Is Rutgers next?

PJHawk

PJHawk

Well-Known Member
Saw this today - Missouri is not a BT priority but Rutgers is:

A Big Ten source said Missouri has not been eliminated from the conference’s expansion plans but is not considered a high priority at this time. The source said Texas, from the Big 12, and Notre Dame, an independent in football, are clearly alongside each other on the Big Ten’s top tier of targets, followed by Nebraska, soon to become the Big Ten’s 12th member, and then Rutgers, a member of the Big East Conference.

Amid uncertainty, officials embrace Missouri's Big 12 history Tiger Extra - Mizzou Sports | ColumbiaTribune.com
 
One thing overlooked by many is the $$$ Rutgers would have to invest to compete in the Big Ten.
Their football stadium is just over 50K and their bball arena holds less than 9,000. Hardly Big Ten facilities.
 
hawkdrummer1 said:
One thing overlooked by many is the $$$ Rutgers would have to invest to compete in the Big Ten.
Their football stadium is just over 50K and their bball arena holds less than 9,000. Hardly Big Ten facilities.
Click to expand...

ewww that is pitiful. The APR thing can only help them though and they are a great school which I feel is an important factor though.
 
The amount of increased revenue generated in the Northeast footprint that would eventually trickle down to Rutgers from the BTN would more than pay for the facilities. Remember, inside the footprint we are dealing with .70 to $1.00 per household as opposed to currently only gaining .20 per household.
 
SCHawkeye said:
The amount of increased revenue generated in the Northeast footprint that would eventually trickle down to Rutgers from the BTN would more than pay for the facilities. Remember, inside the footprint we are dealing with .70 to $1.00 per household as opposed to currently only gaining .20 per household.
Click to expand...

Could be, but is the Big Ten willing to wait 5-10 years for those facilities to be upgraded?

Would the conference subsidize the improvements upfront with some kind of payback plan from Rutgers' share of revenue? I can't see other members warming up to that.

Football holds 52,454. Basketball 8,000 according to scarletknights.com
 
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hawkdrummer1 said:
One thing overlooked by many is the $$$ Rutgers would have to invest to compete in the Big Ten.
Their football stadium is just over 50K and their bball arena holds less than 9,000. Hardly Big Ten facilities.
Click to expand...
50k is fine. It is pretty much a brand new stadium that would sell out, and they have new football facilities on par with most anybody in the Big 10. Some schools in the big 11 like IU and NU can't even fill their 50k stadium. Their basketball arena is pretty historic, and if they needed they could play at the New Meadowlands arena.
 
PJHawk said:
The new Gopher football stadium is 50k capacity.
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True. I know that their stadium is expandable. Rutgers has bleacher endzones or at least one so you figure they can add seats. There is no point in adding seats to a stadium just so you can say "we seat 80k" when you avg. 40k
 
One of the benefits of inviting Rutgers is to intentionally destabilize the Big East, thus forcing Notre Dame's hand further towards joining the Big Ten.

I firmly believe Rutgers will be the next addition and the acquisition of Notre Dame is a big part of that.
 
Well somebody better be next, because Neb. by itself is just ridiculous. The huge tv market of Lincoln is just so impressive.
 
Can any fan honestly get excited about adding Rutgers? I get the TV market opportunity, but do you really think Rutgers' is or can be enough of a sports viewing priority for sports fans in Philly and NYC to force the BTN onto basic cable packages?
 
wdmhawk said:
Can any fan honestly get excited about adding Rutgers? I get the TV market opportunity, but do you really think Rutgers' is or can be enough of a sports viewing priority for sports fans in Philly and NYC to force the BTN onto basic cable packages?
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Rutgers would be a great addition to the Big 10. It is true there is not as much of a true Rutgers fanbase in New Jersey/New York now as at other B10 schools but the immediate infusion of alums and fans from other B10 schools to Rutgers contests to see their alma mater play would quickly build interest, especially Penn State and tOSU, but also Michigan and, surprisingly, Iowa.

Rutgers would also benefit from an immediate increase in prestige in how its sports programs are viewed nationally through the B10 and the BTN.
 
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