College Football--Big Ten Expansion

[Anonymous]

The Big12 is pushing hard for that #3 conference position and at least ensured stability for several years but they just don't have any consistently big-time football programs that will pull in huge $$ now or in the future.

The ACC is what I'm interested in. Will FSU do something big? What were they thinking with that long-term rights deal? Remember when people thought Maryland was crazy for joining the Big Ten?

[Anonymous]

Yes, UCal-Berkeley sports are in trouble--as were the sports programs at UCLA prior to being rescued by the Big Ten Conference--which really anticipated adding USC & Notre Dame, but Notre Dame said no.

Soon there will be a changing of the guard at Notre Dame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Big12 is pushing hard for that #3 conference position and at least ensured stability for several years but they just don't have any consistently big-time football programs that will pull in huge $$ now or in the future.

The ACC is what I'm interested in. Will FSU do something big? What were they thinking with that long-term rights deal? Remember when people thought Maryland was crazy for joining the Big Ten?

No. You have to be joking. The Big Ten was a godsend for Maryland; the reaction was the complete opposite of what you wrote.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nevertheless, I do support the consideration of Stanford University for Big Ten Conference membership. After all, Northwestern University needs a buddy in the conference with which it can identify. And I love Northwestern University, but hazing that involves any manner of humiliation is totally inappropriate.

I want the Big Ten Conference to grow to 24 teams composed of 4 six team divisions. The addition of UCal Berkeley & Stanford would make such an arrangement easy, but it would also make a future split from the conference easy. So no to the addition of BOTH Stanford & Cal-Berkeley. Both are attractive from an academic viewpoint, but neither is at the level of a Notre Dame with respect to football--the premier revenue sport. But, hey, if Notre Dame wants Stanford, then Stanford it is.

My brother - an NCAA D1 All American in his day and a very well known economist - has colleagues at Cal's econ department. His Cal friend - who is a sports fan, is now legitimately concerned about the future of Cal athletics given the environment at the university. Their choices are bleak. Beg for a space with the Big 10 with a promise of a fuller revenue share in the future, join the Mountain West at a paltry 4 million a year and compete against Boise State, or go independent. Notre Dame altogether hauls in $33M being independent. Cal (and Stanford for that matter) could only draw a fraction of that sum and I don't see independence working for Cal or Stanford. Playing San Jose State draws minimal revenue. Stanford has the best overall women's athletic program in country. Query how that basketball and softball and golf and swim teams - and I could go on - will be paid for without big football money.

This shuffle is so profound it is going to impact the schools in any number of ways. A university president now really must really understand sports and the media markets, particularly as regards football which drives everything. Academic nerds cannot survive. The shuffle causes me to lose interest. Really, who is going to be interested in watching a 500 Maryland squad play Washington in November (no knock on Washington, but an unknown to people who live here)? As a kid we drove to Michigan games from Chicago. There was reason to get excited watching Michigan play Purdue (or name your school).

A relative lived down the street from FSU's ex-head coach, who the athletic department is still paying after buying out his contract to terminate him. They took money from the capital fund for the buyout. The reality is that FSU cannot sit and watch Florida get $40M more each year than FSU by virtue of SEC membership. They want in the SEC - and who in the heck knows how Florida State would pay the enormous ACC exit fee and restore its grant of rights back to itself. But you can bet FSU will pull every string and work every legislator 6 blocks away (4 blocks if you include the law school) to find a way to unhook from the ACC. The trustees care more about football than anything else. I ran on the FSU campus as an old guy a few years back and the stadium has stained glass of Bobby Bowden as if it was a fancy church. The new med school is three blocks north and you can't even find it easily. FSU could demand an unequal ACC draw (along with Clemson) but to get competitive with the SEC and Big 10 the draw would have to be significantly imbalanced in FSU's direction. And frankly, although better last year the team has not been good enough the past several years to support an unequal draw.

It is unfortunate that sports - football - will so impact universities. NIL essentially means de facto pro teams. But there is no going back.

Regarding the bolded: Don't bother.

May work for Stanford IF Notre Dame does the begging, but ND is a bit clueless as to the realities of today.

[Anonymous]

Can’t believe how screwed the acc is.

[Anonymous]

Remember nothing happens for a full year. Cal and Stanford (and Notre Dame) have plenty of time to let the dust settle and see if there is any ACC craziness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Big12 is pushing hard for that #3 conference position and at least ensured stability for several years but they just don't have any consistently big-time football programs that will pull in huge $$ now or in the future.

The ACC is what I'm interested in. Will FSU do something big? What were they thinking with that long-term rights deal? Remember when people thought Maryland was crazy for joining the Big Ten?

No. You have to be joking. The Big Ten was a godsend for Maryland; the reaction was the complete opposite of what you wrote.

The Big Ten essentially payed UMDs exit fee.

[Anonymous]

Both Stanford and Cal got the axe

[Anonymous]

At this time, the Big Ten Conference probably views a healthy SEC, a healthy Big 12, and a healthy ACC as its best friends. Nobody wants to hear the word antitrust and, under the current circumstances, that word will not be uttered.

The only school that the Big Ten Conference truly covets is independent, free agent Notre Dame. And even this fascination may fade over the next few years as the reality of the Big Ten Conference's embarrassment of riches sinks in.

[Anonymous]

The fan base at Maryland wasn't happy with the move at all. You can still hear Gary Williams complain even with the $$ windfall!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Remember nothing happens for a full year. Cal and Stanford (and Notre Dame) have plenty of time to let the dust settle and see if there is any ACC craziness.

Cal & Stanford athletic department cannot afford the travel expenses of ACC membership. Big 12, yes, but it is not clear as to whether the Big 12 Conference would accept either school (Cal or Stanford) as a member.

[Anonymous]

Good article:

https://espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38135852/big-ten-adds-oregon-washington-newest-members-blow-pac-12

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At this time, the Big Ten Conference probably views a healthy SEC, a healthy Big 12, and a healthy ACC as its best friends. Nobody wants to hear the word antitrust and, under the current circumstances, that word will not be uttered.

The only school that the Big Ten Conference truly covets is independent, free agent Notre Dame. And even this fascination may fade over the next few years as the reality of the Big Ten Conference's embarrassment of riches sinks in.

The Big Ten needs to play the long game though and that means being opportunistic with big gets like ND and even a few ACC schools if things start to unravel there. With the SEC around no one needs to worry at all about the Big Ten and the word antitrust. The Big Ten should care less about a healthy ACC or Big 12. It isn't bad to have financially weaker and unstable opponents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The fan base at Maryland wasn't happy with the move at all. You can still hear Gary Williams complain even with the $$ windfall!

Debbie Yow almost bankrupted the athletic department; they needed the money. Gary was mad because he could no longer pitch playing against Duke and UNC to recruits. He was right to be worried, Maryland is even more of an afterthought now in basketball

[Anonymous]

I love the chancellors and presidents rationalizing the Big 10 additions: "When considering the full spectrum of academic, athletic and research excellence, the alignment with our member institutions is extremely clear," Illinois chancellor Robert Jones, chair of the Big Ten council of presidents/chancellors, said in a statement. "We are excited to welcome them and look forward to collaborating and competing with them in the years ahead."