Source: Maryland (and Rutgers) to Big Ten is 'pretty serious'

[Aughnanure]

B1G didn't take too kindly to Notre Dame's move.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/source-maryland-big-ten-pretty-185500708--nfl.html
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8644587/maryland-terrapins-rutgers-scarlet-knights-talks-join-big-ten-conference-sources-say
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/stewart_mandel/11/17/big-ten-maryland-rutgers-realignment/

[TallTitan34]

Dumb. Though it's nice to see the ACC get poached.

[Marqus Howard]

More trouble for the Big East if the Big Ten decides to take Rutgers.

[Dawson Rental]

More trouble for the Big East if the Big Ten decides to take Rutgers.

More trouble for the Big East if the Big 10 gets Maryland.

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

If true, you have to believe the ACC would move on UConn, Louisville, or both. At that point, its no longer worth it for the basketball schools to stay in the Big East. Almost all the basketball powers would be non-football schools, and it's not worth being dragged down by Southern Methodists and Central Floridas just to play Cincinnati and Memphis every year.

The Big East would look like:

Non-football schools
Marquette
DePaul
Georgetown
Villanova
Seton Hall
St. John's
Providence

Football schools who play basketball
Cincinnati
Southern Methodist
Memphis
Temple
Houston
USF
UCF

Football-only schools
Boise State
San Diego State
Navy

[Dawson Rental]

If true, you have to believe the ACC would move on UConn, Louisville, or both. At that point, its no longer worth it for the basketball schools to stay in the Big East. Almost all the basketball powers would be non-football schools, and it's not worth being dragged down by Southern Methodists and Central Floridas just to play Cincinnati and Memphis every year.

Big Ten takes Maryland and Rutgers.  ACC takes UConn.  No way The ACC takes Louisville.  For Louisville it's Big 12 or bust (i.e. stay in the Big East).

[MileHigh]

But what does Maryland and Rutgers really bring to the Big Ten? I hope Maryland enjoys paying the $50 payout to leave.

[Marqus Howard]

But what does Maryland and Rutgers really bring to the Big Ten? I hope Maryland enjoys paying the $50 payout to leave.

One of Maryland's biggest boosters is Under Armour's CEO Kevin Plank. On Tuesday it was reported that he is cashing out of $65 million in stock. Doesn't seem like a coincidence to me.

http://m.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2012/11/13/under-armour-ceo-kevin-plank-selling.html?r=full

[GGGG]

But what does Maryland and Rutgers really bring to the Big Ten? I hope Maryland enjoys paying the $50 payout to leave.

Supposedly eyeballs to the television.  Increased revenue though the BTN.

[AirPunches]

I think this would be a mistake for the B1G. Don't you think they could do better than Maryland and Rutgers?

[GGGG]

I think this would be a mistake for the B1G. Don't you think they could do better than Maryland and Rutgers?

What is your metric?  By quality of athletic programs?  Probably.  By quality of television markets?  Probably not.

[🏀]

What is your metric?  By quality of athletic programs?  Probably.  By quality of television markets?  Probably not.

TV markets is the biggest (only) metric in this equation.

[nyg]

What is your metric?  By quality of athletic programs?  Probably.  By quality of television markets?  Probably not.

UMD's mens and women's basketball have won the National Title in the past ten years.  The mens' soccer team won, as has the woman's field hockey and I believe soccer. Until a few years ago, the football team had a good 8 year run with Ralph Friedgen and prior to that Bobby Ross. To say the athletic programs are a substandard of quality is not true.

UMD covers the entire Maryland region, Northern Virginia and DC for the ACC.  The media market is huge since the only other ACC school close is Virginia to the south.

I have been a long time Maryland resident and I cannot fathom UMD leaving, as they were a charter member and going to cost them a 50 million buyout.

Rutgers is not even close in athletics, but probably would have a larger TV market based upon New York City and Newark markets, mainly in population.  

I for one would be shocked if this happens, but who knows these days.

[ecompt]

Big Ten takes Maryland and Rutgers.  ACC takes UConn.  No way The ACC takes Louisville.  For Louisville it's Big 12 or bust (i.e. stay in the Big East).

ACC will have to give Boston College a load of money to drop its aversion to UConn.

[Warriors10]

ACC will have to give Boston College a load of money to drop its aversion to UConn.

Well...the ACC would be $50 million richer.

[GGGG]

TV markets is the biggest (only) metric in this equation.

But if you are watering down your product in the process, is that a good thing?  I mean, are people going to watch a Maryland v. Illinois Big Ten tilt?

On the other hand, they don't really have many options IF they want to expand.  Texas and Oklahoma aren't moving.  Kansas or Iowa State don't bring anything.

[Warriors10]

For what it is worth.  Darren Rovell, ESPNs business guy, wrote that Maryland and Rutgers would have to add at least 17% to revenues for current B1G schools to earn the same amount of money.  He questions if that would be possible, at the moment; uncertain about the long-run effect as well.

[GGGG]

Spent some time browsing the Maryland scout site and some comments in local papers.  Very very Maryland fans had positive comments.  Feel that they aren't really a cultural fit for the conference. 

[DCWarriors04]

Rutgers delivering the NYC TV market is comical...if you're aiming for the armpit of America, then you're spot on with Rutgers.

[mr.MUskie]

Rutgers delivering the NYC TV market is comical...if you're aiming for the armpit of America, then you're spot on with Rutgers.

Rutgers is in North Dakota?

[brewcity77]

Just thought I'd post up the list of viable B1G members. People may not want to admit it, but AAU membership is a must. It just is. I'm not including SEC or Pac-12 schools as they don't seem to have any interest in those conferences. If I did, it would include Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, Oregon, Stanford, USC, Vanderbilt, and Washington. Color-coding, green seem more likely (to me), yellow not as much, red no chance.

• Duke: Deliver worthwhile markets, but private status doesn't help. Maybe as package with UNC.
  
• Georgia Tech: Atlanta is a top-10 market and would give southern presence. Makes more sense than many realize.
  
• Iowa State: No way Iowa allows it, and doesn't expand into a new market
  
• Kansas: If they wanted Kansas, they'd have moved on them earlier, but they're a future option.
  
• Maryland: Washington DC is the #9 market, Baltimore is #26, and it finally gives PSU a geographic rival.
  
• Rutgers: I'm not convinced Rutgers delivers NYC. If the B1G has heard from cable execs that RU would get them access to NYC eyeballs, it makes more sense.
  
• North Carolina: If the B1G ever came calling, I think they'd be hard pressed to say no, and they deliver 4 top-50 markets.
  
• Pittsburgh: If not for PSU, I think they'd be high on the list.
  
• Texas: No because of the Longhorn Network they are unwilling to give up.
  
• Virginia: Surprised they haven't been mentioned, 8 million in-state eyes and the DC market?

[GGGG]

Both North Carolina and Virginia have issues with other public universities being "left behind."  Furthermore, I really doubt North Carolina would be interested.

[GGGG]

BTW, an attorney friend of mine sent me a message.  He says that there will be no way Maryland pays a $50M exit fee.  Since they voted against it, and no window was given before the fee was implemented, they have set themselves up that they have been coerced to enter a legal agreement for which they didn't approve.  Not sure how accurate that is, but needless to say that it could be negotiated downward.

[brewcity77]

Both North Carolina and Virginia have issues with other public universities being "left behind."  Furthermore, I really doubt North Carolina would be interested.

Of course they do. Just like Syracuse and Pitt feel betrayed that BC went to the ACC. It's easy to rail on about being left behind right up until Jim Delany shows up on your doorstep with bags of cash. Both meet the significant B1G criteria and provide significant television markets. If the league does decide to expand, those two certainly make more sense than ISU, Kansas, or Duke.

[axaguy]

Believe it or not there are other factors to be weighed in any school additions and conference movement. The Big Ten also has academic and institutional requirements that need to be met before accepting a new member. It's just not only TV exposure, recruiting and such. Penn State had to fix/ address some of those before their entry and so did Nebraska.
Paying their current conference exit fee and changing the logo on their basketball floor isn't all that needs to be done. The Big Ten are high level academic institutions and their presidents will have to be sold on the applicants total abilities to belong in the conference.