Big 10 Expansion Thread -Big Ten ready for a playoff .. finally?

[Toddzilla]

LOLZ

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

More smoke now coming from the Big Ten Conference regarding their expansion. This poster has been spot-on with all his posts. He's obviously being fed information from a person in the Big Ten offices or an AD office. I'm not sure how much longer some can continue to be in denial that there is a large amount of upheaval within the conferences and that things are going to change sooner rather than later........

WildcatReport.com - Message Boards

Expansion Update

Today was a very busy day in Park Ridge. For the Big Ten, the writing has been on the wall: we're going to 16-team super-conferences.

Invitations to join the conference remain in the hands of the appropriate parties at Notre Dame and Texas. The Big Ten believes that Notre Dame will join once Texas joins the conference. Texas wishes to join the Big Ten with its Longhorn Network, as a non-participant in the Big Ten Network. This scenario remains feasible.

The Big Ten is now operating under the presumption that A&M currently plans to leave the Big XII for the SEC. However, there is haste to consider an invitation to A&M immediately. The message to A&M has not yet been met with adequate response by the relevant parties at A&M. Though an invitation has not been settled upon, one likely will soon be forthcoming to Texas A&M. The Chancellors and Presidents have a conference scheduled to give provisional approval to invite A&M to the conference. It is expected that the Big Ten Chancellors and Presidents will find that A&M would add a unique level of tradition and academic prestige to the conference.

Separately, A&M stands to benefit the most from joining the Big Ten conference. In particular, A&M would reap the benefits from the Big Ten Network - which Park Ridge thinks would vastly outweigh the benefits that A&M would receive from the SEC. In particular, the Big Ten Network's reach is and likely always will capture a vastly wider audience than the Longhorn Network, and with A&M's addition to the Big Ten, will include the geographic footprint of the entire state of Texas.

With regard to the benefits A&M stands to gain from Big Ten membership, the Big Ten feels that the Big Ten Network would obviously more than offset the competition for eyeballs of recruits in the state of Texas from the Longhorn Network. The terms of the offer given to Texas include the right for Texas to maintain and independently operate the Longhorn Network, and thus not share in the financial benefit of the BTN. (Texas would receive equal voting rights and treatment in all other operations and activities of the conference aside from participation in the BTN.)

If A&M left the Big XII for the SEC, the Big Ten believes that the resulting political circumstances in the state of Texas would enable the University of Texas to leave the Big XII to join the Big Ten conference, regardless of the decisions made by the other Texas universities (with regard to the Big XII conference).

The Big Ten is actively pursuing the relevant parties at A&M and expanding discussions. This week, for the first time since the conference explored expansion possibilities, the notion that Texas and Texas A&M could join the Big Ten instead of Texas and Notre Dame as members 13 and 14 were openly considered. In such circumstances, the Big Ten believes that once Texas and Texas A&M join the conference, Notre Dame almost certainly would immediately follow, and several universities are in consideration for the sixteenth member, as I mentioned on the Rock. Should Texas and Texas A&M commit simultaneously to the Big Ten, the Big Ten expects to jointly announce the addition of four teams total to create a 16 team conference shortly thereafter.

We're currently in a period of acceleration of activity much like that which came before the invitation extended to Nebraska. The Big Ten seems poised to act immediately if A&M responds to certain overtures.

[Ksyrup]

From the FSY perspectice:

Orangebloods.com staff writer Chip Brown cited two Big 12 sources who said that if Texas A&M would decide to move and become the 13th member of the SEC, the SEC would pursue the Seminoles as a member of the East Division alongside Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and others. Texas A&M would be put in the West Division.

And when Warchant.com spoke with a source who would be a part of Florida State's decision making process to change conferences, it seems that a potential move to the SEC would be a popular one.

“All the higher ups are just pretty much waiting around to see if we're asked,” the source told Warchant.com. “And if we are, we're going. The coaching staff is on board as well.”

[Atocep]

A 16 team SEC is going to create some pissed off fanbases a few years down the line when they realize someone that's used to winning is going to have some 4-8 seasons.

[digamma]

If I am a non-Florida member of the SEC, I'm doing everything I can to block FSU. Why give Florida an extra 2 million bucks or so every year for the extra non-conference home game they would get to schedule?

[Ksyrup]

But having FSU in the SEC weakens UF, and that might please some schools.

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by Atocep

A 16 team SEC is going to create some pissed off fanbases a few years down the line when they realize someone that's used to winning is going to have some 4-8 seasons.

I'm worried about this and Michigan in a 16-team Big Ten, since we won't exactly be starting out in the best position, either.

[I. J. Reilly]

Originally Posted by Atocep

A 16 team SEC is going to create some pissed off fanbases a few years down the line when they realize someone that's used to winning is going to have some 4-8 seasons.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the SEC stopped at 14. It would be pretty hard for them to justify playing 4 OOC games each year with a 16 team league. With 14 they could have a balanced league schedule; 3 home and 3 road division games and 1 home and 1 road against the other division each year. Leaves plenty of room for all the Directional State U’s they have to fit onto the schedule.

[Toddzilla]

Originally Posted by I. J. Reilly

I wouldn’t be surprised if the SEC stopped at 14. It would be pretty hard for them to justify playing 4 OOC games each year with a 16 team league. With 14 they could have a balanced league schedule; 3 home and 3 road division games and 1 home and 1 road against the other division each year. Leaves plenty of room for all the Directional State U’s they have to fit onto the schedule.

Wow, that's kinda hard to swallow, if you're in one conference and you only get to play Florida at home once every 7 years.

[I. J. Reilly]

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

Wow, that's kinda hard to swallow, if you're in one conference and you only get to play Florida at home once every 7 years.

Yep, but that's the trade off isn't it? Tradition or an ass load of money, but not both.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Article about Dan Beebe's handing of the situation............

http://v4.texags.com/Stories/2594

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

dola

NCAA just released a ruling that no high school sports events can be shown on conference or school networks as it would violate current by-laws.

[DeToxRox]

The guy closest to the Big Ten who has had a lot of info regarding its expansion is saying that the Big Ten wants to make a run at A&M. I don't see how that would even be remotely possible but it's somewhat intriguing.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

The guy closest to the Big Ten who has had a lot of info regarding its expansion is saying that the Big Ten wants to make a run at A&M. I don't see how that would even be remotely possible but it's somewhat intriguing.

I could see that the Big Ten would be extremely interested in finding in-roads into Texas. Not sure if A&M's #1 preference would be the Big Ten.

[Atocep]

Aggieyell.com reporting TAMU to the SEC is done. Front page article is titled "Good Bye, Big 12".

[DeToxRox]

And the hysteria continues

[DeToxRox]

If the Big Ten is expanding more I hope we take two teams and Maryland is one of them. I think we'll keep the door open for ND until there is no choice but to move on. Until we get 16 there ought to always be an invitation for ND to join.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Aggieyell.com reporting TAMU to the SEC is done. Front page article is titled "Good Bye, Big 12".

Not surprising. This guy just confirms what I've heard through several people at Mizzou. Most of the B12 schools have not stopped talking with other conferences despite the 'deal' to 'save' the Big 12. It's going to blow up and we are going to see at least four and probably five 16-team conferences in the very near future.

I just got off the phone with someone on campus who I had been trying to talk to over the last few days because he's very well connected. Unlike a lot of things we had heard over the past few days which might have contradicted something else we heard or came from outside the university itself, his stuff comes from the highest levels and it's like God handing Moses the Ten Commandments.

A&M's going to the SEC.

This is what was said:

When the LHN was announced last fall, A&M officials took a long hard look at the economics of the deal and decided that they couldn't compete with Texas unless they did something different. They have been in discussions with SEC officials since that time. The person he talked to said that all future alignment discussions would be based on economics and that A&M was ahead of the curve in this regard.

On August 22, the A&M BOR will make it official. It doesn't matter what the NCAA decided today regarding the LHN or if the Big 12 has any further meetings or whatever penalties are assessed by the Big 12 for A&M leaving the conference.

There's nothing that can be done at this point to stop this. The BOR has determined that A&M's future lies in the SEC and away from Texas and will ratify this officially.

He was told that although Rick Perry will be in Birmingham and South Carolina this weekend, he has nothing to do with it. He was also told that he didn't have anything to do with the events of last summer. The timing of Perry's trip to the south has to do with his announcement that he is running for president which will be made Saturday on the same day that the Iowa straw polls are being done.

I apologize for not having much prior to this but this is the conversation that I waiting to have because there has been no better source on A&M over the years and because this comes directly from the highest levels. Prior to that, I wanted to be cautious but there's no need to be cautious at this point.

[General Mike]

Come on Big East, just do it.

[dawgfan]

Gonna be fascinating to watch. I have a hard time believing any of the other conferences are going to be OK bringing Texas on board with the Longhorn Network intact. On the other hand, given the way the Pac-12 has set up their networks, if Texas is willing to make a few compromises, their network might be able to fit in to the larger Pac-12 Network plan.

If Texas is off the table and pursues being an independent, Oklahoma quickly becomes the big fish out there. Will politics dictate that Oklahoma has to be paired with Oklahoma State? Would the SEC want Oklahoma enough to accept also taking on Oklahoma State? I'm pretty sure the Pac-12 would take them given their limited options to expand further...

[Buccaneer]

Whatever happened to the Missouri to the Big10 being a done deal?

[Atocep]

Of the Big East teams I'm interested to see where Syracuse, Rutgers, and Louisville end up. I think WVU, Pitt, and UConn end up in the ACC. Rutgers would be a solid Big 10 addition but I'm not sure the ACC would be interested.

Of course if the Big East were to boot Seton Hall and DePaul and Notre Dame ends up in the Big 10 then Maryland and BC to the Big East may be an attractive option with TV contract negotiations taking place now.

I don't see Big East football surviving this, but there is a chance if the SEC grabs FSU along with Virginia Tech or Clemson. In that scenario the Big East may become a more attractive option just because of the open TV contract.

It's definitely going to be interesting.

[DeToxRox]

If the Big East is proactive and nabs Kansas and Missouri it might be able to safe itself. I don't know though. It's a tough situation for them to be in.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

If Texas is off the table and pursues being an independent, Oklahoma quickly becomes the big fish out there. Will politics dictate that Oklahoma has to be paired with Oklahoma State? Would the SEC want Oklahoma enough to accept also taking on Oklahoma State? I'm pretty sure the Pac-12 would take them given their limited options to expand further...

Oklahoma is reportedly livid about this development. They're stuck with OSU, so if the SEC goes to 14 teams in the short term, there's no way OU can jump until they make a move to 16 teams.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

If the Big East is proactive and nabs Kansas and Missouri it might be able to safe itself. I don't know though. It's a tough situation for them to be in.

BC and Maryland would be excellent fits and a new TV deal would possibly bring both schools more money than they're getting in the ACC.

Some basketball only schools are going to have to go though for things to work. Seton Hall could go because it's become obvious they aren't interested in actually competing, DePaul is just a terrible fit, Notre Dame will be gone. That leaves Marquette as the only other school that doesn't have long standing ties that I could see being asked to move along.

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by Atocep

BC and Maryland would be excellent fits and a new TV deal would possibly bring both schools more money than they're getting in the ACC.

Some basketball only schools are going to have to go though for things to work. Seton Hall could go because it's become obvious they aren't interested in actually competing, DePaul is just a terrible fit, Notre Dame will be gone. That leaves Marquette as the only other school that doesn't have long standing ties that I could see being asked to move along.

That would be nice.

If the Big Ten wanted to expand for the sake of expanding I could see two of Maryland, Syracuse, Pitt and Rutgers getting invited.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Article from the UT Minister of Information..........

Orangebloods.com - D-Day appears imminent for 10-member Big 12

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Article from the UT Minister of Information..........

Orangebloods.com - D-Day appears imminent for 10-member Big 12

Dont ever leave

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Oklahoma is reportedly livid about this development. They're stuck with OSU, so if the SEC goes to 14 teams in the short term, there's no way OU can jump until they make a move to 16 teams.

Max of 2 west teams though, with 1 being TAMU, so no way SEC would also take 2 more west teams. They would pair 1 or 2 west teams with 1 or 2 east teams.

Assuming any of this is real...

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Source said talk of 'done deal' is premature, but also doesn't deny that SEC and A&M are working on details...........

Source: Report of Texas A&M accepting SEC invitation 'just not true' - NCAA Football - Sporting News

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Source said talk of 'done deal' is premature, but also doesn't deny that SEC and A&M are working on details...........

Source: Report of Texas A&M accepting SEC invitation 'just not true' - NCAA Football - Sporting News

I don't see how it's not inevitable with this much smoke out there. I'd assume TAMU is working on its exit strategy while the SEC figures out who the 14th member will be.

[Swaggs]

I'd really like to see the Big East stay intact through this, but it is hard to see how it avoids getting chopped apart.

One thing that I am watching is if Virginia Tech and UVA could manage to part ways without either of them being harmed. I can envision Tech going to the SEC with A&M and the Big Ten inviting Maryland and UVA.

As a WVU fan, I am terrified that we will get left out. On the one hand, we have pretty strong football and basketball programs, strong followings, and do not have any political ties to less desirable schools. But our academics and media market size kills us with the Big Ten and (most likely) with the ACC, unless they relax their parameters.

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

I'd really like to see the Big East stay intact through this, but it is hard to see how it avoids getting chopped apart.

One thing that I am watching is if Virginia Tech and UVA could manage to part ways without either of them being harmed. I can envision Tech going to the SEC with A&M and the Big Ten inviting Maryland and UVA.

As a WVU fan, I am terrified that we will get left out. On the one hand, we have pretty strong football and basketball programs, strong followings, and do not have any political ties to less desirable schools. But our academics and media market size kills us with the Big Ten and (most likely) with the ACC, unless they relax their parameters.

Big East isn't going to be the one chopped up, it'll be the Big 12. Heck if Florida State leaves the ACC, they are ripe for a raid.

[Chubby]

I'm guessing this is a reason why they turned down ESPN's offer? to use as a bargaining chip in staying a league?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

I'd really like to see the Big East stay intact through this, but it is hard to see how it avoids getting chopped apart.

One thing that I am watching is if Virginia Tech and UVA could manage to part ways without either of them being harmed. I can envision Tech going to the SEC with A&M and the Big Ten inviting Maryland and UVA.

As a WVU fan, I am terrified that we will get left out. On the one hand, we have pretty strong football and basketball programs, strong followings, and do not have any political ties to less desirable schools. But our academics and media market size kills us with the Big Ten and (most likely) with the ACC, unless they relax their parameters.

I think all the 'we'll get left out' by some of these schools and their fans is awfully premature. There's going to be at least one and possibly two more large conferences to emerge from this whole thing. The three obvious survivors are going to be the B10, SEC, and PAC-whatever. There's going to be another eastern and another western conference that pop out of this whole mess. It's going to be a different landscape, but there will be plenty of room for all the schools that are relevant now.

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by Chubby

I'm guessing this is a reason why they turned down ESPN's offer? to use as a bargaining chip in staying a league?

It makes more sense that way. The way I see it, there will end up being 5 major conferences, 3 with 16, 2 with 12. It makes much more sense for schools that want to jump to go to a conference that is free to renegotiate its contract in the next 18 months than a conference that is locked in for the next 10 years.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

The guy closest to the Big Ten who has had a lot of info regarding its expansion is saying that the Big Ten wants to make a run at A&M. I don't see how that would even be remotely possible but it's somewhat intriguing.

Would the rumor of them wanting A&M just be to get Texas to give a little on their Longhorn Network?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Wow. Some amazing stuff hitting the B12 premium message boards on Rivals right now. Not going to list specifics, but it sounds like other B12 schools already have gigs lined up (and have for several months) if A&M pulls the pin out of the grenade.

[Swaggs]

I hope you guys are right, but I have a tough time seeing ESPN doing the Big East any favors at the ACC's expense (whether it is a diminished ACC or not). I want WVU to end up in a BCS conference, at all costs, but I'll be really bummed if we split up from Pitt/Syracuse/Rutgers/UConn and, to a lesser extent, Louisville.

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

I hope you guys are right, but I have a tough time seeing ESPN doing the Big East any favors at the ACC's expense (whether it is a diminished ACC or not). I want WVU to end up in a BCS conference, at all costs, but I'll be really bummed if we split up from Pitt/Syracuse/Rutgers/UConn and, to a lesser extent, Louisville.

ESPN might not, but NBC needs programming for their sports network too.

[Swaggs]

Originally Posted by General Mike

ESPN might not, but NBC needs programming for their sports network too.

Yeah, it is hard to envision ESPN letting that happen quietly. I can see them kicking the legs out from under NBC and the Big East by suggesting that the ACC grab 3 or 4 Big East teams and renegotiating with them.

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Wow. Some amazing stuff hitting the B12 premium message boards on Rivals right now. Not going to list specifics, but it sounds like other B12 schools already have gigs lined up (and have for several months) if A&M pulls the pin out of the grenade.

How about teams and conferences. Or is that too specific?

[tarcone]

Or more specifically, where does Mizzou end up?

[Swaggs]

I'd guess that Texas and Oklahoma probably have standing offers to the Pac 12 and SEC (and probably both to the Big Ten, but certainly Texas does).

Oklahoma State probably can go SEC or Pac 12 with Oklahoma.

Texas Tech can probably go to the Pac 12 with Texas and possibly with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

Missouri, Kansas, KSU, and Iowa State were voted on and approved by Big East presidents last fall, before TCU wass added. I would guess that Missouri, Kansas, and KSU still have an open invite and Iowa State probably does, as well. Kansas and Missouri may be possibilities for the Pac 12, if better options fall through, and are longshots for the Big Ten. Missouri is a longshot, but possibility for the SEC or ACC.

Baylor is probably SOL.

Texas and/or Oklahoma have enough gravity to anchor a BCS conference with a mishmash of non-AQ teams and BCS leftovers, if they so choose, I would imagine.

[MrBug708]

Tech wants badly to be in the PAC-12. The PAC-10 will only expand if they can get Texas though, IMO. They dont see the need to expand for the sake of expanding right now. If Oklahoma is indeed tied to OSU, it seems like it will be those four or nothing for the PAC-12

[MrBug708]

If I could switch out one school, I would take Kansas, if only for the basketball legacy they'd bring

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Tech wants badly to be in the PAC-12. The PAC-10 will only expand if they can get Texas though, IMO. They dont see the need to expand for the sake of expanding right now. If Oklahoma is indeed tied to OSU, it seems like it will be those four or nothing for the PAC-12

I disagree somewhat - Scott knows that super-conferences are the future, and there are precious few appealing options that the Pac-12 will have if/when that comes to pass. If that means taking Oklahoma/Oklahoma State while Texas goes the independent route or to the Big Ten, I think Scott would have to do it.

That said, I think Texas is going to have a hard time going independent. Obviously they could pull it off just fine in football, but what about all their other sports? BYU could do it because, frankly, their other sports aren't a big deal, and so placing them in the WCC was a viable solution. What would Texas do with their other sports? Conference USA or the Sun Belt? I have my doubts...

Joining the Pac-12 would make a lot of sense, as would the Big Ten.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

I disagree somewhat - Scott knows that super-conferences are the future, and there are precious few appealing options that the Pac-12 will have if/when that comes to pass. If that means taking Oklahoma/Oklahoma State while Texas goes the independent route or to the Big Ten, I think Scott would have to do it.

That said, I think Texas is going to have a hard time going independent. Obviously they could pull it off just fine in football, but what about all their other sports? BYU could do it because, frankly, their other sports aren't a big deal, and so placing them in the WCC was a viable solution. What would Texas do with their other sports? Conference USA or the Sun Belt? I have my doubts...

Joining the Pac-12 would make a lot of sense, as would the Big Ten.

I agree. I don't see why the PAC 12 wouldn't go for the 2 most desirable schools that are willing to join as soon as the Big 12 implodes. It doesn't make sense to sit around and end up with last picks on this. They can get to 14 and then wait and see how think the dominoes are going to fall before expanding to 16.

[tarcone]

PAC 12 could go BYU and Air Force. Along with OU and OSU. They have 2 schools in each state in their conference and I think they like that. (I'm counting Cali as 2 states.

[MrBug708]

BYU isn't an option