[goblue12]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=4745381

Oh god, 12-18 more months of the brainless morons saying "I think (Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Nebraska, Iowa State, Louisville, West Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri, Syracuse, Rutgers, Maryland) would be a good fit. Then you could have a championship game! Aren't those amazing?".

AHH!!!

It's Notre Dame or no one. It's always been that way for anyone with a clue. Every other team would be nothing more then a Purdue in the long run and would ultimately decrease the shared revenue among the teams. Neither side will budge, and nothing will come of this.

[HoulihansTX]

Maybe they get a good team in that conference.

[blackbeSSt]

the big 12 called, they want their conference back

[ws1975]

I think Boise State should be considered. It won't happen of course, but they should be considered. It solves their problem with the BCS, and they get to play better competition.

[iceminers26]

Someone in another thread said they are looking at Iowa St, I thought the ideal pick would be Cincy.

And **** Notre Dame

[LLXC]

Has to be a team with no offense, and likes to claim they simply have a good defense.

[goblue12]

I think Boise State should be considered. It won't happen of course, but they should be considered. It solves their problem with the BCS, and they get to play better competition.

Two reasons why Boise State will not be added.

First, there is a conference bylaw which states that any expansion must include a team that is in - or bordering - a state with a current Big Ten team. (Idaho does not border any Big Ten state). For sports such as Women's Field Hockey, it would be a burden on everyone to travel to Boise, ID and play games.

Second, while there is one school that they would make an exception for (ND), the general belief is that the Big Ten will only add an educational institution who is already an AAU member. They stress education in this conference and share resources at these universities for research. I'm sure that Boise State is a fine school, but they're not an AAU member.

Someone in another thread said they are looking at Iowa St, I thought the ideal pick would be Cincy.

And **** Notre Dame

Iowa State and Cincinnati are unlikely additions for two reasons: First, they both reside in a current Big Ten state which does not increase the conferences television revenue for the Big Ten Network. The Big Ten charges cable subscribers $1.10 for their channel in states that occupy a Big Ten team. Meaning should they expand with an OOS conference, that's one more state who receives the Big Ten Network. This is why Syracuse / Rutgers pop up whenever someone mentions Big Ten expansion Not only do they have ties with a current school in the conference (PSU), but they control the NYC market, which is the largest TV market in the country.

Second, the Big Ten really stresses academic reputation, and these schools would both hurt it. While ISU is an AAU member, they are not a Top-75 school in the US News Rankings and from an academic standpoint, would be the worst team in the conference. Cincinnati is not an AAU member, and is a Tier-3 academic institution.

The likely pecking order will be...

1. Notre Dame
(distant gap here)
2. Syracuse
3. Rutgers
4. Maryland
5. Pittsburgh

[iceminers26]

Of the 5 teams you mentioned, the most likely IMO is Pitt, based on location, style of play, and the chance to renew the Rivalry with Penn St.

[goblue12]

Of the 5 teams you mentioned, the most likely IMO is Pitt, based on location, style of play, and the chance to renew the Rivalry with Penn St.

Reason #1 in my original response to you is why Pittsburgh is an unlikely addition. The BTN is already on cable in Western PA, meaning there is no incentive to add them other then "we can have a championship game!". How can Delany justify bypassing the extra tens of millions of dollars that the NYC market would add to the conference annually for the Pitt - PSU rivalry? I don't think he can, but stranger things have happen.

While Jim Delany would like to add Syracuse or Rutgers which would put the BTN on cable networks in NYC, he doesn't want to be the one who shuts the door on Notre Dame either. They are the only program in the country who would give the conference "more then a 12th team" thanks in large part to their national following.

Adding the Irish would change the landscape of college hockey as well, which would allow the now 6 Big Ten schools (Michigan, MSU, OSU, ND, Minnesota, Wisconsin) to form their own league. It may not be a big deal for some seeing how it's a regional sport, but hockey is the third most profitable sport in the Big Ten and at several schools in the Northeast.

[iceminers26]

Reason #1 in my original response to you is why Pittsburgh is an unlikely addition. The BTN is already on cable in Western PA, meaning there is no incentive to add them other then "we can have a championship game!". How can Delany justify bypassing the extra tens of millions of dollars that the NYC market would add to the conference annually for the Pitt - PSU rivalry? I don't think he can, but stranger things have happen. While Jim Delany would like to add Syracuse or Rutgers which would put the BTN on cable networks in NYC, he doesn't want to be the one who shuts the door on Notre Dame either. They are the only program in the country who would give the conference "more then a 12th team" thanks in large part to their national following. Adding the Irish would change the landscape of college hockey as well, which would allow the now 6 Big Ten schools (Michigan, MSU, OSU, ND, Minnesota, Wisconsin) to form their own league. It may not be a big deal for some seeing how it's a regional sport, but hockey is the third most profitable sport in the Big Ten and at several schools in the Northeast.

No chance in hell the CCHA and WCHA break up just in order to have all B10 schools in 1 conference, won't happen, they are the top 2 leagues in the country....who is CC, Denver, Mankato, and ND going to play with if Whisky and Minny leave, Mich Tech, the answer is no one.

I played D1 hockey and will tell you, this won't happen, regardless of what occurs in football.

[iceminers26]

And to add to that, football is not the big thing out in Minny, ND, Wisco, Colorado, and surrounding areas its hockey, they bleed it out in these areas. So, they are not going to reformat leagues just so the B10 can have all their schools in 1 league, won't happen, to much to give up with the WCHA.

[JMUplayer]

I personally like WVA to be a school. They have a much more SEC type of football. They are decent in men's & women's basketball.

[goblue12]

No chance in hell the CCHA and WCHA break up just in order to have all B10 schools in 1 conference, won't happen, they are the top 2 leagues in the country....who is CC, Denver, Mankato, and ND going to play with if Whisky and Minny leave, Mich Tech, the answer is no one.

I played D1 hockey and will tell you, this won't happen, regardless of what occurs in football.

The idea has already been put on the table and the opportunity is there for the BTN to broadcast hockey games between Big Ten schools on the network. At this point it's a matter of "when will it happen" as to "is it going to happen". Last year, there were 3 items on Delany's front-bunner: re-examining the Big Ten's bowl tie-ins (check), adding a 9th game to the conference football schedule, and adding Big Ten Hockey. The Big Ten is doing it's best to persuade successful D-1 club teams such as Penn State and Illinois to upgrade to a varsity level for this exact reason. With the addition of ND (or the upgrade of one of the club teams) the Big Ten would have the ability to form their own 6-team NCAA conference, with each team scheduling 2 home and 2 away games against the 5 other teams in the conference.

I don't understand what you are missing here, the 5 Big Ten schools have the leverage in this spot, not the CCHA and WCHA. When Michigan / Michigan State / Wisconsin schedule outdoor hockey games at Lambeau / Spartan Stadium / Michigan Stadium, they didn't call up St. Cloud State or Michigan Tech, they're targeted the Big Ten schools. Why? because they have much larger followings / resources then the other schools, and the potential is there for college hockey to really take off in the Midwest at these schools.

The smaller schools may not like idea that the most marquee ticket in their conference is going to break off, but reality is that collegiate sports treat realignment as a business, not to maintain rivalries. Why else would schools like Iowa, Minnesota, or Illinois give two hoots about possibly adding Syrcause or Rutgers, two schools which would be a travel burden for Title IX sports? Money.

There will still be a CCHA and WCHA in the long run, it just won't include the Big Ten schools. They will break off, form their own conference, throw the games on the BTN, and the small schools will suffer as the rich get richer.

I personally like WVA to be a school. They have a much more SEC type of football. They are decent in men's & women's basketball.

Due to their poor academic reputation and well below-average television market, West Virginia will not be considered.

[BigdaddyQH]

Notre Dame is out. They do not want it, and several Big 10 Schools, led by Penn State, do not want them. Pitt and Syracuse both have tremendous hoops programs as well as football programs. Rutgers may be in the mix. If the Big 10 goes another direction, Iowa State could be an option, allowing the Big 12 to take TCU. I think Pitt would be a great selection, but certainly could see why they would go after Syracuse or Rutgers.

[ws1975]

[quote=goblue12;2760330]Two reasons why Boise State will not be added.

First, there is a conference bylaw which states that any expansion must include a team that is in - or bordering - a state with a current Big Ten team. (Idaho does not border any Big Ten state). For sports such as Women's Field Hockey, it would be a burden on everyone to travel to Boise, ID and play games.

Second, while there is one school that they would make an exception for (ND), the general belief is that the Big Ten will only add an educational institution who is already an AAU member. They stress education in this conference and share resources at these universities for research. I'm sure that Boise State is a fine school, but they're not an AAU member.



Thanks for educating me on that fact. I didn't (as I expressed in my earlier post) think that Boise would be considered anyway. Now knowing that a school must come from a bordering state makes it much more clear. I do feel that whatever school that the Big Ten invites, must be a school that will strengthen the conference - especially at football. I know Missouri is interested - at least that's what's been reported. Cincinnati would be a good choice as well.

[PeePee]

Rutger it is.... Make most sense. Big school, big program, NY TV market.
ND will not be in the mix. They turned down the invitation twice in the past. Besides, ND is nut if they give up the $$$ from NBC.

[BigdaddyQH]

I am sure that the Big 10 wants to get the lucrative NYC area, and Rutgers sure would fit that nicely. As far as the best athletic program is concerned, that would go to Pitt. Either way, JoePa would be happy, and never underestimate his power and weight when it comes to decisions like this.

[RPP]

Pllleeeasse don't take one of our good Big East teams. The conference is starting to thrive.

[BigdaddyQH]

The Big East is so easy to raid, because it really is not a BCS Football Conference in the truest sense of the word, and it has way too many hoops teams. The Big 10 wants in on the lucratie NYC area market. Rutgers and Syracuse are the perfect fits. Syracuse would be my first choice because of their great hoops program.

[goblue12]

Pllleeeasse don't take one of our good Big East teams. The conference is starting to thrive.

Don't worry, you guys will swap Syracuse with Central Florida and the Big East won't drop-off one bit.

That program has the potential to be a giant given it's locale, but so was USF who can't seem to get over the hump (even though they are light years ahead of schedule).