ESPN BLOG: I can't agree more.

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I agree with the blog. I recall when the B1G was talking about adding Rutgers and some other east coast school and I thought to myself "Why? How does that enhance the conference?" At this point, I do not see any teams, outside the ones mentioned in the blog, that would be worth adding to the B1G. From my viewpoint, the conference is in a great position, especially compared to the PAC 12.
 

GO4INLALALAND said:
I agree with the blog. I recall when the B1G was talking about adding Rutgers and some other east coast school and I thought to myself "Why? How does that enhance the conference?" At this point, I do not see any teams, outside the ones mentioned in the blog, that would be worth adding to the B1G. From my viewpoint, the conference is in a great position, especially compared to the PAC 12.
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Rutgers I think was more based off potential and location than where the program was. If Rutgers joins the B1G and starts getting more revenue, maybe it becomes more relevant. You add the New Jersey TV market, and once they're relevant maybe the B1G ends up making more money per school. The schools he mentioned are obviously schools that don't need that type of development and help the conference today, but there could be others, especially due to television markets, that may actually become just as big of a get for the B1G.
 

GO4INLALALAND said:
I agree with the blog. I recall when the B1G was talking about adding Rutgers and some other east coast school and I thought to myself "Why? How does that enhance the conference?" At this point, I do not see any teams, outside the ones mentioned in the blog, that would be worth adding to the B1G. From my viewpoint, the conference is in a great position, especially compared to the PAC 12.
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+1
 


Agreed. I personally hate the idea of further expansion becasue I don't want to lose more games with traditional conference foes in the east.

If we were to expand again I'd want to see Wisconsin come back west. Assuming they kept the Michigan / OSU split. I would be o.k. with something like:

Minnesota / Wisconsin, Iowa / Nebraska, Michigan / MSU, Illinois / Northwestern

Ohio State / Penn State, Notre Dame / Boston College, UConn / Rutgers, Indiana / Purdue
 

badgergopher said:
Agreed. I personally hate the idea of further expansion becasue I don't want to lose more games with traditional conference foes in the east.

If we were to expand again I'd want to see Wisconsin come back west. Assuming they kept the Michigan / OSU split. I would be o.k. with something like:

Minnesota / Wisconsin, Iowa / Nebraska, Michigan / MSU, Illinois / Northwestern

Ohio State / Penn State, Notre Dame / Boston College, UConn / Rutgers, Indiana / Purdue
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You could sub Mizzou for BC and have the following:

Minnesota / Wisconsin, Iowa / Nebraska, Michigan / MSU, Illinois / Missouri

Ohio State / Penn State, Notre Dame / Northwestern, UConn / Rutgers, Indiana / Purdue

I like this a little better. This is what I'd do if the SEC went to 16. Only UConn and Rutgers would be far outside the existing confines of he conference.
 

You would make less money per school with the above conference ^^
 

I'm fine where we are at.. But if we add 2 more, I hope it stops there. I also would like to see ND NOT join the B1G. Or any other conference outside of the BigEast.

But whatever happens, I'm in the minority in that I don't want to see a college football playoff. If I wanted playoffs in football, I'll watch the NFL. I love the bowl game format (the one prior to the BCS is ideal, IMO). It makes each game more important to me as a fan rather than watching a team 'back' into the playoffs at 8-4 or worse and then go on a hot streak and win the NCG. I like seeing undefeated or one loss teams winning it all.
 



I'd hate to see ND join the B1G. We asked them once (twice if you consider the hockey feeler an offer) and they turned us down. The B1G is much better than ND and they don't deserve to be in our great conference. Let the nomards flounder on their own or be forced to join some lesser conference. I like where we're at but if we do expand, look for schools like Penn St. and Nebraska that fit well with the B1G culture.
 

This is easy.

Kick out Penn State. Add Notre Dame.

It's a Midwest conference.

No state that touches salt water.
 


Studwell55 said:
This is easy.

Kick out Penn State. Add Notre Dame.

It's a Midwest conference.

No state that touches salt water.
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Geography doesn't mean squat anymore. It's all about market size and TV ratings. If it were just about geography, Iowa State should be the obvious fit, but the Cyclones bring nothing to the table since the Big Ten already has a strong presence in Iowa, which is a small market state to begin with.

PSU has a huge national following and is located in a populous state, which is good for the Big Ten Network.
They aren't going anywhere.
 



The state of Pennsylvania is not a Big Ten state. I doubt the point could be explained to somebody who doesn't intuitively get that.

The same goes for schools in New Jersey or Missouri or New York any number of other states that presently border Big Ten states.

I just assume any die-hard Big Ten fan would rather have Nebraska than Pitt or Rutgers or Syracuse or Mizzou. No matter what the money says.
 

Obviously, we would love to have Notre Dame.......who else would fit? Pitt? BC?
 

Formo said:
I'm fine where we are at.. But if we add 2 more, I hope it stops there. I also would like to see ND NOT join the B1G. Or any other conference outside of the BigEast.

But whatever happens, I'm in the minority in that I don't want to see a college football playoff. If I wanted playoffs in football, I'll watch the NFL. I love the bowl game format (the one prior to the BCS is ideal, IMO). It makes each game more important to me as a fan rather than watching a team 'back' into the playoffs at 8-4 or worse and then go on a hot streak and win the NCG. I like seeing undefeated or one loss teams winning it all.
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I agree with all of this. Nebraska was enough-no more.
 

Agreed with the sentiment of the blog, except comparing A&M to Northwestern - that part is laughable.
 

If the B1G wants to make a huge spash and cement its place as the top conference. We need to make a splash by adding Notre Dame and Oklahoma! forget going east and take less teams like rutgers, uconn, and BC!!!

Oklahoma and Notre Dame would bring in huge amounts of money for TV, endorsements, and appeal. You add these two schools and the SEC would be second to the B1G. Adding Nebraska helped close the gap and bring us to almost even. We add ND and OU we will pass them.

Don't think small with those schools. All it will do is dilute the product and each team makes less money. Adding ND and OU would bring in more moeny per team and make it more prestigous.
 

It may seem like Pennsylvania is not a Big Ten state to older fans, but to the students, 1993 is ancient history. For them, grumbling about Penn State is like someone grumbling about not using leather helmets. Pennsylvania was not a Big Ten state, but now it is.

Perhaps it is the phoniness of the Victory Bell that 18 years later, for some Penn State doesn't feel like a "real" Big Ten team.
 

It may seem quaint and nostalgic to say Pennsylvania isn't a Big Ten state, and that they don't fit geographically. Just as it's quaint and nostalgic to talk about the Gophers six national titles or leather helmets.

Neither one means a thing in modern college sports. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

Conferences are about TV money and ratings. Yes, the Big Ten is a little bit more highbrow in that they do have some academic standards and pool research dollars, (which is why a school like West Virginia was never even considered), but if a major school like Texas came knocking, you can bet the Big Ten would let them in in a half-second, regardless of location.
 

GopherFanatic19 said:
If the B1G wants to make a huge spash and cement its place as the top conference. We need to make a splash by adding Notre Dame and Oklahoma! forget going east and take less teams like rutgers, uconn, and BC!!!

Oklahoma and Notre Dame would bring in huge amounts of money for TV, endorsements, and appeal. You add these two schools and the SEC would be second to the B1G. Adding Nebraska helped close the gap and bring us to almost even. We add ND and OU we will pass them.
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I for one, don't want the B1G to make "a huge splash and cement its place as the top conference." I prefer it to be the most stable conference and one with some standards for admission.
 

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