Big Ten Expansion

[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.

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.

I understand what you're getting at, but AD's are about as trustworthy as politicians in this game.

[Sutter'sBeard]

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.

You can stop there. Fiscal benefit is the one that matters.

[thrill]

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.

Their profile in football and basketball is bigger. Since those are the only two that matter and since their teams play in much, much bigger markets and since the Big 10 Network is in 70 million homes here and abroad and growing at a rapid rate, the gap will only get bigger. Especially financially.

[MrMojoRisin]

I read lots of articles about why it would be a big benefit for Missouri to join the Big Ten. But not much about why it would benefit the Big Ten. I see an attempt to pull a Big East school much more likely. It's all about the money. Syracuse or Pitt will be likely targets with Syracuse the preferred. If that happens the Big East is in Big Trouble.

[lukethedrifter]

I read lots of articles about why it would be a big benefit for Missouri to join the Big Ten. But not much about why it would benefit the Big Ten. I see an attempt to pull a Big East school much more likely. It's all about the money. Syracuse or Pitt will be likely targets with Syracuse the preferred. If that happens the Big East is in Big Trouble.

I can't convince GRBers of ^.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I read lots of articles about why it would be a big benefit for Missouri to join the Big Ten. But not much about why it would benefit the Big Ten. I see an attempt to pull a Big East school much more likely. It's all about the money. Syracuse or Pitt will be likely targets with Syracuse the preferred. If that happens the Big East is in Big Trouble.

Media markets. Pitt doesn't add anything, and Syracuse isn't a very big one. Mizzou gets you the St. Louis market and some of the KC market as well. It's all about the TV eyeballs.

[lukethedrifter]

I read lots of articles about why it would be a big benefit for Missouri to join the Big Ten. But not much about why it would benefit the Big Ten. I see an attempt to pull a Big East school much more likely. It's all about the money. Syracuse or Pitt will be likely targets with Syracuse the preferred. If that happens the Big East is in Big Trouble.

Media markets. Pitt doesn't add anything, and Syracuse isn't a very big one. Mizzou gets you the St. Louis market and some of the KC market as well. It's all about the TV eyeballs.

I think you're wrong on this one, seeing things through your black and gold tinted glasses. Mizzou just isn't that desirable to the Big 10 according to most substantive sources.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I read lots of articles about why it would be a big benefit for Missouri to join the Big Ten. But not much about why it would benefit the Big Ten. I see an attempt to pull a Big East school much more likely. It's all about the money. Syracuse or Pitt will be likely targets with Syracuse the preferred. If that happens the Big East is in Big Trouble.

Media markets. Pitt doesn't add anything, and Syracuse isn't a very big one. Mizzou gets you the St. Louis market and some of the KC market as well. It's all about the TV eyeballs.

I think you're wrong on this one, seeing things through your black and gold tinted glasses. Mizzou just isn't that desirable to the Big 10 according to most substantive sources.

Mizzou is near the top of possible suspects according to every single report out there. It's not a coincidence. Not that the Big 10 would be idiots not to take them, but they offer a lot of positives. They'd be interested in coming(Notre Dame is not, maybe Syracuse too), they have strong programs in the revenue sports(Rutgers does not), they have good academics(WVU and Kentucky do not), and they offer a major media market not reached by the Big 10(Pitt and to a lesser extent Syracuse do not).

[slide_into_first]

The Big10 has St Louis because of Illinois- I still say an eastern school will add more people to the Big10 network and get Penn St a rivalry game in football.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

The Big10 has St Louis because of Illinois- I still say an eastern school will add more people to the Big10 network and get Penn St a rivalry game in football.

Not in terms of TV coverage. Because of Illinois it's not untapped, but MU commands some of the KC market as well.