Why the Big Ten adding Rutgers may have been the worst realignment move in modern history.

[nycscooby]

Rutgers lucked out. It is as simple as that.

UCF, Cincy, and Houston also lucked out. It is just a matter of timing.

Had PAC held together after Colorado, we be in the B12 right now.

I don’t think so. We have no football history, tradition nor track record in their eyes (and this is mostly true) and football is all that matters. Yes, the B12 commish was considering strong basketball programs with national brand awareness but I am not at all convinced that when the votes were going to be cast, UConn was going to be in. And then the PAC-12 blew apart and we are royally screwed.

Stanford and Cal are going to take the place of FSU and Clemson in the ACC. If ND decides to join the ACC then I think we have a reasonable chance to be selected as the 16th ACC team but if ND stays independent then I don’t think we get looked at by the ACC and I don’t think the other P4 conferences make any more moves…for now.

 

[Rufus]

ND isn't joining the ACC. Stanford or not.

 

[noeynox]

I get that, what I also get is that someone’s daughter who was going to be on the swim team is no longer going to commit to that schools becuse of the travel. Like I said they will have destroyed all the other sports, imo. We have seen this all over conference realignment when you have to go across so many time zones. It happened to UConn. Not sure why you won’t consider this and why it’s causing you angst that I have a different opinion than you on this. The million of dollars at stake are not for you, or the student athletes. It’s for the already wealthy administrators to seek raises.

I will ask again, what is Rutgers actually in? Sell me on why it’s so important for them to be losing money like this and failing at all other sports? I mean little PC without baseball or football beats them almost every year in Director Cup’s standings. How is that possible? Their in and we are forever out.

Rutgers will be in the black. Your solution is for UConn to drop football. Which is nice thing to say after the BE BB schools implored UConn to move up their timeline in upgrading FB. I suppose that if the split happens, and UConn is on the outside looking in, they will drop FB but not before then is my guess. Providence is all in BB, they haven't really won anything of consequence in their most invested in sport, but congrats on your decent little run with Cooley.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I get that, what I also get is that someone’s daughter who was going to be on the swim team is no longer going to commit to that schools becuse of the travel. Like I said they will have destroyed all the other sports, imo. We have seen this all over conference realignment when you have to go across so many time zones. It happened to UConn. Not sure why you won’t consider this and why it’s causing you angst that I have a different opinion than you on this. The million of dollars at stake are not for you, or the student athletes. It’s for the already wealthy administrators to seek raises.

I will ask again, what is Rutgers actually in? Sell me on why it’s so important for them to be losing money like this and failing at all other sports? I mean little PC without baseball or football beats them almost every year in Director Cup’s standings. How is that possible? Their in and we are forever out.

So Rutgers should have kept their football in the AAC ?
You may have some legitimate points
But PC is a small private school without a football team .
The Big East football playing schools didn’t have the same options as schools like PC
Their choice were were either stay in AAC which had a pretty large geographic footprint for minimal compensation or try to get into a conference with more stability . To be honest even the C7 who bailed out had to shelve the original Big East concept and go to Nebraska and Indianapolis , as well as Wisconsin and Chicago to survive , So your post is a tad hypocritical.? The C7 pretty much as a block rejected the Media Deal thst might have prevented that conference demise . Regionally conferences like the pre 2004 Big East are dead .

 

[FriarJ]

Rutgers will be in the black. Your solution is for UConn to drop football. Which is nice thing to say after the BE BB schools implored UConn to move up their timeline in upgrading FB. I suppose that if the split happens, and UConn is on the outside looking in, they will drop FB but not before then is my guess. Providence is all in BB, they haven't really won anything of consequence in their most invested in sport, but congrats on your decent little run with Cooley.

That’s not my solution at all. You might laugh but I think UConn is important and I think the conference should do what they can in the next negotiations to get some money for FB from whoever wants our conference. Outside of a ACC invite that is.

 

[FriarJ]

So Rutgers should have kept their football in the AAC ?
You may have some legitimate points
But PC is a small private school without a football team .
The Big East football playing schools didn’t have the same options as schools like PC
Their choice were were either stay in AAC which had a pretty large geographic footprint for minimal compensation or try to get into a conference with more stability . To be honest even the C7 who bailed out had to shelve the original Big East concept and go to Nebraska and Indianapolis , as well as Wisconsin and Chicago to survive , So your post is a tad hypocritical.? The C7 pretty much as a block rejected the Media Deal thst might have prevented that conference demise . Regionally conferences like the pre 2004 Big East are dead .

Flying to the Midwest a few times is a whole different world than what UW is going to experience. In regards to Rutgers I don’t have a good answer. I do know that they like BC have relegated themselves to conference doormat for the foreseeable future. But the money might be your answer. Well, their debt has exponentially grown since joining the B1G.

As for UConn I think you could make it work in the ACC where Cuse and B/C have failed. That’s it though, all the others would be a mess including the B12.

 

[Ldandy]

The Rutgers AD started so far to the back of the pack when they joined the B1G that they couldn't see the schools in front of them with a telescope. Despite the constant ribbing dished out online and, in the media, they've actually improved their AD quite a bit since they debuted in 2014. They've won individual national titles in a handful of sports, competed at a high level in M/W Soccer and lacrosse, and they're finally starting to build something in one of the major revenue sports. Amazing as it seems RU is in position to sign the top 2 rated basketball prospects in the country this season. This wasn't happening in The AAC.

 

[superjohn]

Rutgers should change their name. I honestly think it’s part of the problem. Nobody understands what it means and nobody even knows the team name without looking it up. The Rutgers what?
If they were called Ujerz or something like that they would probably be better in sports. It’s inexplicable how bad they have been despite the resources, location, conference so I’m going to say the name is a problem.

I've been saying this forever. People around the country don't know what the hell Rutgers is and have no clue it's the flagship school for New Jersey. They should be the University of New Jersey.

 

[superjohn]

No one is defending anything. Rutgers is grand prize winner in realignment. Their BB team is becoming relevant. Those things are indisputable.

Let's have them actually do something in basketball before we start talking about them.

 

[zls44]

Rutgers will be in the black.

When, 2090? Read the article.

Funny how Minnesota and Illinois and Maryland have giant debts even with that magical Big Ten payout and have barely paid anything back to the school with it. Further proof that joining any of these leagues, while nice, in no way whatsoever reduces a "defecit" or the amount borrowed. The schools keep doing the same stuff with more money. They don't give it back and play kumbaya with the academic side.

They never have and they never will.

 

[noeynox]

Let's have them actually do something in basketball before we start talking about them.

Getting to the tournament is something. Its the same something a school like Providence has accomplished.

 

[FriarJ]

Getting to the tournament is something. Its the same something a school like Providence has accomplished.

Are you actually comparing the two in basketball? PC has been to the tournament 7 out of the last 9 years and 8/10 if Covid had not derailed the tournament. Rutgers is on the upswing in Basketball for sure. I’m not sure that is enough to justify financial ruin but we are all different on what we believe is success. A giant school like Rutgers is losing money hand over fist is at the bottom of the conference in almost everything but they might land a nice recruit in basketball so they are good because? But, they are in the B1G!! If that was UConn you would be jumping off a bridge and if that was considered success for PC, I would be following you.

 

[Patman]

When, 2090? Read the article.

Funny how Minnesota and Illinois and Maryland have giant debts even with that magical Big Ten payout and have barely paid anything back to the school with it. Further proof that joining any of these leagues, while nice, in no way whatsoever reduces a "defecit" or the amount borrowed. The schools keep doing the same stuff with more money. They don't give it back and play kumbaya with the academic side.

They never have and they never will.

Debt often seems to be a psychological attitude as much as it is a financial reality.

 

[noeynox]

When, 2090? Read the article.

Funny how Minnesota and Illinois and Maryland have giant debts even with that magical Big Ten payout and have barely paid anything back to the school with it. Further proof that joining any of these leagues, while nice, in no way whatsoever reduces a "defecit" or the amount borrowed. The schools keep doing the same stuff with more money. They don't give it back and play kumbaya with the academic side.

They never have and they never will.

I gave up my subscription to The Athletic. As a UConn fan, i found their content lacking.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

For the record most of the comments that you tried painting as defense of Rutgers were merely stating that the B1G received what they were hoping for when they added Rutgers. That Rutgers screwed themselves financially with this move (which is unimaginable) and remained pathetic in high profile sports afterwards (which was expected) have been completely overlooked in your feeble attempts to display some ersatz superiority.

This is the most pathetic, embarrassing thread in Boneyard history. The OP leads with a good smack at Rutgers, and then UConn fans start defending Rutgers. We have the most beaten, beta fanbase in college athletics.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

 

[John]

I get that, what I also get is that someone’s daughter who was going to be on the swim team is no longer going to commit to that schools becuse of the travel. Like I said they will have destroyed all the other sports, imo. We have seen this all over conference realignment when you have to go across so many time zones. It happened to UConn. Not sure why you won’t consider this and why it’s causing you angst that I have a different opinion than you on this. The million of dollars at stake are not for you, or the student athletes. It’s for the already wealthy administrators to seek raises.

I will ask again, what is Rutgers actually in? Sell me on why it’s so important for them to be losing money like this and failing at all other sports? I mean little PC without baseball or football beats them almost every year in Director Cup’s standings. How is that possible? Their in and we are forever out.

It's the way things are now, not just P5 conferences.

 

[FriarJ]

It's the way things are now, not just P5 conferences.

True, I just think you can get in the ACC, which frankly offers a reasonable chance at success. The Big 12? My opinion is it’s not a fit in any way shape or form. My take is that you are fortunate it didn’t happen. Like I said, work with BE TV partner to get your FB on some linear TV for a while and it will happen. Exposure is more important than money currently. Getting your teeth kicked in, in some far off territory for a few bucks that won’t do anything other than relieve the state a few bucks, is a recipe for disaster imo.

 

[UCFBfan]

I've been saying this forever. People around the country don't know what the hell Rutgers is and have no clue it's the flagship school for New Jersey. They should be the University of New Jersey.

They are pretending to try but I don't know how they think this helps. We saw these signs on the highway as we drove down to Philly a few weeks ago

 

[CL82]

3. The wanted the NY market

4. Rutgers was an AAU research university

Mostly these two. In addition New Jersey has a population of 9 million people, so that's a lot of eyeballs, and, they also overlapping to the Philadelphia market.

People crap all over the Rutgers addition to the big 10, but it makes perfect sense as a revenue generating move. No one ever believe that it would increase the level of competition or postseason success for the Big Ten.

 

[CL82]

They are pretending to try but I don't know how they think this helps. We saw these signs on the highway as we drove down to Philly a few weeks ago

For a while there was a re-branding effort to portray Rutgers as the state university of New Jersey. I think this sign is an artifact of this effort. I don't know if it continues to be on the letterhead, but that was a push for a while.

 

[Squeeze]

everyone advocating that this is still a w for rutgers: you saw the whole quarter of a billion dollars in debt, right? you don't even have to read the article. it's right there in the tweet

 

[Rufus]

everyone advocating that this is still a w for rutgers: you saw the whole quarter of a billion dollars in debt, right? you don't even have to read the article. it's right there in the tweet

Rutgers still isn't getting a full share of B1G revenue. They took out loans from the conference earlier when they were getting much less money and are still paying them off. Once Rutgers has the full share of B1G revenues, they should be in much better shape. They are investing in their programs right now and its staring to pay off. They are starting to win and compete for B1G championships in multiple Olympic sports. They finished dead last in most sports their first several years in the B1G. The investments are starting to pay off. The debt levels will start to come down once they have paid off their loans to the B1G conference and are netting 100% of their share of B1G revenues.

A quarter of a billion dollars - that is two and a half years of B1G revenue at full share before the end of the new media rights contract. It isn't a big figure at all for a B1G program.

 

[amory]

Everyone knew Rutgers was a ridiculous add even at the time. but CR is a big, stupid, corrupt game of musical chairs, and they got a chair.

 

[Squeeze]

Rutgers still isn't getting a full share of B1G revenue. They took out loans from the conference earlier when they were getting much less money and are still paying them off. Once Rutgers has the full share of B1G revenues, they should be in much better shape. They are investing in their programs right now and its staring to pay off. They are starting to win and compete for B1G championships in multiple Olympic sports. They finished dead last in most sports their first several years in the B1G. The investments are starting to pay off. The debt levels will start to come down once they have paid off their loans to the B1G conference and are netting 100% of their share of B1G revenues.

A quarter of a billion dollars - that is two and a half years of B1G revenue at full share before the end of the new media rights contract. It isn't a big figure at all for a B1G program.

where does it say that? It says Rutgers became a "fully vested" member in 2020.

Regardless, they've been in the conference for 11 years and are carrying that much debt, which the taxpayers of NJ are otherwise on the hook for, including the interest.

And you can't just say that's two and half years of revenue at full share because as the article points out, that's assuming the tv money is constant, which is insane to assume in the current cord cutting environment.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

For a while there was a re-branding effort to portray Rutgers as the state university of New Jersey. I think this sign is an artifact of this effort. I don't know if it continues to be on the letterhead, but that was a push for a while.

I recall during the height of the George Floyd protests there was a push albeit a small one to change the name from Rutgers (former slave owner) to something akin to University of New Jersey. The crazy thing about Rutgers (the man) is that he only donated the equivalent to $100K today and he was from NY to boot.

Whether you agree/disagree with the reason that prompted the discussion is one thing, but it absolutely should be changed on the basis of it being an idiotic name to begin with.

 

[CL82]

I recall during the height of the George Floyd protests there was a push albeit a small one to change the name from Rutgers (former slave owner) to something akin to University of New Jersey. The crazy thing about Rutgers (the man) is that he only donated the equivalent to $100K today and he was from NY to boot.

Whether you agree/disagree with the reason that prompted the discussion is one thing, but it absolutely should be changed on the basis of it being an idiotic name to begin with.

In the late 80s it was proposed on the basis of a "State pride"/branding kind of a thing.

 

[Rufus]

where does it say that? It says Rutgers became a "fully vested" member in 2020.

Regardless, they've been in the conference for 11 years and are carrying that much debt, which the taxpayers of NJ are otherwise on the hook for, including the interest.

And you can't just say that's two and half years of revenue at full share because as the article points out, that's assuming the tv money is constant, which is insane to assume in the current cord cutting environment.

Yes, Rutgers and Maryland both became "fully vested" in 2020...........but.........they both took out loans against future earnings while in their buy-in period. Neither are getting full payouts yet, as they are paying back their loans from the conference.

 

[Rufus]

Oregon and Washington have the option to take out loans from the conference against their future earnings too. They might not need it. Nebraska didn't need it.

 

[dayooper]

Oregon and Washington have the option to take out loans from the conference against their future earnings too. They might not need it. Nebraska didn't need it.

Nebraska also got a larger share.