SI’s Stewart Mandel on Big Ten Expansion: Plenty of Risks

December 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Very insightful piece today Stewart Mandel at SI.com regarding the possibility of the Big Ten expanding to 12 teams.

Mandel’s article, highlights the risks the Big Ten faces with an expansion, many of which are not discussed when the Big Ten expansion question gets raised. (That’s why Mandel is such a college football writer, FYI).

Therefore, any potential 12th team would have to add $22.6 million in “value” to renegotiated TV and bowl deals to prevent the others from losing money. With all due respect to Missouri, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Rutgers (the most commonly discussed candidates), there’s only one viable school that could guarantee that kind of gold mine: Notre Dame. The Irish rejected the Big Ten’s last invitation in 1999, and the school has given no indication it’s willing to reconsider.

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Filed Under: Big Ten Football, CFB Tagged With: Big Ten, big ten expansion, Sports Illustrated, Stewart Mandel
About Jerod Morris

A proud graduate of Indiana University, Jerod Morris founded Midwest Sports Fans in August of 2008 and has been its Managing Editor every day since. Follow him on Twitter (@JerodMorris) for MSF updates, sports discussion, and a compelling daily assortment of funny and interesting links.
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