CSNbbs

Would instituting a cross-country conference, and perhaps breaking away from the NCAA, be enough to get BTN into the Texas and Florida markets? This would be akin to NFL Network, which is included in most cable packages nationwide, even markets without a team.

If so, would adding schools like Colorado, Arizona, and Arizona State be worth it over the long-term? We know there are large Big 10 fan bases in Denver and Phoenix. Would those schools (or Stanford/Cal/Oregon/Washington) be willing to accept reduced payouts into the foreseeable future? Would schools like Ohio State and Michigan be willing to take slightly lower revenue to allow for creation of a breakaway league?

I think the Big 10 forming its own governing body would be great for the member schools and would create a more level playing field. Right now, there's a lot of pressure to keep up with the other (SEC) schools that allow for kids of questionable intelligence and/or character to be admitted. It would be great to not totally tarnish the academic credentials these schools have worked centuries to achieve.

It could also create a new/separate standard for NIL, transfer portal, signing period, and perhaps guaranteeing four year scholarships instead of 'processing' (again, to keep pace with SEC schools). Plus, being a coast-to-coast league allows for the chance to have your own playoff and declare your own National Champion. It would be similar to the current Ivy League setup, which basically exists in its own silo. The SEC would also be rendered to 'NASCAR' status.

Creating a nationwide conference and a higher standards of academics would probably be the thing(s) that get Notre Dame to join, as these are two much talked-about points when they celebrate their independence.

A 24-team football conference could be done with (4) 6-team divisions to maintain rivalries and a semblance of regional intrigue.

East: Rutgers, Maryland, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State
Central: Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota
West: Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, Washington
Metro: Northwestern, Notre Dame, USC, UCLA, Stanford, Cal

Granted, the Metro division wouldn't be regional, but those alumni tend to not be the 'townie' variety that stays in-state. It would also allow Notre Dame to maintain annual games against USC and Stanford, plus guarantee a game for them every year in LA and Bay Area, and would draw more eyeballs instead of west coast games being on an island.

The East and Central are good rivalry fits and cultural fits. The West would cover a large territory but the schools are also good cultural fits and built-in rivalries, including the resumption of Nebraska vs. Colorado, which could give both programs a boost.

This alignment would allow for an 11-game conference schedule (5 in-division, H&A versus other divisions). Despite breaking away from the NCAA, there may still be a chance for one non-conference game to maintain those traditions (Notre Dame/Navy, Iowa/Iowa State, etc.)

Non-revenue/Olympic sports could go with a (3) 8-team division format to reduce travel.

East: Rutgers, Maryland, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Northwestern
Central: Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, Colorado
West: USC, UCLA, Stanford, Cal, Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, Washington

In another effort to appease Notre Dame, this allows for their non-revenue sports to stay based on the east coast.

This setup would also be appealing for the academic-focused ACC schools to join upon the ultimate demise of their conference. And who knows, maybe down the road, this would be a strong enough league to lure Texas or Florida to join.

24 team superleagues look great on paper but everything about them would be a nightmare to administrate and schedule.

I do think Warren wouldnt mind Southern expansion if ND is never coming aboard and to me that just means waiting the ACC out and taking two teams.

BTN is already available on cable packages throughout Florida. Not on basic, of course, but neither is the NFL Network.

(12-10-2022 10:10 AM)crackmonks Wrote: [ -> ]I Root For: Good human beings

"Right now, there's a lot of pressure to keep up with the other (SEC) schools that allow for kids of questionable intelligence and/or character to be admitted. It would be great to not totally tarnish the academic credentials these schools have worked centuries to achieve."

Always wondered what happened to Dean Wormer

(12-10-2022 10:10 AM)crackmonks Wrote: [ -> ]I think the Big 10 forming its own governing body would be great for the member schools and would create a more level playing field. Right now, there's a lot of pressure to keep up with the other (SEC) schools that allow for kids of questionable intelligence and/or character to be admitted. It would be great to not totally tarnish the academic credentials these schools have worked centuries to achieve.

Ok, I'll bite.

I seem to remember major sexual assault scandals at Penn State, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, and Michigan. There have been lesser scale incident at Rutgers and Illinois. Some of these cases even involved individuals who are still considered significant figures in the recent history of these institutions.

Just a quick reference guide from Deadspin

Not that there aren't issues at SEC schools, but you're worried about tarnished reputations and illegitimate admissions? And that's assuming your critique is consistent and accurate...

What I love about commenters like you is the thorough, total, almost comical lack of self-awareness, the complete inability to judge anything in the world upon any standard other than your own biased, cliche, and preconceived perspectives.

It's a shame in a manner of speaking, but it makes it incredibly easy to just dismiss anything else you say as it's not worth taking seriously.

Also, just because I'm feeling pedantic....

Centuries of work? That's an odd term given that the oldest Big Ten school is Michigan founded only 1817. Technically, Rutgers was founded in 1766, but obviously a member of the Big Ten for only a tiny fraction of that time. Indiana(1820) is the only other school founded more than 200 years ago. The rest are far younger than 200 years.

There are a whole lot of plans in that one post. I think the BIG moves at a glacial pace with intent and purpose. I am sure that they have gamed out many scenarios. Is there any particular reason that leads you think this is their current or future plan?

(12-10-2022 10:10 AM)crackmonks Wrote: [ -> ]Would instituting a cross-country conference, and perhaps breaking away from the NCAA, be enough to get BTN into the Texas and Florida markets? This would be akin to NFL Network, which is included in most cable packages nationwide, even markets without a team.

If so, would adding schools like Colorado, Arizona, and Arizona State be worth it over the long-term? We know there are large Big 10 fan bases in Denver and Phoenix. Would those schools (or Stanford/Cal/Oregon/Washington) be willing to accept reduced payouts into the foreseeable future? Would schools like Ohio State and Michigan be willing to take slightly lower revenue to allow for creation of a breakaway league?

I think the Big 10 forming its own governing body would be great for the member schools and would create a more level playing field. Right now, there's a lot of pressure to keep up with the other (SEC) schools that allow for kids of questionable intelligence and/or character to be admitted. It would be great to not totally tarnish the academic credentials these schools have worked centuries to achieve.

It could also create a new/separate standard for NIL, transfer portal, signing period, and perhaps guaranteeing four year scholarships instead of 'processing' (again, to keep pace with SEC schools). Plus, being a coast-to-coast league allows for the chance to have your own playoff and declare your own National Champion. It would be similar to the current Ivy League setup, which basically exists in its own silo. The SEC would also be rendered to 'NASCAR' status.

Creating a nationwide conference and a higher standards of academics would probably be the thing(s) that get Notre Dame to join, as these are two much talked-about points when they celebrate their independence.

A 24-team football conference could be done with (4) 6-team divisions to maintain rivalries and a semblance of regional intrigue.

East: Rutgers, Maryland, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State
Central: Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota
West: Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, Washington
Metro: Northwestern, Notre Dame, USC, UCLA, Stanford, Cal

Granted, the Metro division wouldn't be regional, but those alumni tend to not be the 'townie' variety that stays in-state. It would also allow Notre Dame to maintain annual games against USC and Stanford, plus guarantee a game for them every year in LA and Bay Area, and would draw more eyeballs instead of west coast games being on an island.

The East and Central are good rivalry fits and cultural fits. The West would cover a large territory but the schools are also good cultural fits and built-in rivalries, including the resumption of Nebraska vs. Colorado, which could give both programs a boost.

This alignment would allow for an 11-game conference schedule (5 in-division, H&A versus other divisions). Despite breaking away from the NCAA, there may still be a chance for one non-conference game to maintain those traditions (Notre Dame/Navy, Iowa/Iowa State, etc.)

Non-revenue/Olympic sports could go with a (3) 8-team division format to reduce travel.

East: Rutgers, Maryland, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Northwestern
Central: Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, Colorado
West: USC, UCLA, Stanford, Cal, Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, Washington

In another effort to appease Notre Dame, this allows for their non-revenue sports to stay based on the east coast.

This setup would also be appealing for the academic-focused ACC schools to join upon the ultimate demise of their conference. And who knows, maybe down the road, this would be a strong enough league to lure Texas or Florida to join.

Everytime I read an interesting post like this, I get to the proposed conference/divisions, and invariably I see Notre Dame, and I cringe.

I'm not going to repeat what's been said by others many times before. I'll just merely suggest that ND football is staying independent, even in the face of the most doomsday scenario.

I think the Big10 "could" eventually find a deal for the non-football sports. But both they and Notre Dame have to "want to".

Anyway, looking at the divisions lists:

Quote:East: Rutgers, Maryland, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State
Central: Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota
West: Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, Washington
Metro: Northwestern, Notre Dame, USC, UCLA, Stanford, Cal

East: Rutgers, Maryland, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Northwestern
Central: Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, Colorado
West: USC, UCLA, Stanford, Cal, Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, Washington

The Big10 is apparently doing away with divisions.

But just listing the schools you selected:

Rutgers, Maryland, Penn State
Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State
Purdue, Indiana
Illinois, Northwestern
Wisconsin, Minnesota
Iowa, Nebraska
Colorado
Arizona, Arizona State
Oregon, Washington
USC, UCLA
Stanford, Cal

After the first two trios, they tend to be in pairs. And I think that's intentional on their part.

To replace ND, you could add Utah or Kansas for #24 to your list, I suppose.

It's not like the Big 10 and other conferences can't recruit from those two states. We just have to be realistic about how much pull we have in beyond those we have convinced to come over. Take Colorado, for example. Coach Prime moves in and, immediately, he gets interest from athletes including 4 and 5-stars from recruiting-rich states. A big name can overcome some recruiting disadvantages but it would have to be a situation where the environment is conducive to development. So I'm taking a wait-and-see position on Deion.

However, the conference has to work with the tools they have available. One of the reasons why I support the Big 10 going truly national is that it's a way of denting the recruiting advantages of the Big 12, SEC and ACC. It's not like there's no football talent in the other states but the competition is much more fierce. The flip side of that is that we are getting people with the skills needed to pull from the more fertile states. Theoretically, we can live with (off the top of my head) about 25% - up to 35% - of athletes from the top 5 fertile states as long as we are the top destination for the rest of the lower 48. The move into Southern California is, therefore, huge!

The bigger play is getting a much larger market share of the college sports audience, which is the ultimate insurance against decline in other areas.

I think right now the Big 10 has to wait until the ACC GOR before the race with the SEC for Florida State and/or Miami begins. Even if they can't get Florida, they can certainly expand further south with some combination of Virginia, North Carolina, Duke, and Georgia Tech. Any piece of the Southeast the Big 10 can pick up is a gain for them as the South's population probably is rising faster than up North. If UCF gets their academics up, maybe they become a target for the Big 10 as well.

(12-10-2022 10:30 AM)PeteTheChop Wrote: [ -> ]

(12-10-2022 10:10 AM)crackmonks Wrote: [ -> ]I Root For: Good human beings

"Right now, there's a lot of pressure to keep up with the other (SEC) schools that allow for kids of questionable intelligence and/or character to be admitted. It would be great to not totally tarnish the academic credentials these schools have worked centuries to achieve."

Always wondered what happened to Dean Wormer

My takeaway from the OP was that, despite its length it could be summarized in a few words: B1G = good human beings, SEC = bad human beings. It kind of makes me want to root for bad human beings.