Regarding expansion, does the NYC media market...

[hawkeyehat]

I live about 2 hours from Syracuse and 2.5 -3 hours from Rutgers, so I'm hoping it's one of those two schools. Rutgers makes the most sense out of those two, but it's true NY is a pro-sports dominated town. However, there are a lot of midwest transplants that work in the city so I think there would be more appeal for Rutgers vs Michigan instead of Rutgers vs UConn. Plus Rutgers is basically right by Newark Airport, so traveling to the school would be very simple. To me Rutgers makes the most sense followed by Missouri and then I'm not so sure perhaps a surprise team.

 

[GhostofBTT]

There are over 50 million people within 250 miles of Rutgers. Game. Set. Match.

Exactly. Who do you think advertisers want to reach. 100% of the Iowa market or 20% of the NYC market. Guess which is bigger and more affluant.

 

[archfiend]

There are over 50 million people within 250 miles of Rutgers. Game. Set. Match.

I would hope that everybody would agree on two things-

#1- this is about money. There are different elements to what makes money, but money is the Big Ten's only concern regarding possible expansion.

#2- out of all the possible candidates Notre Dame would bring in the most money. Yes, Rutgers is within 250 miles of over 50 million people, but Notre Dame is a school with national appeal. Sign ND up and the Big Ten Network will go national. However, as ND seems to have taken themselves out of the picture...

I agree that at first glance Rutgers (after ND) would appear to be the most obvious choice as concerns money. My argument is that over the long run, after investing millions in the NYC market, they would have minimal regional interest and success (and thus no return on their investment).

I believe this is where PennHwk and I disagree. I don't think the Big Ten and college football in general could ever sell to the east coast market. If it could, then Rutgers would be the obvious choice. Simply put, Rutgers would be a sizable gamble and in the long run, it is my belief that it is a gamble that would not pay off.

On the other hand, I think Mizzou is an extremely safe and bankable investment. Minimal gain- yes, but consistent and definite gain nonetheless.

I admit it- I'm conservative to a fault. It is for this reason, among others, that KF's style of football appeals to me.

 

[joshhawk]

By my count there are 9 pro sports teams in the NYC area almost all of them overlap with college footballs season. Doesn't leave much room for college football does it. Rutgers doesn't have much of a tv market in the area they never have and probably never will. We will not sell them on our long standing tradition cuz New Yorkers have their own long standing tradition of not giving a crap about all things NOT New York.

 

[hawkeyehat]

There are about 6 million people in Missouri, 8.7 mil in New Jersey and about 20 mil in New York. I wonder how the cable/dish companies would respond to the Big Ten adding Rutgers. I believe that the cable companies and Dish Network only give the Big Ten Network free to people who live in the Big Ten states, so technically adding Rutgers would normally only provide the BTN to New Jersey residents without paying for the sports package. Unless some type of deal is worked out with New York since Rutgers is right on the border. I'm not sure how that would work. Either way, by adding Rutgers you add about 3 mil more viewers to the BTN then adding Missouri and you'd imagine the potential is still much greater to draw in more from New York.

 

[Saginawbay]

Would agree Rutgers adds nothing unless they appear in 6 consectutive BCS bowls never will get the NYC market and that will not happen, and NYC adds nothing in recruiting for Big Ten. What the conference needs is Univesity of Central Florida in Orlando a hudge school 51,000 students a growning alumni base and hudge media market starved for big college athletics and a great bump in recruiting into the state of Florida. If the conference wants to true growth go with a University and city that will grow with the Big Ten not NYC which could care less about college athletics. We will have generations of new Big Ten fans as UCF and Orlando eat up the Big Ten. They have new football and basketball stadiums will only room for growth.

 

[Saginawbay]

Would agree Rutgers and NYC adds nothing to the Big Ten the only way that Rutgers gets interest is if they appear in 6 consecutive BCS games and that will not happen other than that not much interest. What the Big Ten needs is true growth by adding University of Central Florida in Orlando. The University has 51,000 students and a large media market in Orlando and a great addition of recruiting in the state of Florida. UCF has brand new football and basketball stadiums and will only grow so if the Big Ten wants true growth over the next 10 years instead of just adding a team lets grow generations of new Big Ten fans and not just add a team.

 

[Fors98121]

I think turning Rutgers into a Big Ten school would significantly increase the Big Ten’s piece of the NY City TV ratings pie, and that’s a big pie, or, as the tag-along in Ghost Busters said, “That’s a big twinkie.â€

To me, a good analogy is this: I live in Seattle, but was born in Iowa, grew up in Iowa, and graduated from the U of Iowa. So, I’m a big ten guy, which is naturally the conference I prefer to watch when Iowa isn’t playing. Nonetheless, having lived in Seattle since ’95, I now am more likely to have interest in watching a Pac-10 game than, say, a Big East game, this being a Pac-10 town. I like the city, and following sports as I do, I hear a lot of the Pac-10 story lines. Therefore, the Pac-10 is the 2nd most interesting conference to me, behind the Big-Ten.

Of course, New York is extremely diverse, but right now, naturally, it’s primarily identified as a Big East city. Therefore, if I’d lived in New York instead of Seattle for the past 15 years, the Big East would probably be my 2nd favorite conference to watch, being more knowledgeable of it’s story lines than other non-Big Ten conferences. If Rutgers were added to the Big Ten, the Big Ten would increase it’s foothold in N.Y.C. The many folks in that city who went to Big Ten schools would follow the conference anyway. However, with Rutgers on board, the folks who attended schools from other conferences, over time, would have more of a reason to pay attention to the Big Ten. When a Pac-10 guy, living in N.Y.C., can choose between watching a Big Ten game vs. an SEC game, he’d probably become more likely to watch the Big Ten game than he is now.
I'm rooting for Rutgers for that reason - Revenue. That, more than any other factor, will further improve our conference's national standing. We've already got that factor rolling in our favor with the Big Ten Network. Let's capitalize even more.