It's official (July 1st)...welcome to the B1G to Maryland and Rutgers!

[Blackshirt]

I don't mind Michigan and tOSU being in the same division (for rivalry purposes)...but we should've gotten MSU and replaced some shitty school like illinois for them. Then the B1G could've found a way to keep MSU playing Michigan every year despite being in different divisions

 

[Wild Turkey]

Nebraska should have no excuse to not win the West every year.

I don't see Wisconsin just laying down and giving it to them.

 

[Oney]

If Michigan and Penn State return to form, the East is going to be a juggernaut. It's already bad news for IU, Maryland and Rutgers in football. I'm sure they'll be looking forward to basketball season.

 

[BigRedMoe]

I would've liked them to try out a North-South divisional alignment but with a preserved cross division rival.... oh well, nobody asked me anywho.

 

[Innermind]

Another thing that would really help balance the B1G East-West divisions would be to add Notre Dame to the West, and then Virginia to the East.

The ACC could then replace Virginia by adding Cincinnati.

Although.......I actually don't want to see 16-team conferences happen unless the regular season start is pulled back one week earlier in August, and the regular season increased to 13 games....with 10 of those 13 games being conference contests (5 home and 5 away).

 

[Blackshirt]

ND just won't give up the independent status for football. I think moving into the B1G though would help them.

 

[H2S]

I don't mind Michigan and tOSU being in the same division (for rivalry purposes)...but we should've gotten MSU and replaced some shitty school like illinois for them. Then the B1G could've found a way to keep MSU playing Michigan every year despite being in different divisions

meh...it's become routine for MSU to humble Michigan every year (just like the Buckeyes do)...until the miserable skunkbears get competitive again, Sparty will get just as much satisfaction out of squashing turtles.

 

[HuskerOC]

I don't see Wisconsin just laying down and giving it to them.

Yep.

Wisconsin has won 6 Big 10 titles in the last 20 years. How many Power 5 conference teams can that be said?

 

[Pariah]

Holy Crap the B1G conference is horrible

fixed.

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

LOUISVILLE has to be thanking the gods.
They get to join the top rated academic league that is starting to hit its stride again in athletics.
Just 3 years ago, it looked miserable and hopeless for them.


Nobody has improved their lot more than Louisville in the shuffling.

 

[pennstatenut]

WELCOME

 

[bigred472]

ND just won't give up the independent status for football. I think moving into the B1G though would help them.

-------
At some point in time ND will have to go independent status in football....far too much money to be made in a conference. I just hope it's the B1G.

 

[Innermind]

ND just won't give up the independent status for football. I think moving into the B1G though would help them.

If the money is too good to turn down, perhaps Notre Dame might finally join the B1G in the future.

Remember, the current B1G Tier 1 TV contract expires 2016.

Interesting tidbit:
Comcast/NBC recently purchased a major east coast cable TV provider, Time Warner Cable...the timing of this acquisition raises eyebrows because of the B1G's expansion into this market. Some media people are saying that Comcast/NBC is going to be a major player/bidder for the upcoming 2017 B1G Tier 1 TV contract (along with FOX, who owns 51% of the BTN...and of course ABC/ESPN). A bidding war between those three media entities probably translates into huge $$$ for the B1G.

So..........Some media experts estimate that each B1G school could earn $45 million+ annually under the upcoming TV contract. What if Comcast/NBC wins this contract? We could possibly see B1G football games on several NBC stations such as USA, Bravo, MSNBC, and of course the NBC Sports Network as well as NBC.

Now.....also remember that NBC holds the current Notre Dame football TV contract.

Notre Dame was earning approx. $15 million annually under their NBC TV contract, prior to the contract extension last April. The new extension money details have not been released....however, some media experts estimate the extension might have included perhaps a 50% bump in money to Notre Dame. A 50% increase would be quite impressive for the NBC-Notre Dame extension, and if it's true, this means Notre Dame would be earning approx. $22 -$23 million annually under their current contract which runs thru 2025.

But still...$23 million as an independent is not as nice as earning $45 million + as a member of the B1G.

Perhaps Notre Dame is going to be keeping an eye open towards the upcoming B1G TV contract negotiations......and perhaps Comcast/NBC will be doing some backroom talking to Notre Dame, and putting their feelers out towards the Irish about possibly joining the B1G in order to earn even more $$$ by restructuring their existing NBC contract into a new, much more lucrative B1G TV contract with NBC.....with Comcast/NBC possibly even offering assistance to ND with any ACC exit fees.

Hmmmm..........we shall see what happens over the next couple years.


$$$ makes the world go around.