Big Ten Bleacher Report - Expansion from Big 12

[djkent01]

Regardless of the validity of this specific article and writer, I worry about conference switching. I remember back when the Big 8 became the Big XII and everything that was happenning at that time and there was some worry that if things had fallen differently, ISU could have been "left out".

Things are starting to heat up again and I have to believe we're going to see some re-aligning. Money, media markets, academic prestige, athletic program prestige, location, etc - these are all things that figure in.

The Big XII does own the naming rights to the Big XIV in future anticipation of the next step. The next step is looming and I hope the Big XII takes the step before other conferences do. Due to our very small media market and revenue generation, ISU is a program "at-risk" in these types of discussions.

Which creates an even greater urgency for our athletic teams, specifically football and basketball to perform and provide facilities. I have not agreed with a few things that Pollard has done, but I do believe he's anticipating this and on top of this and is taking the steps necessary to make sure we are a player in the collegiate athletics world.

But it doesn't stop me from worrying about it. IMO in the next 2 - 3 years there will be major re-alingments taking place.

[jdoggivjc]

Uh, if the Big Ten suddenly up and asked Iowa State to join, we would jump at it. It's the best collection of large, prestigious, public universities in the nation. Academically, it's a jump up from the Big XII. Iowa State is a great academic school, but there are several schools in the Big XII - Nebraska, K-State, Oklahoma, Okie State, and Texas Tech, to name five - who don't compare with us.

It's not as if the Big XII is something to sneeze at - and if Nebraska was such a lousy school, why are they actually targeted by the Big 10?

[Cyclone90]

Cross referencing AAU schools, in Top TV markets, with something to gain for both sides yields the following candidates.

• Rutgers - #1 TV market and would be a conference upgrade for them. The most likely candidate.
• Syracuse - Might take a chunk of the NY market, but Syracuse has their own stations and are even smaller fish than the DSM market. Would be a conference upgrade for them however.
• Tulane - Interesting candidate here. No particular market to gain, but would definitely get a foothold into parts of TX and the gulf coast states. Having Big 10 teams play Tulane in NO would be great recruiting exposure. Tulane would jump at the chance with no fear of significant competition from current Big 10 schools.
• Virginia - Would get the #8 DC market for the Big 10 Network. Virginia would be better able to compete in basketball. Probably not much gain in football. This is marginal.
• Missouri - Gain into St. Louis and Kansas City markets and a natural rival to Iowa and Illinois. Probably a wash basketball and football wise vs Big 12, especially if Big 10 added a football championship game. Mizzou would likely end up with more money however.
• Texas and Texas A&M - They're big fish right now and wouldn't go to be smaller players in the Big 10. The Big 10 would sure like to have them, but these schools don't have much to gain.
• Colorado - #18 Denver market but they have somewhat of a checkered past and are remote. CU would be onboard, but not sure Big 10 would be interested. No recruiting gain.
• Iowa State - No benefit to the Big 10 at all. Sorry.
• Nebraska - No particular market help, but having Nebraska rotate through OSU, Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn St. would draw big nationwide TV numbers. Existing schools might not want to bring in a sleeping powerhouse as competition however.
• Kansas - Same thinking here and would help in basketball ratings and even football if KU can maintain the program. Again, existing schools might not want to bring in a b-ball school which would quickly become the dominate big dog.
• Pac 10 schools are interesting but likely too geographically remote. However I'm sure the BTN would like to have a chunk of west coast TVs during their prime time hours.

[Tornado man]

It's not as if the Big XII is something to sneeze at - and if Nebraska was such a lousy school, why are they actually targeted by the Big 10?

Who said they were? Various columnists and bloggers? I haven't heard anyone actually from the Big Ten who has mentioned them. Academically, Nebraska does not fit in the Big Ten.

[ornryactor]

Iowa State is a great academic school, but there are several schools in the Big XII - Nebraska, K-State, Oklahoma, Okie State, and Texas Tech, to name five - who don't compare with us.

Are you saying we're too good for them, or they're too good for us?

[jdoggivjc]

Who said they were? Various columnists and bloggers? I haven't heard anyone actually from the Big Ten who has mentioned them. Academically, Nebraska does not fit in the Big Ten.

Nebraska is a member of the AAU - it's the only academic requirement the Big 10 is going to look at.

[cyclonenum1]

Cross referencing AAU schools, in Top TV markets, with something to gain for both sides yields the following candidates.

• Rutgers - #1 TV market and would be a conference upgrade for them. The most likely candidate.
• Syracuse - Might take a chunk of the NY market, but Syracuse has their own stations and are even smaller fish than the DSM market. Would be a conference upgrade for them however.
• Tulane - Interesting candidate here. No particular market to gain, but would definitely get a foothold into parts of TX and the gulf coast states. Having Big 10 teams play Tulane in NO would be great recruiting exposure. Tulane would jump at the chance with no fear of significant competition from current Big 10 schools.
• Virginia - Would get the #8 DC market for the Big 10 Network. Virginia would be better able to compete in basketball. Probably not much gain in football. This is marginal.
• Missouri - Gain into St. Louis and Kansas City markets and a natural rival to Iowa and Illinois. Probably a wash basketball and football wise vs Big 12, especially if Big 10 added a football championship game. Mizzou would likely end up with more money however.
• Texas and Texas A&M - They're big fish right now and wouldn't go to be smaller players in the Big 10. The Big 10 would sure like to have them, but these schools don't have much to gain.
• Colorado - #18 Denver market but they have somewhat of a checkered past and are remote. CU would be onboard, but not sure Big 10 would be interested. No recruiting gain.
• Iowa State - No benefit to the Big 10 at all. Sorry.
• Nebraska - No particular market help, but having Nebraska rotate through OSU, Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn St. would draw big nationwide TV numbers. Existing schools might not want to bring in a sleeping powerhouse as competition however.
• Kansas - Same thinking here and would help in basketball ratings and even football if KU can maintain the program. Again, existing schools might not want to bring in a b-ball school which would quickly become the dominate big dog.
• Pac 10 schools are interesting but likely too geographically remote. However I'm sure the BTN would like to have a chunk of west coast TVs during their prime time hours.

Tulane?? You do realize that Tulane used to be in the SEC until the mid 60s when they left because they didn't like how competitive it was becoming? You do realize that their president (Scott Cowan) has been a huge critic of the BCS? Lastly, Cowan has openly discussed the possibility of totally getting out of DI NCAA sports in favor of going to a non-scholarship DIII approach...are you aware of this? Tulane??

[HandSanitizer]

The only team fro the B12 is Mizzou that makes sense. Nobody else does.

The only other teams that are probably gonig to be in the running are
Notre Dame
Lou'ville
Pittsburg
Rutgers
Syracuse
Memphis
one of the Virginia Schools
Simpson College (jk)