CBS: Illinois lawmakers want third in-state Big Ten school

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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Illinois State, Big Ten member? Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, Illinois's and Northwestern's new league rival?

It sounds far-fetched -- to put it politely -- but two Illinois Republicans argue that high admissions standards at the two current in-state Big Ten schools mean that the state should explore if another state school (like ISU or SIUE) could earn an invite to Jim Delany's league.

"'Big Ten,' to me, means a top state school,” state senator Michael Connelly said, per the Chicago Sun-Times. “There's a lot of pride in that ... Indiana, Iowa [are] swooping in, and they're taking some of our really [academically] talented kids out of the state — and sometimes for good.”

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...-lawmakers-want-third-in-state-big-ten-school

Go Gophers!!
 

Ya, it's the admission standards that are the problem...
 



I bet Delaney is salivating over getting into the lucrative Carbondale or DeKalb TV markets and this is all he needs to make it happen.
 



The biggest question I have is whether any of these Illinois schools is in the AAU. Priorities, man
 

I read this has more to do with football than anything, which leads me to believe that NIU would be their target, but they are no where close to being a B1G football program, no way this gets anywhere for them
 

If only the Illinois legislature decided who got admitted to the Big Ten. Illinois State has an enrollment of about 19,900, their basketball arena seats 10,000 and their football stadium seats 15,000. Southern Illinois has an enrollment of 18,847, their basketball arena seats 8,339 and their football stadium seats 15,276. If they sold out their football stadium, it would barely meet the minimum requirements for FBS membership. Only Rutgers and Northwestern have less seats for basketball, and Northwestern's football stadium has more than triple the capacity of these two schools.

I have no disrespect for these schools, but they aren't big enough for the Big Ten, they don't have the football capacity even for the FBS, let alone the Big Ten, and they just don't expand the Big Ten's turf. I don't know why they are proposing this, they have to know that there is less than zero chance of this happening. I suspect such a pointless gesture is a cheap way of showing support for these schools. Their basketball arena capacities would be a good match for the MAC, putting them in the upper half, but the football capacity would be 9,000 less than Ohio, Bowling Green and Northern Illinois, the smallest MAC football stadiums. If they wanted to put the funding into facilities, they could perhaps join the MAC. But that would cost more than empty gestures.
 



While we are at it why not add Mankato St, about as likely.
 


In response a Minnesota Legislator said "Illinois is in the Big Ten? I didn't know that! Do they serve beer?"

This reminds me of when the MN Legislature tried to dictate the TV contracts of both MLB and the NFL in the Twins' and Vikings stadium bills. You go, Illinois legislature!Don't let reality get in the way of your stupid ideas or huge ego.
 

More than likely Delaney really doesn't care what the Illinois lawmakers think. He isn't interested in adding another school from Illinois period because it does nothing for the B1G.
 



NDSU would be a better option then these schools. (And I'm not saying NDSU is Big Ten capable)
 


All other ridiculousness of their suggestion aside, it's amazing how many people cannot understand that the Big Ten will never expand within its current geographic footprint.
 

Okie said:
All other ridiculousness of their suggestion aside, it's amazing how many people cannot understand that the Big Ten will never expand within its current geographic footprint.
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And thats what i have a problem with. The Big Ten should be a midwest brand, not a national brand that Delaney wants even if they are good teams that he is adding(although they aren't) It has always been a midwest northern brand, not an east coast brand. Also any more then 12 teams is just way too much. I would be fine with 10 but unfortunately that isn't happening.
 

die hard gopher said:
And thats what i have a problem with. The Big Ten should be a midwest brand, not a national brand that Delaney wants even if they are good teams that he is adding(although they aren't) It has always been a midwest northern brand, not an east coast brand. Also any more then 12 teams is just way too much. I would be fine with 10 but unfortunately that isn't happening.
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I agree actually, and I wasn't referencing you or anyone in this thread. I'm just commenting about how many people keep suggesting, like these politicians, that local schools like Iowa State will be the 15th and 16th members when anybody that pays attention to the situation knows that will never happen. Although I wouldn't mind if the Big Ten would have expanded south to some more of the old Big 8 schools, I hate the east coast expansion that Delany has forced upon us.
 

First of all, they USED to have three. U of Chicago was a founding member and played in the conference until 1946.

Second of all, who would it even be? Northern Illinois? One of the other directional schools? Illinois State or UIC?
 

Okie said:
I agree actually, and I wasn't referencing you or anyone in this thread. I'm just commenting about how many people keep suggesting, like these politicians, that local schools like Iowa State will be the 15th and 16th members when anybody that pays attention to the situation knows that will never happen. Although I wouldn't mind if the Big Ten would have expanded south to some more of the old Big 8 schools, I hate the east coast expansion that Delany has forced upon us.
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Same here.
 

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