B1G Ramblings

[Pat125]

AAU is based on MEDICAL research dollars. Syracuse (a Tier 1 research university) was AAU but left when the rules changed. SU's research is not medical-centric.

I don’t believe that is the case. While medical research helps a lot with the AAU metrics, it is generally about receiving competitive grants. The university of Maryland College Park does not have or count a medical school as part of its university, but is AAU, and in no danger of losing its status. Rutgers was admitted to the AAU well before they acquired two medical schools, and was not in danger of losing AAU status before they acquired them.

A big rule change was when the AAU de-emphasized agricultural related grants, which are non-competitive. That is what hurt Nebraska. They could have elected to acquire the NU med school, which probably would have kept them in, but they chose not to. In this case, it was not so much that it was a med school, but they did receive grants that were competitive.

 

[Rufus]

Northwestern making some noise..................

BREAKING: Derrick Gragg named VP for athletic strategy, new athletic director to be named

Gragg moves to new role as landscape of college athletics shifts.

www.insidenu.com

In his new role, Gragg will continue to report to Northwestern President Michael Schill on major trends in college athletics like name, image and likeness (NIL), revenue sharing and conference realignment.

Are the Wildcats going all-in?

Notice conference realignment is part of his new job. Why would a B1G school need to keep up with conference realignment unless the conference is planning to expand again?

 

[Samoo]

Does someone else want to say it or should I?

What jasmer doesn't know is that Fishy has a dozen kids tied up in his basement doing his typing for him while he walks the dog for mojo.

 

[uconnric]

Look through the attendance rankings, see where the warm weather is and then note the correlation between nice weather and baseball attendance.

You have my permission to sit outside during a New England spring until the lightbulb goes off.

We need to build an on-campus baseball stadium! That will solve the attendance issue. Oh, wait, we did!

 

[Rufus]

An inside look at Washington athletics finances.........

Surprisingly (to me anyways), Washington has to spend $30 million to build an on-campus Big Ten Network studio and make other upgrades for its athletic facilities to be Big Ten Network compatible. I'm assuming Washington had a PAC-12 Network and the capability for that network to film all Olympic sports. That's why I'm surprised they needed to make $30 million in upgrades.

Also, this is the first time I have read anything about Washington taking out loans against future Big Ten earnings. Washington was awarded two $10-million loans from the Big Ten and Fox Sports respectively to be paid back interest-free after the Huskies receive a full-share of B1G revenues in 2030. It will be interesting to see if they have to take out additional loans prior to 2030. I'm not sure if Oregon needed loans or not. USC and UCLA are already receiving full-share payouts, so they should not need loans.

UW athletics projects $30 million in one-time expenses before Big Ten move

SEATTLE – Washington athletic director Pat Chun and longtime deputy athletic director Erin O’Connell, who also serves as chief operating officer, addressed the Washington Board of Regents Thursday, seeking approval for their 2025 athletics budget.

www.spokesman.com

 

[billybud]

We need to build an on-campus baseball stadium! That will solve the attendance issue. Oh, wait, we did!

Nebraska has high baseball attendance....Lincoln isn't known for toasty springs....

 

[Kolumbo]

An inside look at Washington athletics finances.........

Surprisingly (to me anyways), Washington has to spend $30 million to build an on-campus Big Ten Network studio and make other upgrades for its athletic facilities to be Big Ten Network compatible. I'm assuming Washington had a PAC-12 Network and the capability for that network to film all Olympic sports. That's why I'm surprised they needed to make $30 million in upgrades.

Also, this is the first time I have read anything about Washington taking out loans against future Big Ten earnings. Washington was awarded two $10-million loans from the Big Ten and Fox Sports respectively to be paid back interest-free after the Huskies receive a full-share of B1G revenues in 2030. It will be interesting to see if they have to take out additional loans prior to 2030. I'm not sure if Oregon needed loans or not. USC and UCLA are already receiving full-share payouts, so they should not need loans.

UW athletics projects $30 million in one-time expenses before Big Ten move

SEATTLE – Washington athletic director Pat Chun and longtime deputy athletic director Erin O’Connell, who also serves as chief operating officer, addressed the Washington Board of Regents Thursday, seeking approval for their 2025 athletics budget.

www.spokesman.com

“Every school has their challenges going forward,” Chun said. “And we appreciate the board’s willingness to work with us as we work through these challenges.”

Whatever challenges UW has, they're more or less accounting journal entries writing off rounding errors against a $6.6 billion endowment. It's not even worth taking the time to write about them. $20 million in interest free loans. Pfffft. Who cares.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Nebraska has high baseball attendance....Lincoln isn't known for toasty springs....

Nebraska fans turn out for everything.
My community golf course had a Spring women's golf tourney and I swear every Nebraska snowbird for miles around came to support their girls. I think they take a blood oath at birth

 

[JohnFSilver]

I don’t believe that is the case. While medical research helps a lot with the AAU metrics, it is generally about receiving competitive grants. The university of Maryland College Park does not have or count a medical school as part of its university, but is AAU, and in no danger of losing its status. Rutgers was admitted to the AAU well before they acquired two medical schools, and was not in danger of losing AAU status before they acquired them.

A big rule change was when the AAU de-emphasized agricultural related grants, which are non-competitive. That is what hurt Nebraska. They could have elected to acquire the NU med school, which probably would have kept them in, but they chose not to. In this case, it was not so much that it was a med school, but they did receive grants that were competitive.

This AAU/Big Ten things is dumb. It doesn't matter. There was a thing, once, that said BIG Ten must be contiguous states. Then, it didn't matter when money invovled.

If there is a non AAU school that the Big 10 wants, academic status is not a barrier.

 

[Pat125]

This AAU/Big Ten things is dumb. It doesn't matter. There was a thing, once, that said BIG Ten must be contiguous states. Then, it didn't matter when money invovled.

If there is a non AAU school that the Big 10 wants, academic status is not a barrier.

I agree somewhat with your points. Yes, the AAU is not a requirement for the Big Ten. They invited Michigan State before they were in the AAU. The Big Ten coveted Notre Dame since the 1990s in a manner akin to a preteen crush. And they invited Nebraska knowing they were likely going to be voted out of the AAU, with two of the Big Ten schools voting to oust them.

On the other hand, academics have always been important to the Big Ten, whether one believes academics should be relevant. A school in the AAU meets the Big Ten’s academic requirement. But other schools not in the AAU, as we saw, can meet the academic requirements. Yes, this could always change. I don’t know if contiguity was always a requirement. If it was, then the requirement obviously changed.

 

[BlueHen]

This AAU/Big Ten things is dumb. It doesn't matter. There was a thing, once, that said BIG Ten must be contiguous states. Then, it didn't matter when money invovled.

If there is a non AAU school that the Big 10 wants, academic status is not a barrier.

I think AAU status and being in a contiguous state were desirable metrics for the Big 10, but they could be overlooked if the money was right.

Getting AAU status would be nice for UConn, but I don't think it moves the needle for a Big Ten invite.

 

[Rufus]

How the Big Ten managed schedule logistics for an 18-team volleyball season

There was a goal to bunch together as many trips as possible and limit missed class time for volleyball athletes in the new-look Big Ten.

www.nytimes.com

 

[LoyalFanCT]

I think UConn isn't far away from getting AAU membership. So too for Virginia Tech and FSU.

 

[Ldandy]

I think AAU status and being in a contiguous state were desirable metrics for the Big 10, but they could be overlooked if the money was right.

Getting AAU status would be nice for UConn, but I don't think it moves the needle for a Big Ten invite.

Agreed. In the days before Multi-Billion Dollar TV Deals, conference additions were made far more based on whether a school fit the B1G Profile or not. Outside of ND, this profile was essentially large land grant state schools who were contiguous to a current conference member. Having a strong academic standing such as Tier 1 Research/AAU Member was strongly preferred. A large well run athletic dept that mirrored much of the rest of the conference was another factor considered as well. Nebraska (at the time) and UMD met these parameters. RU's historical lack of athletic success was of some concern, however the school fit in every other conceivable way. The first true media gold rush got them over the finish line back in 2012.

Times have changed rapidly. Money is behind all decisions now. If it were to be determined that a UConn addition, would be additive to the conference media deal, then AAU will not be a stumbling block. That said I'm not sure that there are more than 3-4 teams potentially available that could move the needle now. ND, FSU, and maybe UNC. The rest would be in The SEC, and they have no reason to move. I'm not sure Clemson, Miami, or any other ACC Team can add enough value in the eyes of the networks to raise the payout for the current members.

 

[Rufus]

Huskies, WSU Reportedly Will Play One Basketball Game Per Season

After the break-up of the Pac-12 Conference as everyone knew it, the annual Washington-Washington State football game was preserved right away and now it appea

www.si.com

 

[JohnFSilver]

I think AAU status and being in a contiguous state were desirable metrics for the Big 10, but they could be overlooked if the money was right.

Getting AAU status would be nice for UConn, but I don't think it moves the needle for a Big Ten invite.

Exactly. Way too much obsessing over AAU for sports status. It would be nice, or it doesn't matter.

Think about everything America hates about elite colleges an universities...that AAU is a thing is probably No. 1 on the list. It's a country club. Like, does UConn's mission change if they are AAU? What is better for its students? Is it better teachers? Maybe, maybe not. Just a bunch of research dollars and fellows.

But, sometimes the school gets so elite that it loses its mission. Don't get me wrong, I love UConn rank but look at some of the schools we aspire to be? North Carolina, Virginia, UCLA, Ohio State, Michigan etc.

In 1980, UCLA had an admission rate of 74%, now it is 8.6%.

Is the world better off because of these public institutions become super elite?

Talk about prestige inflation. The only prestigious schools should be Ivy.

 

[dayooper]

Exactly. Way too much obsessing over AAU for sports status. It would be nice, or it doesn't matter.

Think about everything America hates about elite colleges an universities...that AAU is a thing is probably No. 1 on the list. It's a country club. Like, does UConn's mission change if they are AAU? What is better for its students? Is it better teachers? Maybe, maybe not. Just a bunch of research dollars and fellows.

But, sometimes the school gets so elite that it loses its mission. Don't get me wrong, I love UConn rank but look at some of the schools we aspire to be? North Carolina, Virginia, UCLA, Ohio State, Michigan etc.

In 1980, UCLA had an admission rate of 74%, now it is 8.6%.

Is the world better off because of these public institutions become super elite?

Talk about prestige inflation. The only prestigious schools should be Ivy.

I guess I’m confused by your statement. Why is UCLA’s admission statement an issue? Should they just let everybody in? It’s not like they are a tiny school of 2000. They have an enrollment of 48,000, 33,000 of which are underclassman. It’s a desirable school that many want to go to. Shouldn’t they select the best applicants they can? If they accepted 50% of the applicants, they would be well over 100,000 students. That’s just too big. I guess I’m not understanding how they should handle admissions if they weren’t so selective.

 

[billybud]

Many things influence Acceptance Rate....

FSU's acceptance rate for the latest cless is 21.8 %....

Ohio State's 53.7 %

Duke has a small enrollment...they accept less than 8 %

 

[JohnFSilver]

I guess I’m confused by your statement. Why is UCLA’s admission statement an issue? Should they just let everybody in? It’s not like they are a tiny school of 2000. They have an enrollment of 48,000, 33,000 of which are underclassman. It’s a desirable school that many want to go to. Shouldn’t they select the best applicants they can? If they accepted 50% of the applicants, they would be well over 100,000 students. That’s just too big. I guess I’m not understanding how they should handle admissions if they weren’t so selective.

I don’t think they should have that many applicants. The common app is a racket.

I mean in 1970, 70 percent of applicants got into UPenn.

The people in power at those schools would be rejected as of now if they had to review themselves. Grades, recommendations and extra curriculars are a scam.

Admissions has too many apps than it can handle and doesn’t evaluate the applications.

How many people would apply to ucla if the app was $300, which would be credited if you get in to school and enroll. We need less applications and less I got into this place.

What happens is every high school senior in America is sending in 5-10 applications.

To me, that is ridiculous. It overwhelms the system.

 

[Rufus]

Report: Big Ten Network to hire some familiar faces to Pac-12 fans

The Big Ten expects to hire Pac-12 Network talent to cover their new West Coast teams, per John Canzano.

duckswire.usatoday.com

 

[Rufus]

Canzano: Peek behind the Big Ten Network curtain

Is the network ready for Oregon, Washington, UCLA, and USC?

www.johncanzano.com

 

[uconndogs]

This AAU/Big Ten things is dumb. It doesn't matter. There was a thing, once, that said BIG Ten must be contiguous states. Then, it didn't matter when money invovled.

If there is a non AAU school that the Big 10 wants, academic status is not a barrier.

I totally agree! The thought that academics matter in conference alignment is almost laughable given the money now involved. It's all about markets that optimize value.

Relatedly, at the athlete level just leave off the student prefix. These are professional athletes and their academic standing will soon be irrelavent.....probably already is.

 

[powerplay]

Northwestern making some noise..................

BREAKING: Derrick Gragg named VP for athletic strategy, new athletic director to be named

Gragg moves to new role as landscape of college athletics shifts.

www.insidenu.com

In his new role, Gragg will continue to report to Northwestern President Michael Schill on major trends in college athletics like name, image and likeness (NIL), revenue sharing and conference realignment.

Are the Wildcats going all-in?

Notice conference realignment is part of his new job. Why would a B1G school need to keep up with conference realignment unless the conference is planning to expand again?

May be a crazy thought, maybe preparing for some sort of relegation?