The Big Ten's Bigger Footprint Summary

Ben Strauss’s article “The Big Ten’s Bigger Footprint” argues that the Big Ten decided to add Maryland and Rutgers to their conference largely because of its desire to broaden the conference’s geographical scope. The Big Ten’s expansion didn’t come without heavy scrutiny, as there were many people who disagreed with the wisdom behind this move. Throughout its existence Big Ten membership has been limited to schools situated within the Midwest, so it was a bit of a surprise when the Big Ten decided to add two Mid-Atlantic schools into its conference. The lack of prestige and on-field success associated with the Maryland and Rutgers athletic programs in recent years has left many bewildered by the Big Ten’s decision. In his article, Strauss is able to explain the rationale behind the Big Ten’s decision to expand and why they deemed it to be necessary. Although the additions of Maryland and Rutgers were a seemingly awkward fit for the Big Ten, I believe that the Big Ten exhibited astute foresight with its decision to expand, as this expansion will be beneficial
Television rights and fees are the main source of revenue for the athletic conferences and their member schools. The Big Ten generated $270 million in revenue from its Big Ten Network in 2013. The Big Ten main motivation for adding Maryland and Rutgers was its belief that its TV revenue and brand exposure would increase significantly with the addition of lucrative new markets. The conference’s expansion into the Mid-Atlantic also means that nearly one-third of the American populace now resides near a Big Ten school’s campus. By adding schools that are located within the New York City and Washington D.C. metropolitan areas the Big Ten will be able broaden the potential audience for its network and increased its satellite and cable subscription fees in these