Update: Mike DeArmond of the Kansas City Star is reporting that Missouri officials have begun discussing the possibility of joining the Big Ten. The rumors that circulated yesterday saying that the Big Ten had offered Nebraska, Notre Dame, Rutgers and Missouri membership in its soon-to-be-expanded conference are untrue, however, according to DeArmond and other reports. While there's no indication which way these Missouri officials are leaning with regards to joining the Big Ten, the fact remains that, if it is offered a spot, the school will likely have a tough time saying no.
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Following up on
yesterday's post, St. Louis-Post Dispatch columnist Bryan Burwell writes that there's
no reason why Missouri shouldn't say yes to the Big Ten, if and when it offers to bring the school on board as part of its expansion plan.
The media in Big 12 country continue to harp on the uneven balance of power in the conference that leans heavily toward the South Division where Texas and Oklahoma reside. Also, teams are not given equal amounts from TV revenue in the Big 12, whereas in the Big Ten, each school is given $22 million (Mizzou currently rakes in $9 million). If the Big Ten could bring in two conference rivals (say Nebraska and/or Kansas), then the move would only make more sense for Missouri.