Noblesville Illini
- Nappanee, IN
Agree. This won't be drawn out. The tide has shifted and we've only seen the first wave!!!
USC, UCLA to join the Big Ten in 2024
- Status
I kinda think, for the B1G, it's inevitable that we end up with divisions, to ease travel concerns. Probably 3: West, Central and East. The numbers that make sense to me as end points are 24 and 30. I think by the time USC and UCLA join in 2024 we'll have already announced 4 more schools and be sitting at 20. Next round 5 or 10 years down the line (or whenever ACC breaks apart) takes us to 24, and maybe it ends there or maybe it keeps going. Just pure speculation but that's kinda what I'm imagining. SEC probably moving in that direction as well.
Noblesville Illini
- Nappanee, IN
Yes, and don't forget the strange tie with Illinois and Arizona. So many kids go to Arizona schools and so many snow birds have houses in Arizona as well. Have to think at least one AZ school gets an invite to the BIG.
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- North Aurora
I am all for expansion, but man I hope we aren’t in a situation where we are separated from our old rivals like Michigan or OSU and only playing twice every 16 years or something.
That seems like a stretch … unless you’re talking about walk-on wannabes.
Last edited:
Yeah same. I imagine conference schedule will be expanded and rivalries protected to deal with that. I could foresee a scenario where neither B1G or SEC plays any nonconference games until the postseason to maximize those rivalry matchups.
Noblesville Illini
- Nappanee, IN
One thing is for sure...............the quality of the BIG Channel announcers is about to get better. No more pulling random nobodies doing games and talk shows. They will be bolstering their staff. Guarantee high level ESPN staff are already thinking about a job change. The earlier points of $$$ for game rights, contracts for each school, etc. are spot on. Maybe we won't have to see those tired, old commercials from 3-4 companies over and over and over when watching our beloved on basketball and football games.
Also, like golf for our guys competing with the Cali schools will make our Kansas like dominance from basketball on conference championships much harder. Can you imagine how competitive the ladies' volleyball games will be during conference games? Oh my! The BIG is already ultrastrong there. Adding the Cali schools is gonna make those conference games brutal.
Also, like golf for our guys competing with the Cali schools will make our Kansas like dominance from basketball on conference championships much harder. Can you imagine how competitive the ladies' volleyball games will be during conference games? Oh my! The BIG is already ultrastrong there. Adding the Cali schools is gonna make those conference games brutal.
Not at all. Most people's interaction and reference point to a school is it's athletics, so it makes perfect sense that a quality athletic reputation will inprove the applicant pool, and a bad reputation will do otherwise. In fact this study suggests Penn State suffered a drop in the quality of it's admitted students following the football program's child abuse scandal.
sacraig
- The desert
Maybe it seems like it to you, but it's true.
I imagine we’re going to be seeing 10-game league schedules, and wouldn’t be shocked if non-conference games weren’t eventually eliminated altogether.
How sad … but thanks for enlightening me.
Yes, you may have a point, but that situation gave the whole school a black eye, not just its athletic programs.
MoCoMdIllini
- Montgomery County, Maryland
The beloved have been to the Rose Bowl twice in my lifetime, and were beaten by the (Extra) B1G's two new teams.
Not sure how I feel about it. Just an interesting thing.
Not sure how I feel about it. Just an interesting thing.
Mr. Tibbs
- southeast DuPage
same thing happened for Alabama . way more Alabama flags flying on high school graduate homes in the near western suburbs than 15 years ago
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
Actually, FSU is a prime example. In the 70-80's, FSU wasn't a very difficult school to get into. The standards have been raised significantly due to their Football success.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
ND's beat writer thinks the new BIG is pretty darn compelling (The Athletic, $): https://theathletic.com/3394410/2022/07/01/notre-dame-acc-big-ten-independence/
On the flip side there will be a USC v OSU game somewhat frequently. That looks to be one of the top 3 games of the year whenever they have it. On par with the hype around UGA and Bama
In the past, FSU/Clemson/GAtech were supposed to be blocked by a veto agreement between FLA, SC, & Georgia who wanted to be the only team in their states. Not sure if 3 schools is still enough to veto with the added members; but those schools likely don't have the $ value to the SEC as they already own the market in their respective states, suspect they would rather have some new markets like NC & VA.
In last round, there were plenty of rumors of FSU wanting to go to the B1G, which I expect were true. I think FSU is interesting because Florida would be huge add, but the academic fit isn't there.
I agree with your points but wonder if in the current environment the value of blocking the B1G from these markets and high profile programs changes the calculus for the SEC.
MustangWally
- Mayfield
Granted, but I have been around a long time. I can remember the Butkus and Grabowski days. Went to the Rose Bowl in 84. Hope springs eternal.
MDchicago
- Lake Norman NC
that has to have some value & the SEC seems to be of a different mindset...the big has been looking for market & some sort of fit. SEC seems to be more football focused & figures the rest will work itself out. But I doubt the dynamics have changed for FLA. GA, & SC, they still see a benefit to being the only SEC school in their stae
Those who are tossing out scenarios where the B1G grabs up multiple schools scrambling to find new homes are completely ignoring how the B1G always operates in these scenarios.
1. The B1G methodically negotiates with one or two teams, and then holds pat for several years, regardless of the landscape around them. They just don’t Willy nilly scoop up desperate teams.
2. The B1G values media market presence. Rutgers and Maryland were brought in because they were inroads to the NY and DC markets respectively. Nebraska is a smaller market, obviously, but it’s the lone player in that market. There’s no Nebraska State they would siphon off eyeballs.
UCLA and USC bring in dominance in the #2 media market, The conference now either controls or has major presence in the top four markets;
New York - Rutgers
Los Angeles - USC and UCLA
Chicago - Illinois, Northwestern, et al
Philadelphia - Penn State
The 5th market is Dallas-Ft Worth. Tapping into the Texas market has always been a goal of the B1G, but UT seems to be the only team there with statewide pull. The rest are regional draws.
The next logical choices, should the B1G not want to stand pat, are Cal and Stanford, giving the conference dominance in the nation’s #6 media market. That would give the B1G presence or dominance in 5 of the top six markets and seven of the top ten, which includes DC at #9 (Maryland).
Notre Dame, of course, would be the wild card.
1. The B1G methodically negotiates with one or two teams, and then holds pat for several years, regardless of the landscape around them. They just don’t Willy nilly scoop up desperate teams.
2. The B1G values media market presence. Rutgers and Maryland were brought in because they were inroads to the NY and DC markets respectively. Nebraska is a smaller market, obviously, but it’s the lone player in that market. There’s no Nebraska State they would siphon off eyeballs.
UCLA and USC bring in dominance in the #2 media market, The conference now either controls or has major presence in the top four markets;
New York - Rutgers
Los Angeles - USC and UCLA
Chicago - Illinois, Northwestern, et al
Philadelphia - Penn State
The 5th market is Dallas-Ft Worth. Tapping into the Texas market has always been a goal of the B1G, but UT seems to be the only team there with statewide pull. The rest are regional draws.
The next logical choices, should the B1G not want to stand pat, are Cal and Stanford, giving the conference dominance in the nation’s #6 media market. That would give the B1G presence or dominance in 5 of the top six markets and seven of the top ten, which includes DC at #9 (Maryland).
Notre Dame, of course, would be the wild card.
- Status