Some pretty good discussion by the boys.

But they might want to do their homework a little on this.

They stated that Texas would not leave the Big 12. They might want to reconsider that. The Big Ten Network TV contract provides roughly $200 million/year to be split among the conference schools, while the Big 12's TV contact with FSN only pays around $70 million/year. You don't think that would be appealing to Texas?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Does anyone really care to hear Teddy G opine on Big Ten expansion?

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I have a hard time believing that meatpants has a good feel whether Rutgers would bring anything from the NY market.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

He's 100% wrong.

I believe I saw an article that Rutgers football has recently been the highest rated game in NYC when they've been on national tv. From the sounds of it, Rutgers has been doing a great job of marketing itself to this market. The upgraded stadium helps too.

Penn State seems pretty big here too. Rutgers would also get a major boost by joining the Big Ten as people would find them to be much more nationally relevant.

Not to mention that it would open up the doors to having Big Ten games played at Madison Square Garden and you'd see basketball take off. They would probably need a new stadium though for the other games.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

No one outside of Pittsburgh cares about Pittsburgh.

Pennsylvania is dominated by Penn State and the eastern part of the state is far enough away that they probably have as many fans as Rutgers or other schools.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

IMO Mizzou makes way more sense than Pitt.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I take an unhealthy interest each week to see if brilliant young coach Wanne is screwing up.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

I tune in just to see how many times he will run his hand through his hair in order to display emotion. You can tell he's really mad when he does it multiple times in a row.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

If only Lovie could do that! Dammit, that's what is missing.

Nobody in Jersey gives a shit about Rutgers either..

From a regional standpoint, Missouri makes all the sense in the world if the Big Ten pondered expansion, RFDC. After all, Missouri & Illinois have been natural rivals in both football & basketball, and I can imagine Mizzou possibly creating future rivalries vs. Iowa & perhaps Minnesota as well. From what I've heard, Missouri isn't exactly thrilled with their current affiliation with the Big 12 and the whole Big Ten expansion is a 12-18 month process.

Pittsburgh is the biggest market, isn't it? Maybe Missouri, Kentucky...

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I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires. -Susan B. Anthony

Pittsburgh is the US's 23rd largest television market.

Kansas City is 32nd and St Louis is 21st.

http://www.tvb.org/rcentral/markettrack ... by_dma.asp

So just in terms of expansion of audience, Mizzou is the better choice over Pitt. Neither one gives you much of a boost beyond thier own regions, like a Notre Dame or Texas would do.

The arguement for the Irish not joining the Big 10 is splitting the NBC television money - when is that contract up and does ND think they have a chance to renew at similar dollars? Does the management shift of NBC from GE to Comcast affect that? Those will be some factors that ND will need to consider. But I don't think the Big 10 will approach ND again. But if ND were to approach the Big 10 ..............

I believe NBC Sports recently extended their contract to continue broadcasting Notre Dame football, and I thought the new deal will keep their home games on the "Peacock" through 2013...As always, official terms of the deal weren't disclosed, but I thought NBC extended its Notre Dame deal just last year.