Around the Big Ten

[entropy]

Hispanic participation in D1 football is around 2.5 percent of total. That number hasn't changed substantially since 1999...in fact it was lower in 2010 (latest reporting date) than 1999.

Across all sports its increased from 3.0 to 4.2% in that timeframe for men, 2.4 to 4.2% for women. Baseball, volleyball and water polo (?) are the sports with the Hispanic participation. Doesn't look like much of a goldmine in the making.

what the south does have is year around football. I agree, the population arguements are not as powerful as people think. Miss and AL are not going to be the size of Ill for a very very long time.. and I'd suggest never. The main reason you want into the south, imo, is for some of the year around football talent. Personally, I'd prefer a northern conference... but I know that won't happen.

[Hannibal]

We're beyond the point where having a conference at all even makes sense anymore. A conference is now simply an entity that shares TV rights. The Big Ten after expansion is going to be like The Man Show after Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Corolla left.

[entropy]

I wonder how much of this is driven by the University Presidents? if you have a 1/3 of the AAU, it would probably give you a lot of power

[entropy]

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/top-15-universities-wealthy-alumni/story?id=18539608#all

[entropy]

ironically, while I want the BIG to remain a northern conference, UNL, culturally, would probably have more in common with some of these southern schools than Wisky or NW

[iam416]

I wonder how much of this is driven by the University Presidents? if you have a 1/3 of the AAU, it would probably give you a lot of power

It's as much or more about that than anything else. Delaney is the "new markets"/sports guy. The Presidents are full-on AAU and are all about adding to the CIC bloc within the AAU. That article you posted has 3 B10 schools in the top 15 (including Chicago, which is very much part of the CIC). Virginia will make it 4.

I think Delaney and football drove the bus with Nebraska. I think East Coast market penetration and the CIC has the wheel this go-around. Virginia, UNC, GT and, yes, Johns Hopkins would be massive adds to the CIC. Massive. And to keep things in perspective, the CIC/AAU dollars are billions, with a "b", not millions.

[entropy]

JH add tells me this is about the presidents creating a funding block.. jmo

and i agree.. JD drove the Nebraska addition. I think the Presidents have a bigger say now. I bet that was the agreement

[Hannibal]

It's being driven by the Delaney types and by Fox. i.e. -- people who have a vested interest in making the pie bigger, but no vested interest in making sure that everyone's share is preserved.

[iam416]

I don't agree with that, Hanni.

JH add tells me this is about the presidents creating a funding block.. jmo

That's my take.

[iam416]

And it's also clear to me that 12 Presidents and BoTs very much have a vested interest in increasing revenue for their respective Universities. As stated above, I also think they're looking at a much bigger pie, though I also suspect dilutive additions with respect to TV revenues only will be rejected.

[entropy]

I think the reason you see UVA and GT in the "mix" is also a sign this is about the Presidents and not as much about JD. That isn't to say they are at odds, but like anything else, there is a driver and a companion

[Hannibal]

We'll see. The history of capitalism is littered with dumb mergers and acquisitions, and terrible stategic decisions. Stuff that was viewed as the right thing to do by the smartest people in the room. Stuff that was oversold, but had no true source of economic value.

The logic that Michigan will receiver more research money because we play Rutgers in football, basketball, and lacrosse makes absolutely no sense to me.

[entropy]

hanny... you left out the CIC. athletics is just a piece of the relationship.

as for dumb mergers.... you may be right. I'm not a fan of more schools in the conference and you all know I like the idea of being a northern conference. Time will tell if the the glue that has held the BIG together for this long (ie, culture and aligned values) is weakened or as firm as ever.

[iam416]

I'm not commenting on the merits of expansion. I'm not commenting on the wisdom of the CIC, which is entirely based on an athletics conference -- and, fwiw, has been for decades. What I am saying is that the B10 isn't going to expand because Fox or Delaney say so. The B10 will expand if they the Presidents/Universities think it's in their best interest. I mean, it's pretty clear with Rutgers and Maryland that sports are NOT driving the bus this go-around.

Their forecasts may prove to be entirely wrong. It may prove to be a total disaster. But it won't be because they've been bamboozled or are a bunch of boobs dancing on strings pulled by Fox and/or Delaney. That's nonsense.

[entropy]

talent.. I still don't understand rutgers. I know there are a lot of pieces in play, but at least with Maryland, I could understand the need to connect states with NC or some of you other wishes.

in fact, I'm less concerned about the current group of candidates as I am about the 2 that just joined.