Two Schools Are Reportedly Considering Leaving The Big Ten

[Governor Sibley]

Please let it be Rutgers and Maryland

 

[goonin_golden_gophers]

This. I want no part of PE involved. If they are you know it's for a reason, to make money! This is getting in bed with the wrong group for the wrong reasons and is incredibly short sighted. I am happy usc and mich are pushing back, even if it's likely for the wrong reasons.

Lol, I think SC only is pushing back because they won’t get the same amount as older B1G institutions.

But I agree, I think Michigan is right in the statement that it would be a short term sugar high for schools that have been poorly managed. I am unsure how they would squeeze more profits out of this, but I am almost certain it would in some extent have a negative impact on fan experiences

 

[MNVCGUY]

Lol, I think SC only is pushing back because they won’t get the same amount as older B1G institutions.

But I agree, I think Michigan is right in the statement that it would be a short term sugar high for schools that have been poorly managed. I am unsure how they would squeeze more profits out of this, but I am almost certain it would in some extent have a negative impact on fan experiences

The only real certainty in college athletics right now (at least as it pertains to basketball and football) is that the fans are the farthest thing from the minds of anyone involved in making the decisions. Has become completely about the $$$ which is a damn shame.

 

[Wally]

Do you think the Big Ten should take the PE money?

What exactly is the Big Ten selling?

I can't see how this could be good for them long term. Short term everyone gets money which probably means raises for the ADs and athletic administration. The investors will pull out money long term.

 

[Ope3]

if they play twice a decade only slightly less than they do in the big ten

So more often than Iowa State.

 

[Slim Tubby]

I used to be the biggest Big Ten lover and apologist. But it's changed from a prestigious and serious athletic conference with academic ambitions to little more than a money vehicle. We used to promote amateurism and academic excellence, and now we're only about money and winning, all the time.

There are days when I'd like to blow up the whole conference and start over. The Pac-2 is looking for more members. Maybe we head over there and take Iowa and Nebraska with us.

I know. I'll shut up now.

No need to shut up on the topic, EKMN. While I have no desire to see us leave the B1G, your entire first paragraph is spot on.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

“According to reports, Michigan believes that the deal is essentially an unnecessary "payday loan" that would bail certain schools out for poorly managing their finances.”

Various leaks have indicated the PE scheme is intended to prevent OSU, Michigan, USC, PSU from buying out their Big Ten obligations to form a super league with SEC schools. The same leakers indicate Sankey and the SEC want no part of PE equity shares. Who knows what the real story is.

Under either scenario MN probably loses out, if the goal is maximizing revenue and profit. And that seems to be the goal. If the Big Ten signs on to this stupid deal then three or more tiers of revenue sharing with MN slotting in at the lower end.

The Big Ten has suffered under two suspect commissioners in a row. If school donors made their dismay known to certain people maybe it would help prevent this catastrophe from moving forward. Pettiti is a cancer that should be cut out.

 

[caliGopher]

Only one certainty with private equity, they’re blood sucking vermin with only one goal in mind - maximizing profits. Ask yourself; what could you do to those schools or which schools would you have in the conference to maximize profits?

Don't beat around the bush Charlie Brown. How do you really feel .

To clarify, maximize the private equity firms profits, not all profits.

No idea why the B1G is pursuing it. Why give away future gains to fix a temporary problem (if there even is a real problem).

Short term thinking.....

 

[WAGopher]

The Big Ten has suffered under two suspect commissioners in a row. If school donors made their dismay known to certain people maybe it would help prevent this catastrophe from moving forward. Pettiti is a cancer that should be cut out.

I whole heartedly agree that the last 2 commissioners have been suspect. In fact, I think Warren was mediocre and Petitti is much worse. What both of these guys have in common is they are products of professional sports. Warren NFL and Petitti MLB.

The 2 previous B1G commissioners (Wayne Duke and Jim Delany) had years of college experience before becoming stellar commissioners for the conference.

 

[West Fargo Gopher Fan]

Correct

But I do hope that the smoke about USC and Michigan trying to stop the PE move is true

agree. That part of it I do believe.

 

[MNVCGUY]

“According to reports, Michigan believes that the deal is essentially an unnecessary "payday loan" that would bail certain schools out for poorly managing their finances.”

Various leaks have indicated the PE scheme is intended to prevent OSU, Michigan, USC, PSU from buying out their Big Ten obligations to form a super league with SEC schools. The same leakers indicate Sankey and the SEC want no part of PE equity shares. Who knows what the real story is.

Under either scenario MN probably loses out, if the goal is maximizing revenue and profit. And that seems to be the goal. If the Big Ten signs on to this stupid deal then three or more tiers of revenue sharing with MN slotting in at the lower end.

The Big Ten has suffered under two suspect commissioners in a row. If school donors made their dismay known to certain people maybe it would help prevent this catastrophe from moving forward. Pettiti is a cancer that should be cut out.

I feel like this portion of this video sums up the general state of college athletics.....(whole video is worth a watch if you enjoy videos poking fun at the stupidity of movies like Twilight....).

 

[GopherFanatic19]

1. B1G is richest conference why would they need or even want a PE involved.

2. This is guerrilla tactics from competition in an attempt to dismantle the B1G. Could be from SEC ownership Disney/ESPN trying to milk their conference to the absolute max and getting rid of B1G does just that. Plus it is causing turmoil within the B1G

3. Fans have to make it known to administration we don’t want any PE firm involved

 

[Ope3]

1. B1G is richest conference why would they need or even want a PE involved.

2. This is guerrilla tactics from competition in an attempt to dismantle the B1G. Could be from SEC ownership Disney/ESPN trying to milk their conference to the absolute max and getting rid of B1G does just that. Plus it is causing turmoil within the B1G

3. Fans have to make it known to administration we don’t want any PE firm involved

1. Because many are still running a deficit which will increase with revenue sharing to players.

2. Way too complicated for the SEC to pull that off. They have their own issues.

3. Just like Fans were canvased on adding Nebraska, Maryland, Rutgers & the PAC 4 a well as ditching Divisions?!?

 

[TXGopher09]

This is college sports. Maximizing profits should not be the goal of a COLLEGIATE ASSOCIATION. TV deals, cool, business deals, cool. Selling out a conference for a potential of increase profit, nah. College football is special because of the stories and legends made. The culture, the tailgates, the craziness. Prioritizing money kills his and we'll end up in the dirt with the rest of the SEC, ACC, and all of the BIG 12. If you want to add teams to a conference, cool, but it should make sense geographically. With all this shifting of college sports and paying athletes to play which was already established with scholarships is killing all of COLLEGIATE SPORTS.

 

[GopherFanatic19]

1. Because many are still running a deficit which will increase with revenue sharing to players.

2. Way too complicated for the SEC to pull that off. They have their own issues.

3. Just like Fans were canvased on adding Nebraska, Maryland, Rutgers & the PAC 4 a well as ditching Divisions?!?

2. It wouldn’t be SEC admin running point, it would be the think tank that is Disney which have the funds and means to pull off.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

The only real certainty in college athletics right now (at least as it pertains to basketball and football) is that the fans are the farthest thing from the minds of anyone involved in making the decisions. Has become completely about the $$$ which is a damn shame.

When there is a bank on every corner…..

 

[TwistingMyMelon]

I was hoping it was Maryland and Rutgers

Why would you want to lose two teams Minnesota is 8-4 against collectively since they joined the conference?

I really don't understand some people on this board.

 

[GopherTheJugular]

3. Fans have to make it known to administration we don’t want any PE firm involved

3. Just like Fans were canvased on adding Nebraska, Maryland, Rutgers & the PAC 4 a well as ditching Divisions?!?

Yeah, I think we are past the point of anyone caring what fans want. Just chase the money and hope you still have something fans want.

 

[SeaBee_Gopher]

Take 10 of the closest schools in the Midwest and redo the Big 10. If you have to call it something else, so be it. MN, Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Illinois, Northwestern, Indiana, and Michigan State. Perhaps bring in Missouri and another school if you don't want Ohio State and the eastern schools.

When you do that, you can dump the big 10 hockey league and start over with a new WCHA of sorts. MN, Bemidji, MN Duluth, St. Cloud, Mankato, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and perhaps bring in a couple more. Cap it with an even number though and everyone plays everyone equally.

I don't know, perhaps less tv income on the football side of things.

You and everybody knows my name are so right. I would be totally fine if we lost Ohio State, Michigan and USC. It would probably be better if we could be regional again. Are we even sure these schools are pushing us around and it's not the other way around? Maybe the poor masses of the conference are teaming up against the high revenue schools? Sure, we're willing to give them more in a revenue sharing model, but not exactly proportionally more. For example, you generate 100% more revenue, but only get to keep 50% of it and the other 50% gets spread out to the rest of us. Maybe we're trying to equal things out a bit more.

If you don't like it, form your super league with Alabama, etc. It will hurt all of you more than us because you won't have us around to prop up your records anymore. How many fans would Alabama and Ohio State have if they had .500 records every year? Not nearly as many. Their fan bases would resort to being more regional again instead of national. A lot of people jump on the bandwagon of very successful teams. It's human nature. My second favorite team is Ohio State because it's fun to root for a winner in the B1G that has a chance to win the national championship, but if we were in separate leagues, I'd no longer have a use for them.

How many fans would the Gophers have if we just played Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Michigan State, etc., every year and NOT Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, etc.? Probably more because we'd be more competitive and could actually win our league on occasion. We could reform the old WCHA and all those regional hockey rivalries too!!! Oh, by the way, the "super league" wouldn't be very super. It would feel even more like an NFL minor league system. How much money is in that? How many people in Ohio would decide to just root for the Cleveland Browns or Cincinnati Bengals rather than a perennially average Ohio State team?

Do you guys think this would be a good poll question? I wonder how many people out there agree with us? Either give us very good terms to stay in the B1G with you or we're out.

 

[Stuff]

Why would you want to lose two teams Minnesota is 8-4 against collectively since they joined the conference?

I really don't understand some people on this board.

Maybe we should add Northwestern State to the B1G to help our B1G record. I mean it makes sense, we already have a Northwestern.

 

[Ewert86PC]

I was hoping one of them would be Minnesota.

Never. Minnesota is a Founding member.

 

[SeaBee_Gopher]

Maybe we should add Northwestern State to the B1G to help our B1G record. I mean it makes sense, we already have a Northwestern.

Oddly enough, Minnesota is Ohio State's Northwestern State so this would not be an unusual set up in the B1G.

 

[TwistingMyMelon]

Oddly enough, Minnesota is Ohio State's Northwestern State so this would not be an unusual set up in the B1G.

Yeah, and we're Iowa's Buffalo (or something like that).

 

[Random Guy 12]

You and everybody knows my name are so right. I would be totally fine if we lost Ohio State, Michigan and USC. It would probably be better if we could be regional again. Are we even sure these schools are pushing us around and it's not the other way around? Maybe the poor masses of the conference are teaming up against the high revenue schools? Sure, we're willing to give them more in a revenue sharing model, but not exactly proportionally more. For example, you generate 100% more revenue, but only get to keep 50% of it and the other 50% gets spread out to the rest of us. Maybe we're trying to equal things out a bit more.

If you don't like it, form your super league with Alabama, etc. It will hurt all of you more than us because you won't have us around to prop up your records anymore. How many fans would Alabama and Ohio State have if they had .500 records every year? Not nearly as many. Their fan bases would resort to being more regional again instead of national. A lot of people jump on the bandwagon of very successful teams. It's human nature. My second favorite team is Ohio State because it's fun to root for a winner in the B1G that has a chance to win the national championship, but if we were in separate leagues, I'd no longer have a use for them.

How many fans would the Gophers have if we just played Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Michigan State, etc., every year and NOT Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, etc.? Probably more because we'd be more competitive and could actually win our league on occasion. We could reform the old WCHA and all those regional hockey rivalries too!!! Oh, by the way, the "super league" wouldn't be very super. It would feel even more like an NFL minor league system. How much money is in that? How many people in Ohio would decide to just root for the Cleveland Browns or Cincinnati Bengals rather than a perennially average Ohio State team?

Do you guys think this would be a good poll question? I wonder how many people out there agree with us? Either give us very good terms to stay in the B1G with you or we're out.

I've wondered for a long time about if/when the NCAA has run its course as the governing body for college football. It's turned into such an arms race and a cash grab. The B1G could just put up a fence basically and just say these are the rules we want to play by. Our players will be student athletes and we will compete against each other and not be minor league for the NFL. B1G 10 schools could play 10-12 conference games. Culminating in a B1G championship playoff. There would still be more than enough revenue for that product. It amounts to saying I'm taking my ball and going home. There's very little integrity left in this age of college football and if someone doesn't take a stand at some point it will be totally unrecognizable in the very near future. We know the SEC will never be the adults in the room. The B1G is the only other entity that would have the power to do anything.

 

[FireDaveLee]

So what are some solutions?

The thought of a short term pay for a percentage of revenue does not seem great on the surface. But the fact is suddenly departments now have a $20 million expense. Everyone screams when there's talk about cutting sports along with price increases with tickets, donation level, and hot dog prices at all venues. Meanwhile, the subject of Williams Arena won't go away. Perhaps a new TV rights deal can be scored in a few years when the current one expires, but that will just result in more of me seeing the guy in the red hat & jacket with his little time clock, which will probably only increase in the time that starts ticking down.

So what are the solutions? I will fully admit that I do not have them.

 

[Ope3]

Maybe we should add Northwestern State to the B1G to help our B1G record. I mean it makes sense, we already have a Northwestern.

Get Northwestern (Roseville) and they could have their own division/pod.

 

[Kitzmann57]

1. B1G is richest conference why would they need or even want a PE involved.

2. This is guerrilla tactics from competition in an attempt to dismantle the B1G. Could be from SEC ownership Disney/ESPN trying to milk their conference to the absolute max and getting rid of B1G does just that. Plus it is causing turmoil within the B1G

3. Fans have to make it known to administration we don’t want any PE firm involved

Schools need more money. MN wants money to build a new basketball arena. They can't afford to now, because they have to pay the players $25-$35 million per year.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

This is college sports. Maximizing profits should not be the goal of a COLLEGIATE ASSOCIATION. TV deals, cool, business deals, cool. Selling out a conference for a potential of increase profit, nah. College football is special because of the stories and legends made. The culture, the tailgates, the craziness. Prioritizing money kills his and we'll end up in the dirt with the rest of the SEC, ACC, and all of the BIG 12. If you want to add teams to a conference, cool, but it should make sense geographically. With all this shifting of college sports and paying athletes to play which was already established with scholarships is killing all of COLLEGIATE SPORTS.

Unfortunately, once college football became the second most popular sport behind the NFL, its fate was sealed.

 

[Some guy]

Why would you want to lose two teams Minnesota is 8-4 against collectively since they joined the conference?

I really don't understand some people on this board.

This is why when it goes from 18 to 24 or 28

I know there are going to be some big fish.

Notre Dame or SEC poach or maybe Florida State/Clemson are big enough brands to ignore AAU….

Knowing big ten wants AAU or big TV money….the options outside of those are:
Kansas, Arizona state, Duke, Georgia Tech, Rice, Stanford, Tulane, Arizona, Cal, Colorado, Miami, North Carolina, Pitt, South Florida, Utah, Virginia, Buffalo


Give me Buffalo and Rice!

 

[bonin21]

Minnesota and uw should leave so they can join the NCHC in hockey and all can be right in the world.