Per Jeff Ermann (inside MD sports), UNC offered spot in B1G
February 19th, 2013 at 2:24 PM ^
Got it. Thanks. I buy that.
February 19th, 2013 at 2:13 PM ^
Very much like. I have family in NC and mean to end up there myself when all is said and done. Good academic fit, good geographic fit (so long as UVa comes along), good for me personally.
February 19th, 2013 at 3:38 PM ^
UNC & UVa would be nice additions to get us to 16.
Any chance would push the envelope to 18 teams? Wouldn't mind adding NC State and Duke to the mix of the B1G.
February 19th, 2013 at 4:20 PM ^
Three North Carolina schools? No thanks.
February 19th, 2013 at 2:25 PM ^
Yes, Virginia, NC, GT, and one more. Does VT come with Virginia? Will the state legislature allow them to separate.
February 19th, 2013 at 2:58 PM ^
If the Big Ten expands to 16, my guess is the SEC also expands, and VT is almost assuredly #1 on their list. I think they'd be ok if the two teams are in separate conferences if those two conferences are the most powerful in the country.
February 19th, 2013 at 3:14 PM ^
I would be worried if we are forced to take schools along with UVA and UNC. I love this move. I would love it if they stayed at 12, but that wasn't going to happen with the SEC expanded to 14. This is a great move by Delaney. Attack and get the schools you want, dont wait and get leftovers from everyone else. I wasnt thrilled by Rutgers, but it was understandable. I would love to take UNC, UVA, GT and maybe Florida, now that they are free from Meyer. Getting different academic programs in different states.
February 19th, 2013 at 4:22 PM ^
There is no chance that Florida leaves the SEC. NONE! Florida St. on the other hand may soon be available. Howeva, I see FSU, Clemson, ND and other ACC leftovers heading to the Big 12 when it is said and done. If the B1G goes 16, we know UNC, UVA and GT are the options. Beyond that, you would have to look at Syracuse, Duke, and FSU. It helps with the NY market adding Syracuse, Duke maintains one of the greatest CBB rivalries, and FSU brings even more of the south, a great market, and great recruiting. I don't ever see FSU joining the B1G, but it would be nice if 20 is where we are headed. I just don't know if I see that happening, because the PAC 12 would need to add some shitty teams to get to 20.
February 19th, 2013 at 4:42 PM ^
I agree, I dont see Florida leaving the SEC. In academic terms, Florida should be in the B1G.
February 19th, 2013 at 8:15 PM ^
I don't think it is "should", it would be "could". It's not like it's a great academic institution, the school uses the top 10% rule and is in a state that isn't known for its public school system. Additionally, have you seen the young ladies who go to that school? You don't maintain those tans in the library...
~Herm
February 20th, 2013 at 3:30 PM ^
Academically, Florida would be in the top five. It's better than all the other schools besides Michigan, Northwestern, Wisconsin and Penn State, according to US News and World Report.
February 19th, 2013 at 2:17 PM ^
All of the expected rabblers can rabble, but I would be very excited about a 16 team league with UNC and Virginia.
Big Ten would kill it in basketball and academic stuff, great football and bball recruiting, a new lax league, and all four of the new additions are closer to where I live than any 2012 Big Ten league member. Play a 10-game football schedule and it's not so bad.
Haters gonna hate.
February 19th, 2013 at 2:19 PM ^
Non-revenue sports are also a big plus for UNC and UVA: both are powers in soccer, baseball, lacrosse among others. Could be part of a push to diversify and strengthen the B1G in new sports.
February 19th, 2013 at 2:53 PM ^
sadly i dont think delaney cares about non-revenue sports
February 19th, 2013 at 2:57 PM ^
Adding a new conference sport (hockey) that is borderline revenue/not disagrees. Also one of the main selling points of BTN was the added coverage for non-revenue sports. Wrestling, WBB, gymnastics, etc. have all been on BTN the last few days.
February 19th, 2013 at 3:03 PM ^
oh, i usually thought that non-revenue sports dont make money, hence "non" revenue. coincedentially, those are the only sports maryland is good at minus basketball at times.
February 19th, 2013 at 3:05 PM ^
At some schools it makes money. at others it doesn't. It's far from a cash cow and supporting hockey =/= all about the bottom line
February 19th, 2013 at 3:26 PM ^
Don't be suprised if lacrosse (before hockey or baseball) becomes the next money making sport. It is a very fast growing sport which is entertaining to watch on TV (and is having rules to make it move even faster and fan friendly)
February 19th, 2013 at 3:34 PM ^
February 19th, 2013 at 4:03 PM ^
B1G, anybody care to lax?
February 19th, 2013 at 6:33 PM ^
Didn't realize it until my son started playing last year, but lacrosse is fantastic to watch. Wishing he would've lost interest in baseball at a much younger age.
February 19th, 2013 at 3:04 PM ^
this is 100% driven by football so football should be the focus and this whole mess totally sucks for football. Sadly it seems inevitable, but once this happens, Michigan will no longer be a part of Big 10 football. We will be in a conference with Ohio and a bunch of east coast teams. Whoopee
February 19th, 2013 at 2:24 PM ^
Hoping this is more than speculation - as a resident of Virginia I'd love to see UVA and UNC in the Big Ten so I could see Michigan play without having to travel very far. Michigan has a solid alumni association in central VA - they organized a group to watch the women's tennis team play at UVA recently and there was strong showing of support for the basketball team when they played here last year.
February 19th, 2013 at 2:25 PM ^
As someone who lived in NC for close to 20 years and who has a daughter who just graduated from UNC, I would love this. UVA and UNC are culturally very similar to UM, perhaps with the addition of a drawl. Research-wise, tradition-wise and other-wise, makes sense. UNC and Duke could still play each year (same with UNC-NC State), at least in BB, which is what most people down there care about.
February 19th, 2013 at 2:30 PM ^
I don't see UNC committing to the move, too much political maneuvering to be done there. UVA looks about done though.
To all those complaining about B1G expansion...just wait til you see what the MAC is about to do in terms of geographic expansion. That's all I have to say about that.
February 19th, 2013 at 2:30 PM ^
If Duke and UNC split up and end that rivalry over a few million dollars neither school needs, I'm done with college sports.
February 19th, 2013 at 2:50 PM ^
February 19th, 2013 at 3:35 PM ^
Well Texas isn't playing A&M in anything, Kansas isn't playing Missouri, Nebraska isn't playing OKlahoma or Colorado. Colorado said PEACE to the B12. Etc. I'm sure they could, but it's more than just OOC, it's fighting for the conference title. It's other non-rev sports (and lacrosse). If Mich and OSU split up, how would you feel?
February 19th, 2013 at 5:01 PM ^
There are some great interconference rivalries in college sports. In football UM-ND, USC-ND, Texas-OU pre expansion. How about Kentucky/Louisville in hoops? I'm sure they're more. These games are often more "special" in their own way than conference games.
February 20th, 2013 at 3:05 AM ^
Exactly.
Swapping out an in conference home-and-home PLUS the likelihood of meeting in the ACC tourney for a hypothetical OOC matchup...... no thanks.
It will end up ruining the rivalry.
I have to think there would be absolute anarchy on both campuses if they split up. I'm betting Duke and UNC are a package deal.... As for the B1G possibly preferring UVA to Duke, I have no idea what UVA brings that Duke doesn't. Let's be honest they're both mediocre football schools. Both have good lacrosse... I don't follow it closely but Duke probably has an edge. Duke is a phenomenal basketball school and has better academics. What does UVA give? A couple extra TV sets in that key Charlottesville market?? Please....
If Duke and UNC are split up I will shit myself. I really just can't see it happening though. If Delaney wants UVA over Duke he is certifiably insane.
February 20th, 2013 at 11:46 AM ^
What does UVA give? A couple extra TV sets in that key Charlottesville market??
Right, because Michigan only brings TV sets in the "Ann Arbor" market, Wisconsin in the Madison market, and Penn State in the State College market.
Just a hunch but there might be some UVA grads in Virginia cities other than Charlottesville.
February 20th, 2013 at 12:10 PM ^
Let's cut back on the ACC on ACC crime here boys (girls?).
February 19th, 2013 at 2:33 PM ^
I'm actually curious about everyone's feelings about UVA. I don't question their academic standing, but I wonder how they fit with the Big10 athletically. They don't have a good football program and their basketball program seems to be just OK. They look like they excel at stuff like lacrosse, which is fine, but an odd fit for the Big10.
Everyone here seems pretty on board with it, but from both an academic and athletic standpoint, they would seem to be a bit of an odd duck.
February 19th, 2013 at 2:38 PM ^
Their basketball program was a powerhouse in the 70s and 80s and while football hasn't been elite in some time, they have put a fair number into the NFL in recent years. While I don't think they are ever going to be one of the top football programs in the B1G they open up an important recruiting area to the conference and have enough of an athletic infrastructure that they won't be irrelevant. Academically, UVA is on par with Michigan (as much as I hate to admit it) and raising the conference's level in the non-revenue sports will probably be a good thing for us.
February 19th, 2013 at 2:47 PM ^
Well I'd say this:
1. We won't have odd number schools. 2 divisions of 8 seems to make sense to a lot of people including me. I'm not sure if I support adding teams, but the B1G won't stop at 14
2. Who's better? UVA is not good in footbal nor basketball, but would GT really be much more of a step up? UVA makes sense in the footprint, has great academics, and could help lacrosse, which I do get the impression the B1G would like to take over as being THE power conference (may seem silly to you, but I think it is more likely than baseball or hockey to ever be profitable for TV, which is all this is really about unfortunately)
3. Selfishly, I would like the B1G to look for teams because 2 more ACC likely leaves U-M & OSU with the former ACC in a division which would seem foriegn to me and many fans. This won't happen because there is no one who is feasible to grab (Oklahoma & OK st....just don't see it happening)
February 19th, 2013 at 2:33 PM ^
RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE I WANT THE BIG TEN WITH ONLY TEN TEAMS BACK RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE
February 19th, 2013 at 2:36 PM ^
10 teams? That means not only would we have to remove recent additions, but we'd even have to boot PSU out! What did PSU ever do to any....oh right...
February 19th, 2013 at 2:46 PM ^
Sad part is now Delaney has a green light to expand however the frick he wants. Whenever we complain that East Pneunonia State University is getting added to the conference, someone will justify it with "at least it's not Rutgers". Sorry if I miss the days of playing Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and NOT freaking UNC. Plus, if division aligmnent is geographical, it could be that Michigan and OSU are the division members from the actual, original Big Ten. Conference identity, anyone?
February 19th, 2013 at 2:47 PM ^
+1 for the Blockhams reference, even if unintended
February 19th, 2013 at 3:10 PM ^
I thouched on this above as well. This is something people should be considering more. Although I think the idea of UNC is generally a good one if the B1G expands (it's happening), more teams east means U-M is either in opposite divisions as their chief rival, or in the opposite division of the real B1G. So as you said ChopBlock, U-M could be in a division with 2 real Big Ten teams (ok Sparty we'll count you-3) and the opposite division would have 7 of them...goodbye history.
February 19th, 2013 at 2:47 PM ^
February 19th, 2013 at 2:47 PM ^
February 19th, 2013 at 2:54 PM ^
I starting to think that They will add UVA,UNC, Duke,and GT. To much money and politics to leave it at 16 Carolina Congress would torpedo the deal if Duke wasn't added so Delany have to add Duke and GT. Also GT brings the ATL market which is hard to turn down at the end of the day I think the Big Ten will have 18 teams. As for VT and NCST I think they will do the same move and for the same reasons as Texas AM did.
February 19th, 2013 at 3:04 PM ^
If we bring UNC and Duke, I'd rather poach Kansas and Kansas State. You have the winningest programs in hoops together in one conference and Kansas State gives you a solid football program. Plus you still stay a mainly Midwest league.
February 19th, 2013 at 3:35 PM ^
Duke is a private school. They don't receive funds from the State of North Carolina and the NC Legislature wouldn't get involved if they wanted to leave.
The B1G wouldn't take Duke (in a 16 team league) because the don't bring anything to the table in terms of football.....and that's what this is all about.
You're probably right about NCSU and VT. If the ACC folds (or loses members) they'll jump to the SEC if asked.
February 19th, 2013 at 3:45 PM ^
The B1G wouldn't take Duke (in a 16 team league) because the don't bring anything to the table in terms of football.....and that's what this is all about.
We used to have quaint little notions like that, and then Rutgers accepted an invite.
What it's really all about is Jim Delany.
February 21st, 2013 at 4:50 PM ^
There's a key difference between the flagship state school of New Jersey and a smallish private school in North Carolina. Rutgers has a huge alumni base and gives us access to NYC. Duke doesn't give us anything other than a good basketball program.
February 21st, 2013 at 8:57 PM ^
Duke is the best tv draw of basketball teams, it's essentially the Notre Dame of basketball. It also places in the top 15 of the Director's cup yearly, is a Lacrosse and women's bball power, and has a decent (better than B1G) baseball team, in addition to other sports where it's competitive. It also is top 5 in research dollars, comparable to Mich, and strong in life sciences, where a ton of money is flowing. It's also top 10 in USNWR, and AAU.
You're honestly clueless if you think Duke isn't a no brainer add to the B1G. The presidents would say yes faster than Denard can "Look at him go!".
February 19th, 2013 at 4:13 PM ^
2012 Ratings, I think a spot could be found for Duke.
College Football on ESPNU:
415k–Virginia v Virginia Tech
287k–Maryland v Clemson
192k–Duke v Ga. Tech
College Basketball on ESPNU
381k–Clemson v Duke
365k–Elon v Duke
189k–Georgia St. v Duke
29k–Rice v Georgia Tech
College Football on ESPN
2.6M–Northwestern v Michigan
2.2M–Illinois v Ohio State
2.1M–Iowa v Michigan St.
College Basketball on ESPN
3.0M–Duke v Kentucky
2.3M–Ohio State v Duke
2.2M–Duke v N.C. State
February 19th, 2013 at 5:23 PM ^
I wish you would give the credit on this. It's from one of Frank the Tank's commenters on the Big East destruction post.