B1G Expansion and more Conference Realignment

matthew_m_g said:
tschu said:
"Nebraska rates better in New York than Rutgers," said one industry source. (per Dennis Dodd)
LOOOL TV Markets
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Last I checked, Nebraska is a prominent fixture in the Big 10 and, therefore, will be on the BTN. If you grab even a small percentage of NYC with this, that's still worth the price of admission. Same with tOSU and Michigan.

He'll, if anything, it puts Nebraska in a very good place, media-wise. We, for all intents and purposes, are now an East Coast conference, with all of the access, pitfalls, and benefits that come with it.

Though, I suppose we can't complain about east coast bias anymore...
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Oh don't worry I wasn't trying to make any bigger point with my comment than just laughing at how little TV value Rutgers has in the northeast, that's all

 
Good find, RedDenver.

FranktheTank was one of the bloggers, if not *the* blogger, that called Nebraska going to the B1G well before Nebraska was even being mentioned as a potential candidate. He also ran the numbers to show that Nebraska was a bigger TV draw than Notre Dame, ratings-wise, as well, and that Nebraska could deliver more than then-darling Missouri to the B1G.

I'm interested to hear who the additional schools will be...

 
There is nothing sexy about this. I understand the dollars are moving this along, and there is some gamble as to whether Maryland and Rutgers can deliver these markets to the B1G network but I think it will work dollars wise. Just leaves me with a meh feeling.

I will be disappointed if B1G dosent go to 16. I will also be disappointed if the next adds are the Charlotte and Atlanta markets. I want brands that will strengthen the conference. Florida St and Clemson are my choices.

 
gratefullred said:
There is nothing sexy about this. I understand the dollars are moving this along, and there is some gamble as to whether Maryland and Rutgers can deliver these markets to the B1G network but I think it will work dollars wise. Just leaves me with a meh feeling.

I will be disappointed if B1G dosent go to 16. I will also be disappointed if the next adds are the Charlotte and Atlanta markets. I want brands that will strengthen the conference. Florida St and Clemson are my choices.
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Are either AAU?

 
I think that Gene Wojciechowski best sums this expansion up.

The Big 14 (and counting)

Ever play "Risk?" It's a board game (remember those?) where the object is to conquer the world. It's a lesson in strategy, geography and choosing your battles.

big_ten.gif


The Big Ten looked at the college football (and basketball) map and realized it was in danger of being outflanked. So it rolled the bones and added Maryland on Monday and Rutgers on Tuesday.

The Terrapins and Scarlet Knights aren't sexy choices, but they're effective ones. True, there is nothing Midwestern about the two newest members of the Big Ten. They're the plaid shirt to the Big Ten's striped pants.

But this wasn't about finding the perfect eHarmony date. It was about finding the perfect safe harbor. Rutgers and Maryland give the Big Ten geographical protection. They give the conference entry into the New York and mid-Atlantic cable markets.
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and

The Big 14 (and counting), Part II

Think of the Big Ten as Five Guys. It just opened a franchise directly across the street from McDonald's (the ACC) and Burger King (the Big East).

In essence, the Big Ten just told the ACC, "You want to brawl, we'll brawl." It told the Big East, "We didn't start this, but we'll finish it if we have to."

The expansion and realignment arms race has begun again. The Big Ten had watched the ACC use the Big East as its own personal chop shop and decided it had to act. It couldn't allow Penn State to be isolated by ACC members Boston College, Pittsburgh and Syracuse (and maybe UConn soon enough).

The ACC's alliance with Notre Dame certainly had an effect on the Big Ten's strategy, as did the collapse of the Big Ten/Pac-12 collaboration.

There's a turf war going on in college sports. It is survival of the fittest and right now, the Big Ten, ACC, SEC, Pac-12 and, OK, the Big 12 look pretty healthy.

The Big East? On its last legs.
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Why cant this stuff happen in the off season? Especially during baseball season. No offense to the guy whos brother plays in the major leagues or any one that went to high school or college with Joba chamberline or Alex Gordon.

 
It's interesting how this expansion is all about money and doesn't take into account the traditions and rivalries that fans cherish. As Nebraska fans we've already had to hit the reset button on rivalries but I wonder how UM and OSU might feel if it is no longer possible to maintain The Game. Before expansion I think the case could be made that it no longer made sense to have the top two teams play at end of the season and then immediately in a CCG. This season we are one NCAA probation and one win away from that happening. I wouldn't be suprised if that comes up for discussion now as well as doing away with some of the other rivalries.

What will viewers in NJ, NYC or DC think when they first tune into BTN and see ag related commercials? I live in Chicago area and since I'm not a target for these commercials I believe it must be a single feed to everyone. Are we going to start seeing waste management commercial from NJ?

 
4skers89,

Those are excellent points you make; however, these decisions by Universities are made for whole university as a a whole. For example, Maryland is thinking more than just rivalries for the fans sake, they are thinking if academics and staff as well.

I am with a lot of people in terms of rivalries and tradition, but times are changing and is better to be ahead of the curve...than behind it.

 
There is no interest in Rutgers, and Maryland from a competitive standpoint, and that is unfortunate....However, if the the goal was to land large television markets, and get as many "eyes" as possible in the B1G footprint, then I think we did quite well. If that is the goal for these conferences, and it seems to be, then we kicked the SEC's (Missouri, Texas A&M), and the Pac-12's (Colorado, Utah) asses in trying to meet that objective. Jim Delaney seems like a guy who has a solid reason for what he decides, and given his past, I am willing to trust his decision, and I am excited for the future of the Big Ten Conference....

 
Pat Forde on Yahoo had a ridiculous article just going after Maryland and Rutgers for making poor financial decisions that cost them other sports...then goes on to slam them for making a financially smart decision and getting rid of all their tradition. These goofs writing for yahoo just like to complain...

 
akita said:
Why cant this stuff happen in the off season? Especially during baseball season. No offense to the guy whos brother plays in the major leagues or any one that went to high school or college with Joba chamberline or Alex Gordon.
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Gotta keep people from talking about #1 Notre Dame and at least remind them that the Big10 still exists.

 
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