B1G expansion to 18 teams rumor

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

Take this for what it's worth. A rumor (for now). 

I'm aware that a very small percent of people here are subbed at Rivals. bluevod is a poster that is thought to be someone inside the athletic department. 

Some people even believe that he is Jim Hackett. Sounds crazy, right?

UPDATE: We're gonna need a bigger logo.....

 

@umichWD I heard that may go 18 nine in each division. That would only allow 1 cross over game.

— Bluevod (@Bluevodreal) January 6, 2016

Hearing B10 expansion rumors again.BTN TV deal up in 2016 with projection in first year 2017 of being roughly 44m per school. B12 in panic

— Bluevod (@Bluevodreal) January 6, 2016

@maizenblu I've heard Ok but not Kansas. Need big TV viewer market. Texas would be ideal plus a team in DC market and/ or Atlanta.

— Bluevod (@Bluevodreal) January 6, 2016

@maizenblu told it is not doing as well as they hoped. But Texas may see the writing on the wall and jump. B12 may be a house of cards.

— Bluevod (@Bluevodreal) January 6, 2016

 

Tater

January 5th, 2016 at 8:45 PM ^

This would edge football closer and closer to the 4 X 16 major conference model that so many have mentioned since "realignment" started.

Wolvie3758

January 5th, 2016 at 8:49 PM ^

Please let it be Ga Tech too......I want my Wolverines to come here on a regular basis in all sports....fingers crossed

BornSinner

January 5th, 2016 at 8:50 PM ^

Doubt it... If anything the Big 12 is gonna suck it up and add a combination of SMU, Houston or BYU. 

4x16 super conferences sound horrible. 

SyracuseWolvrine

January 6th, 2016 at 10:34 PM ^

Adding UCF won't do anything for the Big Ten TV market.  UCF may be a big school, but in terms of fan support, they're #5 in the state, behind UF, FSU, Miami, and USF.  They do have a fairly new stadium (8 years, IIRC), but even discounting this past season, they don't tend to fill it.

On the plus side, UCF football wouldn't have to compete for fans with an NFL franchise, but on the downside, Orlando isn't really known as a sports town (unless you follow MLS ... the Orlando City Lions draw surprisingly well)

KC Wolve

January 5th, 2016 at 8:50 PM ^

Honestly this sucks. As a KSU grad this always makes me nervous as they would get left out in the cold. Big money would destroy a lot of good schools and programs.



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MadMatt

January 6th, 2016 at 7:28 AM ^

That reflects the bigger is always better mentality behind the proposal: 18 teams, 8 games in division and one cross over game, the two best meet in a Championship Game (actually, that sounds a lot like the old Pac 8 and Big 10).

Maybe they could contract with Disney to have whatever talentless boy band the Disney folks are pushing do the halftime performance.

snowcrash

January 6th, 2016 at 1:05 PM ^

Then we could have the B20 Old with us, OSU, MSU, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern, Indiana, and Purdue and the B20 New with Nebraska, PSU, Maryland, Rutgers, Pitt, ND, Iowa St, Ga Tech, Miami (the U), and Syracuse.

bluepow

January 5th, 2016 at 11:25 PM ^

Because there isn't enough money in the system now.

Honestly there is a small chance I would stop paying attention if the Big Ten added more teams.  It would totally destroy basketball and dilute football even worse.  I was born in the UM hospital, grew up on the Old West Side and graduated from Michigan so I don't say that lightly.  But there is seriously a non-zero chance I would stop paying attention.

I very well may wake up to find that what I loved my whole life is officially dead.  Not likely, but possible. 

ppToilet

January 6th, 2016 at 8:50 AM ^

This money grabbing has been going on for a century now. I don't care for it either, but that's what it is. If Michigan is playing and you have a pulse, you'll watch. For all the angst on here, it won't be a disaster if the conference grows. Sure it won't be the same, and it may even be worse, but it won't be unwatchable.

Leatherstocking Blue

January 6th, 2016 at 11:39 AM ^

Would it make more sense to have affiliated conferences? Maintain the current alignment but if they really feel the need to expand markets, affiliate with a sister conference. Have the Big 10 pair up with the Big 12 when it comes to non-conference games. So Michigan would play two Big 12 teams for their non-conference games, Texas would play two Big 10 teams.

They cold go so far as a Big 10/Big 12 champ playoff game. The SEC and ACC affiliate to do the same. PAC 12 and MWC/Independents pair up. Rotate conference pairing every 5-7 years.

umbig11

January 5th, 2016 at 8:56 PM ^

I posted a conversation I had with Scott Frost (UCF Head Coach) on that site this past Saturday. He was on my flight from Orlando to Atlanta. He said that more realignment was coming and that some of the Power basketball schools were feeling left out. He went on to say that we can expect an expanded playoff well before the contract was up with networks. As for UCF, he said that the last staff missed out on some key recruits and that really set them back. He is looking foward to their visit to the Big House next year and just wants to compete.