Big Ten extends offers to Missouri, Nebraska

[OklahomaTuba]

Hmmmmm....

A Kansas City radio station is reporting that the Big Ten Conference has made offers to Big 12 schools Missouri and Nebraska to join the league.

According to a story on the Web site for Kansas City radio station WHB am810 citing “multiple sources close to the negotiations,” the Big Ten has made offers to Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Rutgers. The Big Ten is looking to expand, but conference officials have not said how many teams might be added.

Missouri and Nebraska would have to pay a penalty to leave the Big 12, with a move costing the schools 50 to 100 percent of the shared annual revenue from the league, the radio station reported. The University of Missouri Board of Regents would have to approve the move.

The report said the Big Ten officials have told Missouri representatives that the conference would like to have the expansion process completed this summer and make an announcement by the end of July. Big Ten officials are set to meet the first week of June in Chicago.

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=234&articleid=20100510_298_0_hrimgs561257

[Mjcpr]

Nuh uh, they want Texas because of their education and athletic superiority.

[ouleaf]

not that surprising really. I think the Rutger invite is also pretty interesting. That would be a big time jump for that program.

Gotta say with all the money the Big Ten Network produces for it's member schools it might be hard to say no to.

[Mjcpr]

I would assume the Rutgers offer is because ND will say no and if MU and NU say yes, that would give them an even 14 teams.

[BigTime1]

I think it would be funny if everybody says NO and theyve done all this and nobody wants to join.

[goingoneight]

I would assume the Rutgers offer is because ND will say no and if MU and NU say yes, that would give them an even 14 teams.

BIG 13?

[Mac94]

So it looks like the first domino might be falling. The next might be Colorado to the Pac-10 but if even part of this is true the death watch of the Big-12 is now on. Over on Aggie (Texas, that is) sites we've been beating this stuff to death with A&M ending up possibly in the Pac-10 or SEC. What are the possible seanrios for Oklahoma in all of this. Where, conference wise, do you all see OU in 5 years?

[Collier11]

so we pick up TCU and Colorado state, or someone like that?

[NormanPride]

Well, ****. I liked the "Western Alliance" that took the big schools from the Pac 10.

[Mac94]

Collier -

That adds nothing for the conferecne in terms of TV footprint. The loss of the St. Louis markets, possbily the Denver markets, and Nebraskas name can't be washed away by adding a private school in Texas. If TCU was "all that" they wouldn't have been in the "have nots" in the death of the old SWC. And, that's all you're really suggesting ... reforming a league like the old SWC.

[NormanPride]

I was always a proponent of getting teams to join the Big 12, but since it doesn't seem to be an option, I like this one next best.

http://www.soonerfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141541

[swardboy]

I don't know Mac...it's the DFW market, and that means something. I don't expect SMU to step up anytime soon.

[Mac94]

The Horns and Aggies pretty much doninate the DFW, Houston, and CenTex TV markets. TCU stuggles to put 40,000 in their stadium during the best of times for them. The urban schools in Texas (TCU, SMU, Rice, etc.) fell off with the emergence of pro sports in those cities.

Think of it this way ... on any given saturday who dominates the Tulsa TV market ... the Sooners or Golden Hurricane?

[pweitkem]

Nebraska going to the Big Ten would make it possible for a yearly OU/NU game. That would be badass. The Big XII North is a joke anyway... play a bunch of mediocre teams only to get beat by OU or Texas every year.

Oh yeah, to comment on Misery leaving the Big XII... who cares?

[swardboy]

Can you imagine playing 'Bama every year or two...I bet the touchy-feely good relationship would be over.

[Mjcpr]

Nebraska going to the Big Ten would make it possible for a yearly OU/NU game. That would be badass. The Big XII North is a joke anyway... play a bunch of mediocre teams only to get beat by OU or Texas every year.

Oh yeah, to comment on Misery leaving the Big XII... who cares?

Any future TV contracts would care.

[SoonerLB]

Can't imagine why Nebraska or Misery would either one wish to go to a lesser conference ..... just sayin'. ;)

[Mac94]

SoonerLB -

Hmmm .... have no idea.


Conference TV revenue Per ESPN, by millions:

Big Ten: $242
SEC: $205
Big 12: $78
ACC: $67
Pac 10: $58
Big East: $33

yup, no idea at all. ;)

[KantoSooner]

And so the games begin. If this report is for real, I hope Beebe, and more particularly Castiglione, have their shoes tied and their socks pulled up.

I want to end up in a better place after the dust settles, if we have to go through this, than we're in today.

And I think that means OU to either the SEC or to a Western Alliance of some sort. I can't see any teams we could add to a crippled B12 that would replace Nebs. Missouri, we could replace; but not Nebraska. And if anyone else fed on the carcass, well, I just hope Joe is slitting open his contingency plan envelopes.

[tfoolry]

That sux if you're a cyclown as they're clearly not good enough for Big 10; academically or athletically.

[badger]

This is an interesting development and kind of a slap in Joe Pa's old on-his-death-bed-somebody-find-him-a-casket face [/yell leader]

When Joe Pa asked for an expansion of the Big Ten, he wanted to expand out east, because he's kind of lonely out there right now. He wanted a Pittsburgh, or a Rutgers, or a Syracuse, or even a UConn.

Now that they're just gonna expand further west?! Joe Pa will be rolling over in his deathbed/casket, whoop! [/yell leader] He's gonna be even further away from the rest of his conference now! How is he supposed to get some closer rivalries and some decent travel time for his 100k fanbase now?

Oh and I really don't care if they leave. I really don't foresee Nebbish or Mizzou not wanting to play us after they go, so more power to 'em to find the best situation for their schools. We'll get the best for us now too, hopefully.

[TMcGee86]

This would definitely mean the death of the Big12.

In the short term, assuming it doesn't collapse immediately, I could see the conference moving OU & OSU to the north, and nabbing two noobs for the South.

Otherwise the north is going to be a joke, and there's no mid-major out there that could solve that.

[NormanPride]

You could try to steal Utah and BYU to be in the north, I guess. But why try to hold on to a concept that isn't working? Something in the Big 12 needs to change.

[OklahomaTuba]

I doubt they leave.

With the DFW, Houston, Denver & KC TV markets to consider, and their fertile recruiting base and rabid college football fanbase, all the Big-12 needs to do is renegotiate the TV contract (NBC or Fox anybody???), get a similar network going like the Big-10 net channel, and possibly expand itself. No reason Big-12 couldn't be the bigger fish here.

[Bourbon St Sooner]

The Horns and Aggies pretty much doninate the DFW, Houston, and CenTex TV markets. TCU stuggles to put 40,000 in their stadium during the best of times for them. The urban schools in Texas (TCU, SMU, Rice, etc.) fell off with the emergence of pro sports in those cities.

Think of it this way ... on any given saturday who dominates the Tulsa TV market ... the Sooners or Golden Hurricane?

Heh. The yokels on local talk radio in NOLA were speculating on SEC expansion and thought they should add Houston and Baylor because that would give them the Houston and Dallas markets. All I could think is what the hell are they smoking? I guess they just want some patsies for LSU to beat up on.

[Mac94]

get a similar network going like the Big-10 net channel

And this is one key problem .... we've already explored that but it was blocked by Texas as they are trying to get their own exclusive network up and running and didn't want the competitition. Former Big-12 Commissioner Kevin Weiberg faught for this beofre leaving the conferecne to join, of all things, the Big-10 Network to help get that up and running. He's now over with the Pac-10.

[SoonerMom2]

Iowa has been unhappy for a long time in the Big 10 especially since they have to travel to Penn State. They have been treated like a stepchild for years which makes the NE and MO deal even stranger.

Big 12 gets a big fat contract with TV like the Big 10 Network and wouldn't shock me if Iowa would bolt the Big 10.

[OklahomaTuba]

And this is one key problem .... we've already explored that but it was blocked by Texas as they are trying to get their own exclusive network up and running and didn't want the competitition. Former Big-12 Commissioner Kevin Weiberg faught for this beofre leaving the conferecne to join, of all things, the Big-10 Network to help get that up and running. He's now over with the Pac-10.Well that tells you right there that texass won't be going to any conference where they can't simply cry like a baby and get their way. Good luck trying to over-rule FU, Bama or Tenn with that shiat.

Maybe the Pac-10 would be good for them afterall.

[OklahomaTuba]

Iowa has been unhappy for a long time in the Big 10 especially since they have to travel to Penn State. They have been treated like a stepchild for years which makes the NE and MO deal even stranger.

Big 12 gets a big fat contract with TV like the Big 10 Network and wouldn't shock me if Iowa would bolt the Big 10.Bingo.

no reason that can't happen at all if we could just get a SOB like Joe C. running the entire show.

Big-12 has a lot going for it, chief among them is that we don't have major TV markets that are "de-populating" and the States in the big-12 region are in much better shape economically than say Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, California, etc.

[badger]

Big-12 has a lot going for it, chief among them is that we don't have major TV markets that are "de-populating" and the States in the big-12 region are in much better shape economically than say Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, California, etc.

This - everyone's moving south. The mighty midwest whines more than Texas that it's losing power, because it's losing people. The only time it has power in any discussion is presidential elections - Iowa caucus, then Michigan/Ohio final battleground states. Then, everyone goes back to not caring about them for four years :D

[OklahomaTuba]

I think that explains why the Big10 Network does so well. No one works so they just sit around all day at home collecting their hope and change watching reruns of a 1993 Wisconsin Purdue womans volleyball game.

[SoonerMom2]

That didn't take long. Nebraska chancellor says the WHB report isn't true:

http://my.journalstar.com/post/Husker_Extra_Group/Husker_Extra/blog/perlman_report_untrue.html

[royalfan5]

That didn't take long. Nebraska chancellor says the WHB report isn't true:

http://my.journalstar.com/post/Husker_Extra_Group/Husker_Extra/blog/perlman_report_untrue.html

Harvey says lots of things. That don't make them true or untrue.

[Mac94]

Yeah ... if the report was false that's what I'd expect him to say ... if the report was true .... that's what I'd expect him to say.

[SoonerMom2]

Harvey says lots of things. That don't make them true or untrue.

So tomorrow it could be true? :)

[Mr. Nuke]

That didn't take long. Nebraska chancellor says the WHB report isn't true:

http://my.journalstar.com/post/Husker_Extra_Group/Husker_Extra/blog/perlman_report_untrue.html

He isn't going to come out and say you got me its all true.

NU's official release


"We recognize the intense speculation about conference realignment and the possible impact it may have on Nebraska. Both Chancellor Harvey Perlman and Athletic Director Tom Osborne have indicated that the university would consider any opportunity that would advance the interests of the university," Lauerman said.

"The University of Nebraska has not been offered any opportunity to move from the Big 12. We remain committed to the success of the Big 12 Conference. Until the Big Ten Conference makes and announces its decision on expansion, the University of Nebraska will have no further comment and we do not intend to continue to respond further to questions or speculations on this subject."

[soonervegas]

He isn't going to come out and say you got me its all true.

NU's official release

Or in other words....we will let you know once we officially accept.

[Mr. Nuke]

Or in other words....we will let you know once we officially accept.
That is pretty much how we read it to.

[goingoneight]

Why don't you all just trust what the man says?

-Nick Saban

[goingoneight]

Why don't you all just trust what the man says?

-Brett Favre

.

[goingoneight]

Why don't you all just trust what the man says?

-Jay Leno

.

[OklahomaTuba]

You are my f**king whore. Hold you down while I choke you

-Tiger Woods

..

[Sabanball]

Here's the response I would LIKE to see to all this--

Fresno St, Colorado, Texas Tech, BYU, and Utah to the PAC 10

Pitt, Syracuse, West Virginia to the ACC

Texas, TAM, OU, and pokes to the SEC West, with Bama/Auburn moving to the SEC East

May sound crazy, but you never know...

[badger]

I would just like to remind you all of this little gem from Dr. Ozzie's predecessor, Steve Pederson (predecessor in AD spot, not NU fooseball coach):


We won't surrender the Big 12 to Oklahoma and Texas!
He said this after firing Ozzy's successor (at fooseball coach, not AD), Frank Solich.

So let us also quote Solich's successor, Bill Callahan, because it will be appropriate to repeat when Nebbish goes Big Tenning:


I understood that my coming here would represent a cultural change.

As for Mizzou... eff them. They've never said or done anything worth remembering or taking out of context now, despite their journalistic reputation :D

[JohnnyMack]

Here's the response I would LIKE to see to all this--

Fresno St, Colorado, Texas Tech, BYU, and Utah to the PAC 10

Pitt, Syracuse, West Virginia to the ACC

Texas, TAM, OU, and pokes to the SEC West, with Bama/Auburn moving to the SEC East

May sound crazy, but you never know...

I think Utah and CU are no brainers for the PAC 10, the others not so much.

Agree on the ACC cannibalizing the rest of the Big East and love the idea of the SEC expansion.

But, what the hell happens to KU and KSU?

[badger]

But, what the hell happens to KU and KSU?

The price they pay for being in the exact middle of the continental United States... here, have a yellow brick road as compensation :D

[sooner94]

I'm not worried about this. With us and Texas, the Big 12 would still have a lot of clout. And if Texas goes to another conference on their own, then we will be highly sought after by one of the "super conferences." Hell, why not be an independent for a few years if that happens. Get our own TV contract.

I feel bad for the Baylors, Iowa States, etc. that, even with the rev share the way it is in the Big 12, are helped tremendously by being in the Big 12.

With all of this conference re-jiggering,just confirms that the NCAA is all about $$$$ and not the "student athletes."

[Sabanball]

I'm not worried about this. With us and Texas, the Big 12 would still have a lot of clout. And if Texas goes to another conference on their own, then we will be highly sought after by one of the "super conferences." Hell, why not be an independent for a few years if that happens. Get our own TV contract.

I feel bad for the Baylors, Iowa States, etc. that, even with the rev share the way it is in the Big 12, are helped tremendously by being in the Big 12.

With all of this conference re-jiggering,just confirms that the NCAA is all about $$$$ and not the "student athletes."

That will not happen. OU needs conference affiliation to keep up in the arms race. Just look what has happened to Notre Dame in recent years..

[PrideTrombone]

Well, if OU moves over to the SEC, the Pride can bring this one back... :)

http://fightmusic.com/mp3/sec/Florida__Go_Gators.mp3

[MeMyself&Me]

You know, that fact that the Big 10 values Nebraska enough to invite them in tells me that when the dust settles OU will be sitting just fine in the conference it wants to be in. Now it's just a matter of seeing how this all plays out.

[Collier11]

I think the forming of the super conferences will be a big mistake

[LHSooner]

Assuming Nebbish & Mizzou leave, why not this version of the Western Alliance?

East Division
OU
OSUcks
saxet
Hitler Youth
Tortilla Throwers
KU
KSU
Colorado
TCU
Baylor

West Division
Zona
ASU
USC
UCLA
Stanford
Oregon
Or St
Washington
Utar
BYU

Minimizes travel until the CCG. Maintains existing rivalries. We could schedule the Bugeaters as an annual non-conference game if we wanted to, although they'd never go for it. Easier said than done, I'm sure.

[bluedogok]

The "others" will probably end up in C-USA or the WAC just like they did when the SWC folded. If Baylor ends up in one of those they might have a chance to win a conference title in football, of course they could always join North Texas in the Sunbelt.

Tech, maybe Kansas or K-State could end up in the Mountain West.

[PDXsooner]

And so the games begin. If this report is for real, I hope Beebe, and more particularly Castiglione, have their shoes tied and their socks pulled up.

I want to end up in a better place after the dust settles, if we have to go through this, than we're in today.

And I think that means OU to either the SEC or to a Western Alliance of some sort. I can't see any teams we could add to a crippled B12 that would replace Nebs. Missouri, we could replace; but not Nebraska. And if anyone else fed on the carcass, well, I just hope Joe is slitting open his contingency plan envelopes.

I totally agree with this. OU either needs to get into the SEC or be a part of a Big 12 -Pac 10 alliance. The Big 12 has very little leverage (outside of Texas). Colorado is a shoe-in to go to the Pac 10 and take the Denver market with them.

No collection of Mtn West/Wac teams will compensate for this. OU needs to be aggressive at getting themselves into a good position, because there isn't a ton of leverage.

[HBick]

I am all for this Western Alliance. I think this would be great if could merge the remainders of the Big 12 with the Pac-10. But as on the other thread, West could consist of:
USuCk
UCLA (would love to play Neuheisel every couple of years)
Arizona
Arizona State
Cal
Stanford
Oregon
Oregon State (assuming this would be package deal, and sorry Washingtons)

East:
Oklahoma
Texas
Texas A&M
Kansas
Colorado
Kansas State
Texas Tech
Baylor

Now I have K-State, Tech, and Baylor for different reasons. Baylor has superior academics (minus texas), private, good in prep sports such as tennis for example, baseball is decent too right? K-State and Tech kind of fill a void to make it an even 16.

But at the same time, it might be better to do a 14 team conference. In that case I'd remove Oregons, and put in BYU for the Utah television footprint, and try to retain Kansas, but remove K-State. But since I doubt the Kansas schools would split, maybe OSU (if they'd have them) or TCU. Because at that point the television footprint wouldn't really be increased by either OSU or TCU.

I hope this fits nicely with the theory someone had earlier about the Big 10 extending offers to Nebraska, Mizzou, Rutgers and ND since ND would say no.

[SoonerMom2]

As a sidenote PAC 10 and Big 12 are working on a TV alliance to get more money according to what was on CBS Sportsline when I was tracking down the Nebraska rumor. It said they will schedule more interconference games but remain separate -- shows me that the two conferences understand what is going on and would be a logical fit to go to a super conference if other conferences go that route.

[SoonerMom2]

Here is the link to the story on CBS Sportsline about the PAC 10 and Big 12 conferences meeting:

http://dennis-dodd.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6270202/21612470?tag=pageRow;pageContainer

[PDXsooner]

Pac 10- Big 12 alliance has some potential. The Pac 10 has California with Los Angeles and the Bay area (both top 10 markets), Seattle, Portland and Phoenix. That is HUGE leverage.

I like that better than going to the SEC. Quite honestly, the SEC with OU, Texas, Florida, 'Bama, Lsu, etc would be too strong. Try getting out of that unscathed. Impossible.

[PDXsooner]

FYI, these are the top TV markets. This is a huge driver in this whole thing.

U.S. TV Household Estimates Designated
Market Area (DMA) — Ranked by Households

Rank
Designated Market Area (DMA)
TV Households

% of US
1 New York, NY 7,493,530 6.524
2 Los Angeles, CA 5,659,170 4.927
3 Chicago, IL 3,501,010 3.048
4 Philadelphia, PA 2,955,190 2.573
5 Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX 2,544,410 2.215
6 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA 2,503,400 2.179
7 Boston, MA (Manchester, NH) 2,410,180 2.098
8 Atlanta, GA 2,387,520 2.079
9 Washington, DC (Hagerstown, MD) 2,335,040 2.033
10 Houston, TX 2,123,460 1.849
11 Detroit, MI 1,890,220 1.646
12 Phoenix, AZ 1,873,930 1.631
13 Seattle-Tacoma, WA 1,833,990 1.597
14 Tampa-St. Petersburg (Sarasota), FL 1,805,810 1.572
15 Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN 1,732,050 1.508
16 Denver, CO 1,539,380 1.340
17 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL 1,538,090 1.339
18 Cleveland-Akron (Canton), OH 1,520,750 1.324
19 Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne, FL 1,455,620 1.267
20 Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, CA 1,404,580 1.223
21 St. Louis, MO 1,249,450 1.088
22 Portland, OR 1,188,770 1.035
23 Pittsburgh, PA 1,154,950 1.005
24 Charlotte, NC 1,147,910 1.000
25 Indianapolis, IN 1,119,760 0.975
26 Raleigh-Durham (Fayetteville), NC 1,107,820 0.964
27 Baltimore, MD 1,093,170 0.952
28 San Diego, CA 1,073,390 0.934
29 Nashville, TN 1,019,010 0.888
30 Hartford and New Haven, CT 1,010,630 0.880
31 Salt Lake City, UT 944,060 0.822
32 Kansas City, MO 941,360 0.820
33 Cincinnati, OH 918,670 0.800
34 Columbus, OH 904,030 0.787
35 Milwaukee, WI 901,790 0.785
36 Greenville-Spartanburg, SC-Asheville, NC-Anderson,SC 865,810 0.754
37 San Antonio, TX 830,000 0.723
38 West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce, FL 776,080 0.676
39 Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York, PA 743,420 0.647
40 Birmingham (Anniston and Tuscaloosa), AL 742,140 0.646
41 Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, MI 740,430 0.645
42 Las Vegas, NV 721,780 0.628
43 Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, VA 709,880 0.618
44 Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM 694,040 0.604
45 Oklahoma City, OK 694,030 0.604
46 Greensboro-High Point-Winston Salem, NC 691,380 0.602
47 Jacksonville, FL 679,120 0.591
48 Austin, TX 678,730 0.591
49 Louisville, KY 668,310 0.582
50 Memphis, TN 667,660 0.581
51 New Orleans, LA 633,930 0.552
52 Buffalo, NY 633,220 0.551
53 Providence, RI-New Bedford, MA 619,610 0.539
54 Wilkes Barre-Scranton, PA 593,480 0.517
55 Fresno-Visalia, CA 579,180 0.504
56 Little Rock-Pine Bluff, AR 564,490 0.491
57 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 554,070 0.482
58 Richmond-Petersburg, VA 553,950 0.482
59 Knoxville, TN 552,380 0.481
60 Mobile, AL-Pensacola (Ft. Walton Beach), FL 534,730 0.466
61 Tulsa, OK 528,070 0.460
62 Lexington, KY 506,340 0.441
63 Charleston-Huntington, WV 501,530 0.437
64 Ft. Myers-Naples, Fl 500,110 0.435
65 Dayton, OH 482,590 0.420
66 Tucson (Sierra Vista), AZ 465,100 0.405
67 Roanoke-Lynchburg, VA 461,220 0.402
68 Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, MI 458,020 0.399
69 Wichita-Hutchinson, KS Plus 452,710 0.394
70 Green Bay-Appleton, WI 443,420 0.386
71 Honolulu, HI 433,240 0.377
72 Des Moines-Ames, IA 432,310 0.376
73 Toledo, OH 423,100 0.368
74 Springfield, MO 422,740 0.368
75 Spokane, WA 419,350 0.365
76 Omaha, NE 410,350 0.357
77 Portland-Auburn, ME 408,120 0.355
78 Paducah, KY-Cape Girardeau, MO-Harrisburg, IL 399,690 0.348
79 Columbia, SC 398,620 0.347
80 Rochester, NY 392,190 0.341
81 Huntsville-Decatur (Florence), AL 390,900 0.340
82 Shreveport, LA 386,180 0.336
83 Syracuse, NY 385,440 0.336
84 Champaign and Springfield-Decatur, IL 384,620 0.335
85 Madison, WI 377,260 0.328
86 Chattanooga, TN 365,400 0.318
87 Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen, TX 354,150 0.308
88 Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Iowa City and Dubuque, IA 346,030 0.301
89 Waco-Temple-Bryan, TX 339,570 0.296
90 Jackson, MS 336,520 0.293
91 South Bend-Elkhart, IN 336,130 0.293
92 Colorado Springs-Pueblo, CO 334,710 0.291
93 Tri-Cities, TN-VA 334,620 0.291
94 Burlington, VT-Plattsburgh, NY 330,650 0.288
95 Baton Rouge, LA 326,890 0.285
96 Savannah, GA 322,030 0.280
97 Charleston, SC 311,190 0.271
98 El Paso, TX 310,760 0.271
99 Davenport, IA-Rock Island-Moline, IL 308,910 0.269
100 Ft. Smith-Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR 298,330 0.260
101 Johnstown-Altoona, PA 294,350 0.256
102 Evansville, IN 291,830 0.254
103 Greenville-New Bern-Washington, NC 290,280 0.253
104 Myrtle Beach-Florence, SC 287,400 0.250
105 Lincoln and Hastings-Kearney, NE 281,590 0.245
106 Tallahassee, FL-Thomasville, GA 280,710 0.244
107 Ft. Wayne, IN 273,860 0.238
108 Reno, NV 270,500 0.236
109 Tyler-Longview(Lufkin and Nacogdoches), TX 267,890 0.233
110 Youngstown, OH 266,560 0.232
111 Springfield-Holyoke, MA 262,960 0.229
112 Boise, ID 262,800 0.229
113 Sioux Falls (Mitchell), SD 261,100 0.227
114 Augusta, GA 255,950 0.223
115 Lansing, MI 253,690 0.221
116 Peoria-Bloomington, IL 247,830 0.216
117 Traverse City-Cadillac, MI 245,000 0.213
118 Montgomery-Selma, AL 244,750 0.213
119 Eugene, OR 241,730 0.211
120 Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-San Luis Obispo, CA 241,370 0.210
121 Fargo-Valley City, ND 240,330 0.209
122 Macon, GA 239,330 0.208
123 Lafayette, LA 230,180 0.200
124 Monterey-Salinas, CA 227,390 0.198
125 Bakersfield, CA 222,910 0.194
126 Yakima-Pasco-Richland-Kennewick, WA 219,510 0.191
127 La Crosse-Eau Claire, WI 214,820 0.187
128 Columbus, GA 213,880 0.186
129 Corpus Christi, TX 199,560 0.174
130 Chico-Redding, CA 197,970 0.172
131 Amarillo, TX 192,490 0.168
132 Wilmington, NC 189,950 0.165
133 Columbus-Tupelo-West Point, MS 189,460 0.165
134 Rockford, IL 189,160 0.165
135 Wausau-Rhinelander, WI 184,720 0.161
136 Topeka, KS 180,090 0.157
137 Columbia-Jefferson City, MO 178,810 0.156
138 Monroe, LA-El Dorado, AR 177,200 0.154
139 Duluth, MN-Superior, WI 174,360 0.152
140 Medford-Klamath Falls, OR 172,900 0.150
141 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 167,330 0.146
142 Palm Springs, CA 161,110 0.140
143 Lubbock, TX 158,360 0.138
144 Salisbury, MD 158,340 0.138
145 Albany, GA 156,890 0.137
146 Erie, PA 156,520 0.136
147 Joplin, MO-Pittsburg, KS 155,670 0.136
148 Sioux City, IA 154,810 0.135
149 Wichita Falls, TX-Lawton, OK 154,450 0.135
150 Anchorage, AK 151,470 0.132
151 Panama City, FL 147,440 0.128
152 Terre Haute, IN 145,550 0.127
153 Rochester, MN-Mason City, IA-Austin, MN 144,300 0.126
154 Bangor, ME 144,230 0.126
155 Odessa-Midland, TX 143,710 0.125
156 Bluefield-Beckley-Oak Hill, WV 142,570 0.124
157 Binghamton, NY 137,240 0.120
158 Minot-Bismarck-Dickinson(Williston), ND 136,540 0.119
159 Wheeling, WV-Steubenville, OH 133,110 0.116
160 Gainesville, FL 128,400 0.112
161 Sherman, TX-Ada, OK 127,990 0.111
162 Idaho Falls-Pocatello, ID 126,880 0.110
163 Biloxi-Gulfport, MS 122,740 0.107
164 Yuma, AZ-El Centro, CA 118,300 0.103
165 Abilene-Sweetwater, TX 116,190 0.101
166 Missoula, MT 111,940 0.098
167 Hattiesburg-Laurel, MS 111,610 0.097
168 Clarksburg-Weston, WV 110,050 0.096
169 Billings, MT 107,420 0.094
170 Utica, NY 104,890 0.091
171 Quincy, IL-Hannibal, MO-Keokuk, IA 102,710 0.089
172 Dothan, AL 101,840 0.089
173 Jackson, TN 98,250 0.086
174 Rapid City, SD 98,240 0.086
175 Lake Charles, LA 95,900 0.083
176 Elmira, NY 95,790 0.083
177 Watertown, NY 93,970 0.082
178 Harrisonburg, VA 93,400 0.081
179 Alexandria, LA 90,740 0.079
180 Marquette, MI 88,490 0.077
181 Jonesboro, AR 82,300 0.072
182 Bowling Green, KY 81,650 0.071
183 Charlottesville, VA 75,920 0.066
184 Grand Junction-Montrose, CO 75,030 0.065
185 Meridian, MS 72,180 0.063
186 Lima, OH 71,380 0.062
187 Greenwood-Greenville, MS 70,350 0.061
188 Laredo, TX 69,790 0.061
189 Bend, OR 66,980 0.058
190 Butte-Bozeman, MT 66,260 0.058
191 Lafayette, IN 66,180 0.058
192 Great Falls, MT 65,000 0.057
193 Twin Falls, ID 64,740 0.056
194 Parkersburg, WV 64,060 0.056
195 Eureka, CA 61,090 0.053
196 Casper-Riverton, WY 55,620 0.048
197 Cheyenne, WY-Scottsbluff, NE 54,710 0.048
198 San Angelo, TX 54,580 0.048
199 Mankato, MN 52,230 0.046
200 Ottumwa, IA-Kirksville, MO 51,370 0.045
201 St. Joseph, MO 48,440 0.042
202 Fairbanks, AK 36,250 0.032
203 Zanesville, OH 32,350 0.028
204 Victoria, TX 31,560 0.028
205 Presque Isle, ME 31,070 0.027
206 Helena, MT 27,630 0.024
207 Juneau, AK 25,340 0.022
208 Alpena, MI 17,420 0.015
209 North Platte, NE 15,350 0.013
210 Glendive, MT 3,940 0.003

[silverwheels]

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/You-too-can-spark-a-bogus-Big-Ten-expansion-ru?urn=ncaaf,240041


You, too, can spark a bogus Big Ten expansion rumor
By Matt Hinton

Do you have a reporter's phone number? Do you know him to be alarmingly credulous regarding unreliable information? You do? Then you have everything you need to start a completely bogus Big Ten expansion rumor!

Maybe you want to float an obviously unfounded message board meme about Pitt, or an unsourced rumor re: Texas. Maybe you can completely misattribute a quote to a credible reporter that describes an incredible hypothetical scenario – say, that Missouri and Nebraska have already been offered spots in the Big Ten – and pass it off as "a done deal." Or, if you're a random sports radio station in Kansas City, you can send Twitter, blogs and at least one legitimate newspaper into a minor tizzy by quoting "sources" who insist that the wheels are already turning, man:

The Big Ten Conference has extended initial offers to join the league to four universities including Missouri and Nebraska from the Big 12, according to multiple sources close to the negotiations.

While nothing can be approved until the Big Ten presidents and chancellors meet the first week of June in Chicago, the league has informed the two Big 12 schools, Notre Dame and Rutgers that it would like to have them join. It is not yet clear whether the Big Ten will expand to 14 or 16 teams but sources indicated Missouri and Nebraska are invited in either scenario. Notre Dame has repeatedly declined the opportunity to join the Big Ten. If Notre Dame remains independent, Rutgers would be the 14th team. The Big Ten would then decide whether to stop at 14 or extend offers to two other schools. If Notre Dame joins, sources say an offer will be extended to one other school making it a 16-team league.

Time it took to get an emphatic, on-the-record denial from Nebraska's chancellor: Less than two hours. The Missouri end of the "report" was rebutted in less than four. Notre Dame didn't even think it was worth a response.

Birthers and listeners to late-night conspiracy radio will note that of course the interested parties trotted out token denials: No interested party is going to confirm anything until the deal is rock-solid. There may be no shred of evidence to contradict the Big Ten's stated 12-to-18-month timetable for vetting expansion plans, and not one single person of any level of credibility whatsoever has gone on the record to suggest. But come on: Where there's smoke, there's fire, right?

The only information even approaching "smoke" out of today's round of rumormongering is word from Missouri – also via an anonymous source, albeit one who claimed he'd spoken to Mizzou athletic director Mike Alden today, and who the Kansas City Star trusted enough to put into print – that university honchos had a conference call last Thursday, internally, to discuss the prospects of joining the Big Ten, even though no one at MU has been contacted by the conference. That, in place of an outright "no comment" or denial of interest, is a tiny wisp of smoke. But that's as concrete as it gets for now, and maybe for the next six months.

I'm about to just start ignoring this conference expansion business and just wait until it actually happens.

[PDXsooner]

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/You-too-can-spark-a-bogus-Big-Ten-expansion-ru?urn=ncaaf,240041



I'm about to just start ignoring this conference expansion business and just wait until it actually happens.

Yes, but conjecture and speculation are what it's all about!

[Sabanball]

I think the forming of the super conferences will be a big mistake

I tend to agree, but it is going to happen anyway.

[PDXsooner]

I tend to agree, but it is going to happen anyway.

What's the talk in SEC country? Any talk of OU and/or Texas coming there?

[silverwheels]

Yes, but conjecture and speculation are what it's all about!

Meh, a little goes a long way. When it goes on for months, then it gets really old.

[PDXsooner]

Here's an article from College Football News that had some interesting things...

http://cfn.scout.com/2/968955.html


May 10 - Conference Expansion

Fire over your questions, comments, and baskets of mini-muffins to [email protected]

- ASK CFNs 1/22 - Bowl Matchups | 1/29 - Being Boise State
2/11 Part One - Greatest QB Ever | 2/11 - Comparing soccer and college football
3/12 - Where are the Texas titles?

What NFL Draft? Were there spring games (outside of Alabama)? Were there any other news stories? Every radio interview and every sports conversation I’ve had over the last few weeks surrounds the one hot topic on every college football fan’s mind … expansion and realignment.

The Big Ten sure has thrown the world into a tizzy.

I’ve been wanting to do an ASK CFN for weeks, but almost every question has been about what’s about to happen to the alignment of the college football world. Here are some of the main questions that touch on what everyone is asking about, along with some thoughts about what’s probably going to happen.

Q: I consider myself a relatively sane and rational person. So why is it that I’m having a hard time believing that Big Ten expansion talk is that big a deal? Many are predicting Armageddon, but I’m just not seeing it. Is this all really going to happen? - NR

A: Yeah, it’s really going to happen, but I can see where you’re coming from. The crazy part about all the speculation is that the Big Ten hasn’t actually done anything concrete, yet the mere speculation of what it might do has set in motion a whirlwind of chaos.

All the Big Ten did was say it was thinking about expanding, and that was enough, for some, to declare the end of collegiate athletics as we know it. All the Big Ten needed to do was talk about Texas in a let’s-just-do-some-spitballin’-after-lunch sort of way, without doing any real leg work on the idea, and some have the Big 12 dead and buried (fine, I’m part of that crowd … more on that in a moment). All it did was say it would like to move up the timetable on expansion, with no specifics whatsoever, and the 2010 college football season has its year-long storyline that won’t go away.

Big Ten head honcho, Jim Delany, would never, ever, ever let the word expansion come out of the mouths of anyone associated with the league without there being some teeth behind it. This is going to happen, but the big question is going to be how the dominoes fall and how the Big Ten wants to reinvent itself. Of course, the other question will be if the league actually keeps its name.

Q: Give me the odds of the Big Ten expanding to 12 teams, 14, and 16. - BH

A: I’d make it a 7-to-1 shot that the Big Ten goes to 16, 10-to-1 of going to 14, and 100-to-1 of taking on just one team. The league might stagger the expansion a bit, sort of like the ACC did, and it could bring in one team now and two to four more later after more research and negotiation. Unless it’s Texas or Notre Dame (and it won’t be), bringing in just one team isn’t going to cut it at this point; Delany will make a splash and won't settle for a ripple. With so many schools lining up to join the fun, adding five more will be easy and the Big Ten can pick and choose to create the right fit to make the most money.

Q: When all the dust settles, who’s going to be in the Big Ten and how will it be aligned? - JG

A: If all the inside info really is true, I’ll be shocked if the Big Ten doesn’t go to 16, and there’s just no way it’ll go to 12. 14 is a possibility if there’s a backlash or if there’s a change of heart from some schools that appear to be locks, but it appears that the Big Ten will likely have two divisions of eight.

In the pecking order of schools on the Big Ten radar, it goes Rutgers (expands the Big Ten further into the New York City market and pushes the league out to the Atlantic Ocean), Missouri (mediocre academics are a problem, but the St. Louis and Kansas City markets and a natural tie-in with Illinois will help), Nebraska (the TV market isn’t a plus, but the football program adds luster), Syracuse (basketball, basketball, basketball), Connecticut (basketball, basketball, basketball … remember, Delany has a hoops background), and with Pitt (big city, natural geographic tie-in with Penn State and Ohio State) in the mix.

Your Big Ten, if it goes to 16, will probably end up being (with the new schools in bold) …

EAST: Connecticut, Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers, Syracuse
WEST: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin

If it goes to 14, the Big Ten will probably end up being …

EAST: Connecticut, Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers
WEST: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin

Q: Since when does the Big Ten have so much power? It’s not even the best football conference, and in most years it’s not even second best? What am I missing? - PT

A: It’s not just about the win-loss records on the field. It’s about money, academics, prestige, and more money.

To understand why Big Ten expansion is such a big deal, you need to try to grasp just what a monster the conference is when it comes to history and reputation. While the SEC might be the best football conference, without question, and the Big East and ACC might be the current stars in basketball, the Big Ten is the club almost everyone wants to be in (unless you’re a filthy rich school like Texas or Notre Dame).

The Big Ten has everything in its favor with the combination of geographic reach, the right TV times, the mega-stadiums, the gigantic alumni bases, and the educational reputation. While a lot of that might be more bluster than fact, the dollars generated by the league and the academic rankings are the real deal. It’s also a big help to have the right TV markets with Chicago (No. 3), Philadelphia (No. 4), Detroit (No. 11), Minneapolis (No. 15), Cleveland (No. 17), St. Louis (No. 21), Pittsburgh (No. 23), and Indianapolis (No. 25) all counted in the Big Ten TV equation. Throw New York (No. 1) and Boston (No. 7) into the mix, when the ACC and Big East games aren’t taking up the prime Saturday daypart, add to the equation the early ESPN games from coast-to-coast and the expansion of the Big Ten Network, and throw in the the nation’s No. 32 (Columbus), 34 (Cincinnati) and 35 (Milwaukee) TV markets, and the league’s exposure is unparalleled.

Q: Is the Big 12 really that bad? Why do all the Big 12 teams seem to want to jump ship to other leagues? Why wouldn’t the Big 12 do some sort of a preemptive strike and try to take away Big Ten teams? - TY

A: If you’re outside of a Big 12 city, good luck finding a mid-level conference game on a normal October Saturday. The exposure isn’t nearly as big as the Big Ten gets, the academics aren’t even close, and schools like Missouri are tired of not getting any sort of a spotlight, or the dollars, compared to Texas and Oklahoma, and doesn't get the bowl money compared to the mid-level Big Ten teams. It’s not like Mizzou would be the shining star in the Big Ten, but at least it would be getting paid better and it would upgrade the educational side. It’s not like Iowa and Michigan State are going Ivy League soon, but they have far better academic reputations than almost everyone in the Big 12.

The Big 12 could quickly take over TCU without a problem, and it might try to swallow up Utah and BYU before the Pac 10 does, but that’s not like getting the bigger-name schools from the BCS leagues. Forget about getting anyone from the Big Ten.

Q: Alright, give it to me straight. How much longer does my beloved Big 12 have to live? - TO

A: About ten minutes in its current form, but it won't go away like the Big East might. Consider Missouri and Nebraska gone to the Big Ten, Colorado might go to the Pac 10, and there’s a chance that Texas someday goes independent, becomes another Notre Dame, and forms its own Texas Sports Network with the monster baseball and basketball programs getting the coverage of the football team. There will still be a Big 12, but it’s not going to have the look and feel of the past decade.

Q: It’s 2020. What are all the conferences going to look like? - MR

A: Sooner than later, I foresee a day when the little guys are squeezed out completely and moved to another division. Eastern Michigan just can’t compete with Michigan when it comes to attendance, funding, and in every other way a you want to compare football programs. The big boys are going to realize the money to be made by creating an uber-division of elite teams and conferences, and the Big Ten is getting the ball rolling now. After all the dust settles from expansion and realignment, here’s my best guess (with the new schools in each league in bold) for how the college football world will look ten years from now …

ACC – Boston College, Cincinnati, Duke, East Carolina, Florida State, Maryland, Memphis, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Pitt, UCF, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, West Virginia

Big Ten – Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers, Syracuse, Purdue, Wisconsin

Big 12 – Baylor, BYU, Colorado State, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, TCU, Utah

Pac 10 – Arizona, Arizona State, Boise State, California, Colorado, Fresno State, Nevada, Oregon, Oregon State, San Diego State, Stanford, UCLA, UNLV, USC, Washington, Washington State

SEC – Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, South Carolina, South Florida, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

The Big East will dissipate with all its top teams being swallowed up, meaning there will be five mega-conferences with 16 teams each. That would make an upper-level division of 80 teams with Notre Dame staying independent and remaining in the BCS mix.

Army and Navy, all MAC and Sun Belt teams, six current WAC teams (Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State, San Jose State, and Utah State), two Mountain West teams (Air Force and Wyoming), and seven Conference USA teams (Marshall, Rice, Southern Miss, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, and UTEP), will create a mid-level division between the current FBS and FCS. They'll have the ability to play the upper-division teams and with bowl tie-ins, but they won't have the legal ability to be eligible for the BCS.

Q: I don’t get it. Why wouldn’t Notre Dame jump at the chance to be in the Big Ten? Aren’t they going to eventually end up joining? - FF

A: Beyond the non-revenue sport aspect, why would Notre Dame want to join any conference? It has the biggest brand name in college athletics, and possibly all of sports, it has its own network setup with NBC, has a sweetheart of a BCS deal (needing to finish in the top eight to get an automatic berth and getting $1.3 million every year no matter what, compared to the $100,000 Army and Navy receive), and it gets to keep all of its bowl money. Why would the school want to share a dime with anyone else?

Notre Dame is loaded. The school’s endowment took a major hit in the current economy yet it’s still speculated to be over $6 billion. Of the schools in the FCS, only Stanford, Texas, Michigan, Northwestern, and Texas A&M are richer. Notre Dame doesn’t need money, it doesn’t need to lessen its national profile or football brand name by joining the Big Ten, and it doesn’t need to take a chance on being an also-ran when 10-2 all but guarantees a BCS bid and 9-3 makes it close. The school might want to be a part of the Big Ten for the other sports and the academic tie-ins, but that’s not enough.

There’s also the problem of the Big Ten not necessarily wanting Notre Dame. To get the Irish, the Big Ten would have to bend over backwards and come up with a special deal to take into account the financial football sacrifice the school would likely make by joining. If the Big Ten gives Notre Dame a bigger piece of the pie, then Ohio State would likely throw a hissy fit about wanting its own deal with the league, considering it’s been doing most of the heavy lifting football-wise over the last several years. To make a long answer short, it’ll take something special for Notre Dame to join the Big Ten.

Q: After the Big Ten expands, does that mean we’re closer to a playoff? - DM

A: Nope. Unfortunately, conference expansion might do even less to bring a playoff since the money will be so impressive and so great that the commissioners aren’t going to want to do anything to mess with the cash cow. If there's a playoff in the next decade, it's not likely going to have anything to do with expansion.

[Sabanball]

FYI, these are the top TV markets. This is a huge driver in this whole thing.

U.S. TV Household Estimates Designated
Market Area (DMA) — Ranked by Households

Rank
Designated Market Area (DMA)
TV Households

% of US
1 New York, NY 7,493,530 6.524
2 Los Angeles, CA 5,659,170 4.927
3 Chicago, IL 3,501,010 3.048
4 Philadelphia, PA 2,955,190 2.573
5 Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX 2,544,410 2.215
6 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA 2,503,400 2.179
7 Boston, MA (Manchester, NH) 2,410,180 2.098
8 Atlanta, GA 2,387,520 2.079
9 Washington, DC (Hagerstown, MD) 2,335,040 2.033
10 Houston, TX 2,123,460 1.849
11 Detroit, MI 1,890,220 1.646
12 Phoenix, AZ 1,873,930 1.631
13 Seattle-Tacoma, WA 1,833,990 1.597
14 Tampa-St. Petersburg (Sarasota), FL 1,805,810 1.572
15 Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN 1,732,050 1.508
16 Denver, CO 1,539,380 1.340
17 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL 1,538,090 1.339
18 Cleveland-Akron (Canton), OH 1,520,750 1.324
19 Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne, FL 1,455,620 1.267
20 Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, CA 1,404,580 1.223
21 St. Louis, MO 1,249,450 1.088
22 Portland, OR 1,188,770 1.035
23 Pittsburgh, PA 1,154,950 1.005
24 Charlotte, NC 1,147,910 1.000
25 Indianapolis, IN 1,119,760 0.975
26 Raleigh-Durham (Fayetteville), NC 1,107,820 0.964
27 Baltimore, MD 1,093,170 0.952
28 San Diego, CA 1,073,390 0.934
29 Nashville, TN 1,019,010 0.888
30 Hartford and New Haven, CT 1,010,630 0.880
31 Salt Lake City, UT 944,060 0.822
32 Kansas City, MO 941,360 0.820
33 Cincinnati, OH 918,670 0.800
34 Columbus, OH 904,030 0.787
35 Milwaukee, WI 901,790 0.785
36 Greenville-Spartanburg, SC-Asheville, NC-Anderson,SC 865,810 0.754
37 San Antonio, TX 830,000 0.723
38 West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce, FL 776,080 0.676
39 Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York, PA 743,420 0.647
40 Birmingham (Anniston and Tuscaloosa), AL 742,140 0.646
41 Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, MI 740,430 0.645
42 Las Vegas, NV 721,780 0.628
43 Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, VA 709,880 0.618
44 Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM 694,040 0.604
45 Oklahoma City, OK 694,030 0.604
46 Greensboro-High Point-Winston Salem, NC 691,380 0.602
47 Jacksonville, FL 679,120 0.591
48 Austin, TX 678,730 0.591
49 Louisville, KY 668,310 0.582
50 Memphis, TN 667,660 0.581
51 New Orleans, LA 633,930 0.552
52 Buffalo, NY 633,220 0.551
53 Providence, RI-New Bedford, MA 619,610 0.539
54 Wilkes Barre-Scranton, PA 593,480 0.517
55 Fresno-Visalia, CA 579,180 0.504
56 Little Rock-Pine Bluff, AR 564,490 0.491
57 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 554,070 0.482
58 Richmond-Petersburg, VA 553,950 0.482
59 Knoxville, TN 552,380 0.481
60 Mobile, AL-Pensacola (Ft. Walton Beach), FL 534,730 0.466
61 Tulsa, OK 528,070 0.460
62 Lexington, KY 506,340 0.441
63 Charleston-Huntington, WV 501,530 0.437
64 Ft. Myers-Naples, Fl 500,110 0.435
65 Dayton, OH 482,590 0.420
66 Tucson (Sierra Vista), AZ 465,100 0.405
67 Roanoke-Lynchburg, VA 461,220 0.402
68 Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, MI 458,020 0.399
69 Wichita-Hutchinson, KS Plus 452,710 0.394
70 Green Bay-Appleton, WI 443,420 0.386
71 Honolulu, HI 433,240 0.377
72 Des Moines-Ames, IA 432,310 0.376
73 Toledo, OH 423,100 0.368
74 Springfield, MO 422,740 0.368
75 Spokane, WA 419,350 0.365
76 Omaha, NE 410,350 0.357
77 Portland-Auburn, ME 408,120 0.355
78 Paducah, KY-Cape Girardeau, MO-Harrisburg, IL 399,690 0.348
79 Columbia, SC 398,620 0.347
80 Rochester, NY 392,190 0.341
81 Huntsville-Decatur (Florence), AL 390,900 0.340
82 Shreveport, LA 386,180 0.336
83 Syracuse, NY 385,440 0.336
84 Champaign and Springfield-Decatur, IL 384,620 0.335
85 Madison, WI 377,260 0.328
86 Chattanooga, TN 365,400 0.318
87 Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen, TX 354,150 0.308
88 Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Iowa City and Dubuque, IA 346,030 0.301
89 Waco-Temple-Bryan, TX 339,570 0.296
90 Jackson, MS 336,520 0.293
91 South Bend-Elkhart, IN 336,130 0.293
92 Colorado Springs-Pueblo, CO 334,710 0.291
93 Tri-Cities, TN-VA 334,620 0.291
94 Burlington, VT-Plattsburgh, NY 330,650 0.288
95 Baton Rouge, LA 326,890 0.285
96 Savannah, GA 322,030 0.280
97 Charleston, SC 311,190 0.271
98 El Paso, TX 310,760 0.271
99 Davenport, IA-Rock Island-Moline, IL 308,910 0.269
100 Ft. Smith-Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR 298,330 0.260
101 Johnstown-Altoona, PA 294,350 0.256
102 Evansville, IN 291,830 0.254
103 Greenville-New Bern-Washington, NC 290,280 0.253
104 Myrtle Beach-Florence, SC 287,400 0.250
105 Lincoln and Hastings-Kearney, NE 281,590 0.245
106 Tallahassee, FL-Thomasville, GA 280,710 0.244
107 Ft. Wayne, IN 273,860 0.238
108 Reno, NV 270,500 0.236
109 Tyler-Longview(Lufkin and Nacogdoches), TX 267,890 0.233
110 Youngstown, OH 266,560 0.232
111 Springfield-Holyoke, MA 262,960 0.229
112 Boise, ID 262,800 0.229
113 Sioux Falls (Mitchell), SD 261,100 0.227
114 Augusta, GA 255,950 0.223
115 Lansing, MI 253,690 0.221
116 Peoria-Bloomington, IL 247,830 0.216
117 Traverse City-Cadillac, MI 245,000 0.213
118 Montgomery-Selma, AL 244,750 0.213
119 Eugene, OR 241,730 0.211
120 Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-San Luis Obispo, CA 241,370 0.210
121 Fargo-Valley City, ND 240,330 0.209
122 Macon, GA 239,330 0.208
123 Lafayette, LA 230,180 0.200
124 Monterey-Salinas, CA 227,390 0.198
125 Bakersfield, CA 222,910 0.194
126 Yakima-Pasco-Richland-Kennewick, WA 219,510 0.191
127 La Crosse-Eau Claire, WI 214,820 0.187
128 Columbus, GA 213,880 0.186
129 Corpus Christi, TX 199,560 0.174
130 Chico-Redding, CA 197,970 0.172
131 Amarillo, TX 192,490 0.168
132 Wilmington, NC 189,950 0.165
133 Columbus-Tupelo-West Point, MS 189,460 0.165
134 Rockford, IL 189,160 0.165
135 Wausau-Rhinelander, WI 184,720 0.161
136 Topeka, KS 180,090 0.157
137 Columbia-Jefferson City, MO 178,810 0.156
138 Monroe, LA-El Dorado, AR 177,200 0.154
139 Duluth, MN-Superior, WI 174,360 0.152
140 Medford-Klamath Falls, OR 172,900 0.150
141 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 167,330 0.146
142 Palm Springs, CA 161,110 0.140
143 Lubbock, TX 158,360 0.138
144 Salisbury, MD 158,340 0.138
145 Albany, GA 156,890 0.137
146 Erie, PA 156,520 0.136
147 Joplin, MO-Pittsburg, KS 155,670 0.136
148 Sioux City, IA 154,810 0.135
149 Wichita Falls, TX-Lawton, OK 154,450 0.135
150 Anchorage, AK 151,470 0.132
151 Panama City, FL 147,440 0.128
152 Terre Haute, IN 145,550 0.127
153 Rochester, MN-Mason City, IA-Austin, MN 144,300 0.126
154 Bangor, ME 144,230 0.126
155 Odessa-Midland, TX 143,710 0.125
156 Bluefield-Beckley-Oak Hill, WV 142,570 0.124
157 Binghamton, NY 137,240 0.120
158 Minot-Bismarck-Dickinson(Williston), ND 136,540 0.119
159 Wheeling, WV-Steubenville, OH 133,110 0.116
160 Gainesville, FL 128,400 0.112
161 Sherman, TX-Ada, OK 127,990 0.111
162 Idaho Falls-Pocatello, ID 126,880 0.110
163 Biloxi-Gulfport, MS 122,740 0.107
164 Yuma, AZ-El Centro, CA 118,300 0.103
165 Abilene-Sweetwater, TX 116,190 0.101
166 Missoula, MT 111,940 0.098
167 Hattiesburg-Laurel, MS 111,610 0.097
168 Clarksburg-Weston, WV 110,050 0.096
169 Billings, MT 107,420 0.094
170 Utica, NY 104,890 0.091
171 Quincy, IL-Hannibal, MO-Keokuk, IA 102,710 0.089
172 Dothan, AL 101,840 0.089
173 Jackson, TN 98,250 0.086
174 Rapid City, SD 98,240 0.086
175 Lake Charles, LA 95,900 0.083
176 Elmira, NY 95,790 0.083
177 Watertown, NY 93,970 0.082
178 Harrisonburg, VA 93,400 0.081
179 Alexandria, LA 90,740 0.079
180 Marquette, MI 88,490 0.077
181 Jonesboro, AR 82,300 0.072
182 Bowling Green, KY 81,650 0.071
183 Charlottesville, VA 75,920 0.066
184 Grand Junction-Montrose, CO 75,030 0.065
185 Meridian, MS 72,180 0.063
186 Lima, OH 71,380 0.062
187 Greenwood-Greenville, MS 70,350 0.061
188 Laredo, TX 69,790 0.061
189 Bend, OR 66,980 0.058
190 Butte-Bozeman, MT 66,260 0.058
191 Lafayette, IN 66,180 0.058
192 Great Falls, MT 65,000 0.057
193 Twin Falls, ID 64,740 0.056
194 Parkersburg, WV 64,060 0.056
195 Eureka, CA 61,090 0.053
196 Casper-Riverton, WY 55,620 0.048
197 Cheyenne, WY-Scottsbluff, NE 54,710 0.048
198 San Angelo, TX 54,580 0.048
199 Mankato, MN 52,230 0.046
200 Ottumwa, IA-Kirksville, MO 51,370 0.045
201 St. Joseph, MO 48,440 0.042
202 Fairbanks, AK 36,250 0.032
203 Zanesville, OH 32,350 0.028
204 Victoria, TX 31,560 0.028
205 Presque Isle, ME 31,070 0.027
206 Helena, MT 27,630 0.024
207 Juneau, AK 25,340 0.022
208 Alpena, MI 17,420 0.015
209 North Platte, NE 15,350 0.013
210 Glendive, MT 3,940 0.003

Hammer, meet nail. OKC at 45th. You are absolutely right. Future revenue sharing and dollar amounts are absolutely what is driving all of the expansion war that has now started with the Big 10 firing the first shot.

The SEC will extend it's geographic footprint in response and I predict we will do that by expanding westward by taking you and Texas in--for political reasons we will have to take also TAM and the pokes, I predict. We already have a presence in Florida and Georgia extending to the atlantic coast.

[PDXsooner]

Hammer, meet nail. OKC at 45th. You are absolutely right. Future revenue sharing and dollar amounts are absolutely what is driving all of the expansion war that has now started with the Big 10 firing the first shot.

The SEC will extend it's geographic footprint in response and I predict we will do that by expanding westward by taking you and Texas in--for political reasons we will have to take also TAM and the pokes, I predict. We already have a presence in Florida and Georgia extending to the atlantic coast.

Interesting. What I don't fully understand is how the SEC is so powerful with limited large markets. Either way, the size of the SEC TV contract speaks for itself. I think this is the best scenario for OU.

[goingoneight]

PAC 10 means a Rose Bowl bid and scrapping the Tostito Bowl.

In!

[tfoolry]

Iowa has been unhappy for a long time in the Big 10 especially since they have to travel to Penn State. They have been treated like a stepchild for years which makes the NE and MO deal even stranger.

Big 12 gets a big fat contract with TV like the Big 10 Network and wouldn't shock me if Iowa would bolt the Big 10.

Iowa will absolutely not leave the Big 10.

[SoCal]

If Notre Dame would just join the Big-11 all this crap with conference jumping would be over. God...I hate Notre Dame!!!

[soonersam]

I live in Madison and the Big10 is so boring its painful to be around! The Football programs are so out dated but everyone still talks like its the 70's..

The game day experience is fairly good up here though!!! The students are much more apart of the game atmosphere!!

[NormanPride]

I thought the NBC deal was going to expire with ND? It looks like they extended the offer, but if their performance in sports doesn't improve consistently then eventually they're going to be dropped.

[PDXsooner]

I thought the NBC deal was going to expire with ND? It looks like they extended the offer, but if their performance in sports doesn't improve consistently then eventually they're going to be dropped.

Numbers don't lie. Notre Dame gets the ratings. They've been bad for 15 years.

[NormanPride]

Do they still get ratings, though? I thought their numbers were declining.

[PDXsooner]

Do they still get ratings, though? I thought their numbers were declining.

Their ratings took a nose dive after their terrible season in 2007, but they bounced back and are actually pretty strong. I don't understand how, though.

[KantoSooner]

Some people are Oregon fans. Some people like boy bands. No explaining poor taste.

[PDXsooner]

Some people are Oregon fans. Some people like boy bands. No explaining poor taste.

Are you saying the Backstreet Boys' "I Want it That Way" wasn't an awesome song?

[TMcGee86]

here’s my best guess (with the new schools in each league in bold) for how the college football world will look ten years from now …

Big 12 – Baylor, BYU, Colorado State, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, TCU, Utah

Man this would be interesting if it somehow came true, I don't see it I think the Big12 implodes but lets take the guys prediction:

If it goes like that I would think the south looks like this: (1) Texas, (2) A&M, (3) Tech, (4) Baylor, (5) TCU, (6) SMU, (7) Houston, and (8) New Mexico

And OU and OSU would move to the north making it (1) OU, (2) OSU, (3) BYU, (4) CSU, (5) ISU, (6) KU, (7)KSU, and (8) Utah

Which would mean that OU and UT could meet up for the CCG every year, which would be bad ***.

Also, they would both have fairly clear roads to the championship game, the only scares right now would be TCU for UT, and Utah for OU (or BYU if we lose our Heisman winner midgame).

I would be interesting to see if they would keep the RRS a yearly occurrence since there would be a chance to meet up in the CCG anyway.

Talk about some badass rematches

[KantoSooner]

Are you saying the Backstreet Boys' "I Want it That Way" wasn't an awesome song?

I am saying The Backdoor Boys, Menudo and the entire genre is an abortion that makes me want to cleanse my ears with an electric drill.

In much the same way that I would swear off college football forever if my only option was to be a ducks fan.

[PDXsooner]

I am saying The Backdoor Boys, Menudo and the entire genre is an abortion that makes me want to cleanse my ears with an electric drill.

In much the same way that I would swear off college football forever if my only option was to be a ducks fan.

You've made two references to being a ducks fan. Why?

[soonervegas]

Man this would be interesting if it somehow came true, I don't see it I think the Big12 implodes but lets take the guys prediction:

If it goes like that I would think the south looks like this: (1) Texas, (2) A&M, (3) Tech, (4) Baylor, (5) TCU, (6) SMU, (7) Houston, and (8) New Mexico

And OU and OSU would move to the north making it (1) OU, (2) OSU, (3) BYU, (4) CSU, (5) ISU, (6) KU, (7)KSU, and (8) Utah



I think the "guy" is probably some 15 yr old in a basement. I would be floored if Texas, OU, or A&M agreed to something like this. It's the WAC - version 3.0 with Texas, OU, and A&M tacked on.

[KantoSooner]

You've made two references to being a ducks fan. Why?

Do not take it personally. I didn't even look at your sig until after I'd sent the first message. No, I just closed my eyes and tried to think of the most illogical, prima facie absurd, positions to hold.
Being a ducks fan was very high up that list.

(there are many reasons to like Portland, though: pinot noir and that local burger chain with the blueberry milkshakes being two of them)

[TMcGee86]

I think the "guy" is probably some 15 yr old in a basement. I would be floored if Texas, OU, or A&M agreed to something like this. It's the WAC - version 3.0 with Texas, OU, and A&M tacked on.

yup, totally agree.

[PDXsooner]

Do not take it personally. I didn't even look at your sig until after I'd sent the first message. No, I just closed my eyes and tried to think of the most illogical, prima facie absurd, positions to hold.
Being a ducks fan was very high up that list.

(there are many reasons to like Portland, though: pinot noir and that local burger chain with the blueberry milkshakes being two of them)

Just making sure. There is no bigger insult than to call someone a Ducks fan in my book.

[sooneron]

yup, totally agree.

It's Pete Fiutak or whatever. He's hardly a 15 year old in a basement.

[sooneron]

Man this would be interesting if it somehow came true, I don't see it I think the Big12 implodes but lets take the guys prediction:

If it goes like that I would think the south looks like this: (1) Texas, (2) A&M, (3) Tech, (4) Baylor, (5) TCU, (6) SMU, (7) Houston, and (8) New Mexico

And OU and OSU would move to the north making it (1) OU, (2) OSU, (3) BYU, (4) CSU, (5) ISU, (6) KU, (7)KSU, and (8) Utah

Which would mean that OU and UT could meet up for the CCG every year, which would be bad ***.

Also, they would both have fairly clear roads to the championship game, the only scares right now would be TCU for UT, and Utah for OU (or BYU if we lose our Heisman winner midgame).

I would be interesting to see if they would keep the RRS a yearly occurrence since there would be a chance to meet up in the CCG anyway.

Talk about some badass rematches

I would see us moving to the North, too, but no one from the Big 12 would be allowed in the title game with that conference schedule.

[TMcGee86]

It's Pete Fiutak or whatever. He's hardly a 15 year old in a basement.

I should have specified, I was yuping the WAC 3.0 comment.

[Mac94]

CFN's senario isn't plausable because it failes to deal with TV revenue issues. Their south division is the old 1992-1995 SWC with New Mexico instead of Rice. Way to much dead weight in that senario.

Better bet would be to go to 10 teams:

Texas, A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, oSu, Colorado, Kansas, Kansas St., with maybe Utah and New Mexico/BYU added. Play a 9 game conference schedule like the Pac-10 with 3 OOC games. Form an alliance of leagues with the Pac-10 in which one of our 3 OOC games would be with one of the others schools on a rotating basis. That leaves 2 OOC games for AD's to play with. Colorado could still play Colo. St., USC play Notre Dame, Kansas could work something with Missouri, OU with Nebraska, etc.

The winner of the Pac-10 and the winner of the smaller Big-12 would play in a championship game rotated between Dallas and Phoenix.

TV deals would be co negotiated, a Western Sports Channel could be created.

Just an idea.

[TMcGee86]

I would see us moving to the North, too, but no one from the Big 12 would be allowed in the title game with that conference schedule.

Oh I don't know about that. It's not like Nebbish has been any good lately, and yet OU and UT have made the title game on a regular basis for the past decade.

Utah and TCU and BYU are actually decent teams and would likely be ranked at seasons end.

That being said, the conference has ZERO national appeal and without the history of teams like Nebbish, the Big12 would look exactly like a really cleaned up version of the WAC.

[Mac94]

Yup ... they have the old SWC in the south and a hybrid old Big-8 and old WAC in the north. No real progress there.

[RedstickSooner]

Can't imagine why Nebraska or Misery would either one wish to go to a lesser conference ..... just sayin'. ;)

Dude, going to the Big 10 would be a dream come true. More money, and more importantly, you get to play big 10 teams every year! It's like scheduling East Popcorn State for every game of the season, but nobody gives you any crap about it.

Sucks to be us, as we were obviously not in the running.

What's more, announcements like this aren't made out of the blue. Clearly, all four of those schools have been approached and expressed some interest in the change.

This is lousy news for us, because the teams that we replace those with (assuming the Big 12 survives and/or we stay in it) will have less national respect, but quite possibly more talent and ability. So we'll have a more difficult schedule & no credit for it.

This is very, very lame.

[RedstickSooner]

Pac 10- Big 12 alliance has some potential. The Pac 10 has California with Los Angeles and the Bay area (both top 10 markets), Seattle, Portland and Phoenix. That is HUGE leverage.


Yeah, that's great. Probably explains why the Big East does so well, television-wise, each year.

Maybe we could get a team in Tokyo, Shanghai & London.

Or, we could bear in mind that...

NOBODY ON THE LEFT COAST WATCHES FRIGGIN' FOOTBALL.

So, market size is, y'know. Tits on a boar. Even USC, in one of the nation's most populous cities, couldn't fill its stadium for home games while they were in the middle of paying players for a "dynasty".

I'd also be awfully surprised if the Pac-10 *ever* ejected any team from its membership -- so any scenario where we merge them and keep less than their full current membership in the new conference seems far-fetched to me. Since they don't take football as seriously as we do, their conference membership is gonna balk big-time at the idea of carving up the conference purely because of national football politics. This is the same conference that stood as a roadblock in the way of having a consensus national champion for decades because of their prissy Rose Bowl.

They ain't like us. They don't like us. And they ain't gonna change for us. Our only hope is that they might strip the Big-10~15 of its automatic bid to the Rose Bowl and offer that puppy up to us. But I'd be dumbfounded if they did (although I could see them being tempted once the Big-10~15 adds a CCG).

[PDXsooner]

Yeah, that's great. Probably explains why the Big East does so well, television-wise, each year.

Maybe we could get a team in Tokyo, Shanghai & London.

Or, we could bear in mind that...

NOBODY ON THE LEFT COAST WATCHES FRIGGIN' FOOTBALL.

So, market size is, y'know. Tits on a boar.

There is some truth to that, but market size still matters. It's just a fact. No way around it.

[ashley]

I don't think I like it but things are starting to happen. I wouldn't be surprised to see OU, OSU, tu, and A &M go to the SEC with Miami and FSU.
Missouri is going because of the money. They can make lots more money. Indiana made more last year than they did because the Big 12 does not share equally and the Big 10 does.

[yankee]

everyone can just quiet down now...:rolleyes:

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news;_ylt=AhfKifWatF27AZPoc9hLaA45nYcB?slug=tsn-reportsofbigtenexpan


*sigh*

i f'n hate the offseason.

[PLaw]

A few observations:

1) 11 + 4 = 15 Odd numbers are bad for big conferences.

2) offering Nebbish, Mizzou, ND, and Rutgers??? Are they betting ND turns them down again and they go to 14? Or, is there a fifth school on their list? Texas, Pitt, Syracuse???

3) Since it is all about the money, I have no qualms with Nebbish and Mizzou bolting for Big??? cash.

4) SEC West will be rugged with OU, OSU, Arky, LSU, Texas, A&M, Ole Miss, and MSU. SEC East with Bama, Auburn, Tennessee, Kentucky, So Car, Florida, Georgia, and Vandy would be interesting. Much better if Vandy gets the boot and they offer FSU.

We could play 7 division games, 2 conference games, Nebbish every year, and two warm ups like Tulsa, Baylor, Tech, K-State, or other mid to lower tier programs.

5) PAC West picks up CU, BYU, Utah, and BSU.

6) Just remember, it's not about geographical location; quality of academic program, or quality of athletic program. It's all about TV markets and the money those markets generate. If you believe otherwise, then you had better wake up and smell the coffee.

BOOMER

[PLaw]

Dude, going to the Big 10 would be a dream come true. More money, and more importantly, you get to play big 10 teams every year! It's like scheduling East Popcorn State for every game of the season, but nobody gives you any crap about it.

Sucks to be us, as we were obviously not in the running.

What's more, announcements like this aren't made out of the blue. Clearly, all four of those schools have been approached and expressed some interest in the change.

This is lousy news for us, because the teams that we replace those with (assuming the Big 12 survives and/or we stay in it) will have less national respect, but quite possibly more talent and ability. So we'll have a more difficult schedule & no credit for it.

This is very, very lame.

Redstick - dude, the Big XII is on life support. Makes no $$'s sense to add schools that would benefit more from the offer than what they could bring to the conference. TV markets just aren't there.

BOOMER

[RedstickSooner]

Redstick - dude, the Big XII is on life support. Makes no $$'s sense to add schools that would benefit more from the offer than what they could bring to the conference. TV markets just aren't there.

BOOMER

First, PDX -- yeah, I know I was exaggerating, but I hate it when people talk like having a team in New York City's area matters, or like having a college team in L.A. matters. College viewership and fanbase isn't market driven the way the NFL is, and if it were, the Big East and the Pac-10 would totally dominate the sport.

And, Plaw, I absolutely agree. The Big-12 was already a second-ish tier conference in terms of audience and earning power (which is why having, like, nine teams from one state in your conference is an effing retarded idea, btw), and if we have these defections from the north, our conference is done.

I'm just a sad panda that we weren't the team courted. A switch to the Big~howevermany would've been spectacular for our program.

If we stay in the Big-12, and the Big-12 replaces our losses with a bunch of small-time WAC or Mountain West or whatever teams, it's gonna be a sad day for Sooner football.

[RedstickSooner]

Redstick - dude, the Big XII is on life support. Makes no $$'s sense to add schools that would benefit more from the offer than what they could bring to the conference. TV markets just aren't there.

BOOMER

Okay, okay, slow night for my reading comprehension.

Yeah, I did kind of wonder why the Big-10 would go "slumming" for our teams. Figured even if Nebbish and Misery didn't represent huge TV markets, they were still decent teams (and there's not all that many decent teams out there that could be expected to jump conference ships).

Texas would've made a lot more sense than either, and I'd like to think we'd make more sense, too. And since the Big-12 is so anemic as a conference, it would seem our members are the natural targets.

That story sure did get us (myself included) in a bit of a tizzy -- what kind of ****** makes up stories like that anyhow?

[PDXsooner]

everyone can just quiet down now...:rolleyes:

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news;_ylt=AhfKifWatF27AZPoc9hLaA45nYcB?slug=tsn-reportsofbigtenexpan


*sigh*

i f'n hate the offseason.

Don't kid yourself. Things are gonna happen. There will be plenty of inaccurate rumors floating around, but it will happen...

[PDXsooner]

First, PDX -- yeah, I know I was exaggerating, but I hate it when people talk like having a team in New York City's area matters, or like having a college team in L.A. matters. College viewership and fanbase isn't market driven the way the NFL is, and if it were, the Big East and the Pac-10 would totally dominate the sport.


I agree. I also really really hope Castiglione and whoever else is involved is positioning OU HARD to land somewhere. Neither the Big 10 or the SEC is a geographical stretch, and I can't help but think that OU has some sex appeal for either conference.

[Harry Beanbag]

4) SEC West will be rugged with OU, OSU, Arky, LSU, Texas, A&M, Ole Miss, and MSU. SEC East with Bama, Auburn, Tennessee, Kentucky, So Car, Florida, Georgia, and Vandy would be interesting. Much better if Vandy gets the boot and they offer FSU.

Never happen. Vanderbilt is the SEC's only private school.

[RedstickSooner]

Never happen. Vanderbilt is the SEC's only private school.

Agreed. Plus, the SEC is full of circle-jerk pride in their infallible superiority.

I doubt very much they'd be interested in making *any* conference change. I mean, why should they? They already have enough teams to play a CCG, so why upset the apple cart?

(Though, obviously, they could always prove me wrong.)

[RedstickSooner]

Oh, and another thing -- ADs and the like lie *constantly* when asked about their plans. Then come out later and confirm 'em as if nothing happened. If they need to justify themselves at all, they just say that the discussions were "confidential", and therefore they "weren't at liberty to confirm them".

I've never understood how something being confidential meant you could come out and bald-face lie, but that's frequently the case.

Clearly, some kind of conference realignment is in the works -- and it wouldn't surprise me at all if the story about Nebbish and Misery turned out to be 100% true. Again, they do represent crappy audience bases, but the Big 10 has to add teams from *somewhere* and most of the great teams out there aren't going anywhere. (Though Tejas or OU would be a better fit. And boy howdy, as I've mentioned, I would *love* switching to the Big 10.)

[TMcGee86]

A few observations:

1) 11 + 4 = 15 Odd numbers are bad for big conferences.

2) offering Nebbish, Mizzou, ND, and Rutgers??? Are they betting ND turns them down again and they go to 14? Or, is there a fifth school on their list? Texas, Pitt, Syracuse???

IIRC, they rumor is that if ND accepts, they will add a 16th team.

It's a really smart way to go about it if you ask me, instead of just asking ND and getting their normal "No" response, they offer 3 others at the same time, showing ND what they will be missing if they continue to hold out.

[Taxman71]

I would expect the Big 10 to fully deplete the Big East (due to larger population and TV markets) before they raid the Big 12. Nebraska I understand, but Mizzou just doesn't do anything for me. Why not go for Kansas over Mizzou for the KC market and a much, much better basketball program.

[SoonerMom2]

I don't see Nebraska wanting to go the Penn State and Rutgers to play football or Michigan for that fact unless they don't want to keep getting dominated in the Big 12 title game. Missouri adds nothing to the Big 10 IMHO. I think we should go after Iowa if Missouri and/or Nebraska leaves as they are not happy in the Big 12 -- they get screwed pretty much everytime they go east. Big 12 is a much better fit for Iowa who is treated like a stepchild in the Big 10.

I keep seeing people talk about Missouri fans in St. Louis but the times I have been there I have seen few Missouri shirts. It is Rams and Cardinals territory.

[PalmBeachSooner]

I think it would be funny if everybody says NO and theyve done all this and nobody wants to join.

There is way too much money on the table for someone not to take the invite. But yes, it would be hilarious.

[royalfan5]

I don't see Nebraska wanting to go the Penn State and Rutgers to play football or Michigan for that fact unless they don't want to keep getting dominated in the Big 12 title game. Missouri adds nothing to the Big 10 IMHO. I think we should go after Iowa if Missouri and/or Nebraska leaves as they are not happy in the Big 12 -- they get screwed pretty much everytime they go east. Big 12 is a much better fit for Iowa who is treated like a stepchild in the Big 10.

I keep seeing people talk about Missouri fans in St. Louis but the times I have been there I have seen few Missouri shirts. It is Rams and Cardinals territory.

Nebraska and Penn State have a mutual dislike that goes back us getting screwed in Happy Valley in 1982, plus the split title in 1994. Most NU fans would love to get a regular crack at them. Same for Michigan. Also, Nebraska joining the Big Ten would be great for Iowa because that would heat up into a big rivalry in a hurry. There is a lot of **** talking already and we only play once or twice every twenty years. Nebraska/Iowa would be a hell of a lot more fun than Nebraska/either of the Kansas Schools. Plus, Iowa doesn't want to be in the same league as ISU.

[GottaHavePride]

Nebraska I understand, but Mizzou just doesn't do anything for me. Why not go for Kansas over Mizzou for the KC market and a much, much better basketball program.

Mizzou gives you KC and St. Louis, and they're decent at both football and basketball. KU is kind of a one-trick pony (basketball). Plus, I think U of Missouri has a higher academic reputation than KU. U of M has a Carnegie Foundation designation as a "Doctoral / Research Extensive" university. They have around the same student population as KU, but twice as many faculty.

[TMcGee86]

I don't see Nebraska wanting to go the Penn State and Rutgers to play football or Michigan for that fact unless they don't want to keep getting dominated in the Big 12 title game. Missouri adds nothing to the Big 10 IMHO. I think we should go after Iowa if Missouri and/or Nebraska leaves as they are not happy in the Big 12 -- they get screwed pretty much everytime they go east. Big 12 is a much better fit for Iowa who is treated like a stepchild in the Big 10.

I keep seeing people talk about Missouri fans in St. Louis but the times I have been there I have seen few Missouri shirts. It is Rams and Cardinals territory.

Iowa makes 22 million a year right now, they would make about 7 million in the Big12.

There is no chance that Iowa comes to the Big12.

[Mr. Nuke]

Mizzou gives you KC and St. Louis, and they're decent at both football and basketball. KU is kind of a one-trick pony (basketball). Plus, I think U of Missouri has a higher academic reputation than KU. U of M has a Carnegie Foundation designation as a "Doctoral / Research Extensive" university. They have around the same student population as KU, but twice as many faculty.
The problem with Missouri is two fold. Athletically, they have the least number of Big 12 championships out of all 12 schools. Secondly, it is debatable whether or not they can actually deliver KC and St. Louis. The pecking order in Kansas City is 1) the Chiefs 2) the Royals 3) KU Basketball 4) Missouri football. St. Louis they can probably lock up for the Big 10, but I don't think Missouri is the big splash that others think it is.

I don't see Nebraska wanting to go the Penn State and Rutgers to play football or Michigan for that fact unless they don't want to keep getting dominated in the Big 12 title game.

It has nothing to do with being scared about the Big XII title game. Mainly the athletic department can get $10 million more a year. The academic side of the University is going to be improved assuming CIC membership. Finally, it is a more stable conference situation. Nebraska doesn't have to be worried about what if X leaves the Big XII, what happens where do we go, etc.?

[Scott D]

Hypothetically speaking....let's say that the Big-10 does offer Mizzou and Nebraska, and both accept. What you'll see with the chips falling is the Pac-10 and SEC jumping into the fray immediately. Pac-10 likely going for Texas and Colorado (likely having to take ole aTm with them, perhaps Tech or Kansas to flesh out their design on being the same number of teams as the Big-10. The SEC would slide in and likely pull OU and potentially little brother or Tech along with either picking at the Big East (S. Fla/Louisville) or ACC (either Miami or FSU and perhaps North Carolina or Clemson).

it all hinges on how big the Big-10 goes before the other chips fall into place.

[Sabanball]

Never happen. Vanderbilt is the SEC's only private school.

...And they are a charter member of the conference; In addition, I don't see the SEC giving up it's presence in Nashville. Once upon a time, believe it or not, the commodores were actually a football powerhouse under Coach Dan McGugin. Also, their athlete GPA numbers help bring up the average in our conference...;)

[GottaHavePride]

I was about to say, academically, Vandy is probably the powerhouse in the SEC.

[prrriiide]

Something in the Big 12 needs to change.

Namely, they need a seasoned veteran TV sales chief. Someone that has taken a mainstream network (like DISC or HGTV) and sold it cold to MSOs in huge markets. That is the person that can negotiate a good TV deal.

But it's probably too little too late.

I like the Western Alliance as well, but since I live in Knoxville I would welcome seeing OU in the SEC.

[49r]

I was about to say, academically, Vandy is probably the powerhouse in the SEC.

Yep.

Allbarn is right up there, too. 'Bama and Ole Miss aren't bad either.

[TMcGee86]

...And they are a charter member of the conference; In addition, I don't see the SEC giving up it's presence in Nashville. Once upon a time, believe it or not, the commodores were actually a football powerhouse under Coach Dan McGugin. Also, their athlete GPA numbers help bring up the average in our conference...;)

Totally agree. Overall I can't see any team leaving the conference. The only one I could maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe see leaving would be Kentucky if somehow the ACC created a basketball superconference by adding Louisville, Syracuse, and UConn. They could then invite Kentucky and sell it as the greatest B-ball conference of all time.

But no way that would happen, plus even with that I'm not sure that UK would go.

[tfoolry]

Iowa makes 22 million a year right now, they would make about 7 million in the Big12.

There is no chance that Iowa comes to the Big12.

Agreed. Iowa is not stepchild of Big 10. Iowa State is red headed step child of that state & Iowa doesn't want to be associated with its conference brothers.

[Stitch Face]

Boone says don't worry about it.

[Extra Point]

Numbers don't lie. Notre Dame gets the ratings. They've been bad for 15 years.

Last fall, the Arkansas @ Florida game drew a larger TV viewing audience than USC @ ND in the same time slot. That was ND's premiere game of the season and their best chance to beat the Trojans in several years.

CBS paid the SEC $55MM last fall for the right to broadcast just 15 games including the SECCG. CBS said it was their best CFB season for ratings and ad revenue and it was worth every penny paid to the SEC.

NBC's contract with ND pays them $9MM per year to broadcast 7 or 8 games per season. NBC likely made money, but how much compared to CBS if they can afford to pay the SEC more than 6 times as much as NBC pays ND?

NBC desperately needs ratings and revenue to keep up with CBS and ABC overall. Long-term, NBC is going to realize they need to partner with the B12, Pac-10 or both to set up a deal like the SEC has with CBS (sets up perfect for 12/1pm central and 3:30/4:30 pacific doubleheader each Saturday). NBC is leaving WAY too much money on the table every year using those valuable Saturday afternoon time slots on ND home/neutral games. If Arkansas @ Florida beats USC @ ND head-to-head, imagine how much the weekly ratings comparisons of ND-Purdue, ND-Navy, ND-Boston College would trail high profile B12/Pac-10 matchups each week.

[49r]

Heh, remember when we thought *this* was a real possibility too?




Fun times!