Big Ten Expansion

[Moranis]

There are numerous rumors all over the internet, many of which sprouted as a result of twitter posts by Pitt athletes, which indicate that Pittsburgh will leave the Big East to join the Big Ten.  Supposedly there is a press conference set for February 4th, in which it will be announced.  As with all internet rumors, who knows if this one is true, but where there is smoke there is often fire.

[Eja117]

Awesome. So then the Big East will have to try to snag someone from CUSA or something, like Southern Miss

[PLamb]

Doesn't this now give the Big-10 12 teams and the ability to have a football championship game in football with two divisions

I think that is probably the biggest news about it

[Eja117]

Yes. Oui. Si. Da. Taip. Hi. Sheh. Yah. Ji ha.

[Moranis]

Doesn't this now give the Big-10 12 teams and the ability to have a football championship game in football with two divisions

I think that is probably the biggest news about it

that is the whole point of expansion.  The Big Ten is already a top two conference in revenue (along with the SEC).  The addition of the Big Ten championship in football will bridge the gap, if not allow the Big Ten to pass the SEC. 

Outside of that, I'm not sure Pitt is the right team for the Big Ten.  It doesn't add any markets to the conference as Penn State already covers that region.  I would have thought Rutgers, Syracuse, or Missouri would have been better fits since they would all add markets, but Pitt is a natural (and former) rival for Penn State so it at least makes sense in that regard (and Pitt is by far the best football and men's basketball combination of those four schools).

[wdleehi]

Doesn't this now give the Big-10 12 teams and the ability to have a football championship game in football with two divisions

I think that is probably the biggest news about it

that is the whole point of expansion.  The Big Ten is already a top two conference in revenue (along with the SEC).  The addition of the Big Ten championship in football will bridge the gap, if not allow the Big Ten to pass the SEC. 

Outside of that, I'm not sure Pitt is the right team for the Big Ten.  It doesn't add any markets to the conference as Penn State already covers that region.  I would have thought Rutgers, Syracuse, or Missouri would have been better fits since they would all add markets, but Pitt is a natural (and former) rival for Penn State so it at least makes sense in that regard (and Pitt is by far the best football and men's basketball combination of those four schools).

But it does re-create the Penn/Pitt rivalry. 

[Moranis]

Doesn't this now give the Big-10 12 teams and the ability to have a football championship game in football with two divisions

I think that is probably the biggest news about it

that is the whole point of expansion.  The Big Ten is already a top two conference in revenue (along with the SEC).  The addition of the Big Ten championship in football will bridge the gap, if not allow the Big Ten to pass the SEC. 

Outside of that, I'm not sure Pitt is the right team for the Big Ten.  It doesn't add any markets to the conference as Penn State already covers that region.  I would have thought Rutgers, Syracuse, or Missouri would have been better fits since they would all add markets, but Pitt is a natural (and former) rival for Penn State so it at least makes sense in that regard (and Pitt is by far the best football and men's basketball combination of those four schools).

But it does re-create the Penn/Pitt rivalry. 

sure does, but I believe PSU also played Rutgers, Syrcause, and West Virginia on a regular basis prior to joining the conference and all those teams would add a market (though WVU's is small and thus least likely).

[Fafnir]

Doesn't this now give the Big-10 12 teams and the ability to have a football championship game in football with two divisions

I think that is probably the biggest news about it

that is the whole point of expansion.  The Big Ten is already a top two conference in revenue (along with the SEC).  The addition of the Big Ten championship in football will bridge the gap, if not allow the Big Ten to pass the SEC. 

Outside of that, I'm not sure Pitt is the right team for the Big Ten.  It doesn't add any markets to the conference as Penn State already covers that region.  I would have thought Rutgers, Syracuse, or Missouri would have been better fits since they would all add markets, but Pitt is a natural (and former) rival for Penn State so it at least makes sense in that regard (and Pitt is by far the best football and men's basketball combination of those four schools).

But it does re-create the Penn/Pitt rivalry. 

sure does, but I believe PSU also played Rutgers, Syrcause, and West Virginia on a regular basis prior to joining the conference and all those teams would add a market (though WVU's is small and thus least likely).

Those rivalries aren't nearly as big of a deal in Pennsylvania. I lived there for four years through college, and Pitt/Penn St fans really go at it. And that's when they never played!

I can imagine they view that adding small markets isn't as important as creating another guarenteed TV rivalry game.

[Roy Hobbs]

Doesn't this now give the Big-10 12 teams and the ability to have a football championship game in football with two divisions

I think that is probably the biggest news about it

that is the whole point of expansion.  The Big Ten is already a top two conference in revenue (along with the SEC).  The addition of the Big Ten championship in football will bridge the gap, if not allow the Big Ten to pass the SEC. 

Outside of that, I'm not sure Pitt is the right team for the Big Ten.  It doesn't add any markets to the conference as Penn State already covers that region.  I would have thought Rutgers, Syracuse, or Missouri would have been better fits since they would all add markets, but Pitt is a natural (and former) rival for Penn State so it at least makes sense in that regard (and Pitt is by far the best football and men's basketball combination of those four schools).

Are the Syracuse; Columbia, MO; or New Brunswick, NJ markets that big, compared to Pittsburgh?  I disagree that Penn State has the Pitt market covered; they're three hours away from one another, and the surrounding communities are very different from one another.

[Moranis]

Are the Syracuse; Columbia, MO; or New Brunswick, NJ markets that big, compared to Pittsburgh?  I disagree that Penn State has the Pitt market covered; they're three hours away from one another, and the surrounding communities are very different from one another.

TV markets, not actual location.  Syracuse basketball has enough clout that it could probably get the Big Ten Network on cable in New York City.  Missouri can get the Big Ten Network on Kansas City and the rest of St. Louis.  That is the key.  Penn State already provides the Pittsburgh tv market and the Big Ten Network is already on cable tv in Pittsburgh.

I read an article which hypothesized that Texas would leave the Big 12 and go to the Big Ten if asked.  Apparently the only two games Texas cares about in conference are Oklahoma and Texas A&M so it could play those as non-con games.  There is also a thought that if Missouri were to leave for the Big Ten, that Colorado would bolt for the Pac Ten and the Big 12 would collapse anyway.  If that is the case, why wouldn't Texas leave for the Big Ten.  It is obvious why the Big Ten would want Texas as it has the pull to get the Big Ten Network on Dallas, Houston, and Austin television which would provide a ton of extra dollars to the Big Ten.  And before anyone says this is crazy (aside from the possible conference implosion), the Big Ten's revenue from television was 242 million (evenly split at 22 million a team) while the Big 12's tv revenue was about 80 million (though it isn't an even split and Texas took in about 10-11 million of the total).  So just joining without additional markets gets Texas twice the tv revenue.  However, joining would not only get more revenue from tv in dallas, houston, austin, etc., it would also allow the Big Ten to have a football championship game which would be even more money.

I would have thought it was crazy before reading the article, but the article has me convinced that Texas should join the Big Ten.

[Donoghus]

Pitt's probably the best fit/natural fit to join the conference.  I think it'd be great addition for the Big Ten.  It would finally give them that 12th team too in case they decide to have themselves a conference championship in football.  From a basketball and football standpoint, the Big Ten would be getting pretty solid programs that have a rich history (something that seems to be a huge characteristic of the conference). 

Plus, I'm for any opportunity to stick it to the Big East Conference.

[ChampKind]

Are the Syracuse; Columbia, MO; or New Brunswick, NJ markets that big, compared to Pittsburgh?  I disagree that Penn State has the Pitt market covered; they're three hours away from one another, and the surrounding communities are very different from one another.

TV markets, not actual location.  Syracuse basketball has enough clout that it could probably get the Big Ten Network on cable in New York City.  Missouri can get the Big Ten Network on Kansas City and the rest of St. Louis.  That is the key.  Penn State already provides the Pittsburgh tv market and the Big Ten Network is already on cable tv in Pittsburgh.

I read an article which hypothesized that Texas would leave the Big 12 and go to the Big Ten if asked.  Apparently the only two games Texas cares about in conference are Oklahoma and Texas A&M so it could play those as non-con games.  There is also a thought that if Missouri were to leave for the Big Ten, that Colorado would bolt for the Pac Ten and the Big 12 would collapse anyway.  If that is the case, why wouldn't Texas leave for the Big Ten.  It is obvious why the Big Ten would want Texas as it has the pull to get the Big Ten Network on Dallas, Houston, and Austin television which would provide a ton of extra dollars to the Big Ten.  And before anyone says this is crazy (aside from the possible conference implosion), the Big Ten's revenue from television was 242 million (evenly split at 22 million a team) while the Big 12's tv revenue was about 80 million (though it isn't an even split and Texas took in about 10-11 million of the total).  So just joining without additional markets gets Texas twice the tv revenue.  However, joining would not only get more revenue from tv in dallas, houston, austin, etc., it would also allow the Big Ten to have a football championship game which would be even more money.

I would have thought it was crazy before reading the article, but the article has me convinced that Texas should join the Big Ten.

All solid points. Pittsburgh adds little to no additional media coverage, whereas the inclusion of the New York market would be huge. Saint Louis would be a nice consolation prize. Pittsburgh, as Moranis stated very well, is already a Big Ten market.

[bdm860]

Plus, I'm for any opportunity to stick it to the Big East Conference.

Grrr, I love the Big East, and do not like when I hear a good team thinking about leaving.  Any insight on the Big East hate?

[Donoghus]

Plus, I'm for any opportunity to stick it to the Big East Conference.

Grrr, I love the Big East, and do not like when I hear a good team thinking about leaving.  Any insight on the Big East hate?

Well, when your alma mater gets sued and badmouthed by Big East member schools and the conference, its tough to show any compassion or sympathy towards the conference after that. 

[Moranis]

Are the Syracuse; Columbia, MO; or New Brunswick, NJ markets that big, compared to Pittsburgh?  I disagree that Penn State has the Pitt market covered; they're three hours away from one another, and the surrounding communities are very different from one another.

TV markets, not actual location.  Syracuse basketball has enough clout that it could probably get the Big Ten Network on cable in New York City.  Missouri can get the Big Ten Network on Kansas City and the rest of St. Louis.  That is the key.  Penn State already provides the Pittsburgh tv market and the Big Ten Network is already on cable tv in Pittsburgh.

I read an article which hypothesized that Texas would leave the Big 12 and go to the Big Ten if asked.  Apparently the only two games Texas cares about in conference are Oklahoma and Texas A&M so it could play those as non-con games.  There is also a thought that if Missouri were to leave for the Big Ten, that Colorado would bolt for the Pac Ten and the Big 12 would collapse anyway.  If that is the case, why wouldn't Texas leave for the Big Ten.  It is obvious why the Big Ten would want Texas as it has the pull to get the Big Ten Network on Dallas, Houston, and Austin television which would provide a ton of extra dollars to the Big Ten.  And before anyone says this is crazy (aside from the possible conference implosion), the Big Ten's revenue from television was 242 million (evenly split at 22 million a team) while the Big 12's tv revenue was about 80 million (though it isn't an even split and Texas took in about 10-11 million of the total).  So just joining without additional markets gets Texas twice the tv revenue.  However, joining would not only get more revenue from tv in dallas, houston, austin, etc., it would also allow the Big Ten to have a football championship game which would be even more money.

I would have thought it was crazy before reading the article, but the article has me convinced that Texas should join the Big Ten.

All solid points. Pittsburgh adds little to no additional media coverage, whereas the inclusion of the New York market would be huge. Saint Louis would be a nice consolation prize. Pittsburgh, as Moranis stated very well, is already a Big Ten market.

St. Louis already has some interest because of ILlinois.  Missouri would definately tie up the whole city, but Missou wouldn't add a ton there and most of K.C. is Kansas not MIssouri, but there is some interest in K.C. for Missou so that would help.

I still think Texas is the school that makes a lot of sense after reading that blog I referenced.