Big 10 Gearing for Further Expansion?

[VectorVictor]

Of note:

There may be more trouble coming for the Big East if the Big Ten decides to move forward again in a few years; already there are rumblings that it might go to 14 teams, with an eye on Georgia Tech and Maryland, which would significantly increase its television footprint.

Boston Globe link

Makes sense. Maryland would get the D.C. and Baltimore, MD markets, while Georgia Tech would grab part of the Atlanta market. Both are very "poachable" targets, too, IMO--good academics, good fanbase, good media markets.

I'd personally rather see the Big 10 go after Kansas and Missouri, but Atlanta and D.C./Baltimore have better media markets IIRC, and that's what is driving the expansion bus.

 

[okaive]

Do NOT want to see more East teams. It's hard enough for the mid-west fans to see away games as it is unless it's Iowa - NU game. Lets atleast get another mid-west team.

 

[BIG ERN]

Super conferences are on their way.

 

[da skers]

Unless something happens and they go to 16 teams and one of their primary targets falls off it won't be the Tigers. They screwed themselves with their actions the last time. JD doesn't forget crap like that and from my understanding was a little pissed they couldn't demonstrate the ability to be "team players" and do things the B10 way where things are done together and not just for the good of "your school". Had they sat quietly they would have been in the B10 (perhaps with us on the outside but its debatable) but they were so damn excited to tell the world they were important and relevant they screwed it up. They screwed it up so much that they still thought they were getting an invite after Nebraska got one. My buddy who works in the AD's office and sat in on the B10 MU Thursday negotiation meetings sent me a couple updates rather confused. He even stated (once we had our invite) it won't be long until MU should be getting theirs. And then 4 or so hours later he stated "I wonder when they're going to send that damn thing. I don't understand the hold up."

 

[bhamHusker]

There are no other midwest teams that really bring much to the table in terms of revenue or eyeballs, except Notre Dame because of its strong national appeal. Getting into the two TV markets mentioned would be HUGE for the conference, though.

 

[bigg10]

It could just be the B10 trying to tell them, get you act together. I could see another expansion in 3-4 years maybe, but GT? Really? I can see them trying to continue east, and yes as fans that bites. I think as someone mentioned, if they are going to go east they should have to add one from the midwest also. Missery, OK??? Be kind of nice to get OK onboard. So in my eyes the best deal, OK and ND. But they have been pineing for ND for awhile and it doesnt seem to be working.

 

[RedDenver]

It could just be the B10 trying to tell them, get you act together. I could see another expansion in 3-4 years maybe, but GT? Really? I can see them trying to continue east, and yes as fans that bites. I think as someone mentioned, if they are going to go east they should have to add one from the midwest also. Missery, OK??? Be kind of nice to get OK onboard. So in my eyes the best deal, OK and ND. But they have been pineing for ND for awhile and it doesnt seem to be working.

ND isn't joining a conference. Period. OU is too tied to Texas for the B1G to poach them.

 

[bigg10]

It could just be the B10 trying to tell them, get you act together. I could see another expansion in 3-4 years maybe, but GT? Really? I can see them trying to continue east, and yes as fans that bites. I think as someone mentioned, if they are going to go east they should have to add one from the midwest also. Missery, OK??? Be kind of nice to get OK onboard. So in my eyes the best deal, OK and ND. But they have been pineing for ND for awhile and it doesnt seem to be working.

ND isn't joining a conference. Period. OU is too tied to Texas for the B1G to poach them.

Agreed ND is a pipe dream. I wont say what OK would or would'nt do. We know Missery wants in, but without several years of being ranked, thats not going to happen. Plus even when they were ranked Iowa (7-5) beat them, so, pry not a good fit. It could happen, but they need to step up a bit more. But I would bet if OK came knocking, the B10 would help them sort out whatever needed to be done to bring them in.

I just cant see going much south of that line, east or west. Can you imagine the logistical nightmare with bringing in GT.

 

[okaive]

OU would never join the B1G. Not because of Texas, but because there really isn't anything beneficial for them. You think NU fans have a travel for away games, add about another 5 hours for OU fans (although I don't think they travel that much anyway unless it is a championship game). If OU goes anywhere, it will be to the SEC.

 

[RedDenver]

It could just be the B10 trying to tell them, get you act together. I could see another expansion in 3-4 years maybe, but GT? Really? I can see them trying to continue east, and yes as fans that bites. I think as someone mentioned, if they are going to go east they should have to add one from the midwest also. Missery, OK??? Be kind of nice to get OK onboard. So in my eyes the best deal, OK and ND. But they have been pineing for ND for awhile and it doesnt seem to be working.

ND isn't joining a conference. Period. OU is too tied to Texas for the B1G to poach them.

Agreed ND is a pipe dream. I wont say what OK would or would'nt do. We know Missery wants in, but without several years of being ranked, thats not going to happen. Plus even when they were ranked Iowa (7-5) beat them, so, pry not a good fit. It could happen, but they need to step up a bit more. But I would bet if OK came knocking, the B10 would help them sort out whatever needed to be done to bring them in.

I just cant see going much south of that line, east or west. Can you imagine the logistical nightmare with bringing in GT.

I'm sure the B1G would take OU if they came knocking, but my point is that OU isn't interested and their lifeblood is recruiting the state of Texas.

 

[Saunders]

Neither team adds much. Maryland is a joke. The NE part of the country is all about pro sports, which is why you will never see Rutgers or Syracuse join the Big 10. The Big 10 is already broadcasting all their games nationally, so adding "markets" is near pointless. Especially if you're adding markets by getting teams that don't move the national interest needle. IMO, you won't see any 16 team conferences, unless there is a major shift in CFB and they are forced into a playoff (which isn't gonna happen). You have to remember, while football is the major reason for these type of moves, the other sports will greatly suffer and lose even more money. That's the whole point of regional conferences in the first place.

 

[bigg10]

Neither team adds much. Maryland is a joke. The NE part of the country is all about pro sports, which is why you will never see Rutgers or Syracuse join the Big 10. The Big 10 is already broadcasting all their games nationally, so adding "markets" is near pointless. Especially if you're adding markets by getting teams that don't move the national interest needle. IMO, you won't see any 16 team conferences, unless there is a major shift in CFB and they are forced into a playoff (which isn't gonna happen). You have to remember, while football is the major reason for these type of moves, the other sports will greatly suffer and lose even more money. That's the whole point of regional conferences in the first place.

Exactly. So you have to look at teams that do that. Then figure what teams can "reasonably" travel. I think the B10 would like to move west, but there is a huge gap in teams there, to get to a team that has interest, the travel (for teams, not fans) becomes a problem. If we add all that up, OK is the nearest team to us that works. Like I said Missery or KS, but they have to step up a bit more, because right now they just dont move the needle far enough to make it a wise investment.

 

[VectorVictor]

The Big 10 is already broadcasting all their games nationally, so adding "markets" is near pointless. Especially if you're adding markets by getting teams that don't move the national interest needle.

This is not correct, Saunders. If the market is a 'local' market, then the B1G Network can increase the carrier cost to the cable provider significantly. This time last year during expansion talk, it had come out that the rates the Big 10 Network can charge (because they're a local provider) are significantly higher in their footprint than the rates for cable providers outside of the B1G footprint.

Since the B1G uses the local market revenue for base operating expenses to the Big 10 Network, that ultimately means a fatter operations bottom line for the network. This is why Mizzou was in the mix--if the B1G picked Mizzou, then the cost for cable carriers to provide the B1G in MO (read: KC, St. Louis) triples (or quadruples--it's been a while) overnight. (One of the problems, mind you, with Mizzou was that the north part of Missouri (and over 25% of the population) are already considered part of the B1G footprint.)

Additionally, this expansion into major media markets would mean the Big 10 Network could charge much more for advertising space on their network. Advertising money is the actual revenue which fills the huge pot 'o money that the Big 10 splits equally.

Just the expansion of the Big 10 Network into the Atlanta and DC/Baltimore media markets would pay for onboarding two new folks in a matter of a few scant years, if not sooner (depending on quality of product).

10 or 20 years ago, Saunders, your thinking would have been sound. But the Commissioners of these athletic conferences are wearing more than one hat--they're now cable channel directors, too, so fans need to start thinking accordingly when trying to process the logic behind these decisions.

And yes, I agree that the Maryland and Ga. Tech athletic programs themselves do nothing to pique my interest. But their media markets (and the increased revenue to DoNU) do make me interested.

 

[Saunders]

The Big 10 is already broadcasting all their games nationally, so adding "markets" is near pointless. Especially if you're adding markets by getting teams that don't move the national interest needle.

This is not correct, Saunders. If the market is a 'local' market, then the B1G Network can increase the carrier cost to the cable provider significantly. This time last year during expansion talk, it had come out that the rates the Big 10 Network can charge (because they're a local provider) are significantly higher in their footprint than the rates for cable providers outside of the B1G footprint.

Since the B1G uses the local market revenue for base operating expenses to the Big 10 Network, that ultimately means a fatter operations bottom line for the network. This is why Mizzou was in the mix--if the B1G picked Mizzou, then the cost for cable carriers to provide the B1G in MO (read: KC, St. Louis) triples (or quadruples--it's been a while) overnight. (One of the problems, mind you, with Mizzou was that the north part of Missouri (and over 25% of the population) are already considered part of the B1G footprint.)

Additionally, this expansion into major media markets would mean the Big 10 Network could charge much more for advertising space on their network. Advertising money is the actual revenue which fills the huge pot 'o money that the Big 10 splits equally.

Just the expansion of the Big 10 Network into the Atlanta and DC/Baltimore media markets would pay for onboarding two new folks in a matter of a few scant years, if not sooner (depending on quality of product).

10 or 20 years ago, Saunders, your thinking would have been sound. But the Commissioners of these athletic conferences are wearing more than one hat--they're now cable channel directors, too, so fans need to start thinking accordingly when trying to process the logic behind these decisions.

And yes, I agree that the Maryland and Ga. Tech athletic programs themselves do nothing to pique my interest. But their media markets (and the increased revenue to DoNU) do make me interested.

If that is the case, then why didn't they go for Rutgers or Syracuse instead of Nebraska? We don't add any TV market value.