You are talking about the NFL,just like Wetzel.
College football has a much longer history,with tradition a huge factor in its success.
In Wetzels world, long time rivalries are meaningless, and really more of a bother as it gets in the way of his perfect scenario of 8 geographical divisions producing 8 divisional champs,with 8 wildcards, to make up a national tourny that would squeeze every last buck outta the networks.
He simply does not recognize that college football at it core is not about establishing a true national champion,unlike the NFL,NBA,MLB,and college bb. It is unique. The fan base is unique. They are tied to a school,not a team. And in the Big Ten, conference play is still the most important thing to the vast majority of these schools fans. Doing anything that would take away from that,such as a playoff, or adding schools simply for TV markets that are not cultural fits, would erode that unique fan support.
Why is college bb attendance trending down? Because the tourny is all that matters. College football attendance remains strong,because every single game matters.
I should give Wetzel some credit for actually recognizing what Delany is doing...he is right that Delany is all about making the Big Ten the strongest conference in the land by sticking to the fundamentals,and nurturing the fanbase. Not by chasing the occasional national title by diluting his product,by adding weak teams,and playing less conference games,and not playing a Big Ten title game. If that is what it takes,we are not interested. In the end,Delany knows that by tending to our garden,the harvest will be fruitful,over time.
When that new BCS title game only system comes along,the Big Ten will be well positioned to cash in with 3 or 4 superprograms year in and year out going to the big bowls,along with the occasional Wisky and Iowa.
Granted,so will the SEC,but at least the Big Ten will be right there with them,even if their natural advantages in local talent and loose standards might mean better teams.
