BSpringsteen
Well-Known Member
Conventional wisdom says that a conference championship game will bring added spotlight and money to the conference, while allowing the league to play deeper into the year, keeping the league more relevant for longer.
But the Boss has a different proposal, one that would bring more money, more spotlight and more relevancy.
The Big 10 goes to a 11 game conference schedule and a 14 game overall schedule. No Bye-Weeks.
Each Big 10 team would have an additional 1-2 home games each year. At an average of 75,000 seats around the leagues stadiums and an average ticket price of $40... do the math... somewhere around 3MM per game.
The Saturday after Thanksgiving would be reserved for week 1 of rivalry weeks, with protected rivalries.
Then, while the SEC and everyone else jump around a conference championship game, a real conference championship will be decided as every team in the Big 10 plays one another.
The Last Week of the Big 10 Season will be called Big 10 Championship Week.
Ohio State - Michigan
Penn State - Michigan State
Indiana - Purdue
Northwestern - Illinois
Wisconsin - MInnesota
Iowa - Nebraska
That lineup would destroy the television world, especially if you sold the rights to the entire lineup to ESPN and ESPN 2. The games that have championship ramifications would be in prime time. What if Iowa and Ohio State were tied for the conference championship game and ESPN and ESPN 2 were playing those games at the same time? Can you imagine?
Moreover, a conference championship game would be played where? Chicago or Indianapolis? Both stadiums hold under 60,000 people.
If going to 12 teams is about added spotlight and added money this is the way to do it, while deciding a TRUE champion and ensuring that everyone in the league has to play one another.
If you don't want to play a 14 game schedule than play a 13 game schedule, with 2 non conferences, which allows for an out of conference in state rival (ISU) and a warmup game (Northern Io-wait a minute....)
If you play in a conference championship game, you are already committing 2 teams to a 13 game schedule plus a bowl game.
Additionally, this would likely ensure that the Big 10 continues to get 2 BCS teams.
Where are the negatives.... this is Livin in the Future, this is The Promised Land.
But the Boss has a different proposal, one that would bring more money, more spotlight and more relevancy.
The Big 10 goes to a 11 game conference schedule and a 14 game overall schedule. No Bye-Weeks.
Each Big 10 team would have an additional 1-2 home games each year. At an average of 75,000 seats around the leagues stadiums and an average ticket price of $40... do the math... somewhere around 3MM per game.
The Saturday after Thanksgiving would be reserved for week 1 of rivalry weeks, with protected rivalries.
Then, while the SEC and everyone else jump around a conference championship game, a real conference championship will be decided as every team in the Big 10 plays one another.
The Last Week of the Big 10 Season will be called Big 10 Championship Week.
Ohio State - Michigan
Penn State - Michigan State
Indiana - Purdue
Northwestern - Illinois
Wisconsin - MInnesota
Iowa - Nebraska
That lineup would destroy the television world, especially if you sold the rights to the entire lineup to ESPN and ESPN 2. The games that have championship ramifications would be in prime time. What if Iowa and Ohio State were tied for the conference championship game and ESPN and ESPN 2 were playing those games at the same time? Can you imagine?
Moreover, a conference championship game would be played where? Chicago or Indianapolis? Both stadiums hold under 60,000 people.
If going to 12 teams is about added spotlight and added money this is the way to do it, while deciding a TRUE champion and ensuring that everyone in the league has to play one another.
If you don't want to play a 14 game schedule than play a 13 game schedule, with 2 non conferences, which allows for an out of conference in state rival (ISU) and a warmup game (Northern Io-wait a minute....)
If you play in a conference championship game, you are already committing 2 teams to a 13 game schedule plus a bowl game.
Additionally, this would likely ensure that the Big 10 continues to get 2 BCS teams.
Where are the negatives.... this is Livin in the Future, this is The Promised Land.
