Texas would ruin the Big Ten

[UP6936]

Texas would be unwilling and incapable of simply being one school among 12-16 equals. Texas does not do "all for one and one for all." Texas does not play well in small groups. Texas is "the size of Texas." Texas does not go for co-existence, it goes for domination. Smaller schools orbit around Texas. Texas sucks all of the oxygen out of a conference.

Admitting Texas into the Big Ten would be a money grab that would end up destabilizing the conference and disrupting its long-standing practices of having equality amongst the member schools. Texas would ruin the Big Ten, just as the Texas schools did to the Big 12.

 

[jameskalina]

Adding Texas does not make sense geographically. Going to a 16 team conference by adding the likes of Missouri, Rutgers, Maryland and Syracuse is the way to go. It makes for a centralized conference with less travel time and costs as opposed to transcending non conference states to play Texas and Texas to play the rest of the Big Ten.

 

[UP6936]

I think in the jet age geography means nothing, as long as you stay on the same continent. The schools have more than enough money to afford the travel as well, especially in an expanded Big Ten (maybe $30 million or more to each school from the BTN?). Its harder to get into Happy Valley than it would be Austin, TX.

I just think Texas doesn't fit the culture, philosophical outlook, or even the karma of the rest of the Big Ten. The only reason they would join the Big Ten would be to attempt to dominate it, like they do the Big 12 now.

 

[treychase]

Texas would become what Penn st is today.

 

[CRHawk90]

Wow that trip from Penn St to Texas would be a killer.

 

[SDK46]

Wow that trip from Penn St to Texas would be a killer.

As a student of casual fan....yup.

But only a 2.5 hour jet flight for the teams.

 

[homerHAWKeye777]

Texas would be unwilling and incapable of simply being one school among 12-16 equals. Texas does not do "all for one and one for all." Texas does not play well in small groups. Texas is "the size of Texas." Texas does not go for co-existence, it goes for domination. Smaller schools orbit around Texas. Texas sucks all of the oxygen out of a conference.

Admitting Texas into the Big Ten would be a money grab that would end up destabilizing the conference and disrupting its long-standing practices of having equality amongst the member schools. Texas would ruin the Big Ten, just as the Texas schools did to the Big 12.

The Big 10 leverages a lot more cash than Texas does. The Big 10 would not offer them a deal that would allow them to be anything other than equals.

Also the folks at Texas are more than smart enough to realize the added academic benefits that they'd gain by joining the Big 10.

If given a vote, many of the faculty at Texas would jump at the offer to have academic resource sharing with the other Big 10 schools. Heck, the Notre Dame faculty overwhelmingly voted in favor of it too the last time Notre Dame was seriously a candidate.

Where the whole "ego" thing enters the pictures is when you start speaking of Texas politics and perhaps with some of the administrators at Texas. As many have already recognized, it's almost untenable to get Texas without also being stuck getting Texas A&M. That, in itself, could probably end up proving to be enough of a sticking point.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

The "jet age" concept doesn't help much.

Van is the travel method for most of the non-revenue sports. And fans are another angle. Driving to Texas is a serious haul.

 

[ShadasRevenge]

Thank God they're going to stay in the Big 12 then.

 

[UP6936]

The "jet age" concept doesn't help much.

Van is the travel method for most of the non-revenue sports. And fans are another angle. Driving to Texas is a serious haul.

Nobody would drive to Texas. A 15 or more hour drive to and from would make our student-athletes miss way too much school. With the increased revenue that an expanded Big Ten would generate (especially if Texas was in) they could easily afford a jet, even for track and field.

I am fairly confident that Texas will not join the Big Ten, for the very reasons I listed in my OP. Texas will want a special deal, but the Big Ten will not do that. Texas has too sweet of a deal where they are now, so they will not give that up without having a better and sweeter deal. The Big Ten is in a position where they can pass on anyone if they don't agree to their terms.

 

[GhostofBTT]

Moving the football team and basketball to from Texas isn't a problem, but now they are going to have to charter flights for the softball team, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, etc. EVERYWHERE they go. Sure, maybe Texas teams have to fly to Iowa of Nebraska once or twice a year, but in the Big 10, they will have to fly EVERYWHERE.

It would cost an F'ing fortune.

 

[UP6936]

Moving the football team and basketball to from Texas isn't a problem, but now they are going to have to charter flights for the softball team, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, etc. EVERYWHERE they go. Sure, maybe Texas teams have to fly to Iowa of Nebraska once or twice a year, but in the Big 10, they will have to fly EVERYWHERE.

It would cost an F'ing fortune.

In an expanded Big Ten, they would have an F'ing fortune.