http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/more/wires/12/15/2080.ap.big.ten.expansion.0103/

Who would it be? Syracuse? I hope so. Syracuse or Rutgers.

If you are bored, here is a thread we had about this from the Spring
http://wtfdetroit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14966

Just reading some West Virigina rumors. Rich Rod vs. WVU? lol

Actually, Penn St vs. WVU is getting a lot of love.

I heard Pitt was a possibility too. Or possibly even Iowa State (with the Big 12 grabbing a different team).

ND with Kelly would be crazy.

What about your Chippewas, Chris?

Louisville, Pitt, Rutgers, who else?

BTW, I think their naming conventions are antiquated. Pac 10, Big 12 and Big 10 were all stupid to put a number in their name and assume the number of teams would never change.

Go Big Midwest!

ND with Kelly would be crazy.

What about your Chippewas, Chris?

Louisville, Pitt, Rutgers, who else?

I'd love to see the Chips there but I'm sure the Big 10 would want a team that pulls in an additional market for them and more viewers. Louisville would be a good fit for that. What about Cincy?

Big Ten to explore adding 12th member

By Adam Rittenberg
ESPN.com

The Big Ten Conference will explore the possibility of expansion in the next 12 to 18 months, according to a statement the league will release at 4 p.m. ET Tuesday. There will be no press conference to make the announcement.

The league will announce that expansion is now a front-burner issue, though there are no guarantees a 12th member will be added. The Big Ten last expanded in 1989 with Penn State and hasn't seriously pursued the possibility since 1999, when it had discussions with Notre Dame.

Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno has advocated expansion and the need to hold a Big Ten championship game in football. Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez told the schools athletic board Friday that league commissioner Jim Delany will be more proactive about adding a 12th member.

"I have a sense [Delany] is going to take this year to really be more aggressive about it," Alvarez told the board. "I just think everybody feels [expansion] is the direction to go, coaches and administrators."

The expansion examination is expected to take 12 to 18 months, at which time a recommendation may or may not be made.

Adam Rittenberg covers Big Ten football for ESPN.com. He can be reached at espnritt@gmail.com.

I believe it will be Pitt. Pitt is the best fit. Its academics are strong and it has decent football and basketball programs. Also, it would fit nicely into an east/west geographical split.

Can we get some odds on these choices..............

1. Notre Dame
2. Pittsburgh
3. Missouri
4. Syracuse
5. Rutgers
6. West Virginia
7. Cincinnati
8. Texas
9. Iowa State
10. Kentucky
11. Vanderbilt
12. Virginia
13. Central Michigan
14. The entire country of Canada forming one super college

P.S. If we do go to 12 teams my vote is for Missouri

How about adding 5 teams and creating a 16 team superconfernce with two 8 team divisions?

Just kidding.

Texas is a %0 chance.

Let's take a look at current east/west division possibilities:

East
UM
MSU
OSU
Purdue
Indiana
Penn State

West
Iowa
Minny
Illinois
NWU
Wisconsin

I think a western team makes the most sense (like Iowa State or Missouri). If you get an eastern team like Pitt you have to send Purdue or Indi West and lose that regional rivalry (plus make the east even harder). Adding a west team divides the conference at Lake Michigan, which is a much easier and cleaner division.

This would be like the Big 12 is (one division much better). It wouldn't matter that much since you'd play all but 2 teams anyway.

My preference:

1 - Iowa State (natural rivalry with Iowa)
2 - Missouri (good programs in both sports, no in state rivalry to tie it to Big 12)
3 - Memphis?

Hawaii. The travel wouldn't matter since it's only one game per week.

Hawaii. The travel wouldn't matter since it's only one game per week.


This is why Motown is considered the single greatest influence in David Hasselhoff's life.

I believe it will be Pitt. Pitt is the best fit. Its academics are strong and it has decent football and basketball programs. Also, it would fit nicely into an east/west geographical split.


You're a fucking idiot.

Yay Pitt! Woohooooooooo[smilie=master_emot:

That would do WONDERS for the Big Ten on a national scale.

bukdow: Taking the Big Ten towards the MAC one post at a time.

I have no fucking idea if that is correct or not (looks correct to me), but that is great fucking post.

The big things to consider:
1. They have to fit the academic criteria
2. They have to bring in enough revenue to offset their share.
2a. They should expand the reach of the Big 10 Network.
2b. The area should be a large media market




1. Notre Dame - I think there may still be too much bad blood, plus ND loves its Independent status.

2. Pittsburgh - Seems like a great fit but it doesn't really expand anything.

3. Missouri - Also seems like a great fit. How big of a market does Mizzou bring to the table?

4. Syracuse - They're a basketball school. They're probably not leaving to go to a football conference.

5. Rutgers - They somewhat have the New York market, but how much are they really followed? They're New Jersey, not NYC, and don't have as much of a pull there as people think. They've had a few good years in football but they weren't the greatest before that. Is that going to continue?

6. West Virginia - Academics. Not happening.

7. Cincinnati - See WVU. Plus, they don't bring in a new market in any way. The B10 has OSU, and most Cinci fans are hardcore OSU fans as well.

8. Texas - If it weren't for the geography, I think this one would be guaranteed. It's a perfect match. Texas has an elite football program, an elite basketball program, and even brings their ridiculous baseball program to the table. Plus, they're fantastic academically. Texas would have a huge monetary incentive and academic incentive to join the B10, as well. They actively petitioned to join the B10 in '93ish but the B10 was on a self-imposed ban from expanding, IIRC. Now's the time to make it happen.

9. Iowa State - We already have Iowa covering that market. Iowa State isn't really all that great athletically. They aren't going to bring in enough additional revenue for the B10 to seriously consider them.

10. Kentucky - I don't see why this wouldn't work from the B10's perspective. I think it's a good school academically. They have solid athletic programs. The geography works. I'm not sure how much they'd bring in B10Network expansion with OSU being fairly close, but I think it would be enough. The big question is, why would Kentucky jump to the B10?

11. Vanderbilt - I really hadn't even thought of this possibility, but it's intriguing. It expands the B10 Network into Tennessee. They have the academics. I don't see them jumping to the B10, though. Like Syracuse, they're more of a basketball school and they're in one of the top basketball conferences.

12. Virginia - Great for expansion, great for athletics, do they qualify academically? Why do they make the jump?

13. Central Michigan - B10 already has the state of Michigan locked up with MSU and UM. Central is good but not great athletically. They wouldn't bring in anywhere close to enough revenue to make them a serious candidate.

14. The entire country of Canada forming one super college - Count it!



What about Nebraska? They're a football school and they have the academics. They aren't much of a media market, though.

I think the absolute best fit for the Big 10 and the potential school would be Texas. It's just a matter of whether they're willing to deal with the travel involved. Otherwise, perfect.

App State

I think ND is expecting greatness from their new coach so there is about zero chance of that happening, imlkots.

Nebraska? Not a bad thought.

Seriously, the only one that makes sense is Iowa State. Always thought having Iowa and Iowa State in different conferences was kinda weird.

Then you bring in Ohio to round it out.

yes, adding a 13th team really does round it out.

The Big Baker's Dozen.

But don't forget Penn, Minnesota St., Wisconsin St., Indiana St., Illinois St., northwestern St., Purdue St., etc.

SUPERCONFERENCE

But honestly, UConn makes a lot of sense, too.

But don't forget Penn, Minnesota St., Wisconsin St., Indiana St., Illinois St., northwestern St., Purdue St., etc.

SUPERCONFERENCE

Bigger is better.

You can have the U.'s vs the States. That would be so awesome!!!

Source: Pitt headed to Big 10
University of Pittsburgh athletics are moving to the Big 10 conference, according to sources close to the school.

Some athletes were informed of the move over the weekend, a little birdie tells me. This move sets up the natural rivalry with Penn State who joined the conference in 1990. It also gives the Big 10 another east coast presence.

Pitt will become the 12th school in the Big 10, with an official announcement expected by Thursday. This means you'll be seeing a Big 10 football title game.

Expect the Pac Ten to consider adding teams to catch up with the SEC, Big 12, Big 10 and the rest of the big boys

No word on who will replace Pitt in the Big East.

That's not like you not to link something Glan. Is this honest?

I got confused. Usually Maller just links to other people's stuff (and writes bad headlines) so I didn't see a link for this one. But now I see that it's actually him reporting this, and others and latching on now.

http://benmaller.com/archives/2010/02/01/source-pitt-headed-to-big-10/

Yeah, he's getting a lot of attention now.

Texas?

Texas?

Why? If you were affiliated with Texas in any way how pissed off would you be if your team was playing in the Big Ten? It would be a sick move by the Big Ten and the worst move ever if you were Texas.

Big fish in small pond?

UTexas thinking about a statewide cable tv network, that's a big part of it.

Texas makes half the revenue that any big ten team currently makes. Basically it would be a 10 million dollar a year upgrade. Not to mention adding themselves into better lucrative TV markets (Chicago, Detroit, Columbus) vs. any shitty Oklahoma or Nebraska market.

It's all about the Benjamins.

I would think if Texas switched over, Okalahoma and Mizzou would come as well.

Pretty much the definitive word on who the Big Ten should take.

IMO, the guy gives way too much credit to Rutgers and Syracuse. The Big Ten won't add someone just to add someone. They DO need to make a splash.

I think it still boils down to Notre Dame--then everyone elts. Unless you take into consideration, as someone above mentioned, that Tejas would add to the Big Ten Network millionses more of dollars, and every Big Ten team's TV revenues would probably just about double.

http://frankthetank.wordpress.com/2009/12/27/the-big-ten-expansion-index-a-different-shade-of-orange/