You're right about that, but you also don't understand the big picture. Rutgers gets ratings when they're winning and they don't when they're not. Like most sports teams.
But the key for the Big 10 is the fees they'll collect if they can get on the basic television packages in the NY metro area. It could amount to tens of millions of dollars for the conference.
Can you list the non-monetary reasons any of these realignments are taking place? Is Oklahoma moving to improve its academic credentials? Is the Big Ten after Notre Dame because of its historical significance to the game?
College football is about money. Has been for about the last thirty or forty years.
Rutgers is also attractive to the Big Ten because of Penn State. Since joining the Big Ten, Penn State has been alone at the far eastern boundry of the conference. It would be beneficial to Penn State to have Rutgers, Maryland, or Syracuse (yuk) join the Big Ten.
There are also enough Alumni from the Big Ten schools living in Philadelphia, New York City and New Jersey to ensure that every Rutgers home game is sold out. Michigan, Northwestern, Ohio State and others would benefit from having fundraising events with their alumni that are tied in with football games at Rutgers.
It is about the money, and there are plenty of different ways to get it.
I understand that this is all about money. I’ve said that in many posts. However, what I have also said is that I think it’s a farce that Rutgers opens up the New York City TV market for them. Why? Because no one in New York City really cares about Rutgers.
You said that no one cares when they’re losing like most sports teams. That’s true in Pro sports, but not in college. For instance, look at Nebraska. The one team they did invite in. Last year they had a good season. The four out of five years before that they weren’t even ranked at the end of the year. They have not been a football powerhouse since the 90’s. Yet they pack in 80,000 + every Saturday and get great TV ratings still. Why, they have national championships and tradition. They’ve created a bond with generations of fans. Rutgers does not have that.
It’s because of this that I don’t see this opening up of New York City to the Big 10 network. Sure, they’ll get on the TV’s, but not in any more appreciable way than they do now. I don’t see them delivering New York city like I’ve read. Personally, I think it’s people speculating but we’ll see.