Article on B1G expansion to...Canada?
Found this retweeted by EDSBS.
Interesting blog post on the potential of the University of Toronto in the Big 10. Now, this would obviously cause some NCAA problems as of now but I think it's pretty interesting. Toronto has a lot to offer, especially as a TV market.
What do you all think?
http://fifth-quarter.org/2013/03/24/university-of-toronto-football
U of T has no facilities, no fan support, and you can't legally tailgate in Ontario. Enough said.
Nevermind then. I know nothing about the school, I just thought it was an interesting thought
You give up way too easy.
March 25th, 2013 at 10:07 AM ^
faster than Gonzaga,
March 25th, 2013 at 11:02 AM ^
I know nothing about the school and didn't want to research it. I assumed someone here would know a bit about U of T. Ontarioblue seemed like a someone who would maybe have a clue. Sorry Magnus?
I don't know about everywhere, but, for instance, here in Iowa City alcohol is allowed at the designated (univserity owned) tailgating parking lots, but you have to get rid of it before setting foot onto the public sidewalks. And there is security at the exits to make sure you do get rid of it.
that is close to everywhere. In East Lansing and Ann Arbor for example...you can drink in designated areas such as parking lots or private yards, but you will be ticketed if you even touch sidewalks, roads, etc, which are the possession of the city.
March 25th, 2013 at 10:50 AM ^
at Kenyon College: Senior Sendoff. At any other point, there simply wasn't anyone to enforce such laws.... and it was glorious.
Didn't I hear that brothels are legal? I could skip the BBQ and bag toss.
March 25th, 2013 at 10:46 AM ^
Canada is like a loft apartment over a really great party......KEEP IT DOWN AYE!
March 25th, 2013 at 11:45 AM ^
I think that you mean Eh.
No he doesn't.
He's had a few Cap'n Morgans.
What about Ghana?
Republic of Ghana???
Forget the legality of the NCAA going into Canada. We need to first figure out how this is Dave Brandon's fault.
/s
Two things: you forgot to log into the Brian account and you added an extraneous "/s" at the end.
I'm sure Bud Selig is partly to blame as well. He fucks up everything.
I like the idea of a little Toronto - UofM hockey rivalry. Mix that with the Red Wings - Leafs divisional rivalry that will be reignited after the NHL realignment. It might actually start a war.
But we all know the only thing that matters in realignment is football, and this one just doesn't make sense...
Has a better shot at being in the new B!G conference.
-Bigger stadium, a football team with fewer loses over the past 20 years, and more academic pedigree.
Too bad their old stadium is probably still radioactive.
March 25th, 2013 at 11:50 PM ^
I don't think the University of Chicago is technically out of the Big Ten. Someone else may know more about this, but I think all they need to do is have a team that meets the D1 guidlines.
Amen. I'd take some Frenchie-school in Quebec over Rutgers anyday of the week. What sport are the French even good at anyway? Probably better than Rutgers at least.
~Herm
QUIddiTch?
Zing!
Hand ball. If the B1G hopes to dominate hand ball ala SEC football, it needs to expand into the Eastern Ontario/Quebec areas for recruiting.
(do I even need to /s?)
No need to play the fool Herm. Based on the OT soccer thread it's obvious you know the French are good at soccer.
They have to be good at risk their foriegn policy is essetailly getting involed in wars, then having us cover their asses and then they can say they win. Which sounds like a great risk strategy because you could leave for 10 hours and still win.
However, its athletic department is very small. I remember in the 1980's the University of Michigan Marching Band played at half time in the Blue Bowl which was a game between U of T and their rival York University. The band had more people than there were fans in the stands.
Transfer?
Just kidding...
I'm guessing Sparty is pushing this. I think they need some help recruiting internationally. They just can't reach beyond the Big Ten footprint.
With the Michigan State Canadian Studies Center, Little Brother's idea of "international studies".
(In the interest of fairness, given the amount of trade between Michigan and Canada, it is a reasonable idea. Still though "Canadian Studies Center" enh?)
March 25th, 2013 at 10:04 AM ^
Well at least Toronto has the hockey team going for it. As for football, they actually do have a Canadian rules team (their website). Plus they're a flagship public school and occupy a city with a city of 2.6 million (5.5 million for the metro area). There are lots of obstacles involved of course, but they are virgin territory for expansion. Arguably you get more out of investing 80 million in Toronto than some of the other options out there, aka the second coming of Maryland.
It really isn't any different than letting UVa in and most of us want UVa. You just trade basketball for hockey and the football is subpar either way (plus we don't really need more football schools). The other bonus is if Toronto joins every B1G fan instantly becomes a supporter of going back to the old system where you only needed a driver's license as the border instead of the passport or passport card BS.
Unlikely to happen of course given a number of issues, but I'd welcome them.
RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE THIS IS ARE CUNTRY
RABLE RABLE CANADA AIN'T AMERICA AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE AMERICA YOU CAN GET OUT RABBLE RABBLE
I believe it's pronounced 'MERUCA
I'm 1/8th Canadian (mostly groin area & left leg)
So I fully endorse this idea.
This is interesting as it would give the BIG 2 of the top 5 markets in North America. It probably would never happen, but I wouldn't immediately dismiss it as a possibility.
I figure the real incentive would be if the Canadian government signalled that if the conference took Toronto, B1G schools would be prefered targets for Canadian research funds. For example right now Canada has a deal where they fund fellowships at various schools, including some of the Ivy League and everyone meets in Toronto every year for some giant conference. If Canadia signalled that in exchange for cutting Toronto in on 20 million a year in BTN revenue, they'd work primarily with the B1G, it would create a massive incentive to overcome whatever obstacles are involved with being an international conference. Canada for example would be extremely useful right now with the American government not passing out grants (and actually asking for money to be given back in some cases).
You guys are interested in something that would fill the cellar with more schlock? The UofT football team would likely get beat, easily, by any of your top tier high school teams and I say that with absolutely no hesitation or sarcasm. The rest I don't know about, but I do know the football team is a perennial lower than cellar dwellar.
If you guys are adding it just for markets sake, the BIG network is already widespread here in Canada on most major providers.
March 25th, 2013 at 10:21 AM ^
I think the weed must be really strong up in Toronto.
I'd guess a lot of students would be cool to adding U of T. Maybe U. of Windsor too!.
In all seriousness though, I don't think it's necessarily a bad idea. Now that the expansion cat is out of the bag, I think Toronto is just as valid as many of the American schools that keep coming up in discussion. They may not have much of a football team now but there is no reason they couldn't build up a program in 10 years or so. And in the meantime, I could live witht the easy victories and the interesting road trip.