Chicago Trib: Article on Big 10 Expansion

[TyBull]

www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/chi-15-big-ten-foot-dec15,0,2684882.story

chicagotribune.com

BIG TEN EXPANSION

Big Ten Conference looking into expanding to 12 teams?

Teddy Greenstein explains why one of the most powerful athletic conferences in nation would want to add another institution; Here's a hint: It's green

December 15, 2009

Jim Delany never will be a contestant on "Top Chef," but the Big Ten commissioner frequently has used a cooking analogy when asked about the prospects of Big Ten expansion.

"A back-burner issue," he has called it.

Not anymore. According to a league official, the Big Ten will release a statement Tuesday saying the matter has moved to the front burner.

The first sign of change came from former Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez, who told Wisconsin's athletic board on Friday that Delany "is going to take this year to really be more aggressive about it. I just think everybody feels [expansion] is the direction to go, coaches and administrators."

A league source on Monday cited a "growing groundswell" of support among athletic directors for expansion.

In 1990, the Big Ten became the Bigger 11 by adding Penn State. (The Nittany Lions had to wait until 1993 to vie for their first Rose Bowl.) In 1999, Notre Dame stiff-armed the league's overtures, and that put the issue on ice.

Why is it being revisited now?

The biggest reason, as always, is the stuff that doesn't grow on trees: money. If the league expands to 12 teams and two divisions -- like the SEC, Big 12 and ACC -- it would create a Big Ten title game that could be worth $5 million or more to the league. The Big Ten Network would love to televise it, and the conference has a 51 percent ownership stake in the network.

Why else?

Some Big Ten honchos didn't like seeing the SEC and Big 12 title games dominate the tube on Dec. 5. The Big Ten football offerings were Fresno State-Illinois and Wisconsin-Hawaii.

"We're irrelevant for the last three weeks of the football season because we're not playing," Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez said.

Wouldn't it also help the Big Ten win some of these BCS games?

Proponents say yes, citing a shorter layoff. The evidence doesn't support that.

The ACC added a league championship in 2005 and is 1-3 in BCS games. And Oklahoma has lost its last five BCS games.

Which football coaches are pro-expansion?

Penn State's Joe Paterno and Wisconsin's Bret Bielema have been vocal.

Paterno lobbied at the Big Ten meetings in May, saying, "Everybody else is playing playoffs on television. You never see a Big Ten team mentioned. So I think that's a handicap."

Bielema told ESPN.com in May that "everybody would welcome a 12th team in the league and maybe having a championship game."

Everybody?

Not so fast. Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald joked Monday about being "the youngest old-school guy in the world," a traditionalist who respects the league's traditions.

He told the Tribune that his main concern is for the "health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes. We played 12 straight games and were incredibly beat up at the end of the season.

"If we prolong the season and take away the Thanksgiving break, I think we're taking way too many liberties there."

Where does commissioner Jim Delany stand?

He could not be reached Monday but said in May, "I'm agnostic. I could live with two divisions and a championship game, but I think that has a tendency to devalue the season-ending game and have a negative impact (in terms of at-large BCS selection) on your losing team in season-ending games.

"I don't want us to tear ourselves apart over the structure of football for the sake of expansion."

Delany also has reminded reporters that if the Big Ten were to expand, it would add an "institution," not a team.

Meaning a school whose degrees aren't weaker than the paper on which they are printed. And one with a strong overall athletic program.

Who might that be?

Paterno has mentioned Rutgers, Syracuse and Pittsburgh.

Rutgers would give the league an "in" to the New York TV market.

Missouri has been rumored forever. Cincinnati and Louisville might be considered.

How about the school that just launched Charlie Weis?

Notre Dame? Not happening. The school puts a premium on its independence.

Plus there's that fool-me-once, fool-me-twice thing.

"There's some pressure, I would suppose, to maybe go back to Notre Dame and ask again, which I would not be happy with," Paterno said in May. "I think they've had their chance."

tgreenstein@tribune.com

[smazza]

what about usf?

[South_Florida_Flip]

what about usf?

If our travel wasn't bad enough now, it would only get worse there.

I think there are more important factors in why USF would never be considered.

[UllStayForever]

I think losing any school right now would be terrible for the BE

don't we have to requalify in two years for the BCS again?

[SRQ]

it would be real bad for WV to lose Pitt from BE

[macphisto]

what about usf?

The Big Ten in the past always prized having all their states connected to one another.  Though in the past it was envisioned as a midwestern conference but that ended with Penn State.

So I doubt it.  Though it would be great for USF because off all the Big Ten fans that live down here.  The stadium would be packed in, but not necessarily with our fans. 

But the Big Ten already has a strong presence in Florida due to the bowl games.

[DELdaBull]

Just play some real conference games the first weekend of December.

[slick1ru2]

Big East should have announced on Wed a football program expansion and named all of the Big Ten teams as targets because they want to be the Biggest conference at 19 teams.

[mikemcp88]

I would like USF to stay in the Big East, but would not mind at all if they ever went to the Big Ten since I live in Ann Arbor.

[CoralSpringsBull]

USF will never be asked to join the Big 10. Why would we be asked to join?