Big Ten Has No Current Plans To Expand
by Brian Favat on Aug 19, 2011 2:51 PM EDT
in Conference Expansion
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PrintStill think we are all headed towards conference realignment Armageddon and four, 16-team superconferences? Well if you are waiting for Texas A&M-to-SEC to set off a seismic shift in the college football landscape that includes the Big Ten ballooning to 14 or 16 teams, you may be waiting for quite a while.
Today, the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors (COP/C) issued a statement stating that the conference is "not actively engaged in conference expansion at this time, or at any time in the foreseeable future, barring a significant shift in the current intercollegiate athletic landscape."
"The Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors (COP/C) met recently to discuss reform issues and expansion. The following statement is issued by the Big Ten office on behalf of the COP/C.
In response to a number of recent media inquiries received by several Big Ten Presidents and Chancellors regarding the likelihood of further expansion by the Big Ten, the COP/C would like to reiterate that it will not be actively engaged in conference expansion at this time, or at any time in the foreseeable future, barring a significant shift in the current intercollegiate athletic landscape.
The COP/C is aware that speculation about the possibility of expansion by the Big Ten Conference continues despite a statement from COP/C Chair and Indiana University President Michael McRobbie on December 5, 2010, indicating that the COP/C believed the expansion process had reached its natural conclusion, that it was pleased with the addition of Nebraska, and that it looked forward to working with its new colleagues in the years ahead.
The conference has spent the past 14 months actively engaged in incorporating Nebraska, academically and athletically, into the fabric of the conference. "We're about as comfortable as we can be with where we are," said Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany. "We've said that we will continue to monitor the landscape, but we have closed down active expansion and have no plans to seek new members."
It remains unclear what a significant shift in the current intercollegiate athletic may entail. But if I had to wager a guess, a program that has gone just .500 in the last three seasons probably isn't going to trigger said shift. If Texas A&M is truly hell-bent on divorcing Texas and the rest of the Big 12, I think the SEC stops at 14 and poaches either a second Big 12 team (Missouri) or picks off a program from the Big East (West Virginia, Louisville?). Texas finds 1-2 more hapless victims to join the Big 12 and all is right with the world.
Regardless, barring a full-fledged three program SEC raid of the ACC (Florida State, Clemson, Virginia Tech) and/or Swofford kicking Miami to the curb, I think the ACC will look very similar to what it does today in five years time. I say this full well knowing that things could easily change tomorrow.
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Then, Now, And Always
Until John Swofford has swindled the entire rest of the conference into giving all of it’s power and rights over to UNC.
Don't give up, don't ever give up ~ Jim Valvano
SEC
ESPN has stated that the SEC wants both Texas A&M and Missouri because of the tv territory involved. Both would bring lots of possibilities. It was also stated that Florida State shares territory with Florida and Clemson with South Carolina with both being in the minority. The point is that FSU and Clemson are not top priorities while A&M and Mizzou sort of are.
?
One thing that has never made since to me, is that the SEC needs TV territory. The SEC has never had TV territory outside of Atlanta, and that is a “shared” market being with every SEC school, GT, and a very small Clemson/ACC fan base. TV territory for the SEC is ESPN & CBS. Each week ESPN & CBS broadcast at minimum 4 SEC games to national audiences, being on CBS, CBS sports, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, or ESPN3. The SEC is not like the BIG 10, which has to sell its network to each state that a school is in, then hope those out of state purchase it as well. The SEC needs no new “tv markets”. It has ESPN, and for that it has a world wide network broadcast giant to show it’s games.
Another thing that doesn’t make any sense is that the SEC wouldn’t want Clemson or FSU in their conference, or that the SEC schools in those states would block those schools from getting in. I don’t believe that any of that carries any weight. I believe that if expansion takes place, that you will see what happened with VT & UVA occur with those respective state. Clemson and FSU are state funded schools, along with their rival schools, no intelligent governorship is going to allow for one half of it’s major University’s to not be privy to any money available to the other. Also, the SEC would want to continue to have a genuine product to supply to ESPN for more broadcast dollars. What do you think would see more, an FSU vs UGA/USC/Tenn/Tenn and a Clemson vs UGA/UF/Tenn/Auburn/Ole Miss or VT or Mizzou vs those same schools? If you can control a whole region it is better than controlling only half, and that is why I don’t think you’ll see Clemson or FSU left out by the SEC if or at all actual expansion occurs.
Don't give up, don't ever give up ~ Jim Valvano
The FSU / Clemson / Georgia Tech block
Isn’t about needing TV territories since the SEC has a national broadcast deal with CBS and ESPN.
As I see it, it’s about two things:
1) Florida, South Carolina and Georgia don’t want to share a conference with in-state programs with respect to recruiting. All three programs are happy being the only SEC program in the state. Don’t discount the recruiting / marketing power of being the only program in the state in the best college football conference.
2) While expanding into new TV markets isn’t as important as it is to the B1G Ten (and the BTN), it still is important to get viewership in new markets. Expanding to A&M (Dallas, Houston) and Missouri (St. Louis, Kansas City) still brings viewership and makes the SEC more relevant in these markets.
From everything I’ve read, the SEC has no interest in expanding into existing territories. Also, don’t underestimate the importance of avoiding bringing in a powerhouse football program that can challenge the old guard for conference titles (Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Florida, Georgia, etc.).
Editor, BC Interruption
The last point about a powerhouse football program applies to FSU. Not so much Clemson.
Still.
Editor, BC Interruption
Understood that one
But I don’t see the governors of those respective states allowing one of its major public instutitions to be left sucking on dimes while the other is on dollars. Also, I do think my point that owning a full market share of a state, and a region; vs only half of it would play a major role. Being able to gain all the profit from an FSU/UF and a Clemson/USC is better than only getting half of it every other year.
I do not want Clemson or FSU in the SEC btw. I just don’t understand why the SEC wouldn’t, or why everyone claims TV rights are needed when they are already broadcast these games internationally.
Don't give up, don't ever give up ~ Jim Valvano
Not really, no
If given the choice between cornering the Florida or South Carolina market vs. opening up Virginia, KC and StL, I’m taking the new markets every time.
SEC football is already well established in those markets and with due respect, SC and FL aren’t high wealth markets. Would much rather get a part of a new market — KC, StL, VA — than monopolize SC or FL where the value gained seems marginal.
Editor, BC Interruption
by Brian Favat on Aug 19, 2011 5:09 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
UConn, Rutgers, and Maryland,
UConn, Rutgers and Maryland must be so disappointed that are not longer able to dream of escaping from the BE (or ACC) to B1G (not that it was ever going to happen anyway)!
The fact the Big10 has no current plan is meaningless
They were never going to strike first anyway and could afford to wait. They have THE hole card, ND. The Irish are not moving until they have to and the Big10 was always going to hold that #16 spot for them. Since Big10 planned to look east, there would always be teams to pick from, either from the BE or if dead by then, the ACC. This isn’t really news, the Big10 has always moved slow (pun intended) and already said they would wait to expand again. The Big12 just isn’t stable, if and when it falls apart conference will move to pick up the pieces and doing so requires expansion.
How is Notre Dame a hole card for the Big Ten and not the other way around? If the Big 12, Big Easy or ACC implodes, there will only be more opportunities for programs to pursue football independence (read: Texas, et. al.).
More independents — Texas, BYU, Army, Navy, Notre Dame — makes Irish independence even more viable in the long run.
Nothing from Notre Dame’s past would suggest they want anything to do with a 10, 11 or 12 team Big Ten. They are suddenly going to jump at the chance of sharing revenue with 15 other programs?
So long as ND maintains a sweetheart deal with BCS, super conferences actually make it easier for the Irish to remain independent.
Editor, BC Interruption
by Brian Favat on Aug 19, 2011 5:20 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Yes it does work both ways
and why the talk of ND joining the Big12 (or anywhere else) is absurd. Texas doesn’t want to be an indy, but even if they did other major programs are not going to flock to that status. In todays market, there are only a handful of programs that could pull it off. BYU will be fine but keep in mind they looking at a different picture for success. The other two are supported by the Washington, they don’t count. I agree, ND has no intention of joining any conference. However even their AD said they would do so if it becomes a requirement for post season. That is why I think both they and the Big10 are not i a hurry to do anything. Hence the reason I say this news isn’t really news.
by ev on Aug 19, 2011 7:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Bingo
Although, I think the Big Ten is flirting with aTm behind the scenes.
Keeping your rival out of Texas, nabbing a strong brand and setting up an environment for UT post Big 12 is a triple play. Delany isn’t asleep at the wheel.
by Gopher86 on Aug 20, 2011 6:17 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
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