Pitt to be the 12th B10 team

[clenz]

Apparently


http://buckeyebanter.com/2010/01/31/pit ... n-big-ten/

Right: If the rumors are true, Ohio State fans traveling to Pittsburgh will be able to enjoy a Primanti Bros. sandwich before or after the Buckeyes lay a beatdown on the Panthers at the Big Ketchup Bottle. (File Photo)

Rumors have been swirling around the internet over the weekend, particularly on message boards like Pantherlair.com and PantherDigest.com, that Pittsburgh will become the 12th member of the Big Ten Conference.

Supposedly, Pitt’s athletic department officials held closed door meetings with all student-athletes this past week to speak with them about the impending move to the Big Ten. That led to Panther athletes posting this information on their Twitter pages and the like, though those messages quickly disappeared.

From everything I am hearing, or reading, is that Pittsburgh will formally announce that they will accept an invitation to join the Big Ten on Thursday, February 4.

This does come as a surprise since it was just back on December 15 that the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors said “that the timing is right for the conference to once again conduct a thorough evaluation of options for conference structure and expansion. As a result, the commissioner was asked to provide recommendations for consideration by the COP/C over the next 12 to 18 months.”

That was just over a month ago. That would lead me to believe that school officials from the University of Pittsburgh, in a preemptive strike, sought out an invitation to join the Big Ten fearing that the COP/C might select another Big East member, which only has eight schools that compete in football. The Big East has already been raided once when the Atlantic Coast Conference snatched up Virginia Tech and Miami in 2004, followed by Boston College in 2005.

Another thing worth noting is that there is a small window of opportunity from when expansion talks began in December until the Big Ten could get a 12th member into the conference in time for the league to conduct a championship football game for 2012. And it’s clear that the main reason for expansion is to have a Big Ten championship game in football.

Also something I like to point out is that the University of Pittsburgh is a member of the American Association of Universities, a prestigious group of leading research universities that all 11 current Big Ten members are a part of, though Pittsburgh really isn’t outside of the current footprint of the conference and they don’t bring in any new television markets.

If this rumor is true, does the Big Ten stop at 12?

There have been several schools thought of as other viable candidates to be conference members. The list seems to be quite long, too, and it includes: Rutgers, Syracuse, Connecticut, Missouri, Iowa State, Kansas, Nebraska and Texas just to name a few.

Does the Big Ten expand to 14? 16? Only time will tell.

If Pittsburgh moves to the Big Ten, this will definitely make the Big East the Big Least in football, if it isn’t already. The Big East would have to look to add a member from Conference USA or possibly Temple to give the league eight members again just to keep their status as a BCS conference.

As for Pittsburgh joining the Big Ten, they will give a boost to the two big revenue generators, football and men’s basketball, though Panther fans say that leaving the Big East to join the Big Ten in basketball is a huge dropoff. I don’t see it that way. Sure, it’s easier to get 16 teams ranked as oppose to 11, but from top to bottom, the Big Ten is as good as any other conference in hoops.

Just have to wait and see.

[danefan]

So...........who fills their spot in the Big East?

[Col Hogan]

So...........who fills their spot in the Big East?

Well, if you believe some (ok, a few) of the nimrods on the UMass board...UMass...who else???

So, let's just start the rumor right here...

UMASS IS GOING FBS in the Big East...

[SuperHornet]

I'm not so sure this has any credence, but it does have one thing in it's favor. Pitt would make a good travel partner for Penn State. Are they thinking that Pitt is Northwestern East? That's about the only other justification I could make for it since the Marinos don't have anything outside of MBB and possibly an occasionally decent football team.

[clenz]

I'm not so sure this has any credence, but it does have one thing in it's favor. Pitt would make a good travel partner for Penn State. Are they thinking that Pitt is Northwestern East? That's about the only other justification I could make for it since the Marinos don't have anything outside of MBB and possibly an occasionally decent football team.

It goes past sports. I'm thinking it also has something to do with media outlets and the style of the university research and academically.

[GannonFan]

I'm not so sure this has any credence, but it does have one thing in it's favor. Pitt would make a good travel partner for Penn State. Are they thinking that Pitt is Northwestern East? That's about the only other justification I could make for it since the Marinos don't have anything outside of MBB and possibly an occasionally decent football team.

Does anyone really use "travel partners" anymore? And even if they did, does anyone from the Big 10 need to use that model? It's not like the Big 10 is hurting financially.

[dbackjon]

I will believe this when official

[dbackjon]

Multiple sources, including the Big 10 and Pitt, are saying there is no basis to this.

[JayJ79]

Does anyone really use "travel partners" anymore? And even if they did, does anyone from the Big 10 need to use that model? It's not like the Big 10 is hurting financially.

Many conferences do in volleyball and WBB, and perhaps other sports. Don't know if the Big Ten does, since I don't really pay much attention to that conference.

[JayJ79]

Multiple sources, including the Big 10 and Pitt, are saying there is no basis to this.

February Fools Day prank?

[Willie]

Multiple sources, including the Big 10 and Pitt, are saying there is no basis to this.

Yeah, nothing yet. But it would make sense.

[clenz]

Multiple sources, including the Big 10 and Pitt, are saying there is no basis to this.

people often say there is no basis for something then it happens. They have to remain silent untol its official or not. The people with the conan/leno deal cant talk till sept 1st

[Col Hogan]

Multiple sources, including the Big 10 and Pitt, are saying there is no basis to this.

Man, that will kill my rumor

UMASS IS GOING FBS in the Big East...

[TexasTerror]

Do we all realize this rumor started on BLEACHER REPORT?!?!?

If it did happen...

Pitt to Big 10.
Central Florida to Big East.
UT-San Antonio to C-USA.

[DJH]

Does this mean that the NDSU fightin' Bizon will not be joining the Big 10?

[dgreco]

this needs to happen and then add Missouri and Notre Dame to get to 14 and let the pieces fall.

[Seawolf97]

So...........who fills their spot in the Big East?

Well, if you believe some (ok, a few) of the nimrods on the UMass board...UMass...who else???

So, let's just start the rumor right here...

UMASS IS GOING FBS in the Big East...

So our home game with you guys in September will be against a BCS team ? Maybe we can fill our date on 9/11 with a Wisconsin or Georgia Tech.

[ngineer]

I could care less, other than wanting to see Pitt and Penn State play each other again.

[Fresno St. Alum]

Big 10 will add Rutgers, Syracuse, or Missouri. All other need not apply. ND said no so fuck em. Also no retarded bullshit about Florida or Texas joining. Aint happening. Texas would love to replace all the Texas rivals and the OU game for Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, yada yada.

[collegesportsinfo]

Big 10 will add Rutgers, Syracuse, or Missouri. All other need not apply. ND said no so **** em. Also no retarded bullshit about Florida or Texas joining. Aint happening. Texas would love to replace all the Texas rivals and the OU game for Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, yada yada.

It's sad to see so much discussion on the message boards about a rumor that originated on a BleacherReport article with no fact checking. Even worse were some "journalists" that consider BleacherReport to be a "reliable" source. It's just sad.

FSA, you're right-on. Those 3 schools or Notre Dame make the most sense for all the financial/market reasons.

[clenz]

Big 10 will add Rutgers, Syracuse, or Missouri. All other need not apply. ND said no so **** em. Also no retarded bullshit about Florida or Texas joining. Aint happening. Texas would love to replace all the Texas rivals and the OU game for Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, yada yada.

It's sad to see so much discussion on the message boards about a rumor that originated on a BleacherReport article with no fact checking. Even worse were some "journalists" that consider BleacherReport to be a "reliable" source. It's just sad.

FSA, you're right-on. Those 3 schools or Notre Dame make the most sense for all the financial/market reasons.

ND will never leave what they have with their contract with NBC and the BCS

[andy7171]

Does this mean that the NDSU fightin' Bizon will not be joining the Big 10?

The Big 10 (plus2) would be missing out on that huge tv market!


...sometimes I miss MPLS.

[BlueHen86]

this needs to happen and then add Missouri and Notre Dame to get to 14 and let the pieces fall.

I don't see why any conference would want to expand past 12 teams. 12 is the magic number in that it allows for a conference championship game. More than 12 teams means that the pie has to by split up that much more.

I have no doubt that the Big 10 is looking for 1 more team, I'd be suprised if they added 3 more.

[dbackjon]

Unless those 3 add more revenue to the pie than there share

Think what adding say Rutgers, Notre Dame and Texas would do to the Big Ten Network. Even subbing Missouri for ND.

[clenz]

Why does everyone always bring Texas up? Do they want out of the B12 that bad?