[NU Sports] Pac 10 to invite 6 Big XII schools to join?

[Sportsbiz]

So, I may be the only one here who thinks the Pac-10/16 rumors are more than
just rumors.  That said, it may not happen this weekend but I'm fairly well
convinced that it is more likely than not.  Texas doesn't want to be a
member of the SEC (academic issues) and probably would prefer a hookup with
the Pac-10 and an eastern division that would let it maintain its existing
Big XII historic relationships than to join a Midwest snow bound league
without historic ties.

Assuming that to be true for the moment, what is left for the Big Ten?  ND
is the prize, of course and that probably goes without saying.  If the Big
Ten could land ND it would probably think hard about whether it wanted to go
beyond that.  It will be require schools that will bring significant dollars
to the table and with Texas gone to the Pac-10, under my assumption, there
is no other school out there that will do that.  The idea that Syracuse and
Rutgers will deliver the NYC market is a myth, speaking as a Big East
football follower.  NYC is not a college football town and it never will be.

If the Pac-10 does expand, then the Big XII is dead and Mizzou and Nebraska
are logical choices although certainly not financial home runs for all the
reasons previously stated.  To me it would be logical to pair them with
Rutgers, even if it won't bring NYC, the Knights are developing a following
in New Jersey and the state is a major recruiting territory.  Now, who it
the last school to get to 16?  There is no school that will add eyeballs to
the BTN so you can look at other issues.  Iowa may face intense pressure to
bring in Iowa State after the collapse of the Big XII and there may be some
sense in doing that although Iowa State doesn't really have a real winning
tradition.  The other option which I haven't heard mentioned much is
Kansas.  Much improved in football, it has an unparalleled tradition in
basketball and solidifies the Kansas City market.

At the end of this whole process, I think we will see four major conferences
left standing: Pac-16, Big Ten, SEC and a combined ACC/Big East, with
whatever Big East football schools left after the Big Ten is finished
joining the ACC schools left after the SEC is finished taking what I suspect
will be Clemson, Ga. Tech (in a return home) Fla. State and Miami.  By the
way, I don't think Maryland is a true free agent.  They have no real desire
to leave the ACC, a conference they founded and which is their natural
home.  Post expansion, it probably wouldn't have to as the Big East is
already exploring a TV network and combined with the ACC would have
sufficient markets to have a real revenue producer.

Just my take - we'll all just have to wait and see, I guess.
Mark

Mark S. Ament
sportsbiz at gmail.com
SportsBiz - The Business of Sports
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When it comes to sports, you know it's all about the money
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On Fri, Jun 4, 2010 at 4:30 PM, Tom Maycock <tkmaycock at yahoo.com> wrote:

> > Good post, Tom, one hard to disagree with, especially as someone who
> > lives in Nebraska by choice, though I was born in Illinois.
>
> Just to be clear--I think it's quite a nice place to live (my mom is still
> in Omaha), just not on my "top 5" list at the moment!
>
> Tom
>
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