Quote:Copyright 2007, Des Moines Register and Tribune Company

The creation of the Big Ten Network means conference officials likely will discuss expansion again, commissioner Jim Delany said Wednesday.

"I think we need to look at it in the next year," he said during a wide-ranging interview with Des Moines Register reporters.

Adding a 12th team likely will be revisited because of the network, which is scheduled to launch Aug. 30, Delany said. An additional big-name university in a large television market means more exposure for the network and its sponsors.

"It changes to some extent how you think about it," Delany said of expansion. "The broader (the network) is distributed, the more value (expansion) has. We have eight states. With expansion, you could have nine."

The conference looked toward Notre Dame when exploring expanding to 12 teams in 1999. After serious discussion, the Fighting Irish chose to remain a football independent.

"There was great value there," Delany said of Notre Dame's national appeal. "There aren't many universities that produce that kind of value."

The Big Ten could look at Rutgers and Syracuse.

"Wherever," Delany said when asked about specifics. "With the network - there's a different element. It changes the dynamics."

In football, a 12th university could mean two divisions and a postseason playoff. That's an appealing concept to the startup network.

"Any television executive would do whatever they could to be able to air a game like the Big Ten championship," said Mark Silverman, Big Ten Network president. "It would be worth a considerable amount of value.

"Fans would take to something of that nature if it were in the best interest of the conference."

Coaches think otherwise, said Iowa's Kirk Ferentz.

"I've not met anybody in coaching that really enjoys it," Ferentz said of the divisional playoff format. "There's a lot of downside to it, in my opinion."

Among the concerns are playing an additional game and the potential of missing out on a BCS bowl if you lose the conference title game.

But expansion could also result in a large conference without divisions.

"I'm agnostic," Delany said. "I could live with two divisions and a championship game, but I think that has a tendency to devalue the season-ending game and have a negative impact on your losing team in season-ending games.

"I don't want us to tear ourselves apart over the structure of football for the sake of expansion."

Nor does Ferentz.

"If it makes sense - if the right institution was interested - I think there would be consideration given," he said. Delany cautioned against rushing to add a 12th school.

"You have to build a network that has value first," Delany said. "You don't expand it until you have it built.

"Until we have a fully distributed network in the eight states, then you have a value and then you can look at expansion.

"Every time you make a major adjustment in the Big Ten, there's a gestation period. You have to allow one set of efforts to settle in, and then catch a breath."

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pb...003&lead=1

You had to figure this was coming so they could get a conference title game. Outside of Notre Dame, I would have to say Louisville makes the most sense.

There was a large article about this that I read while on vacation in the Chicago Tribune either last week or the week before and the article stated that the main front runner for a conference expansion was obviously Notre Dame, but the next favorite was Missouri.

Could be interesting. If I were the Big Ten I don't know if I would add Missouri, but it's a possibility.

Louisville is a good call, decent in basketball and football. Clearly have the donors to keep up with the middle of the Big 10 if not Michigan and OSU. They have a history of being willing to move up the ladder conference wise. Plus.. it makes the most sense location wise unless they can take Iowa State out of the Big 12 or Kentucky out of the SEC.

Rutgers & Syracuse don't make as much sense to me b/c of location but the Big 10 has the money to afford travel for even the lesser sports so I guess it could happen.

HuskieFan84 Wrote:Louisville is a good call, decent in basketball and football. Clearly have the donors to keep up with the middle of the Big 10 if not Michigan and OSU. They have a history of being willing to move up the ladder conference wise. Plus.. it makes the most sense location wise unless they can take Iowa State out of the Big 12 or Kentucky out of the SEC.

Rutgers & Syracuse don't make as much sense to me b/c of location but the Big 10 has the money to afford travel for even the lesser sports so I guess it could happen.

Rutgers/Syracuse would give the B10 entry to the NY/NJ markets. That makes a lot of sense to me. Also gives Penn State a more natural east coast rival. Missouri would seem to be an excellent choice, but would they leave the B12?

I have always thought Pitt would make a lot of sense, but from his comments, Delaney seems to specifically focus on entry into a 9th state. Not sure that Louisville would fit the B10 academic profile.

Would Penn State fight to keep Pitt out? Probably.

dynovinyl Wrote:Would Penn State fight to keep Pitt out? Probably.

I suspect that would be true, however, Syracuse/Ryutgers would also be within their east coast recruiting footprint. I just have always thought that Penn State needs something in a natural rival. They seem to be out there all be themselves, which is a plus for them for recruiting purposes.

Given Delaney's comments about entering a 9th state, Pitt would be eliminated anyway.

Didn't Penn State just end their annual game with pitt...or something like that?

They're talking about adding a 12th team that would help them with selling the Big 10 network. Think TV Folks!

Syracuse and Rutgers make sense (New York/New Jersy markets).

The Missouri (St. Louis), Louiville, and Pittsburgh television markets are too damn small!

If they really want to think big, they ought to consider the University of Texas. The Longhorns would find a way to keep their rivalry games alive (Oklahoma and Texas A&M) and rake in the big TV bucks.

Is Syracuse, which is nearly 5 hours away, big in the NY,NY market? I thought they were bigger in Buffalo. Just wondering.

dynovinyl Wrote:Is Syracuse, which is nearly 5 hours away, big in the NY,NY market? I thought they were bigger in Buffalo. Just wondering.

I think they might have a following in NYC, seeing as they are the only BCS team in the state of New York.

niu79 Wrote:They're talking about adding a 12th team that would help them with selling the Big 10 network. Think TV Folks!

Syracuse and Rutgers make sense (New York/New Jersy markets).

The Missouri (St. Louis), Louiville, and Pittsburgh television markets are too damn small!

If they really want to think big, they ought to consider the University of Texas. The Longhorns would find a way to keep their rivalry games alive (Oklahoma and Texas A&M) and rake in the big TV bucks.

Missouri's television market is NOT too small because it gives you both St. Louis and Kansas City.

Here is a real long shot: UConn

They have the basketball and growing in football. Good academics. I am not sure how much NY market they have but it probably isn't that bad. The one thing against UConn would be ESPN. With the Big 10 virtually giving ESPN the bird with their network, I am not sure how that would work.

In reality, I think it will be Missouri if ND doesn't join. It is probably the oldest rumor besides ND. It gives Illinois a rival. I believe they already have a small rivalry going. If Missouri goes, another conference will have to replace a team.

HuskieDave Wrote:

niu79 Wrote:They're talking about adding a 12th team that would help them with selling the Big 10 network. Think TV Folks!

Syracuse and Rutgers make sense (New York/New Jersy markets).

The Missouri (St. Louis), Louiville, and Pittsburgh television markets are too damn small!

If they really want to think big, they ought to consider the University of Texas. The Longhorns would find a way to keep their rivalry games alive (Oklahoma and Texas A&M) and rake in the big TV bucks.

Missouri's television market is NOT too small because it gives you both St. Louis and Kansas City.

You've got a point there. St. Louis is the #21 television market in the US and Kansas City is #31.

Pittsburgh is #22, but theoretically it already provides coverage to Penn State.

New York of course is #1.

Other television markets in the Top 50:

Chicago #3
Detroit #11
Minneapolis #15
Cleveland #17
Indianapolis #25
Columbus #32
Cincinnati #33
Milwaukee #34
Grand Rapids MI #39