David Hookstead
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It sounds like the Big Ten is potentially interested in aggressive expansion.
The Big Ten stunned the world of college sports when the conference stole USC and UCLA from the PAC-12.
When the Bruins and Trojans join the B1G in 2024, it will mark a new era of college sports nobody saw coming. For people who thought that’s where expansion would end, you’re going to be in for some disrupting news!
During an interview with Bryant Gumbel, commissioner Kevin Warren revealed he sees a future where the conference expands to 20 teams.
“I could see perpetual and future growth,” Warren explained. That comment would seem to indicate 20 teams could be the floor and not the ceiling.
He also indicated there could be a time when paying athletes is something the conference pursues.
The Big Ten is in an open arms race against the SEC for complete control of the college landscape, and after scoring an unprecedented media deal, the B1G seems to have the advantage for the time being.
Clearly, Warren isn’t interested in ever losing that advantage. One of the biggest ways to make sure the B1G continues to take and hold ground is to expand the conference’s footprint.
USC and UCLA brought in California and the West Coast, but there’s now a very good chance the conference looks at new targets.
The number one goal had been Notre Dame. However, the Fighting Irish seem content for the time being.
That means the Big Ten could target Stanford, Oregon, Washington or Cal. Those teams all make sense and acquiring Stanford – a rival of Notre Dame – might entice the Fighting Irish to eventually join.
The B1G could also look to some ACC squads like UNC, Florida State or Virginia. The only issue with targeting ACC teams is nobody knows what breaking the grant of rights would actually mean.
No matter what happens going forward, it’s crystal clear the Big Ten isn’t done expanding just yet. That should terrify rivals of the conference!
OutKick 360: Big Ten’s Kevin Warren Says He Eventually Wants 20 Teams In Conference
Bobby Carpenter gives his thoughts on conference expansion on OutKick 360.
Considering that only Ohio State, Michigan and USC break even or make money on athletics, and that the rest of the conference schools are bleeding red ink like crazy (UCLA reportedly has a $60 million debt in its ahtletics budget), exactly HOW are these other schools going to pay their athletes?
Already, some 80 percent (and growing) of colleges and universities in this country charge their non-scholarship students some kind of fee or assessment that directly underwrites their money-losing sports programs.
Considering that college is increasingly out of reach for middle class families – even state schools can cost $30K a year and up – this seems to be an insupportable proposition.
It’s also insulting for those who are paying $30K a year to get an indoctrination … er, “education” – to imply that scholarship athletes are some kind of indentured servants, not being compensated for their efforts. Most professional athletes – I’m looking at you, minor league baseball, junior hockey, Korn Ferry Tour – will never make $30K a year.
These idiots are going to kill their golden goose – and maybe higher education while they’re at at.