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Message: [QUOTE="HtownOrange, post: 559929, member: 622"] Much has been said over the last few yeas about how the B1G was the prime mover behind conference expansion. I have thought this, at least from time to time. However, Delaney is not the all powerful grand poobah we all were told he was. Although his ideals were probably as good as you can get, he has not materialized his ideals as well as he may have wanted to. A quick analysis: Schools that have been rumored to have been serious B1G targets (an analysis was done and about 12-20 were reportedly to be of value to the BTN): Texas TAMU Nebraska Kansas UNC UVA GATech Miami FSU Syracuse Pitt Maryland Rutgers UConn Colorado Mizzou Duke Schools that have joined the B1G in recent years: Nebraska Maryland Rutgers Schools that have rejected B1G overtures: Colorado Texas TAMU Mizzou UNC UVA Duke GATech Miami FSU It remains unclear whether Oklahoma was considered by the B1G, but when one considers they are academic equivalents of Nebraska and bring a better history in football and hoops that they are an option. Kansas may want the B1G but it is difficult for them to leave the Big 12 unless UT and/or OU leave at the same time. I think Syracuse and/or Pitt would have gone to the B1G if an invite had arrived prior to the ACC's invite. Both had votes, but not enough. If I recall, Mizzou and Kansas were also in that group. My point is that if the B1G was THE PRIME MOVER they should have secured more of the highly desired schools (Nebraska, Texas, TAMU, OU, FSU, Miami) than one. Also, they had opportunities at all others but did not secure any until late in the game. This begs the questions: If the B1G can make the alleged $30MM - $40MM with Rutgers and Maryland and money is the real reason teams move, then why didn't Texas and/or TAMU jump with anyone else? Why didn't UNC, UVA, GATech, FSU, Miami, Syracuse, Colorado, Mizzou, Pitt, OU, et al, jump? Specifically, Texas has a greater population than NJ and Maryland combined and with either UT, TAMU or both, a greater penetration in cable. Florida is like Texas and has more people than both NJ and MD commbined and FSU has a better penetration. Syracuse locks up Upstate NY, roughly equal in population to NJ, more than Maryland, and allows NYC penetration. Plus they already work with the YES network and Yankees organization. Pitt locks down western PA, WV and parts of Ohio and Kentucky. NC, GA and VA have populations greater than NJ and far greater than Maryland. That being said, money, and the B1G, do not appear to be the only reason most schools realign. [/QUOTE]

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