Latest expansion rumor…

[Irv]

 

[nja13]

As long as the conferences are going to be gigantic, I at least hope they do something like this where you have a geographic "pod" that you play each year, which ends up feeling more like the old school conferences affiliations anyway.

Yes. Things get so big that conference become what leagues used to be, and divisions become the new conferences. In a 24-team conference, there are going to be teams in your "conference" you play once a decade at best.

 

[Alcaus]

Stanford and Cal would be mistakes to add. neither of them gives a shit about sports

Not only that, giving them a voice in any conversation as a conference member seems like a huge mistake.

I get the academic argument, I don't think it should matter though. This is about athletics, not academics and I can't see any argument favoring Cal & Stanford over Clemson & FSU (if that was the choice). Adding a Southeast footprint vs a NorCal one is a laughable comparison.

 

[Pepe Silvia]

Not only that, giving them a voice in any conversation as a conference member seems like a huge mistake.

I get the academic argument, I don't think it should matter though. This is about athletics, not academics and I can't see any argument favoring Cal & Stanford over Clemson & FSU (if that was the choice). Adding a Southeast footprint vs a NorCal one is a laughable comparison.

the thing people are missing is that this round of expansion is a cold war between the SEC and B1G. Stanford and Cal will never go to the SEC, therefore their value is low

schools like FSU and Clemson are worth more to the B1G than they are to the SEC because it expands the B1G's footprint, but not the SEC's. UNC and UVA are valuable to both because they both expand the reach of both conferences

 

[Alcaus]

the thing people are missing is that this round of expansion is a cold war between the SEC and B1G. Stanford and Cal will never go to the SEC, therefore their value is low

schools like FSU and Clemson are worth more to the B1G than they are to the SEC because it expands the B1G's footprint, but not the SEC's. UNC and UVA are valuable to both because they both expand the reach of both conferences

Exactly, and I doubt Florida and uSC are signing on to additional in-state competition. Clemson becomes the SEC brand in South Carolina if they join.

 

[Irv]

 

[Pepe Silvia]

Exactly, and I doubt Florida and uSC are signing on to additional in-state competition. Clemson becomes the SEC brand in South Carolina if they join.

speaking of which, I've wondered what would happen if the Big 10 quietly made a run at Florida. they have to be tired of underperforming in the SEC against UGA, Bama and now Tennessee. would the lure of the academic side be enough to make them consider?

 

[Irv]

 

[Alum-Ni]

 

[Irv]

 

[Mavsker]

the thing people are missing is that this round of expansion is a cold war between the SEC and B1G. Stanford and Cal will never go to the SEC, therefore their value is low

schools like FSU and Clemson are worth more to the B1G than they are to the SEC because it expands the B1G's footprint, but not the SEC's. UNC and UVA are valuable to both because they both expand the reach of both conferences

Mostly agree, only point I'd make is that FSU and Clemson might be very valuable to the SEC as a defensive move against the Big Ten. Even though those additions don't expand their footprint, adding them could keep the Big Ten out of the southeast. SEC could feel more strongly about keeping other conferences out of the southeast than the Big Ten feels about being there.

 

[Ripping Lips]

I saw a rumor on book face that when USC was negotiating in joining the BIG, they didn't want Oregon added so USC can secure the talent on the west coast. I guess there's some heat between USC and Oregon for whatever reasons.

 

[Pepe Silvia]

I saw a rumor on book face that when USC was negotiating in joining the BIG, they didn't want Oregon added so USC can secure the talent on the west coast. I guess there's some heat between USC and Oregon for whatever reasons.

there's a lot of PAC-12 fans who blame USC for blocking the firing of Larry Scott, which helped get them into this mess. in fairness, though, his replacement hasn't been any better

 

[Irv]

It seems interesting that the fact of these B1G meetings is leaking, almost immediately. Outside of the B12 and it's "open for business" philosophy, the conferences have tended to keep this stuff hush hush. Is the B1G trying to end the Pac? Are they pressuring ACC schools/ND to come take a spot while some are left? Or are they just signaling to these schools that they have a landing spot if it all goes south?

 

[Baron Winnebago]

Remember when the PAC 10 was on the verge of taking the most of the Big 12 South + CU and wiping the Big 12 off the map.

 

[Baron Winnebago]

It seems interesting that the fact of these B1G meetings is leaking, almost immediately. Outside of the B12 and it's "open for business" philosophy, the conferences have tended to keep this stuff hush hush. Is the B1G trying to end the Pac? Are they pressuring ACC schools/ND to come take a spot while some are left? Or are they just signaling to these schools that they have a landing spot if it all goes south?

I'd imagine that Big Ten is letting schools know to give them a call before doing anything

 

[Pepe Silvia]

looks like UW is up to something

 

[Alcaus]

Remember when the PAC 10 was on the verge of taking the most of the Big 12 South + CU and wiping the Big 12 off the map.

 

[Carm]

I get the academic argument, I don't think it should matter though. This is about athletics, not academics

But it is about academics as well as athletics. Unlike other conferences the B1G also has a academic side. The schools generate large amounts of research revenue (over $11B a year), combine libraries, procurement, etc. That's why all the recent additions (other than Nebraska) have been top 25 public universities or, in SC's case, a highly respected private university.

Big Ten Academic Alliance - Impact Report

online.flippingbook.com

USC, Northwestern and Stanford are private. If the prediction of Stanford, Cal, and Washington comes true, these would be the public universities in the BIG along with their US News & World Report Public University National Ranking:

1	Cal
2	UCLA
3 tie	Michigan
10 Tie	Wisconsin
13 TIE	Illinois
16	Ohio St
18	Purdue
19 Tie	Rutgers
19 Tie	Maryland
19 Tie	Washington
23	Minnesota
29	Indiana
31 Tie	Mich St
31 Tie	Penn St
35	Cockeye
48 Tie	Oregon
72 Tie	Nebraska

 

[Baron Winnebago]

looks like UW is up to something

Either making a move or deciding how fucked they are