational games so you see other conference teams semi-regularly.

For this example, I’m going to assume the Big Ten has expanded to 24 taking Notre Dame with Stanford as its “partner” due to their history plus Oregon and Washington to round out the West Coast and then added FSU, Miami, North Carolina and Virginia from the east coast.

How the two team pod system works is every team plays its podmate plus the pod ”above” and “below” it and then there is one nonregional rival or “big game” that is played every year. I will preface this example by saying I don’t know all of the Big Ten rivalries so I might miss one or two on accident (this can be fixed) and not everyone gets to play Ohio State annually, sorry. But this is what I would do if I was the league commissioner of a 24 team Big Ten. (Note, the team that is actually in the pod is in all caps while the team in lower case after a —> is the nonregional rival/big game and is NOT actually in the pod).

Pod 1 (plays Pods 12 and 2)
FLORIDA STATE —> usc
MIAMI —> notre dame

Pod 2 (plays Pods 1 and 3)
NORTH CAROLINA —> wisconsin
VIRGINIA —> penn state

Pod 3 (Plays Pods 2 and 4)
MARYLAND —> northwestern
RUTGERS —> washington

Pod 4 (Plays Pods 3 and 5)
PENN STATE —> virginia
OHIO STATE —> illinois

Pod 5 (Plays Pods 4 and 6)
MICHIGAN —> minnesota
MICHIGAN STATE —> indiana

Pod 6 (Plays Pods 5 and 7)
NORTHWESTERN —> maryland
PURDUE —> iowa

Pod 7 (Plays Pods 6 and 8)
ILLINOIS —> ohio state
INDIANA —> michigan state

Pod 8 (Plays Pods 7 and 9)
IOWA —> purdue
NEBRASKA —> ucla

Pod 9 (Plays Pods 8 and 10)
WISCONSIN —> north carolina
MINNESOTA —> michigan

Pod 10 (Plays Pods 9 and 11)
NOTRE DAME —> miami
STANFORD —> oregon

Pod 11 (Plays Pods 10 and 12)
USC —> florida state
WASHINGTON —> rutgers

Pod 12 (Plays Pods 11 and 1)
OREGON —> stanford
UCLA —> nebraska

So this preserves all of the regional rivalries (except Stanford vs UCLA but something had to give), keeps all of what wiki says are the biggest nonregional rivalries (like the little brown jug and the stupid turtle between Ohio state and Illinois) and creates some big new permanent games great for TV sets in FSU vs USC, Miami vs Notre Dame and Nebraska vs UCLA. I even factored in Notre Dame’s strong desire to have a “national” schedule rather than be stuck playing a bunch of local corn states.

In my example, Iowa would play Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Purdue, Illinois and Indiana every year.

Florida State would play Miami, USC, North Carolina, Virginia, UCLA and Oregon every year.

Notre Dame would play USC, Miami, Stanford, Washington, Wisconsin and Minnesota every year.

Ohio State would play Michigan, Penn State, Michigan State, Illinois, Maryland and Rutgers every year.
 
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I think the more interesting story here is the split with ESPN.

ESPN has already decided with the SEC Netwerk that it’s in their best interest to promote that conference…I wonder if this makes their narrative even worse? Does this help take eyes away from ESPN and weaken them?
 
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I think the more interesting story here is the split with ESPN.

ESPN has already decided with the SEC Netwerk that it’s in their best interest to promote that conference…I wonder if this makes their narrative even worse? Does this help take eyes away from ESPN and weaken them?

Last night and this morning the internet wrap up coverage of PSU-PU was nil. I had to go to the box score of it to find the wrap and highlights.

Granted, this is SECSPN we're talking about, but they're probably not going to cover anything conference wise at all beginning this year. Non con games which involves their future partners like the ACC and SEC, sure.

But conference games...might as well be MAC games for them now.
 
Live look in at UNC and FSU:
giphy.gif
 
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Last night and this morning the internet wrap up coverage of PSU-PU was nil. I had to go to the box score of it to find the wrap and highlights.

Granted, this is SECSPN we're talking about, but they're probably not going to cover anything conference wise at all beginning this year. Non con games which involves their future partners like the ACC and SEC, sure.

But conference games...might as well be MAC games for them now.
And herein lies the reason the BIG should go to a full 12 game conference schedule….why are we producing content for other conferences? I’d much rather watch: Iowa-OSU or Iowa-UCLA then Iowa South Dakota State….or OSU-Bowling Green. We have the matchups, why give other conferences the platform?
 
If they go pods they should be adjusted every 4-8 years for competitive balance. The suggested Iowa pod above is Wisky and a collection of shit.

Or a conference playoff needs to be established for the final two weeks of regular season.
 
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Careful, there, Big Ten.

You're at 16 with USC and UCLA.
Targeting 5 more gets you a BlackJack

But you accidentally go over that and you bust.

When we get to 20 or 21 or however many we are going for can we finally change the name of the conference?
 
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