Maryland, Rutgers to Big Ten

[Legend]

Big Ten gets a decent basketball team in Maryland. Rutgers is meh, but w/e.

[GameTime]

why is maryland doing this?

[dark uncle]

more money supposedly.  Big 10 has a better contract maybe?  Geez, for one of the founding members of the ACC to leave is rather surprising.  Maybe they wanted an easier football schedule?

[dexmonkey]

this move makes no sense for either side. maryland is broke as hell and wants to get the better contract in the big 10 but they have to pay the 50mil exit fee that they cant afford. maryland rutgers also dont fit the profile of Big Ten schools. makes no sense to me at all

i say peace out maryland. they brought nothing to table in the acc anyway. decent basketball, crap football, not a big following.

just hope FSU gets the hell out now. this conference is getting worse by the day. they are talking about adding UCONN, blech talk about another loser addition. basketball goes up, football goes down and FSU continues to suffer for it. i want john swofford's family to die for all his sins. he is the worst league commissioner ive ever seen

[Biggs3535]

I thought the Big 10 wanted to compete with the Big Boy conferences?  This isn't how you do it.

[dark uncle]

Biggs,
I expect the Big 10 can net a better TV deal next time if they can prove an expanded viewership, which they get by expanding into the Maryland and Rutgers markets.  All 500 of the viewers that WANT to watch these two teams.

FSU is hosed because the SEC gains nothing in TV market by extending them an invitation and only gets another tough team to add to their murderer's row.

[olafberserker]

unlike that cupcake they added this year Texas A & M .......

[Gullfer1]

Last year, Big Ten gave each football team 24.6 mil.,  Big East paid 6 mil.  As far Rutgers it's all about money.  Jersey papers  giving lot of credit for the move to Schiano and Rutgers AD.

[Legend]

I thought the Big 10 wanted to compete with the Big Boy conferences?  This isn't how you do it.

Uh this more is clearly about extending the Big Ten network so they can make more money that is all.

[DailyRich68]

Biggs,
I expect the Big 10 can net a better TV deal next time if they can prove an expanded viewership, which they get by expanding into the Maryland and Rutgers markets.  All 500 of the viewers that WANT to watch these two teams.

FSU is hosed because the SEC gains nothing in TV market by extending them an invitation and only gets another tough team to add to their murderer's row.

The Big 10 wants the New York/New Jersey market and the Baltimore/DC market.  It may not get it right away -- those are pro sports towns through and through -- but it's exposure in a larger market.  I also wouldn't be surprised if the Maryland move was an effort to weaken the ACC and make Notre Dame reconsider their affiliation with that league.  The Big 10 has been hard after them for years, and it makes much more sense.

FSU has had overtures from the Big 12, wouldn't be surprised to see them try to rekindle that.  Their championship chances this year are taking a huge hit due to their weak conference schedule, they seriously need to get the hell out of that conference.

[dark uncle]

Biggs,
I expect the Big 10 can net a better TV deal next time if they can prove an expanded viewership, which they get by expanding into the Maryland and Rutgers markets.  All 500 of the viewers that WANT to watch these two teams.

FSU is hosed because the SEC gains nothing in TV market by extending them an invitation and only gets another tough team to add to their murderer's row.

The Big 10 wants the New York/New Jersey market and the Baltimore/DC market.  It may not get it right away -- those are pro sports towns through and through -- but it's exposure in a larger market.  I also wouldn't be surprised if the Maryland move was an effort to weaken the ACC and make Notre Dame reconsider their affiliation with that league.  The Big 10 has been hard after them for years, and it makes much more sense.

FSU has had overtures from the Big 12, wouldn't be surprised to see them try to rekindle that.  Their championship chances this year are taking a huge hit due to their weak conference schedule, they seriously need to get the hell out of that conference.

I can't disagree with any of that.

[TheAman]

Ahem....

Let me explain this on Maryland's side.  For one, they aren't paying the 50 million exit fee.  They're challenging that it's going to be that much, and whatever the fee is, the Big Ten is going to front the money, and Maryland will pay it back gradually.  For two, the ACC has a **CENSORED** commissioner who can't negotiate TV deals and can't stabilize the conference.  The Big Ten provides stability, you know it's not disintegrating.  The Big Ten is also coming after two of UVA, UNC and GT, for what it's worth.  FSU needs to convince the Big XII that they need to get back up to 12 teams, because the Big 12 pays way more than the ACC, and the ACC is destabilizing fast.  If I'm BC, Duke and Wake Forest, I'm sweating really badly right now.

[McBarron]

So, USF will actually be considered for the ACC?

Not like it would matter.

Hilarious, though, seeing how Pitt and Cuse jumped ship so fast for the ACC.

[CBWx2]

I hate the idea of these superconferences. IMO, it's ruining the game. Very good article about this from Dennis Dodd:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/dennis-dodd/21073271/the-crass-thoughtless-reorganization-of-college-sports

[TheAman]

USF is probably fourth on the ACC list right now, assuming it doesn't completely collapse.  Louisville is probably first, UConn second, Cincinnati and then USF.  I forgot, add Pitt and Syracuse to the sweating schools list as well.