Big Ten Expansion

[Radio_Bugtussle]

Pitt to the B-10 makes the most sense of anything out there. It's a step up in football and a lateral move in BKB.

Heard a mention of Cincinnati, but I can't say that that is anything beyond mindless speculation.

Texas using this as leverage to get the B-12 going on a few things makes sense too.

[slide_into_first]

They want to expand the audience for the Big10 Network and I doubt Texas or Notre Dame will join. Adding a school in the east would accomplish that goal and would give Penn State a rivalry game. I think it will be Pitt or Rutgers. Syracuse is a possibility but they don't have a wrestling team (don't laugh- the BigTen is the only conference where every school wrestles).

[thrill]

Pitt to the B-10 makes the most sense of anything out there. It's a step up in football and a lateral move in BKB.

Heard a mention of Cincinnati, but I can't say that that is anything beyond mindless speculation.

Texas using this as leverage to get the B-12 going on a few things makes sense too.

They aren't doing this for athletic reasons. Big 10 is looking for public, land-grant schools with high academic reps. Pitt isn't that. The reasons are financial. Higher academic conference = more money. Bringing big ticket schools into the big 10 network = more money. The big 12 gives tv money to schools on a sliding scale. Texas gets the most. They got 12 mil. The big 10 splits it evenly. last year, each school got 24 mil. If texas cam, they could get more money from sponsors, tv carriers and grant money for academics.

I predict they'll eventually add three. Texas, Mizzou and either Notre Dame or Rutgers. NBC is hemorraghing money, especially in their sports coverage with the winter olympics projected to lose 200 mil. They won't re up Notre Dame for as much as the big 10 network could provide. They aren't public, land-grant, but they would be the exception with the cache, prestige and money they'd bring.

[cARdsfan]

It's interesting to hear guys say Texas is using this to force the Big XII's hand. I read that either Mizzou or Nebraska would be a possibility for the B1I1G 10 and that both would have an interest in leaving b/c the Big XII is so Texas-centered already. Sounds like the conference isn't keeping anyone happy.

[JL21]

I know money talks or whatever, but I can't imagine Mizzou ever leaving the Big XII. There's too much tradition and history with Mizzou tied to KU, K-State, OU, OSU, and the rest of the former Big 8.

It's not just as simple as the Big Ten saying "We want ______ to join" and then the school joins. There has to be mutual interest.

If the stupid Big XII would get on board with a better TV contract (their own network), all of this would be moot.

[Sutter'sBeard]

I know money talks or whatever, but I can't imagine Mizzou ever leaving the Big XII. There's too much tradition and history with Mizzou tied to KU, K-State, OU, OSU, and the rest of the former Big 8.

It's not just as simple as the Big Ten saying "We want ______ to join" and then the school joins. There has to be mutual interest.

If the stupid Big XII would get on board with a better TV contract (their own network), all of this would be moot.

I bet you are wrong on this. They could still easliy play KU in BB and FB and the Illinois rivalry has started to burn pretty bright over the last decade or so. I think it will be Mizzou joining the B-10.

[clevername]

all the rumors I've read on the college football boards I frequent seem to indicate Mizzou is very interested in jumping to the Big 10.

[JL21]

The Illinois rivalry isn't much of a rivalry. It's more of a novelty. The two teams are already ditching the football game in... is it 2011, or 2012? The basketball game will always remain but it's nothing compared to MU-KU in any sport. Additionally, baseball is one of MU's featured/top sports and the Big XII offers a way, way, way higher profile in baseball than the Big Ten. Yeesh, some Big Ten schools don't even have a baseball team.

In fact, other than maybe basketball, I can't think of a single sport that the Big Ten would offer a higher profile than the Big XII.

And there's history with the other former Big 8 schools too- not just KU. Mizzou has been in the same conference as Nebraska and K State and OU and Iowa State and OSU and Colorado for ages. It'd have to be a huge fiscal benefit to throw all of that away for a "rivalry" with Penn St. or Wisconsin or Minnesota or... you get the point. Other than Illinois, and sorta kinda maybe Iowa, there's no regional advantage to being in the Big Ten. Unlike Illinois, Mizzou's got no history whatsoever with Iowa, so any potential rivalry there would be starting brand new.

Beyond the fiscal benefits, I see no advantage whatsoever for Mizzou to shift conferences.

[JL21]

all the rumors I've read on the college football boards I frequent seem to indicate Mizzou is very interested in jumping to the Big 10.

Gauge it for yourself:

http://www.tigerextra.com/news/2009/dec ... emptation/

EDIT: I didn't mean for that to sound snarky or whatever. I just figured that comments from the AD would bear more weight than rumors.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

The Illinois rivalry isn't much of a rivalry. It's more of a novelty. The two teams are already ditching the football game in... is it 2011, or 2012? The basketball game will always remain but it's nothing compared to MU-KU in any sport. Additionally, baseball is one of MU's featured/top sports and the Big XII offers a way, way, way higher profile in baseball than the Big Ten. Yeesh, some Big Ten schools don't even have a baseball team.

In fact, other than maybe basketball, I can't think of a single sport that the Big Ten would offer a higher profile than the Big XII.

And there's history with the other former Big 8 schools too- not just KU. Mizzou has been in the same conference as Nebraska and K State and OU and Iowa State and OSU and Colorado for ages. It'd have to be a huge fiscal benefit to throw all of that away for a "rivalry" with Penn St. or Wisconsin or Minnesota or... you get the point. Other than Illinois, and sorta kinda maybe Iowa, there's no regional advantage to being in the Big Ten. Unlike Illinois, Mizzou's got no history whatsoever with Iowa, so any potential rivalry there would be starting brand new.

Beyond the fiscal benefits, I see no advantage whatsoever for Mizzou to shift conferences.

By playing every year in every sport, Illinois and Iowa would quickly replace K-State and Nebraska as ancillary rivals. The money is a big deal. The fact that they would have an equal say in those money deals(as opposed to "here's what Texas didn't want") is a big deal. And the academic prestige is a big deal as well.

When the only reasons not to switch are "we've always played a similar subset of teams" and there's compelling financial, academic, and possible athletic benefits, it means Mizzou should and probably will move if asked.