While I don't want ISU to join the Big 10, you have to realize the larger ramifications if ISU gets caught out of a major conference. It would end up being a blow to a legit revenue stream that Iowa State relied upon. Without that extra source of funding, which not only helped to fund other sports but also to fund all sorts of other things at the school ... the implication could mean significant budget cuts for ISU. The only way that Culver could counterbalance such a hit to ISU (as a school ... not just its athletic department) would be to divert precious tax dollars to make up for the losses.
However, from a financial perspective for the state government (of Iowa), it would be win-win for Culver if ISU were to join the Big 10. However, the flip side of it is that ISU's addition to the Big 10 would reduce the funding that the University of Iowa (and all the other Big 10 members) could benefit from. That is part of the reason why the Big 10 has been so proactive about who they're trying to add to the conference .... schools that can both contribute academically (which could add to the grant money that schools might acquire) and athletically (which could add to the TV market where the Big 10 network could be viewed on basic packages).