Maryland and Rutgers to Big 10?
- Thread starter Daserop
- Start date
"I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.", J. Robert Oppenheimer, Gozer the Gozerian and Jim Delany
The New York metro alone could add 200 million in cable subscription fees (that's a big could though, I don't think it's likely to happen).
I think 40 million is on the high end. I think 35 million is more likely.
The only problem is that most people in the New York metro don't give a rip about Rutgers athletics. I'm not so sure that they aren't overestimating this by a lot.
Doesn't matter if they care. All that matters is pushing the network onto cable and getting the subscription fees. Big Ten football has enough draw out there to justify it.
I grew up 8 miles away from Rutgers - Didn't care about them at all and never even went to a game
I guess since this is the case, I'm surprised the Big 10 didn't jump on this sooner?
I think the question is -- Does Big 10 football have that amount of draw. In the state of Nebraska, obviously taking the one BCS conference school is going to get you on basic cable. In the other Big 10 states it was the same when the network started up, most of them had only Big 10 schools in FBS or for states like Iowa or Pennsylvannia the school with the bigger fanbase was in the Big 10.
That's not the case for Maryland or Rutgers. Neither school is a football power and neither is currently drawing a big enough following. Maryland and New York/New Jersey are not states who follow the Big 10 either, especially in a year when just about every Big 10 team is having a down year. The BTN may still be able to force its way onto basic cable there, but I don't think it's a sure thing by any means.
D
DistrictCyclone
Guest
I think the bigger questions are: don't they already have that draw, and if not, does adding Rutgers and UMD really get them there? There are already boatloads of fans/alumni from nearly every Big Ten school in those markets...does adding Rutgers and UMD seriously increase the BTN's pull by that much?
I think the B10's thinking is more along the lines of Gordon Gecko's, greed is good.
D
DistrictCyclone
Guest
Because some old dinosaur conference just further watered itself down with two crappy schools? We're the cream of the cream; quality > quantity.
The B10 is only a "dinosaur" conference on the football field. When it comes to business acumen, they are two or three steps ahead of every other conference right now, which is why they are never the conference reacting to other conference's moves. They've had their master plan for a while, they make their moves and watch the other conferences scramble.
Its not watering down if it brings extra money to the table. If nothing else extra money helps your existing programs get better.
#2 conference in America in football with only 10 teams, when others have 12 and 14? Add FSU and you just move up the mountain.
FSU ...Come on Down.
ND will look at new options, If we can land them in All sports, then it is done. Add some regional rivals after that. BC, Pitt, Clemson, Ga Tech.
Pod 1: Texas 4
Pod 2: OSU, OU, KU, KSU
Pod 3: ISU, ND, BC, Pitt
Pod 4: WVU, Clemson, FSU, GA Tech
2 Cross Rivals, Keep the 9 Game schedule. Gaurantee each team at least one game in Texas every year.
ND will look at new options, If we can land them in All sports, then it is done. Add some regional rivals after that. BC, Pitt, Clemson, Ga Tech.
Pod 1: Texas 4
Pod 2: OSU, OU, KU, KSU
Pod 3: ISU, ND, BC, Pitt
Pod 4: WVU, Clemson, FSU, GA Tech
2 Cross Rivals, Keep the 9 Game schedule. Gaurantee each team at least one game in Texas every year.
