Maryland to Big Ten (Rutgers likely to follow)

Why do we need so many damn teams?

It's getting out of hand..

Good Point.

But is Maryland & Rutgers going to make the Big Ten more competitive or a better conference?  I doubt it.

I think Wilbon (Northwestern grad) on PTI put it best, Big Ten fans don't want Maryland and Maryland Fans don't want the Big Ten. This all boils down to money. I don't really like this expansion because unlike Nebraska this doesn't enhance the brand, it merely expands the reach of Big Ten Network. Besides the Maryland basketball program this deal weakens the conference competitively. On the bright side it will expand the recruiting base for my Illinois basketball team.

Go Illini!

So are we starting up the college program musical chairs game again? Being an ACC fan, now we lose Maryland who actually made a little sense and bring in Syracuse and UConn?

Now how does the Big East react, see if Hawaii is willing to join?

He's missing the point.  They're trying to get the BTN included in basic cable packages, like ESPN.  The Big 10 gets ~$0.25 per subscriber if the state doesn't have a Big 10 team, BUT they get $0.90 per subscriber if the state does.

But really, I don't see how this will push cable companies to include the BTN in the mid Atlantic.  No one cares about UMD or Rutgers either way.

Big10 is making a grab for the East Coast market to expand their footprint to DC/NY.  There are several articles that suggest they may not be done either.  ACC is toast if they don't make the right move here, see Big East.  FSU & Clemson have not been shy that they are not thrilled with the ACC's lack of concern when it comes to football.  

I am thinking that the Big12/SEC is watching closely to how the exit fee is negotiated with Maryland and then one of the two will make a quick strike to grab up some of the better brands from the ACC (FSU, Clemson, NCST, UNC, GTech & GTech).  All six of those schools are valuable national brands for football and/or basketball.  One false move, like grabbing UConn and the ACC will be toast.  4X16 Conferences might happen very quickly after that with teams divided up between the B1G, SEC, Big12 and the Pac12.

I am only hoping that my school, Louisville, is not left out of the mix during all of this shuffling.  The Schools that play both football and basketball that are left out of a viable Conference at this point are Notre Dame, Louisville, Boise, BYU, UConn and Cincinnati.  If 4X16 happens that means 66 schools for 64 spots.  Assuming that BYU remains independent because they refuse to play on Sundays then we are down to 65.  Notre Dame will likely remain independent which takes us down to magic number of 64.  Then it's only a matter of dividing up the teams.

So you end up with 4X16 Conferences with BYU & Notre Dame remaining Independent.

Maybe I need another cup of coffee, but I'm not following this at all.  Seems like the math is off.  You have mentioned the Big10,Big12,Pac12, and SEC.  But you haven't addressed ACC, Big East, CUSA, etc

<--- Michigan State Alum...

I like it. Expands recruiting base, gives better coverage in other sports, does nothing but increase TV revenue potential, makes for some interesting matchups, and I think, will increase league competitiveness - more (football) blue chippers might go to Rutgers or Maryland if they knew they'd be playing OSU, UM, Wisconsin instead of Wake Forest and Duke. 

I'm not one to bemoan the loss of the original big 10. That went out the window with Nebraska and becoming the big 12. Might as well be the big 16. Nostalgia, be gone.

I had dinner last night with the UM faculty rep to the NCAA...and talked about what shoe might drop next. She seemed to think that there will be 2 more teams...but not FSU or Clemson, as the Big10 academic fit isn't right with those schools. She seemed to think a better fit would be Georgia Tech and Boston College. 

Exactly.  ACC and Big East (Louisville, Cinci and UConn only) are gobbled up by the other 4.

UNC is strong and the primary draw for the state.  This is exactly why they are attractive to both the SEC and the Big 10.  NC is an untapped market and both Virginia and UNC are members of the AAU which is a requirement for the Big10.  SEC  could lock down the Carolina's with UNC as an addition and push their footprint just a little further north by picking up Virginia or Virginia Tech.  Both VA schools have a large alumni base in the DC area which is worth a lot of money in TV sets.

If the Big 12 expands East and grabs up FSU, Clemson, VaTech and perhaps NCST.  That puts the ACC in a vulnerable spot and UNC, UVA and GTech (another AAU member who is already rumored to be in talks with the B1G) on the table for possible raids from either the B1G or the SEC.

FSU, Clemson and GTech expect the ACC to shore up football and that might keep them loyal for a while.  But I believe this shuffling is far from over and the Conference Presidents, School Admins and Boosters have been indicating the same thing.

BYU and Boise are already in talk to go back to the Mountain West, along with San Diego St. BYU will never be able to join the Pac-12 due to academic freedom issues. The Pac 12 and Big 12 are the only 2 conference to have strict academic for new admissions. I think Wazzua and ASU were the only two exceptions and they were only admitted to form the natural rivalries. No one else on the West Coast brings an attractive enough package for the Pac-12 to accept them. The failure of the 16 team super league plan with the Texas area schools and the subsequent panic add of Utah and Colorado has probably written the last chapter in Pac-12 expansion for a while.

I think you will see BYU, SDSU and Boise return to the MWC, along with one or 2 schools from CUSA to form a 16 team "super mid major" with the goal of trying to gain equal footing with the BCS conferences, at least for TV rights. I don't think it will work though.

Big East is definitely toast though.

Yes you are right, the Big East is done.  This is what happens when you let the Basketball schools make all of the calls and the ACC would be wise to take heed.  The Pac 12 could easily grab Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma St.  and divide into a West Coast and Eastern division.  In my fantasy world I would love to seem something along the lines of this.

I could see BC, or UNC, or UVA (and it has to be 2).  All have great academics and play sports.  but I don't see BC leaving Hockey East for the Big 10.  If they hadn't started B1G hockey (and mostly killed the WCHA and CCHA in the process), BC could stay in Hockey East.

What else on the east coast has good academics, plays BCS football, and isn't in the SEC (Vanderbilt)?

Maybe it will be eventually ND + someone else

Vandy is in the SEC.

That was my point.  They are the only school, academically and geographically, in the SEC that would interest the big 10