Big Ten + ND and that's all

[CAARHawk]

This is not my favored option. I like the idea of superconfernces and I would love Iowa to end up with at least one game in reasonable driving distance, Mizzou. That being said, I keep hearing that the offer to ND as ND only might really be on the table.

Hope they say no, or the report is wrong. I would rather the Nebby report is the correct one.

Would be ecstatic with Nebby, ND, and Missou now.

 

[Billso]

Imagine the nuclear fallout if the Big Ten only takes Notre Dame.

Think what happens with Nebraska and Missouri. Just paint a scarlet A on their chest--A for Adultery. Even if the Big XII survives, think of the hard feelings they'll have for Nebby and Mizzou.

Wow.

That, sir, is a great point. The B12 is either toast (most likely) or totally destabilized, there's nothing left in between.

 

[ISU4LYF]

Per ESPN, ND wants to be the 12th team and thats it.

 

[IcomeInPeace]

If Notre Dame comes aboard quickly enough, the Big Ten may be done.

Anyone an Insider? College Football Rumors - Rumor Central -NCAA - ESPN

 

[Billso]

Per ESPN, ND wants to be the 12th team and thats it.

That may be ND's view, but it's not acceptable to the B10 (sorry Jon) for strategic reasons as described above.

Which lends credence to Chip Brown's theory of Delaney double-chess - invite Nebby/Mizzou first to make B10's mega-conference goal crystal clear and apply pressure on Notre Dame.

 

[Hawkfromnorwalk]

Per ESPN, ND wants to be the 12th team and thats it.

Look, this dam's about to burst and no amount of thumbs can stop the leaking. If the Big 10 takes this offer from ND they are stupid, because everybody knows that expansion to larger conferences is going to come in the future. The Big 10 knows this and will stick to their guns and there is nothing poor old ND can do to stop it.

 

[HawkeyeMike23]

Look, this dam's about to burst and no amount of thumbs can stop the leaking. If the Big 10 takes this offer from ND they are stupid, because everybody knows that expansion to larger conferences is going to come in the future. The Big 10 knows this and will stick to their guns and there is nothing poor old ND can do to stop it.

Maybe the B10 is looking at it this way: do whatever it takes to get ND in the conference now, while ND still has quite a bit of leverage, and then worry about expanding more once ND's already in the B10. Once ND is committed to the conference they will be just one of 12 votes for or against expansion.

 

[Hawkfromnorwalk]

Maybe the B10 is looking at it this way: do whatever it takes to get ND in the conference now, while ND still has quite a bit of leverage, and then worry about expanding more once ND's already in the B10. Once ND is committed to the conference they will be just one of 12 votes for or against expansion.

Yeah but that would leave the Big 10 caught with their pants down in the future when say the SEC comes out of nowhere and gobbles up four teams to go to 16. Right now, The Big 10 needs to stay proactive and go ahead with adding Nebby and Mizzou. ND has no say in it because we hold the cards, not them. If we take two or three now and ND holds out we go back to them in a year or so and say "were going to 16, we have two spots, either you're in, or kiss it goodbye forever".

 

[TecmoSuperHawk]

People have to remember dividing up that pie 5 more times means there has to be a HUGE increase in revenue to make it worthwhile. I would not assume 16 team superconferences are without a doubt where everyone is headed.

 

[ISU4LYF]

People have to remember dividing up that pie 5 more times means there has to be a HUGE increase in revenue to make it worthwhile. I would not assume 16 team superconferences are without a doubt where everyone is headed.

This and even Texas is reporting that Congress will step in with these super conferences. Is it really worth expanding if you lose your tax-exempt status?

 

[trapperjon]

Yeah but that would leave the Big 10 caught with their pants down in the future when say the SEC comes out of nowhere and gobbles up four teams to go to 16. Right now, The Big 10 needs to stay proactive and go ahead with adding Nebby and Mizzou. ND has no say in it because we hold the cards, not them. If we take two or three now and ND holds out we go back to them in a year or so and say "were going to 16, we have two spots, either you're in, or kiss it goodbye forever".

Agree that moving to just 12 teams now makes no sense with other conference commishes having already devised strategic planning. Super-conferences are on the horizon. One way or another, once the first move is made there is no turning back. If B10 only takes 1 team, it runs the risk of not being viable in the distant future. Pandora is already out of the box.

Eventually ND will come around. If not, I'm sure Delaney has let them indirectly know that there may come a time when the B10 may no longer be interested in scheduling them as an OOC game.

I would love to be a fly on the wall in some of these negotiations.

 

[ThunderHawk]

Well, apparently the Nebraska Board of Regents is meeting Friday, and conference affiliation is on the agenda. I've got to believe that they wouldn't publicly state that if some kind of deal hasn't already been hammered out. My theory is that the Big11 has told Nebraska that if the Regents vote (or however they handle it, which might actually just be Tom Osborne saying DO THIS NOW) in favor of accepting an offer to a different highly prestigious BCS conference, they will "seriously entertain" said offer...at which point the Big11 just totally coincidentally formally invites Nebraska to join the Big11, and Nebraska says "let us consider it, ok we considered it, we are in."