...basic thoughts on what two programs the BiG should add to get to 16... should be a neat topic, if it hasn't been beaten to death already ...I'll start off with...UCONN and Kansas... AAU membership be danged...

...P.S. - hope y'all get this board 'above ground'...

The very best two Universities that the Big Ten could add? North Carolina and Virginia, without a doubt.

The very best two Universities that the Big Ten could add should the Big 12 GoR not hold up? In my opinion that would be Kansas and Texas but best hope would be Kansas and Oklahoma.

The very best two Universities that the Big Ten could add should all GoR's be upheld and no conferences break apart? I don't think the Big Ten would expand. UConn is a decent choice but there is no other acceptable choice to go with them.

...not sure why, but I'd kinda like to see UCONN get somewhere... they obviously have the Bball chops, and their Fball has been fair to good... but for the 'evenness', yeah, there's just not a second choice unless some 'GoR busting' occurs... unless ND somehow can change course and jump into the BiG, cause I think they still have their own media deal, right?...but I think that ship has LONG sailed... weird how they ended up somewhere other than BiG... but lots of 'back and forth' regarding that topic over the years, for sure!

...oh, this is probably opening up a big can, but... how about Iowa St.? Obviously a big rival for the Hawkeyes, but... I'm not sure how their program as a whole stacks up for BiG consideration...

(05-17-2013 08:51 PM)GreenFreakUAB Wrote:  ...oh, this is probably opening up a big can, but... how about Iowa St.? Obviously a big rival for the Hawkeyes, but... I'm not sure how their program as a whole stacks up for BiG consideration...

Unfortunately, Iowa State would be a no go for the entire conference. There is no upside. Yes, they are AAU but AAU is not everything. ISU would cost every member. Basically they would be subsidized by the rest of the conference. UConn would help expand the footprint into viable and heavily populated markets. Iowa State brings no new markets.

If the Big 12 was to break up, ISU better hope that they somehow can get a ticket to the PAC otherwise they are moving down to the AAC.

If the goal is to expand to increase markets for the BTN and the fan base, plus to truly compete with the SEC and ACC, then it has to be Kentucky and Missouri. That would rip the heart out of SEC basketball and while Kentucky's football has been god-awful of late, it's really not any worse than Indiana's or Rutgers'.

Kentucky? Are you joking?

No friggn way.

(05-17-2013 11:21 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  If the goal is to expand to increase markets for the BTN and the fan base, plus to truly compete with the SEC and ACC, then it has to be Kentucky and Missouri. That would rip the heart out of SEC basketball and while Kentucky's football has been god-awful of late, it's really not any worse than Indiana's or Rutgers'.

If you are going to take Kentucky, absolutely disagree about that choice, but if you are then might as well list Tennessee with them. Take that Rivalry and Tennessee in the Big Ten with another 100+ Stadium and Tennessee would actually be a football power in the Big Ten.

(05-17-2013 11:39 PM)Fireman451 Wrote:  Kentucky? Are you joking?

No friggn way.

Only a little. It's arguably the best basketball school in the SEC, plus the ACC and XII are off the board for expansion for the foreseeable future. I'd actually say its a better choice than UConn or anyone else from the American, plus it would really hurt the B1G's biggest rival - the SEC - in both markets and network revenue.

That's not to say it would happen, though. I think expansion is done for the B1G for the time being.

A little outside the box here: Florida and Florida State.

...Kentucky IS SEC Basketball, y'all... the Gators have had a few good years with Billy the Kid, but... I think I remember someone saying that the SEC program with the most SEC titles behind Kentucky is.... Alabama. That pretty much sums up the 'depth' of SEC basketball...of course Mizzou has added some strength... Vandy has been fair the past few... but overall just not a very strong Bball league.

I'm in agreement that the BiG is pretty set for awhile, as is the SEC... but just gathering thoughts, as it is a pretty popular topic. thanks for the info thus far!

(05-18-2013 11:22 AM)SeaBlue Wrote:  A little outside the box here: Florida and Florida State.

...would be interesting for sure, but...I think if FSU jumps anywhere, it would be the SEC...I think the BigXII deal may still have a chance, but the GoR is the hindrance now... somehow I think that the networks could 'circumvent' that if it somehow was a beneficial move for all parties...

I know Miami has lost a lot of 'mojo', but they would seem to be an interesting choice for someone to 'gain entry' into the Florida recruiting grounds...

I still like Kansas and Mizzou as 15 and 16, and that is what I will want regardless of who they actually add.

I kinda believe if the BIG does do something they will try to keep it even and go one East and one West ... maybe Virginia and Kansas ... something similar etc

(05-20-2013 09:11 AM)DexterDevil Wrote:  I still like Kansas and Mizzou as 15 and 16, and that is what I will want regardless of who they actually add.

If we had to go to 16 (emphasis on had), I'd agree there. We've expanded out east, now back to the Midwestern roots. That said, both Kansas and Missouri strike me as a 2nd team to go along with a main one if a spot was needed (which it probably wouldn't be). That said...

(05-20-2013 09:11 AM)PIRATE TERP Wrote:  I kinda believe if the BIG does do something they will try to keep it even and go one East and one West ... maybe Virginia and Kansas ... something similar etc

I hope that if they do go to 16, they think of the alignment before adding (unlike almost every expansion in every conference so far). Two fixed divisions does not work at 16 (you're two conferences at that point connected by a conference championship; the SEC and ACC are pretty much already there even at 14 given their set-ups). Pods (rotating divisions) would have to be used. That would mean setting things up so you can get 4 groups of 4 with a minimum number of locked games outside of pods.

Virginia and UNC should be the goal.

(05-20-2013 05:38 PM)ohio1317 Wrote:  

(05-20-2013 09:11 AM)DexterDevil Wrote:  I still like Kansas and Mizzou as 15 and 16, and that is what I will want regardless of who they actually add.

If we had to go to 16 (emphasis on had), I'd agree there. We've expanded out east, now back to the Midwestern roots. That said, both Kansas and Missouri strike me as a 2nd team to go along with a main one if a spot was needed (which it probably wouldn't be). That said...

(05-20-2013 09:11 AM)PIRATE TERP Wrote:  I kinda believe if the BIG does do something they will try to keep it even and go one East and one West ... maybe Virginia and Kansas ... something similar etc

I hope that if they do go to 16, they think of the alignment before adding (unlike almost every expansion in every conference so far). Two fixed divisions does not work at 16 (you're two conferences at that point connected by a conference championship; the SEC and ACC are pretty much already there even at 14 given their set-ups). Pods (rotating divisions) would have to be used. That would mean setting things up so you can get 4 groups of 4 with a minimum number of locked games outside of pods.

I think the move to 16 would necessitate a four division setup and a change to the NCAA rules to allow conference semifinals. The 9-game schedule sets up nicely for that - 3 games vs your own division, play one entire other division on rotation (4 games), and play one team from each of the remaining two divisions (could do this many ways, but I like making that arrangement based on how they finished the previous season [i.e. 1st place teams play each other, 2nd place teams play each other, etc.]. If the B1G (and SEC) were to ask for that rule change, you can bet it would go through.

(05-21-2013 08:16 AM)CommuterBob Wrote:  

(05-20-2013 05:38 PM)ohio1317 Wrote:  

(05-20-2013 09:11 AM)DexterDevil Wrote:  I still like Kansas and Mizzou as 15 and 16, and that is what I will want regardless of who they actually add.

If we had to go to 16 (emphasis on had), I'd agree there. We've expanded out east, now back to the Midwestern roots. That said, both Kansas and Missouri strike me as a 2nd team to go along with a main one if a spot was needed (which it probably wouldn't be). That said...

(05-20-2013 09:11 AM)PIRATE TERP Wrote:  I kinda believe if the BIG does do something they will try to keep it even and go one East and one West ... maybe Virginia and Kansas ... something similar etc

I hope that if they do go to 16, they think of the alignment before adding (unlike almost every expansion in every conference so far). Two fixed divisions does not work at 16 (you're two conferences at that point connected by a conference championship; the SEC and ACC are pretty much already there even at 14 given their set-ups). Pods (rotating divisions) would have to be used. That would mean setting things up so you can get 4 groups of 4 with a minimum number of locked games outside of pods.

I think the move to 16 would necessitate a four division setup and a change to the NCAA rules to allow conference semifinals. The 9-game schedule sets up nicely for that - 3 games vs your own division, play one entire other division on rotation (4 games), and play one team from each of the remaining two divisions (could do this many ways, but I like making that arrangement based on how they finished the previous season [i.e. 1st place teams play each other, 2nd place teams play each other, etc.]. If the B1G (and SEC) were to ask for that rule change, you can bet it would go through.

I think a rule change is going to be a lot harder than most guess. Multiple conferences asked for the rules to change to allow CCG without 12 teams, including several power conferences. All were rejected.

Personally, I hope it would be rejected. I like the regular season deciding things and a 4 team conference playoff would diminish that. Beyond that, it would just make expansion easier again (and I'd like it to be very hard to limit it).

My guess is either two eastern or two western. That way Indy/Purdue just slide into the same division. The obvious choices would be UVa/UNC or UKan/Mizzu. Either combo seems to satisfy all the supposed requirements for expansion candidates.