ET: (Expansion Topic) Non-revenue sports

Somebody, somewhere, mentioned that Big Ten expansion would help the case for Michigan men's lacrosse to move up to varsity status. I don't know who said it, and I don't have a link. It might be an outright lie. Sometimes I'm amazed I remember to breathe.

Adding Texas and A&M would undoubtedly caused travel issues for non-revenue sports that don't get to fly the nice chartered flights. Nothing that couldn't be overcome, but it would make their lives a bit more difficult.

is that if the revenues increase as expected for the conference, one of the solid club hockey teams for a Big Ten school would be able to make the jump to varsity status so we could break out a Big Ten hockey conference with MSU, OSU, Minnesota, Wiscy, ND (reluctantly)... maybe Penn St, Illinois, or both?? Anyone know if Pitt or Syracuse have good club hockey teams?

As far as baseball, Nebraska is an automatic contender every year for the Big Ten title from now on. They aren't going to be super dominant, but they will be in the top of the conference consistently. They've been in a 2 year down stretch recently, but that's after a CWS appearance. As for national pundit's thoughts, Sorenson talks it up a lot in his most recent post:

5- THE NATIONAL MEDIA MAY HAVE TO FINALLY PAY ATTENTION TO THE BIG 10.

I can’t be the only one giving the Big 10 its props. I think Nebraska joining the conference will also give it more legitimacy with other major college baseball outlets. Then again, if you want to know how good Big 10 baseball teams are, just go ahead and ask Dave Serrano and Cal State Fullerton right about now.

This will have zero effect on Wisconsin from my standpoint. Other Big XII teams didn't field baseball. This won't just suddenly make the Big Ten a super power either. It would take adding Texas and maybe Mizzou/A&M for it to be a legit contender for a baseball power conference. I'm not holding my breath. I do plan on doing a "what this expansion means to [certain sports]" post after things are official, with a baseball and volleyball emphasis. Right now, Nebraska hasn't officially announced, nor do we know if things are finished in the expansion arena. I'd rather knock it out at once.

The other big winner is volleyball. Nebraska rivals Penn State for top programs in the country. This is like adding Texas in football. It's freaking huge.

Nebraksa adds nothing for hockey for those interested. Just because Omaha has it, doesn't mean Lincoln will. That's like saying UM-Dearborn's fictional varsity lacrosse team means Michigan automatically will make lacrosse a varsity sport. It makes no sense.

With expansion east, I think it would take a few teams before we would see a Big Ten lax conference. Ohio State is the only varsity squad currently, and it takes 6 members for a Big Ten Conference league to start. Even if one was to grab Syracuse and ND, that still leaves you 2 short with Michigan jumping up to that level. 

Nebraska also adds nicely to wrestling (they won't be a Big Ten power at all), track and field, and gymnastics. Michigan and Nebraska are both gymnastic powers. Would be an interesting conference rivalry.

In Michigan's case, hockey is still a revenue sport, right? I believe we're one of 3 or 4 programs where hockey is actually revenue positive.... (I wanna say Boston College, North Dakota and Minnesota were the others...)

hockey is close enough to break even that you can call it break even. maybe makes a million in profit per year, which is pocket change in a 80M budget.

W hoops loses money no doubt. i think the men make a few million, even in down times.

I wouldn't doubt that if conference expansion does in fact = revenue expansion, you'll see a few new varsity teams here and there.  But they won't have much correlation to what the expansion members are known for.

The highest ratings content for both BTN and ESPN are live games. That means the more good live content the B10 schools can create for BTN, the more valuable BTN becomes. If B10 adds a couple of national lax schools, it probably increases the probability that Michigan will upgrade its program to help create content. The same might be true of PSU in hockey or Michigan in crew. Imagine if every night, at least during the school year, you could turn on BTN and watch a couple of live conference games in one sport or another. It would be infinitely better than watching more BTN infomercials about each campus and it would generate money for the conference at the same time.

The highest ratings content for both BTN and ESPN are live games. That means the more good live content the B10 schools can create for BTN, the more valuable BTN becomes. If B10 adds a couple of national lax schools, it probably increases the probability that Michigan will upgrade its program to help create content. The same might be true of PSU in hockey or Michigan in crew. Imagine if every night, at least during the school year, you could turn on BTN and watch a couple of live conference games in one sport or another. It would be infinitely better than watching more BTN infomercials about each campus and it would generate money for the conference at the same time.

Nebraska is good. They are consistently a ranked team, and bring a few good athletes every year. They would have has 2 contenders for national tittles this year if Jordan Burroughs hadn't injured himself wrestling Michigan's own Dave Johnson. None of the Texas schools are a factor in wrestling, I honestly can't recall a single wrestler from any of the schools. Missouri is pretty good recently, they had an amazing team a few years back. 

Okie State is the best of any team out there, but they probably aren't a real option.

FA is absolutely right.  Nebraska as an addition to the conference makes the Big 10 a force to be reckoned with in volleyball.  I look forward to seeing the Huskers in Cliff Keen, that's for sure. 

How does expansion affect travel schedules, missed classes, and costs? Lincoln is like 6 hours past Iowa City, so how does our, say, volleyball team make the trip? How much strain will extra travel costs put on the athletic department budget?