Big Ten will consider adding 12th member

[GoshenGipper]

Commish: Big Ten will consider adding 12th member

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Big Ten officials will likely discuss expanding to 12 schools to accommodate the new Big Ten Network, commissioner Jim Delany said.

The network, which is scheduled to launch Aug. 30, would benefit from an additional big-name university in a large television market, Delany said.

"I think we need to look at it in the next year," he told the Des Moines Register on Wednesday. He offered no specific candidates.

"The broader (the network) is distributed, the more value (expansion) has. We have eight states. With expansion, you could have nine," he said.

In football, a 12th school could mean two divisions and a postseason playoff. That's an appealing concept to the startup network.

"Any television executive would do whatever they could to be able to air a game like the Big Ten championship," said Mark Silverman, Big Ten Network president. "It would be worth a considerable amount of value."

an additional big-name university in a large television market...
He offered no specific candidates

Translation, they want ND, but they know they don't have any shot of that happening.

 

[GoshenGipper]

I've seen all of those teams thrown into the discussion except for Louisville, but I think that would make more sense than Colorado, or Rutgers. ND has been mentioned of course but at least everyone is smart enough to know that isn't going to happen.

I went with Pitt.

 

[IHateMarkMay]

I went with Iowa State, i figure them or PItt would be the best bet. Having Iowa with out Iowa STate and Penn State with out pitt is kinda weird to me.

 

[big daddy]

Same thinking here.

 

[NDSMC78]

As long as it's not ND, I don't care who the Big 10 adds.

 

[Irishknight1023]

RU has the NY/NJ market who loves their football. I'd think they're the best choice and best possibility to be added.

 

[The Polish Irishman]

I would have to say Louisville because of the basketball as well as football

 

[GoIrish41]

RU has the NY/NJ market who loves their football. I'd think they're the best choice and best possibility to be added.

RU has had one good season. When the Big 10 added PSU, they came with a solid history of success on the football field. I say Pitt is the best bet.

 

[GoshenGipper]

If I had to guess I bet they go after the 'Cuse. It would increase the coverage area from 8 states 9 which is somthing they want to do, it would add a quality basketball program without upsetting the current football balance in the conference, the school is relatively close to the great lakes but adding them would increase more interest from fans on the east coast, and they have shown they would be willing to leave their current conference.

 

[GhostSpirit]

Louisville. They're the best team and it would be nice to have another conference as "difficult" as the SEC.

 

[notredomer23]

dont flame me but i wouldnt mind joining a conference because then we play a fairly tough schedule, and then we have the toughest non conference schedule(see USC, navy, others.)

 

[MirageSmack]

Here in Louisville, there is little interest to join the Big 10. Think about it - They are in the drivers seat in the Big East right now, nearly guaranteed a BCS game every year. If they go to the Big 10, they have a bigger mountain to climb.

The Big East was a poorly conceived concept to begin with. 16 basketball schools and only 8 of those with football teams?!?

 

[Junkhead]

dont flame me but i wouldnt mind joining a conference because then we play a fairly tough schedule, and then we have the toughest non conference schedule(see USC, navy, others.)

I like not being in a conference. Who wants to play the same teams year after year.....though ND basically does anyway. Its nice to have the option to mix it up.

 

[mlcspinner]

ND = Independent

 

[onenybrother]

Cinncinati would be a goood choice also.

 

[bayernarsch]

Louisville makes sense from a geographic perspective as Kentucky borders on Big Ten territory and would start the conference inching into the South, but I don't know about meeting the television market needs because Louisville isn't a huge market but definitely is bigger than Iowa State. The other question mark with Louisville is school size. With just under 22,000 students it is larger than Notre Dame, but still dwarfed by many of the Big Ten Schools.

From a marketing perspective Syracuse makes much more sense. While the city of Syracuse isn't a huge market, it is the only major college football team in upstate NY (sorry, U of Buffalo does not count!) and has a substantial alumni base in New York City. Without 'stretching' to New Jersey for Rutgers, the Big Ten could tap the New York market and get upstate NY in one swoop. This would also deal a huge blow to the Big East, if they are looking to crush the competition, as Syracuse is a founding and storied member of the conference since the inception of both the basketball/other sports and football models. Again total university enrollment is far smaller than most Big Ten schools (just under 20,000), plus one team in hideous orange and blue is enough for any conference!

While they don't fit the apparent television market desires of the Big Ten, I'd personally like to see West Virginia join the conference. With over 27000 undergrads it is closer to Big Ten size, plus I'd like to see that offense in the Big Ten. Dare to dream.

 

[GoshenGipper]

dont flame me but i wouldnt mind joining a conference because then we play a fairly tough schedule, and then we have the toughest non conference schedule(see USC, navy, others.)

If ND were to ever join a conference I would want it to be the Big Ten and not the Big East. If they did they could set it up like this...

Div 1
Michigan
Ohio State
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Northwestern
Illinois

Div 2
Notre Dame
Penn State
Iowa
Michigan St.
Purdue
Indiana

I remember during the early part of last year's season there were some Illinois and Purdue fans on the Illinois Rivals board suggesting that the University of Toronto would be a good 12th school for the Big Ten.

 

[nshope]

Ahhhh...the Big Ten (or eleven...or twelve)...My only real question is...will they change the name of the friggin' conference now? Eleven was stupid enough, but now twelve. Shows you how dumb college football can be sometimes. They should name it the North East Conference or something that at least makes sense. The Midwest Conference...something has to be better than the Big Ten for twelve teams.

 

[GoshenGipper]

The NE Conference?

Great Lakes Conference woud probably be better, but I doubt they'll change. Althought they did change their logo when Penn State joined.

 

[NDgettysburg]

Translation, they want ND, but they know they don't have any shot of that happening.

Dear God....

I don't ask you for much (well..ok, bigger penis, lotsa money, hot broads, etc) but please don't let this happen.

Big Fan,

NDgettysburg

 

[NDgettysburg]

Ahhhh...the Big Ten (or eleven...or twelve)...My only real question is...will they change the name of the friggin' conference now? Eleven was stupid enough, but now twelve. Shows you how dumb college football can be sometimes. They should name it the North East Conference or something that at least makes sense. The Midwest Conference...something has to be better than the Big Ten for twelve teams.

Use yer head man....they have a TM on the name "Big Ten", they ain't about to change it.

 

[GoshenGipper]

The only reason the Big XII name exists is because 4 teams from the SWC merged into the Big 8.

 

[NDSMC78]

I see nothing even remotely appealing about the prospect of joining the Big 10. If that should happen, we might as well just fold our tent. I would rather be a 1AA independent than do that.

 

[Junkhead]

I really dont see much benefit to joining a conference for ND. Anyone know?