Big Ten announces it is finished with expansion process
The Big Ten announced Sunday it would seek no further expansion.
“Although the conference will continue to monitor the intercollegiate landscape, it will not be actively engaged in conference expansion for the foreseeable future and does not expect to be proactively seeking new members,” the conference said in a statement.
The Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors made the decision today during its winter meetings in Park Ridge, Ill.
One year ago at the same meeting, the conference started a seismic shift across the college sports landscape when it announced its plans to study expansion.
After much speculation about the Big Ten morphing into a 14- or 16-team mega-conference, the conference added only one school in the end.
Nebraska was accepted for membership over the summer, and begins conference play in 2011.
“We believe the process has reached its natural conclusion,” Indiana president Michael McRobbie said in the release.
Here’s a link to the Big Ten’s full statement on the end of its expansion process.
Comments
Domey
Thu, Dec 9, 2010 : 2:06 p.m.
Rather than the "BIG 10", since it has 12 teams now, how about calling it the "Best Collegiate Sports Conference" or BCS Conference for short.
oldblueypsi
Mon, Dec 6, 2010 : 9:22 a.m.
@SonnyDog09 -- How about the "Big TBA"?
SonnyDog09
Mon, Dec 6, 2010 : 8:22 a.m.
I hope they announce a change to the conference name soon. It is very confusing that the Big 12 now has ten teams and the Big 10 has twelve teams.
KeepingItReal
Mon, Dec 6, 2010 : 6:47 a.m.
Its interesting to note that just recently, DB predicted further expansion of the B10. I hope this is not an indication of what is to come.
Jim Knight
Sun, Dec 5, 2010 : 7:03 p.m.
It is Michael McRobbie. We made the correction in the article.
Macabre Sunset
Sun, Dec 5, 2010 : 5:45 p.m.
His real name is Michael, but apparently the Big Ten is so maize'n'blue dominated, the conference changed it. Good decision on the expansion. It's time to sit back and see how this works. Let another conference take the risk of expanding to 14. The danger there is losing interest in the other division because you see opponents less often. I wish they'd up the timetable on moving to a nine-game conference schedule. That works very well for the Pac-Ten, and would address the serious problem the Big Ten is having with low schedule strengths. It shouldn't go unnoticed that Stanford was more in a position to move into the championship game than Wisconsin or Ohio State.
RudeJude
Sun, Dec 5, 2010 : 4:58 p.m.
I'm disappointed. I guess the Big Ten will sit back and watch Larry Scott and the new Pac-12 be the first to pioneer into the super football conferences. I'm sad to note how this makes Dave Brandon look foolish, after he predicted further expansion not a week ago, while Ohio State's AD predicted a halt to expansion. We can see who has the "In" with Jim Delaney.
YpsiLivin
Sun, Dec 5, 2010 : 4:45 p.m.
Indiana president Michigan McRobbie said in the release Michigan McRobbie? Is that his nickname?