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Big Ten expansion may result in 16-team league
<H2></H2>By MIKE CARMIN • [email protected] • April 18, 2010
During last week's teleconference featuring the 11 Big Ten Conference football coaches, the topic of expansion was addressed. Basically, expansion is on the horizon.
"I think expansion is coming," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said.
In December, the Big Ten announced it would explore the idea of expanding during the next 12 to 18 months. However, the Chicago Tribune reported in today's edition that an accelerated timetable has emerged.
Numerous reports, nearly all relying on anonymous sources, have indicated the league is open to adding anywhere from one to possibly five schools.
Is it hard to imagine the Big Ten as a 16-team league?
"No, I can't," Purdue sixth-year linebacker Jason Werner said, shaking his head. "In the future, a lot of things change. It's hard to picture that at the moment."
Along with generating more revenue for each of the league's athletic departments, football is the driving force.
The addition of one or more schools would allow the Big Ten to stage a conference championship game, similar to those held by the Atlantic Coast, Southeastern and Big 12 conferences, and creating another revenue stream.
With a title game, the football season would conclude the first weekend of December, keeping the Big Ten in the national football conversation.
"You feel left out," Purdue fifth-year receiver Keith Smith said. "I would love the fact if they could have a championship game and do it like that. It hurts the Big Ten not having that extra week of playing games."
One remedy would be for the league to extend its regular season through the first weekend of December. Expansion, though, appears to be carrying more momentum.
"I'm a proponent of expansion and playing a championship game," Minnesota coach Tim Brewster said.
Not every coach is favor of making the Big Ten the Big 16.
"I'm more of a traditionalist," Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said. "I'm not one to say we need to keep up with the Joneses. The Big Ten product is as competitive as it's ever been."
The trend in college athletics is moving toward bigger conferences with bigger potential for revenues to combat the rising costs of salaries and expenses.
The Pacific-10 is exploring expansion, maybe adding two schools to the West Coast-based league.
"I think there are going to be 12-, 14-team, maybe even 16-team conferences," Paterno said. "We're naive if we think we can sit back and watch everybody else move ahead."
In February, Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez said 15 schools were being considered but didn't name them. Alvarez said at the time that Texas and Notre Dame were not on the list.
That leaves speculation centering on any football playing school from the Big East (Syracuse, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, etc.) and Missouri from the Big 12.
If the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors gives the OK to expansion, it would mark the first time the league added a member since Penn State joined in 1990.
Paterno said the academic component and research is an important part of the discussion.
"We have to get people in our conference who are in the AAU (Association of American Universities), who have the same kind of commitment academically," Paterno said.
"We need to bring in some people who have comprehensive athletic programs, women's sports and broad-based men's programs. We're not just looking at football and basketball. We're looking at all the other sports so we can really mesh.
"It's not a question of bringing in someone you can kick around
<H2></H2>By MIKE CARMIN • [email protected] • April 18, 2010
During last week's teleconference featuring the 11 Big Ten Conference football coaches, the topic of expansion was addressed. Basically, expansion is on the horizon.
"I think expansion is coming," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said.
In December, the Big Ten announced it would explore the idea of expanding during the next 12 to 18 months. However, the Chicago Tribune reported in today's edition that an accelerated timetable has emerged.
Numerous reports, nearly all relying on anonymous sources, have indicated the league is open to adding anywhere from one to possibly five schools.
Is it hard to imagine the Big Ten as a 16-team league?
"No, I can't," Purdue sixth-year linebacker Jason Werner said, shaking his head. "In the future, a lot of things change. It's hard to picture that at the moment."
Along with generating more revenue for each of the league's athletic departments, football is the driving force.
The addition of one or more schools would allow the Big Ten to stage a conference championship game, similar to those held by the Atlantic Coast, Southeastern and Big 12 conferences, and creating another revenue stream.
With a title game, the football season would conclude the first weekend of December, keeping the Big Ten in the national football conversation.
"You feel left out," Purdue fifth-year receiver Keith Smith said. "I would love the fact if they could have a championship game and do it like that. It hurts the Big Ten not having that extra week of playing games."
One remedy would be for the league to extend its regular season through the first weekend of December. Expansion, though, appears to be carrying more momentum.
"I'm a proponent of expansion and playing a championship game," Minnesota coach Tim Brewster said.
Not every coach is favor of making the Big Ten the Big 16.
"I'm more of a traditionalist," Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said. "I'm not one to say we need to keep up with the Joneses. The Big Ten product is as competitive as it's ever been."
The trend in college athletics is moving toward bigger conferences with bigger potential for revenues to combat the rising costs of salaries and expenses.
The Pacific-10 is exploring expansion, maybe adding two schools to the West Coast-based league.
"I think there are going to be 12-, 14-team, maybe even 16-team conferences," Paterno said. "We're naive if we think we can sit back and watch everybody else move ahead."
In February, Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez said 15 schools were being considered but didn't name them. Alvarez said at the time that Texas and Notre Dame were not on the list.
That leaves speculation centering on any football playing school from the Big East (Syracuse, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, etc.) and Missouri from the Big 12.
If the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors gives the OK to expansion, it would mark the first time the league added a member since Penn State joined in 1990.
Paterno said the academic component and research is an important part of the discussion.
"We have to get people in our conference who are in the AAU (Association of American Universities), who have the same kind of commitment academically," Paterno said.
"We need to bring in some people who have comprehensive athletic programs, women's sports and broad-based men's programs. We're not just looking at football and basketball. We're looking at all the other sports so we can really mesh.
"It's not a question of bringing in someone you can kick around
