Pro, con to Cornhuskers joining Big Ten
Plenty of positives, negatives to consider before inviting Big 12's Nebraska
Nati Harnik / ASSOCIATED PRESSCoach Bo Pelini might see his Nebraska Cornhuskers be invited to join the Big Ten Conference.
OPINION
By Matt Hayes
updated 10:34 p.m. ET May 21, 2010
 | Matt Hayes |
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Nebraska has been rumored as a candidate to join the Big Ten, if the conference decides to expand.
The Sporting News' Matt Hayes takes a look at the positives and negatives for the Big Ten to consider when it comes to inviting the Cornhuskers, one of the legendary powers of the Big 12.
Why Nebraska makes sense for the Big Ten
1. A program of significance
If the Big Ten can't land Notre Dame — and at this point, it looks like a long shot — Nebraska is the only school that can move the needle and create excitement about expansion.
Everything is perception, and Nebraska as a brand can make Big Ten expansion fiscally and athletically successful by extending the league's footprint well beyond the Midwest.
Nebraska is a national program, with national cache. The other candidates are regional schools with little national appeal.
2. Growing the Big Ten Network
The foundation of the expansion is growth of the league's Big Ten Network, and the addition of Nebraska allows the Big Ten to gain traction nationally. The Big Ten makes significantly less per subscriber outside the conference's eight states (about 60 cents less, a lot of money when you're talking millions of subscribers), and the addition of Nebraska could bring desirable West Coast and Southern markets into play.
The idea is to create demand and eventually generate subscriber fees closer to what is paid within the conference footprint. Another positive: The Nebraska name could allow the Big Ten to restructure current network television deals, and it will most certainly carry clout in future negotiations.
3. The Huskers are interested
If you've got a significant player in college football interested in joining your conference, embrace it. There still are harsh feelings within the Nebraska program about the way the Big 12 unfolded when the Big Eight absorbed a portion of the dying Southwest Conference. The league's balance of power moved South (toward Texas, just like then-NU coach Tom Osborne thought it would), and its revenue distribution plan clearly favors the Longhorns. Osborne, now the athletic director, has perceived favoritism toward Texas since the league's inception. So if Nebraska is offered a spot in the Big Ten, it likely wouldn't take longer than a few days for the university to accept.
Why Nebraska doesn't make sense for Big Ten
1. History and rivalries
In the current Big 12 structure (read: not affected by expansion), Nebraska has two big rivals in Oklahoma and Missouri (Colorado has already bailed for the Pac-10). A move to the Big Ten likely ends at least one of those rivalries — and maybe both — if the Big Ten expands with only Nebraska.
Frankly, most Nebraska fans (and probably some administrators) would be happy if the old Big Eight were still around and the winner went to the Orange Bowl. Any way you look at it, a move to the Big Ten would be a significant culture shock for the game's best fans. Nebraska vs. Iowa could generate some buzz, but any other potential rivalry would take time to develop.
2. The bigger unknown
It's no secret the Big Ten desperately wants to crack into the New York-Philadelphia television markets (and maybe include the Washington D.C. area by adding Maryland). If the choice is between what Nebraska could bring as a national program or how regional programs (Rutgers, Syracuse, Maryland) could expand the BTN base, Nebraska may be the greater unknown of the two scenarios.
Both scenarios are full of what-ifs—as is much of the overall expansion talk — but having universities within the desirable markets may eventually become an easier sell.
While Nebraska is national, it still doesn't have the television clout of Notre Dame or Texas.
3. A new recruiting philosophy
There are more than 40 players on the current roster from California, Arizona and Texas, including star TB Roy Helu Jr. and star CB Prince Amukamara, as well as all three quarterbacks. Moving to the heart of the Midwest will certainly play a factor in how the Huskers recruit those states.
Success in Texas has come because of the ties to the Big 12, and families of recruits from California and Arizona will have a longer commute to see their sons play road games. You better believe that's an issue — or at least a negative Nebraska will have to confront on the recruiting trail against coaches from other schools.
© 2012 Sporting News
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