We are an AAU school in a media market they don't currently cover. That's why the Big 10 wanted us.
That’s fair... and likely correct. Big Ten was buying up markets. Obviously schools that have moved in these expansions have some monetary gains but are they really better off? If the goal of raising money is improving your program (is it naive of me to think we all agree on that?), then what schools have really benefitted from their moves?
In my opinion, Two benefitted, hands down... Rutgers and aTm. Rutgers went from mostly an afterthought to power five with improved programs and an expanded ath dept. A&M got away from UT and got flush with cash. They’ve improved most programs in the process
Oh, and Utah probably needs to be in that group too. Good move for them.
Then you have Nebraska, Maryland, WVU, Mizzou, Colorado... are any of them that much better off? Maryland was poised to lose several programs due to funding, so there’s an argument they did well. It hasn’t improved their football or basketball, though... WVU moved out of desperation. Where they landed was better than where they’d be as an independent, but they aren’t any better off in the big 12. Nebraska, Mizzou and Colorado got paydays but what have they done with it? Their programs are no better off. I’m forgetting some, I know... state your case!
So the question really, is what is our goal? Is there any reason to believe that funds are what is prohibiting us from achieving it? Maybe more accurately, is there any reason to believe that we would employ that increased funding toward a different, loftier goal? Most of us aren’t interested in the balance sheet unless it translates to wins... and most schools I see jumping around have far greater balance sheet improvement than win totals.
Fire away...