More expansion chatter..

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I sometimes wonder if these rumors originate in the BT office. Someone gives a clown like Dienart a call, and he immediately posts it in his blog, as it saves him the trouble of doing any actual journalism. Then Delaney can wait and see what the reaction is. He doesn't give a rat's hindquarters what us fans think. That's been proven already. What Delaney wants to see is how the other conferences react. I'll bet he was holding his breath waiting for nd to call after this went viral. Don't laugh, it happens all the time. At my company most of the juicy rumors originate in our HR organization. Especially about things like buyout packages and retirement offers. They can then gauge how much interest there would be. This is all a game of chicken between the various league commishes. First one to blink loses. And Delaney knows that right now he's the only one in a knifefight who's packing a gun.

OTOH, Dienart would post something he read in a mens' room stall as being gospel. So maybe we shouldn't read too much into it.
 

Wasteland has it right here. The singluar most powerful man in college sports is not the NCAA President or the BCS Executive Director it's Jim Delaney. And he knows it. Everyday when he steps into his Chicago office he knows that what he decides is going to have shock waves though out all of college sports. If you were going to come up with a list of the most powerful people in sports he is in the top 5.

But Wasteland you are wrong on one thing. This upcoming conference realignment fight Delaney has a M16 and everyone else combined has stick that isn't sharpened. This realignment is going to have such huge impact on the future of college athletics and sports in general, and Delaney has all the cards.

Also, I would like to offically announce my candidancy to replace Delaney when he retires.
 

Too Long in the Wasteland said:
I sometimes wonder if these rumors originate in the BT office. Someone gives a clown like Dienart a call, and he immediately posts it in his blog, as it saves him the trouble of doing any actual journalism. Then Delaney can wait and see what the reaction is.
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My current best-case scenario is that this whole super-expansion rumor is just a threat to convince Notre Dame that if they don't jump on board, the Big East won't be viable in 12 months and they'll be screwed in every sport but football (until the BCS breaks off from the NCAA, when they'll have to join the Big 10 anyway). If that's the plan, though, it doesn't look like its working.
 

I realize I'm in the minority here, but I like this breakdown. The reason is that our 3 main rivalries would remain intact. Mich and Wisky are in our pod and Iowas would be the protected rivalry. LBJ game every year again? Count me in. I think that the OSU division would be the weakest though, not PSU. Our division would probably be the hardest, but who cares if we can play all our rivals every year?
 

dpodoll68 said:
Why? Can someone please tell me why? Why do people say things like this? Is it just being over-the-top to get a reaction? It has to be. No fully functional adult can be this obtuse.
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Wow, I guess I didn't write that to get anyone worked up. To clarify, I believe Nebraska plays in the weakest DIVISION in the BCS. Not conference. I am not including the MAC, WAC or Division II or III. Putting Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech, A&M, Oklahoma State on one side of the conference while Nebraska gets to compete with the likes of Iowa State, Kansas and Missouri is just totally a laugher. Im not going to do my homework on this but I'd love to see the revenues of the Big 12 North and see the gap between Nebraska and the rest of the teams.

I really don't see how anyone, other than a Nebraska fan, can say I'm wrong.
 


GoGophers2005 said:
To clarify, I believe Nebraska plays in the weakest DIVISION in the BCS.
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Fine, great. But that's not what you said. Even though I would still disagree (Big 12 North is stronger than ACC Atlantic, at least), at least that's a defensible point. Calling it "by far the weakest division in all of college football" is the kind of ridiculous hyperbole that makes this site less enjoyable at times. So don't get mad at me for calling you out on it.
 


GoGophers2005 said:
Wow, I guess I didn't write that to get anyone worked up. To clarify, I believe Nebraska plays in the weakest DIVISION in the BCS. Not conference. I am not including the MAC, WAC or Division II or III. Putting Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech, A&M, Oklahoma State on one side of the conference while Nebraska gets to compete with the likes of Iowa State, Kansas and Missouri is just totally a laugher. Im not going to do my homework on this but I'd love to see the revenues of the Big 12 North and see the gap between Nebraska and the rest of the teams.

I really don't see how anyone, other than a Nebraska fan, can say I'm wrong.
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Things are cyclical, though - I remember when the Big 12 was formed, there were a lot of complaints that the North was too strong and the South was too weak. Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas State were all major powers and Kansas was apparently on the rise (thanks to Glen) while Oklahoma was down and not very relevant at the time.
 

Report - Four teams have been invited to join the Big Ten - Rutgers, Notre Dame, Missouri, and Nebraska.

http://ht.ly/1JfkB

According to a report by Kevin Kietzman on Kansas City, Missouri, radio station 810 WHB on Monday, The Big Ten conference has extended initial offers to Rutgers, Notre Dame, Missouri, and Nebraska.

Nothing can be approved until Big Ten officials meet the first week of June in Chicago, and it's not clear whether the conference plans to expand to 14 or 16 teams, but Kietzman reports that the two Big 12 schools are invited in either scenario. Notre Dame is independent and has previously declined invitations to join the Big Ten.
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Clyde Tester said:
Report - Four teams have been invited to join the Big Ten - Rutgers, Notre Dame, Missouri, and Nebraska.

http://ht.ly/1JfkB
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It's hard coming up with strong arguments showing Nebraska or Missouri turning down Big Ten.

Nebraska has been very vocal about what they consider the Texas domination of the conference. They've also been irritated about the South West Conference schools not having to meet Big 8 academic standards when they created the Big 12. They were also the only school to vote against Jerry Jones World being the permanent site of the Conference Championship. Missouri hates the way the Big 12 money is split. Half the money is split evenly and the other half is based on TV appearances. That ratio heavily favors Texas, Oklahoma and probably Nebraska.

IF this report is true and the Domers turn the Big Ten down, I wonder if the Big Ten stays with 14 schools or goes to 16 right away?
 


What's wrong with having just 12 teams?!?! I do not get this whole 14/16 team superconference crap. Seems like it would be too much too handle and that the Big 10 would just be diluting itself and losing whatever tradition it had previously held
 

GopherOnWheels said:
What's wrong with having just 12 teams?!?! I do not get this whole 14/16 team superconference crap. Seems like it would be too much too handle and that the Big 10 would just be diluting itself and losing whatever tradition it had previously held
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Money, pure and simple. Expand the reach of the Big Ten Network and you bring in more then enough money to cover expansion and add additional revenue on top of that.

Tubby wants a new practice facility. Fans want to give him a salary increase every time he gets an offer. Many fans want to fire Brewster and pay for a big name coach. While football fans lobby for killing non-revenue sports, fans of the University do NOT want teams cut; remember the outcry when they tried to dump golf and gymnastics? That means another $15 million or so for a new baseball field.

Now add in the massive budget problems the state has. Big cuts have been proposed by both sides and more are coming. This time additional taxes on the Marlboro Man won't get it done. That means that the "U" can't look to the state for any more money.

The Big Ten has a major competitive advantage over all other conferences when it comes to TV because, top to bottom, they bring more viewers. The South and the Pac 10 have weather advantages and use them. You ever see Florida playing up North in October? Try to find a recruit that doesn't here about "winter weather". The SEC and Big 12 can get nearly anybody into school, and they do. Texas dominates the Big 12 and his no inclination to "share and share alike" their money with their fellow schools. Southern and Far West baseball schools fight to keep their schedule advantages.

If none of those schools want to give up their advantages why should the Big Ten? They need to press whatever advantage they have and in expansion they have a BIG advantage.

We traditionalists have watched March Madness expand, Title 9 kill sports rather then expand opportunities and solid non-conference games disappear so BCS teams can add wins. We've listened to thousands of real football fans and millions of January only fans demand a play-off system regardless of ...anything actually.

Nope if adding schools solves some of these problems great. I'd want at least one more conference game but hey, disappointment isn't unusual for Minnesota fans now is it?

What I'm afraid of though, is that instead of solving a lot of those problems most of the extra money will just go to coaches anyway, but that's another story. :)
 



If you can't land Nebraska don't add Missouri. If you can't add Notre Dame we shouldn't even come close to adding Rutgers. My fear is that we add Missouri, Rutgers and another average to below average school (and by below average I mean a school that would not generate interest from fans across the Big Ten).
 

And what does adding those teams do for basketball? I personally think adding those 4 teams actually elevates the Gophers basketball prestige in the conference.
 

GoGophers2005 said:
And what does adding those teams do for basketball? I personally think adding those 4 teams actually elevates the Gophers basketball prestige in the conference.
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Missouri's no MSU, but they will hold thier own in basketball. ND would as well. But Rutgers and Nebraska would definately add two bottom-feeders. Still many preseason polls have Purdue, MSU and OSU all in the top 5, so I hardly think we need to worry about a diluted basketball conference currently.
 

Iceland12 said:
IF this report is true and the Domers turn the Big Ten down, I wonder if the Big Ten stays with 14 schools or goes to 16 right away?
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I would imagine, we'd stay at 14. Sixteen without Notre Dame divides a smaller amount of money more ways. The whole point of offering Rutgers is two prone-- they add a team in the NYC area and it's a signal to Notre Dame, the Big East's days are number. If Notre Dame agrees to join, we add either Pitt, Syracuse or UConn. My gut says Pitt. I think they add more to the table than the other two do as far as academics and they have a great rivalry with PSU.
 

I agree that if Notre Dame joins the Big Ten will ask Rutgers and another school to join. If Notre Dame doesn't join I can see Nebraska joining with Missouri and possibly a Pitt. Rutgers hopes all hinge on Notre Dame if you ask me.

I personally don't think NYC gives two sh!$ about Rutgers football.
 

The more teams that get added to the Big Ten...the worse off the Gophers will be in terms of being competitive.
 

Central Valley Bowties said:
The more teams that get added to the Big Ten...the worse off the Gophers will be in terms of being competitive.
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This is silly blanket prediction. It depends on what teams get added, how many, and what the new divisional structure looks like.
 




Bo Darville said:
Why doesn't the Big East just start their own TV station?
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Cause no one would watch it except during basketball season. West Virginia, South Florida, Cincinnati, Uconn, Louisville, and Pittsburgh are all either small markets or the 2nd or 3rd most popular team in their market for football.
The basketball only schools are mostly small/private/catholic. There is just not really a market for a Big East network. Especially when ESPN is basically the Big East Basketball Channel from Dec-March.
 

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