- Joined
- Sep 14, 2011
- Messages
- 2,676
- Reaction Score
- 6,257
Combined Statistical Areas, one of a number of devices used to group regions, are based on socioeconomic and commuting patterns. Four of the top eight most populous, New York, D.C./Baltimore, Boston, and Philadelphia represent in excess of 48 million people and make up the majority of Delany's targeted Northeast Megalopolis. Combined with the Midwest, such a bi-regional B1G would be, for all intents and purposes, the sole supplier of major college sports to 100 million souls. I guarantee Delany is serious as a heart attack about making the Northeast B1G country.
Combined Statistical Areas
Rank / CSA / Population
1 / New York / 23,484,225
4 / DC-Balt / 9,443,180
6 / Boston / 8,041,303
8 / Phila. / 7,146,707
My own belief is that Delany knows such enormous populations will be difficult/next-to-impossible to conquer with Rutgers and Maryland alone. I think his approach, for the most part, will be a trident aimed at each CSA. Philadelphia, for instance, will be sold using Penn State, Rutgers, and Maryland. DC/Balt will have Penn State, Maryland, and, I believe, Virginia. New York will be UConn, Rutgers, Penn State/B1G alums. That leaves Boston. There is no three headed spear for New England. Other than UConn and BCU there is no major college athletics department in the region, and BC is singularly unsuited for B1G membership. This makes UConn doubly important to the B1G. We will be expected to do the majority of the heavy lifting in New England not unlike Penn State has done for Phila. and much of New Jersey in the past.
No doubt Virginia will be a tough sell but once it becomes obvious that, together, the SEC and the B1G will carve up the ACC to get to 16 teams each, the Cavaliers will crack like a Louisville Slugger hit on its trademark.
Combined Statistical Areas
Rank / CSA / Population
1 / New York / 23,484,225
4 / DC-Balt / 9,443,180
6 / Boston / 8,041,303
8 / Phila. / 7,146,707
My own belief is that Delany knows such enormous populations will be difficult/next-to-impossible to conquer with Rutgers and Maryland alone. I think his approach, for the most part, will be a trident aimed at each CSA. Philadelphia, for instance, will be sold using Penn State, Rutgers, and Maryland. DC/Balt will have Penn State, Maryland, and, I believe, Virginia. New York will be UConn, Rutgers, Penn State/B1G alums. That leaves Boston. There is no three headed spear for New England. Other than UConn and BCU there is no major college athletics department in the region, and BC is singularly unsuited for B1G membership. This makes UConn doubly important to the B1G. We will be expected to do the majority of the heavy lifting in New England not unlike Penn State has done for Phila. and much of New Jersey in the past.
No doubt Virginia will be a tough sell but once it becomes obvious that, together, the SEC and the B1G will carve up the ACC to get to 16 teams each, the Cavaliers will crack like a Louisville Slugger hit on its trademark.
Last edited: