Big Ten + ND and that's all

JonDMiller

JonDMiller

Publisher/Founder
I know Deace disagrees with me but I think the league could do this and stop at 12. I think if they believe they can get ND then there will not be any invite to Neb or Mizz and ND will join and that is all. I think the Pac 10 moves will make this come to pass and force ND to realize the seismic shift is coming and the best chance to be relevant and keep some history is join big ten
 
I agree with you on ND, but would welcome Neb, Mizzou, Rutgers and another out east or to the South. From an Iowa fan perspective, playing Neb and Missou would be a lot fun.
 
Nebraska is going to be looking for a conference real soon and when that happens the Big Ten won't let them stay without a conference for long.
 
Question is: Will ND come on board if the Big East stays intact? I think it is a rubic's cube of moving parts. If ND opts out of the Big Ten, then Neb and Mo are in play,along with 3 Big East teams. The chain reaction results in a Pac 16 and SEC 16 and ACC 16. Then ND is screwed without a Big East. So, in the end, ND only wants to opt in to the Big Ten if the Big East is dissolved,but if ND opts in, the Big East stays intact? And Big 12 stays intact? and Pac 10,ACC and SEC stays intact?
So, in the end, it all hinges on ND? If ND opts into the Big Ten, the whole landscape stays intact. This would be fine by me. The BTN does not need to control every dollar. ND addition would enhance BTN revenue just fine. Allow for a conference title game and easy east/west conference divisions with ND joining the Iowa,Ill,Wis,Minny,Purdue/NW group.
 
I think two things spit in the face of that theory Jon.

#1 Nebby and Mizzou had to have been given some sort of preliminary offer to join the Big 10. Right now, those two universities are sticking their necks out by not getting back in line with the rest of the Big 12. If they had no cards to play there would be no way that they would risk their current relationship. So I still think those two have something from the Big 10 no matter what ND does.

#2. When the news hit that the Big 12 gave Mizzou and Nebby an ultimatum the Big 10 then released a blurb from their meetings this weekend where they said that the time table on expansion has been altered. Why would it be altered? Simple. They need to cross the t's and dot the i's on getting those two schools in before the Big 12 puts the hammer down on them.
 
I don't really get the ND only thing. They do not really guarantee anything beyond a championship game and some good press.

1) ND fans are spread throughout the nation, but they are not concentrated enough in any one place to bring any basic cable sets. (I know people at Fox see ND as premium audience, not a basic cable audience).

2) BTN already has Indiana so no in-state basic subscribers.

Now, Nebby, Missou, ND, and Rutgers would be a slam dunk. That would add a lot of basic cable customers, good fits, and also match anything the other conferences would do with respect to making noise.
 
If ND would have just joined years ago, I don't think this would be any issue right now. Them not joining has created a domino effect that could change the entire landscape of College Football and I don't like it.
 
CAARHawk said:
I don't really get the ND only thing. They do not really guarantee anything beyond a championship game and some good press.

1) ND fans are spread throughout the nation, but they are not concentrated enough in any one place to bring any basic cable sets. (I know people at Fox see ND as premium audience, not a basic cable audience).

2) BTN already has Indiana so no in-state basic subscribers.

Now, Nebby, Missou, ND, and Rutgers would be a slam dunk. That would add a lot of basic cable customers, good fits, and also match anything the other conferences would do with respect to making noise.
Click to expand...

They are not going after all 4 as that makes 15 teams. I think Rutgers only gets an invite if Notre Dame turns down the Big Ten. I believe Missouri and Nebraska are already on board and the only other scenarios depend on what Texas decides to do. But the Big Ten is expanding to at least 14 teams, IMO, but it will be either 3 or 5 additional not an even number.
 
Interesting. If this happens and ND says yes, does the name of the conference change to ... I shudder to even type this ... the Big XII?
 
tweeterhawk said:
Interesting. If this happens and ND says yes, does the name of the conference change to ... I shudder to even type this ... the Big XII?
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The Big Ten will always be the Big Ten

This was my vote from the start. Add ND, add a conference title game and only split the pie 12 ways. The Big Ten doesnt need 16 teams. Add ND to the fold and the Big Ten will be sitting pretty

As a fan it would be cool to add Mizzou and Nebby as well but it isnt necessary. Just because other conference will go to 14 or 16 teams doesnt mean the Big Ten needs to.
 
I don't think the Big Ten stops at twelve. I can see a 14 or 16 team conference with Missouri and from 1 to 3 eastern schools rounding out the expansion. If Texas is invited and accepts I can see a 16 team conference with A & M also a part of the Big Ten along with Missouri, ND and an eastern school (I like Rutgers as that school).
 
Dennis Dodd is speculating that the Big 10 will go above the 12 if ND joins. Furthermore he speculates that ND will still stay entrenched at the moment thus forcing the Big 10 to go after Nebby and Mizzou on one side and Rutgers and 'Cuse on the other. This would collapse the Big East thus throwing ND's basketball affiliation up in the air, giving them even more incentive to join the Big 10.
 
JonDMiller said:
I know Deace disagrees with me but I think the league could do this and stop at 12. I think if they believe they can get ND then there will not be any invite to Neb or Mizz and ND will join and that is all. I think the Pac 10 moves will make this come to pass and force ND to realize the seismic shift is coming and the best chance to be relevant and keep some history is join big ten
Click to expand...

I concur, i wish ND would accept and the Big Ten stops at 12. but there are a lot of issues unresolved:

1. Mo. and Nebraska hate the fact that Texas controls the Big 12 and loves the fact that the Big Ten teams share their money equally.

2. The Big East would love to kick ND's other teams out if it meant saving their confernce from extinction.

3. ND wants to stay independent in football but may be getting squeezed by both the Big 10 and the Big East. We havent heard as many flat out denials the past few weeks like early May.

4. Are we even sure the ACC and SEC want to get bigger?


I hope the Big 10 adds only one, but im betting on 5, ND,Rutgers, and Pitt from the east and Nebby and Mo in the west
 
I think if they add ND they'll go to 14 and stop...for awhile.

ND might not be included in the first round of expansion but I'd surprised if they don't come along if the SEC and ACC does what we think they will.

I see it going like this:

in the next few weeks Big 10 offers Neb and Mizzou a spot in the Big 10. The Pac 10 then then accepts 6 from the Big 12. It won't be too much longer until we hear rumors from the ACC and SEC. Once they move then the Big 10 will make one last "get busy living, or get busy dying" offer to ND before moving on to plan B involving some combo of Rutgers, Syracuse, Pitt, Maryland, Ga. Tech.
 
I think when all is said and done, this expansion thing won't be as big a deal as people are speculating.

I also think Notre Dame isn't going to join the Big 10 or any other conference (in football). They will remain independent.

Personally I feel if the Big 10 can get Notre Dame...fine....add one them and call it a day. If not, then invite Nebraska....and call it a day. 12 teams is enough.
 
My opinion is that we go to 16 teams. Give ND an ultimatum - they join now or future expansion considerations are not going to be presented. Going forward I don't see any way that NBC continues their home game coverage of ND and pays them the reported $7.5 million for the coverage plus additional fees should they or should they not make a BCS game. Certainly ND has the funds from other sources to stay independent but why? As it stands right now their football program is supporting every other sport within their institution.

In addition, I think that the Big10 schools should not schedule ND for future games. Why give them the opportunity to play a Big10 school if they continue to refuse to be part of the conference? If MSU, Purdue and Michigan want to play a big name rival then have them play an SEC or Pac10 school. Add in the fact that NBC has broadcast rights to any ND home game and I'm sure the Big10 network would be pressing this as well.

If ND joins great but personally I could care less if the golden domers join the conference.
 
I love all the speculation going on with this. I actually think the Big 10 may be forced into looking at expansion in a totally different light now that the Pac 10 and Texas have forced people hands. They basically said I'm all in, and now everyone else has to react and quick. I would even venture to guess that the Big X is considering increasing the number of people they invite, not decreasing. ND may be in the group, but I would honestly think that Neb, Missou, ISU, Maryland, Rutgers, Syracuse, Pitt among others are all scrambling to get ahold of anyone in the Big 10 with any power right now. I could see a possibility of 2 9 team divisions. Basically like 2 conferences with a play in to the college football championship.
 
I think the only thing that can save the Big 12 is if ND joins the big 10 soon. I think if ND accepts an offer to join the big 10 before the "ultimatum" deadline for Neb and Missu, the door for big 10 expansion could close at 12 teams. Neb and Missu would be forced to recommit to the Big 12. And the super conference situation is avoided.

Now if ND doesn't get / accept an offer. The big 10 might officially extend an offer to Neb and Missu, which would start the domino's falling for end of the big 12. The 6 reported teams might then join with the pac 10. And then big 10, SEC, and ACC would all be forced to scoop up anyone they could to become one of the 16 team super conferences..

Either way ND ends up in the big 10 when its all said and done.
 
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