When is the conference adding a 12th team?

And who will be the 12th team?

My guess is the Big Ten will wait for Notre Dame.

When are the major conferences going to stop sucking up to ND in the BCS and force them to join a conference to play in a BCS bowl. You all treat them like they are a stand alone conference as great as yours. They are like everyone else now padding their shedule to make an easy run for the big BCS money that keeps them independent with their TV contract. If the big conferences would stop kissing their ass they would be forced into a conference like everyone else. I don't care if the join the B-10, Big East, or the Sun Belt just force them into a conference where they have to earn the BCS bowl game and not be able to buy it. Its time for everyone to stop kissing their ass.

A-MMMMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!

How about Ohio University? It's in the Big Ten footprint.

1) Missouri
2) Rutgers
3) Nebraska
4) Maryland

All are AAU, all are already in BCS autobid conferences, and all gently expand the footprint.

Personally, I like going west because it facilitates cleaner divisions:

West - Missouri/Nebraksa, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Northwestern
East - Indiana, Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State

West Lafayette is barely further west than Bloomington; splitting Indiana and Purdue doesn't seem wise.

How about West Virginia?

North: Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Wisconsin
South: Indiana, Illinois, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, West Virginia

While it lends itself to a nice divisional alignment, the Big 10 probably wouldn't take West Virginia since WVU is a non-AAU school. It also doesn't do much for the Big 10 since they feel they already have the Pittsburgh market.

' Wrote:While it lends itself to a nice divisional alignment, the Big 10 probably wouldn't take West Virginia since WVU is a non-AAU school. It also doesn't do much for the Big 10 since they feel they already have the Pittsburgh market.

Big Ten would want Ohio State and Michigan together. Adding Missouri would get the St Louis and Kansas City markets.

St. Louis is full of Illinois fans, the Big 10 already has at least half that market. I'd rather add Kentucky for these reasons:

1) One of college hoops top draws, would increase the conference's attendance average which is already #1

2) Think of the hoops rivalries between Indiana, Purdue, Ohio St, Illinois and Kentucky.

3) It would be a blow to the SEC.

Kentucky should consider changing for these reasons

1) KY is a hoops dominated program in a football conference. Hoops is a weak 2nd in terms of popularity in the SEC. KY has nearly 20% of the SEC's total hoops attendance. More rivalries in the Big 10 for KY's hoops program than in the SEC.

2) Big 10 will have it's own TV network this fall, KY's sports would have a better chance of being seen nationally.

3) KY has a men's soccer program which plays in the Missouri Valley Conference since Men's Soccer is not an SEC sport, migrating to the Big 10 would allow KY to put all their sports teams in 1 conference.

No school will leave the SEC, they just paid out $10,170,000 per school. Geography aside, no school would be dumb enough to pass up on that.

South Tampa Knight Wrote:No school will leave the SEC, they just paid out $10,170,000 per school. Geography aside, no school would be dumb enough to pass up on that.

The Big 10 pays out hefty amounts of cash to all programs as well and that money is going to increase significantly with the Big 10 Network. Eventually there will be affiliated cable systems covering much of the country and all of them will be ponying up $ to the conference who will split that with membership. Big 10 leads the nation in hoops attendance, adding KY (which is the most hoopscentric program in the SEC) may not make the Big 10 the best in terms of quality of play but definitely in popularity.

kY's football program doesn't draw poorly but having a number of rivals within a 4 hour drive (OSU,IN, Purdue, IL) could boost their attendance by 5-10K per game.

Being part of a conference with it's own TV network is going to be attractive to programs that are facing belt tightening with cost increasing and revenues not keeping up.

Nebraska to the Big Ten would be good if Notre Dame was not an option. Wonder if Big Ten would you this as a motivation against Notre Dame to get them to join. The Big 12 would most likely have to go after Arkansas to replace Nebraska and then SEC could then add Louisville. The BE then would be forced to replace Louisville.

As long as Notre Dame has the NBC deal and a BCS spot they will stay the way they are. If I'm the Big Ten I'd get Missouri. Send a message, we don't need ND and we're not waiting anymore

Hearing rumors....

So, who would be the Big 10's 1st choice (after ND)?

Rutgers
Mizzou
Syracuse

Kentucky is a better option

1) outdraw the other 3 for football
2) outdraw 2 of the 3 in hoops and are a hoops program in a football conference. Add them to the Big 10 and the Big 10 has an improved lineup for both sports.

3) It would force teh SEC to add a 12th team to replace KY.
4) KY has a mens soccer program in the MVC because the SEC doesn't have mens soccer. Moving to the Big 10 would allow them to place all their teams in 1 conference.

5) Big Ten network would help them recruit more nationally which they need since they are getting killed in state.

6) KY is within3 hours of Columbus, Bloomington, Lafayette and Champaign.

This would create some additional great B10 rivalries

chargeradio Wrote:1) Missouri
2) Rutgers
3) Nebraska
4) Maryland

All are AAU, all are already in BCS autobid conferences, and all gently expand the footprint.

Personally, I like going west because it facilitates cleaner divisions:

West - Missouri/Nebraksa, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Northwestern
East - Indiana, Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State

West Lafayette is barely further west than Bloomington; splitting Indiana and Purdue doesn't seem wise.

So what, you threw out Minnesota? Golden Gophers are not going to be happy with you.

onlinepole Wrote:Kentucky is a better option

1) outdraw the other 3 for football
2) outdraw 2 of the 3 in hoops and are a hoops program in a football conference. Add them to the Big 10 and the Big 10 has an improved lineup for both sports.

3) It would force teh SEC to add a 12th team to replace KY.
4) KY has a mens soccer program in the MVC because the SEC doesn't have mens soccer. Moving to the Big 10 would allow them to place all their teams in 1 conference.

5) Big Ten network would help them recruit more nationally which they need since they are getting killed in state.

6) KY is within3 hours of Columbus, Bloomington, Lafayette and Champaign.

This would create some additional great B10 rivalries

I know this is probably not the sexy pick but if you're interested in beefing up the Big Ten's Men's B'Ball Profile, maybe you should take a close look at the University of Memphis (Elite Eight 2006 & 2007, Preseason rank #1 in the country).

Additionally, there is the possibility for a SEC vs Big Ten Matchup in the Liberty Bowl down the road. Just something to think about ...

Academics eliminate Memphis. You have to be among top 75 schools in country to sniff the Big Ten. Big East takes tier 3 and 4 schools, but not the Big Ten.

OUBOBCATJOHN Wrote:Academics eliminate Memphis. You have to be among top 75 schools in country to sniff the Big Ten. Big East takes tier 3 and 4 schools, but not the Big Ten.

Okaaaaaaay ... . I guess you've gotta handle on all of that ... .