Posted on 11/17/2012 2:33:22 PM PST by InvisibleChurch
The University of Maryland is in serious negotiations to join the Big Ten Conference, sources told ESPN.com on Saturday.
If Maryland goes to the Big Ten, Rutgers of the Big East is expected to follow suit. The addition of Maryland and Rutgers would give the Big Ten 14 members as the league gears toward negotiations on a new media rights deal when its first-tier rights expire in 2017.
No date has been set for an potential announcement, though it could come as soon as Monday.
Maryland president Wallace Loh has been handling the conversation with Big Ten officials, a source said.
One source told ESPN.com that Maryland athletic director Kevin Anderson has informed key staffers that there are ongoing discussions.
(Excerpt) Read more at espn.go.com ...
...there only two football conferences in America—the SEC and the NFL.
Well thats interesting. I geuss it will make the basketball better since Maryland usually decent at basketball. In terms of football not so much but I geuss it allows the Big Ten to expand into the Baltimore/DC/NYC markets.
For those who don’t wish to give the NYT a hit it gives a chart of the top television markets for college football (2011)
CITY, POPULATION, %FANS, # FANS,
1. New York City, 20,234,243, 14%, 2,911,514
2. Atlanta, 6,481,132, 41%, 2,633,017
3. Los Angeles, 15,258,292, 17%, 2,582,840
4. Dallas-Ft Worth, 6,986,116, 27%, 1,892,114
5. Chicago, 9,430,878, 19%, 1,756,048
6. Birmingham, 2,011,831, 85%, 1,702,758
7. Philadelphia, 8,120,182, 20%, 1,649,448
8. Houston, 5,862,228, 28%, 1,637,337
9. Tampa-St Pete, 4,833,628, 30%, 1,431,867
10.Detroit, 5,072,294, 26%, 1,330,846
The article goes on and shows the number of fans for each school in the major conferences. This data shows that even though NYC is not a hotbed of college football enthusiasm percentage-wise, the sheer number of people makes it worth the effort to try to get into the market. Sorry for the formatting of the chart, it looks good when you post it in the reply box, but not the finished product.
Hush, Maryland. Men are playing football.
Goodness no...Pitt and Notre Dame would be much better for the conference.
ND is already going ACC.
You’re right...then need to look at Louisville.
Basketball. Baltimore/Washington tv market
Maryland would get crushed in every sport if they go Big Ten. What is wrong with them? They can’t handle Fla. State, how are they going to handle Ohio State?
OH, Jeez...Maryland will scare the crap out of everyone/S
When 1-AA Delaware can go to play MD on their home field, with lineman about 40 lbs lighter and damn near kick the crap out of them....I’m sure the Big 10 is terrified
Basketball. Baltimore/Washington tv market
Maryland will use playing in the Big Ten to improve their recruiting in football. Big Ten uses the Maryland market to choose and pick basketball recruits to their hearts’ delights.
oh please....the SEC???
the big ten needs neither Maryland nor Rutgers....what’s in it for the conference?????
Pitt yes...Notre Dame, NEVER they have no need to belong to a conference for football....it will never happen....never.
A zillion television sets plus new recruiting ground.
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