Updated Big Ten division alignment coming soon

[DanvIllini]

Originally Posted by Schlepper

They may go to 10 league games since the Pac 12 thing didn't work out. Would also make for even numbers of home and road games which is important to coaches and ADs.
ND games may get lost in the shuffle.

I thought they already ended those..

[GilThorpe]

has there been any discussion of these divisions applying for any other sports besides football ?

[Dan]

Jim Delany tells @espn B1G will consider changing Legends/Leaders division names in 2014

http://twitter.com/McMurphyESPN

[Shief]

good to hear, do you think this means East/West is possible? I'd love to visit Iowa City and Lincoln every other year.

[Dan]

Big Ten to reconsider division names

"We weren't going to go with 'Bo or Woody,' 'Black or Blue,' or 'Plains or Lakes,' " Delany said. "Obviously we got some acceptance [with Legends and Leaders], but not as much as we would have liked."

Delany said he was a "little surprised" by the backlash when the division names were announced.

"I'm not sure it was a national survey [of people that didn't like the names], but people who hit the 'send' button," Delany said. "I don't take umbrage to negative reaction. I don't necessarily change when I hear it. I think on the other hand, we said we would test-market it, and we have for a couple of years. We have the opportunity to look at it again. I'm sure we will. Whether or not we change or not is to be determined. I don't have any presumption that we'll change on it, but that doesn't mean we're not looking at it.

"I don't think when you try to build something, lead some organization, you don't want to be tone deaf. But it's not up for vote every week."

Brett McMurphy

[Dan]

Originally Posted by GilThorpe

has there been any discussion of these divisions applying for any other sports besides football ?

No, there hasn't been that discussion. (division are only for football)

[BZuppke]

I think they are seriously considering a geographic divide which would most likely put Minn, Wisky, Iowa, Neb, Illinois in the West. NW wants to stay in the west so the other question would be who would round things out. MSU? PU, IU?

[DrewD007]

Originally Posted by BZuppke

I think they are seriously considering a geographic divide which would most likely put Minn, Wisky, Iowa, Neb, Illinois in the West. NW wants to stay in the west so the other question would be who would round things out. MSU? PU, IU?

I think Northwestern will get the short straw and be put in the East while Purdue and Indiana go to the West. There won't be crossover games anymore, and NW-Illinois is most expendable.

[FeelYourPaign]

Yes, please change those god-awful division names.
I still to this day do not know which one we are in and do not care.
The names are completely meaningless, as useful as "Us" and "Them".
Actually Us/Them would be useful if it wasn't for the fact that everyone wants to be in the Us division. No one has a preference for Leaders or Legends. Both meh.

[the national]

What should the division names be changed to?

[BZuppke]

Western Division and Eastern Division. Not unique but do we need them to be?

[redwingillini11]

I think maybe the thinking behind putting Northwestern in the east would be that flying from Chicago out to New Jersey and Maryland would be easier and cheaper than traveling from West Lafayette and Bloomington. At least maybe thats part of the thinking?

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by redwingillini11

I think maybe the thinking behind putting Northwestern in the east would be that flying from Chicago out to New Jersey and Maryland would be easier and cheaper than traveling from West Lafayette and Bloomington. At least maybe thats part of the thinking?

They charter planes, right? So I don't think flying out of a major hub would be that much cheaper, certainly not relative to the amount of money involved.

[FeelYourPaign]

Originally Posted by the national

What should the division names be changed to?

Geographic names are the ones that stick for me.
East / West
Northeast / Southwest
North / South

However they draw the line. Even if it isn't a perfect line, such a NU being "East" It worked for baseball for a long time, even when I knew that Atlanta wasn't "West". See, I'm not an NL fan and I still remember that Atlanta was "West". That is an indicator that it works. (for me anyway)

[Serious Late]

Originally Posted by BWBW

A Northwest - Southeast split would have Northwestern with the two schools in MI, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska.

We would be with the two schools in IN, OSU, PSU, Maryland, and Rutgers.

In my opinion, this is the best solution presented so far. Gives a geographical break (to some extent) and keeps two of Michigan, OSU, PSU and Nebraska in each division (which I believe was important to Delaney last time).

The only issue could be that the remaining 5 teams in the Northwest (MSU, Wisconsin, Minny, Iowa, Northwestern) are much better than the remaining five in the Southeast (Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Maryland, Rutgers).

Real tough decision regardless, if there was a perfect solution it probably would have already been determined.

[DrewD007]

Originally Posted by Serious Late

In my opinion, this is the best solution presented so far. Gives a geographical break (to some extent) and keeps two of Michigan, OSU, PSU and Nebraska in each division (which I believe was important to Delaney last time).

The only issue could be that the remaining 5 teams in the Northwest (MSU, Wisconsin, Minny, Iowa, Northwestern) are much better than the remaining five in the Southeast (Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Maryland, Rutgers).

Real tough decision regardless, if there was a perfect solution it probably would have already been determined.

Ohio State and Michigan are going to have to be in the same division because there won't be cross over games anymore and you have to have the biggest rivalry every season.

Basically make it East-West and give the Illini-NW rivalry the shaft.

[Serious Late]

Originally Posted by DrewD007

Ohio State and Michigan are going to have to be in the same division because there won't be cross over games anymore and you have to have the biggest rivalry every season.

Basically make it East-West and give the Illini-NW rivalry the shaft.

For anyone? Wow. I have no issue guaranteeing a Michigan/Ohio State game every year if that is what it takes. But again, if the bigwigs are comfortable with Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State being in the same division, a basic East/West split certainly makes the most sense.

I would really prefer it be Northwestern, and not Illinois, that gets put in the East. That Western division looks more fun to me.

[Dan]

From the Big Ten meetings-

Also as expected, division alignment talk centered on geography. It'll be some type of geographical split, but also need competitive balance

One thing not discussed today was division names: "That would probably be the last issue." Don't know divisions yet.

http://twitter.com/ESPN_BigTen

[ChiBears]

In my opinion this would work best
East- Maryland, PSU, Rutgers, Ohio St, Michigan, Purdue and Indiana
West/Central-Illinois, NW,MSU, Wis, Neb, Minny and Iowa
With moving Msu to the east it evens out the balance of power teams, with the east having Michigan, OSU and PSU, while the Central/West would have Msu, Wis, and Neb.

[BZuppke]

We're definitely in the West. Question is whether they send MSU, IU or PU west. I was wondering about protected cross-overs. Whichever of these three is sent west, would protect their traditional rival as a protected cross over. Would there be other protected cross overs? If there were, who would we have/want? tOSU (IlliBuck), PU (Cannon) or IU (been our protected cross over for some time and most of the time a win)?

[pizzaman]

Originally Posted by FeelYourPaign

Yes, please change those god-awful division names.
I still to this day do not know which one we are in and do not care.
The names are completely meaningless, as useful as "Us" and "Them".
Actually Us/Them would be useful if it wasn't for the fact that everyone wants to be in the Us division. No one has a preference for Leaders or Legends. Both meh.

A very good summary that I can identify with.

[Dan]

Map time!

In the updated Big Ten alignment with geography the main factor, the question is-

* Does one of IU/PU/NU get sent east?
* Or does MSU get sent west w/ IU & PU sticking together in the east?


Michigan State to the West / IU & PU to the East




Purdue to the East




Indiana to the East




Northwestern to the East

[GilThorpe]

I heard the guy who came up wth Legends/Leaders is the same guy who thought of New Coke.

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by Dan

In the updated Big Ten alignment with geography the main factor, the question is-

* Does one of IU/PU/NU get sent east?
* Or does MSU get sent west w/ IU & PU sticking together in the east?

For competitive balance, they should send MSU west. But MSU has to play Michigan every year, right? Do they have one fixed cross-divisional rivalry (MSU-Michigan) and find a way to work around it?

Otherwise Northwestern is the obvious choice to move east because they have the smallest fan base in the league, and hence can't make too much trouble.

[ChiBears]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

For competitive balance, they should send MSU west. But MSU has to play Michigan every year, right? Do they have one fixed cross-divisional rivalry (MSU-Michigan) and find a way to work around it?

Otherwise Northwestern is the obvious choice to move east because they have the smallest fan base in the league, and hence can't make too much trouble.

I get what your saying but the best way to go is to put msu in the west, and from all indications that might be the way they are leaning towards. Also I think if they do go to the 9 game schedule that I would love to see osu as one of our games every year.