The Big East expansion groundswell thread

[USUC]

If the B1G goes to 14, then at what point is the Big-12's hand forced? With the ACC, B1G, and the SEC all at 14 teams, they aren't going to add any more teams. That leaves Cinci and Louisville and BYU as your next best options. My guess, given the addition of West Virginia, is that the Big-12 would probably go with Cinci and Louisville.

[The_Douger]

I think 12 is ideal. Play 8 conference games, see the teams in your division every year, and the teams H/H in the other division evey four years. 4 OOC games. CCG at homefield of team with best record or H2H.

I'd prefer the Big 12 right now with Louisville and BYU as the additions.

I'm liking the BE less and less. Louisville, Cincy, Rutgers, and UConn would do anything to get out. A bunch of the teams they're adding are crummy. It's just CUSA at this point, with Boise State, who had a down year this year. I'm not sure it's much better than the MWC in it's heyday.

[dabrockster]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/...ce-sources-say



Ugh, just make this realignment go away... why would you want Maryland anyway?

I don't get this decision.. I think it is just rumors and it won't happen. Big 1G is going to remain at 12...

[Scratch]

I don't get this decision.. I think it is just rumors and it won't happen. Big 1G is going to remain at 12...

Maryland Board of Regents is supposedly voting on a B10 offer tomorrow. It sounds like the B10 has already decided to invite them, and the ball is now in Maryland's court. I think it's almost a done deal.

[The_Douger]

They'd be stupid not to go if offered. Same with Rutgers.

I don't get why the B1G has interest in Maryland sports. I doubt they heavily carry the area which is a hodgepodge of pro and college teams throughout.

[pellegrino]

They'd be stupid not to go if offered. Same with Rutgers.

I don't get why the B1G has interest in Maryland sports. I doubt they heavily carry the area which is a hodgepodge of pro and college teams throughout.

they don't have to carry the area to make buckets of money. All they have to do is get local cable companies to carry their network.

I think this whole thing stinks. A founding member of the ACC is being lured away by Delaney and his gang, not because they're a good program, but because they reside in a major population area. I know it has been said before, but the money is really ruining college sports.

[The_Douger]

Delaney is a huge dirtbag and hypocrite.

I wish college sports was actually about how good you really were instead of your market and yesteryear.

[beefytee]

they don't have to carry the area to make buckets of money. All they have to do is get local cable companies to carry their network.

I think this whole thing stinks. A founding member of the ACC is being lured away by Delaney and his gang, not because they're a good program, but because they reside in a major population area. I know it has been said before, but the money is really ruining college sports.

Although it pains me to see tradition being killed in college football, that ship has sailed and Maryland is a good cultural fit for the B1G. They do have a rich basketball tradition and are an AAU school. I don't think there is a better choice for the B1G. Rutgers is a close second (also an AAU school). So I don't think it is just about media markets.

For those of you that do think it is just about media markets, who is a better natural fit for the B1G ignoring media markets?

[oxcoug]

They'd be stupid not to go if offered. Same with Rutgers.

I don't get why the B1G has interest in Maryland sports. I doubt they heavily carry the area which is a hodgepodge of pro and college teams throughout.

Here's my speculation: the Midwest is in decline and it has been for some time. As an essentially a Midwestern conference the B1G sees a need to build a pipeline to the Atlantic Corridor.

Furthermore, it already has Penn St which is something of a geographical outlier in the conference. Adding Rutgers and Maryland not give the conference footholds in metro DC and NYC, but help them consolidate an eastern flank for the conference.

As someone who lives in NYC, I have to say I like it - there's a dearth of quality football in these parts, and being able to drive down 495 to catch Michigan, OSU or Wisconsin out here will be a good thing.

[Coach McGuirk]

San Juan and Flystripper, you still on this Big East Band Wagon? Sucks to be Boise right about now.

[beefytee]

Maryland accepts:

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/st...en-sources-say

[ERCougar]

Sucks to be Boise right about now.

This.

It really does suck to be Boise right now, and for a long time now. Anyone who thinks we're getting screwed should just reflect on their situation. They deserve the promotion more than anyone (TCU, Utah included), yet no one is even talking about them. I can't blame them for jumping on the BE sinking ship--it was the only hint of an option for them. It kind of sucks to see it be pulled out from under them, even if you could predict it.

[The_Douger]

Here's my speculation: the Midwest is in decline and it has been for some time. As an essentially a Midwestern conference the B1G sees a need to build a pipeline to the Atlantic Corridor.

Furthermore, it already has Penn St which is something of a geographical outlier in the conference. Adding Rutgers and Maryland not give the conference footholds in metro DC and NYC, but help them consolidate an eastern flank for the conference.

As someone who lives in NYC, I have to say I like it - there's a dearth of quality football in these parts, and being able to drive down 495 to catch Michigan, OSU or Wisconsin out here will be a good thing.

That actually makes a lot of sense.

I just dislike the consolidation of power to a few conferences. Especially since BYU isn't going to be involved in this at all.

BYU might as well drop football if we end up with 16 x 4 with us looking on the outside.

[The_Douger]

This.

It really does suck to be Boise right now, and for a long time now. Anyone who thinks we're getting screwed should just reflect on their situation. They deserve the promotion more than anyone (TCU, Utah included), yet no one is even talking about them. I can't blame them for jumping on the BE sinking ship--it was the only hint of an option for them. It kind of sucks to see it be pulled out from under them, even if you could predict it.

Honestly, with this news, they could just jump back in to the MWC. Louisville or UConn is going to leave as well in the next little bit.

They do deserve a promotion. That said, it's never been about on field performance.

[UtahDan]

Maryland accepts:

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/st...en-sources-say

I think this is a no-brainer for Maryland. The modern reality is that without football generating revenue it is hard to be a big time college athletic program. Maryland is just stuck in a rut in the ACC and is putting 35K fans in the seats of its 55k stadium. Being in the Big 10 will open recruiting doors that were previously closed and I totally agree that Maryland culturally is much more Big 10 than ACC. This might be the thing that jars them into being more competitive. I also agree with the idea that it is great for the Big 10 to now be in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast markets. Maryland gets a lot of coverage in DC even though they suck and that will now be even more true.