Big 10 Expansion: What's going to happen? Will the effects be fealt across CFB?

Just in case you haven't been following, the "Big Televen" once again is banging the drum for a 12th team to add and a conference championship game. Some will say this is just another attempt to strong arm ND into joining but this time most insiders appear to be saying its not. After ND rebuffed them for the third and final time it became clear to the Big 10 that ND knew exactly what was right for them financially and that they would never join a conference. Keeping a 12th spot open for them indefinitely was hurting the conference and silly. ND will NEVER join a conference for football, NEVER.

So some other names have been floated. Among them that I've heard are Mizzou, Syracuse, Pitt, Rutgers, and possibly Uconn (yes I know, a real all-star cast). Would the Big East fold if it lost a another team? If so, what would then happen to the remaining teams? If Mizzou leaves the Big 12 (a conference formed from the marriage of two conferences that never really worked right) then the Big 12 will be looking for that 12th team. I'm sure TCU and Arkansas will be hi on their list. Would Arky leave to rejoin its old SWC brethren or do they stay and continue to make a few million more in the SEC than they would in the Big 12? What does the SEC do if Arky leaves?

There are so many different scenarios and possible outcomes to all this. Frankly I think the SEC is solid as a tank and won't even be touched by any of the fallout. Additionally, if it were to be involved through Arkansas, I think the SEC could strip a quality team from another conference easy as pie. If we offered to Louisville they would jump the sinking Big East ship in a New York minute.

I've heard some say Rutgers is the obvious choice given the new Big Ten Network and its location to the NYC market. However I think this is overrated as New York has never cared about college ball, is populated by transplants from elsewhere, and would only come close to mattering if Rutgers were a perennial power, which they will not be in the Big 10. What do you guys think? I know this situation isn't really close to us but I find it to be an interesting development.

 

You are dead on about the NYC area market. I had the unfortunate luck of having to live up there for a summer and they could care less about college sports.

 

Can't see Arkansas leaving. They've held their own in the SEC and I think little is gained for them by moving to an arguably weaker conference. Arkansas fans I've talked to like the SEC much better than the old SWC where they were the only out-of-state stepchild.

The Missouri question is sorta interesting. Their accomplishments in the Big 12 have not been anything to brag about, even when the Big 12 North has had down years. I think they'd have a miserable time in the Big 10/11.

 

I think of all the SEC schools Arkansas is the most likely to move do to their former SWC rivalries. I don’t think there is very much of a change of that happening though.

 

I gotta believe they go with Syracuse (improving the level of basketball) and Rutgers.

 

I was reading this michigan blog today. Guy seems to think the expansion is just their commish selling out the conference to become a bigtime TV exec.

http://michiganzone.blogspot.com/2007/07/is-jim-delany-selling-out-big-ten.html

I've seen alot of justified moaning from transplanted big ten fans about the whole BTN situation, I just hope the SEC never tries something like that.

Of course, if the Big Ten Network is even close to profitable, you can expect every conference to do the same thing by the end of the decade. And to think I once wined about JP games being hard to catch. Transplanted Tigers, the future does not look bright.

 

Thanks Mr. Doom,:sob: But anyway I thought that was why we had you? In addition they would have to have someway for me to get the SEC channel, right?

 

You would think, but the BTN is trying to get a deal similar to the NFL net, and we all know how well thats going.

And yes that is why i'm here :wink:

 

I don't really like Ark too much. It seems as if they never really fit in with the SEC well. But would the SEC risk losing the track, basketball and baseball dominance Ark shows annually? Even if Louisville were to replace Ark, would they be able to compete in sports other than football?

 

Well, they've always been considered more of a basketball school than a football school (were a 6 seed in NCAA tourney). Plus, they went to Omaha this year in baseball, which is more than we can say LSU did.