The Conference Expansion Thread

[JoeJoeBrown]

Originally Posted by scottyboy

We also add a whole **** ton of sex appeal

People in the Midwest don't dig gold chains, slicked back hair, and hairy chests.

[Smooth Criminal]

This hardly looks like a panic move. These moves have been talked about for a while.

[JoeJoeBrown]

Originally Posted by Smooth Criminal

This hardly looks like a panic move. These moves have been talked about for a while.

Yeah, I don't get that.

The one thing for sure is that the B1G will be moving southwards for the next teams (barring ND).

[brat316]

Originally Posted by JoeJoeBrown

Yeah, I don't get that.

The one thing for sure is that the B1G will be moving southwards for the next teams (barring ND).

What other research universities are left in big markets?

GT? UVA?

[bearsfan_51]

Those two and UNC, maybe Duke if that's needed to convince UNC.

[JoeJoeBrown]

Originally Posted by bearsfan_51

Those two and UNC, maybe Duke if that's needed to convince UNC.

These. Vanderbilt as well, but it's doubtful they'd leave the SEC. They might, however, as the majority of the SEC has some ****** academics, especially wrt research.

I'd love to see a complete WTF and have Florida join up. No way in hell, but it would be fun.

[Bobby Layne]

I’m not sure if Miami is a research university but I think they could be a possibility for the B1G as well. As a fan of a B1G team (Michigan), I want GT and Miami as our next additions. Both big markets and great academics. Miami also has some history with schools like Nebraska, PSU, and OSU.

I think we end up with GT and UVA though.

[MassNole]

Originally Posted by Bobby Layne

I’m not sure if Miami is a research university but I think they could be a possibility for the B1G as well. As a fan of a B1G team (Michigan), I want GT and Miami as our next additions. Both big markets and great academics. Miami also has some history with schools like Nebraska, PSU, and OSU.

I think we end up with GT and UVA though.

Florida State to the B1G is far more likely than Miami to the B1G, and FSU to the B1G ain't ever happening.

[Smooth Criminal]

When I hear Florida state I automatically think ******.

A Florida school would be cool in the Big Ten. Travel costs blah blah blah but if we're adding a southern school id rather it be from a state like Florida than the rest of them.

[bearsfan_51]

Repeat after me:

Georgia Tech, Virginia, North Carolina

[JoeJoeBrown]

Originally Posted by bearsfan_51

Repeat after me:

Georgia Tech, Virginia, North Carolina

I totally agree but throwing out other stuff is fun.

[diabsoule]

I have a hard time seeing UNC leaving Tobacco Road. The North Carolina schools are what run the ACC. Hell, they're on par with Texas in the Big 12. I think it would take some serious convincing to pry UNC away from N.C. State and Duke; Wake Forest being the only outlier.

I do agree with BF_51 that UVA, Georgia Tech, and North Carolina are high on the list. Also, you can't mention B1G expansion without considering Notre Dame. Adding them would be the feather in Delany's cap and would cement his legacy, not only in the B1G but in college football. Now that the B1G has Maryland and Rutgers, the Irish wouldn't lose their East coast recruiting for basketball if added and would rake in huge amounts of cash from the new tv deal, one that would likely increase exponentially with ND in the fold.

Also, from a purely tv market perspective (and BF_51 hates it when I bring this up) but Boston College. A traditional Notre Dame rival, the Boston tv market, a top ranked academic school (although not an AAU program), and solidifies the northeast tv market with Penn State, Rutgers, and Maryland.

[Basileus777]

I don't see The Big 10 inviting a private school other than ND. I don't think Boston College is a possibility.

[mqtirishfan]

Can ND possibly go to any conference other than the ACC with their shiny new contract?

[diabsoule]

Originally Posted by Basileus777

I don't see The Big 10 inviting a private school other than ND. I don't think Boston College is a possibility.

It would be out of character from Delany to do that but it could happen if it meant bringing in Notre Dame.

Personally, I think the top 5 choices for the B1G are ND, UVA, UNC, BC (only if it means ND joins as well), and Georgia Tech.

[diabsoule]

Originally Posted by mqtirishfan

Can ND possibly go to any conference other than the ACC with their shiny new contract?

Which contract? The one with the ACC?

Something I just thought about is this. Notre Dame's tv deal w/ NBC expires in 2015. The Big Ten's deal with ESPN expires in 2017. If B1G offers Notre Dame, they could negotiate a deal with NBC (if they are willing to pay) that would satisfy all parties. It makes NBC a major player in college football by retaining Notre Dame but also allows them to air premium Big Ten games. All parties involved would also get an exorbitant amount of money too with the new deal.

Just spitballing but it sounds plausible.

[JoeJoeBrown]

B1G to 17?

Not likely, but interesting take about how they could add one more as insurance against PSU getting the Federal ban hammer.

[Smooth Criminal]

I knew all these things were being said, I didn't think it was as imminent as the article makes it seem. By reading that you get the impression that sometime next week the ACC is just gonna collapse.

I don't want the Big Ten to 17. Stay at 16 and boot Penn State if and when anything happens to them. I won't be very happy about Georgia Tech and UVA being the last additions, but I see the logic. Just expecting something better. Other conferences are getting top teams, were getting bottom feeders that make money.

[Iamcanadian]

Originally Posted by diabsoule

Which contract? The one with the ACC?

Something I just thought about is this. Notre Dame's tv deal w/ NBC expires in 2015. The Big Ten's deal with ESPN expires in 2017. If B1G offers Notre Dame, they could negotiate a deal with NBC (if they are willing to pay) that would satisfy all parties. It makes NBC a major player in college football by retaining Notre Dame but also allows them to air premium Big Ten games. All parties involved would also get an exorbitant amount of money too with the new deal.

Just spitballing but it sounds plausible.

Notre Dame has its own TV deal where they keep every penny for themselves, it's why they have never joined the Big 10 in the past and why they won't join any conference any time soon, if ever.
Unless the Big 10 is willing to give Notre Dame somewhere around 50 million more that their own schools get, Notre Dame won't consider joining and I doubt the Big 10 is willing to do it.
The only way Notre Dame might join a conference is if the new playoff format only includes conference champions and excludes Notre Dame, but as long as Notre Dame can get into the National Championship Playoffs, they make way too much money with their own TV deal to ever give it up.

[Grizzlegom]

Others might know better than me but...I'm pretty sure Notre Dame would make a lot more TV money from the B1G than they make on their NBC contract if they were to join.

[Smooth Criminal]

If I'm the Big Ten I don't ever give ND anymore than their equal share. They'd be great to have, but not great enough to get special treatment. Take that nonsense to someone more desperate.

[diabsoule]

Originally Posted by Iamcanadian

Notre Dame has its own TV deal where they keep every penny for themselves, it's why they have never joined the Big 10 in the past and why they won't join any conference any time soon, if ever.
Unless the Big 10 is willing to give Notre Dame somewhere around 50 million more that their own schools get, Notre Dame won't consider joining and I doubt the Big 10 is willing to do it.
The only way Notre Dame might join a conference is if the new playoff format only includes conference champions and excludes Notre Dame, but as long as Notre Dame can get into the National Championship Playoffs, they make way too much money with their own TV deal to ever give it up.

That NBC contract is up in 2015. By then we'll know a lot more of how the CFB playoff system will work and if Notre Dame will be limited on their access to it. They already got shafted somewhat in the new Orange Bowl deal... They can only appear twice through the 15 year length of the contract.

Originally Posted by Grizzlegom

Others might know better than me but...I'm pretty sure Notre Dame would make a lot more TV money from the B1G than they make on their NBC contract if they were to join.

I can't find the exact numbers on the Notre Dame tv deal with NBC but judging from estimates that are being made about how much each university will receive from this new Big Ten tv deal, it would seem that each of the Big Ten universities would make significantly more than Notre Dame makes.

[brat316]

Big East dissolving? Law suites coming?

[WCH]

Originally Posted by bearsfan_51

Those two and UNC, maybe Duke if that's needed to convince UNC.

I've also seen Kansas mentioned as a possible B1G target. It's interesting to think about adding those basketball powerhouses to an already strong Big 10. If all three of those teams were to join the conference, then the conference members would have accounted for almost half of all Final Four participants over the past 20 years.

[Smooth Criminal]

Kansas would be alright. Definitely feels like more of a Big Ten school. Obviously great basketball. Not sure what they're academics are though.

Georgia Tech turns me off. Atlanta in the Big Ten? No thanks.