Another Big Ten Expansion Incoming?

There was a time that conference names were descriptive of their inclusivity. For the Big Ten that hasn’t been a thing for a while. After absorbing some PAC 12 schools last summer, the conference now sits at a whopping 18 teams.

There are now just four of the original Power Five conferences in college athletics. The Big Ten is joined by the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference), SEC (Southeastern Conference), and the Big 12. The PAC 12 has looked to rebuild with lower-tier schools.

It’s now possible that the Power Four, specifically the Big Ten, isn’t done adding more members either.

Growth for the Big Ten still on the horizon

Minnesota Gophers athletic director Mark Coyle talked with Andy Greder of the St. Paul Pioneer Press recently. The discussion hit on multiple topics, but among them was the future growth of the conference.

Budget forecasts for the 2027 fiscal year include an expected uptick in revenue from the College Football Playoff, money that goes to the Big Ten and then its members. The CFP field is expected to grow from its current structure of 12 teams to possibly 16 next year.

Coyle also expects the Big Ten to expand at some point. The conference grew from 14 members to 18 in 2024, with the addition of Southern Cal, UCLA, Oregon and Washington.

“Our friends at Oregon and Washington wanted so badly to be in the Big Ten that they’re getting half the media revenue. I mean, think about that,” Coyle said. “I think Minnesota is very well positioned. We are a charter member of the Big Ten.

“Whether it’s two days or two years, I do think there is going to be continued fluctuation because we are in this House settlement era for two months now. I can tell you peers in the Big Ten are trying to find revenue, right? What are peers and other conferences trying to do right now? We have the best media deals in the country, so there’s going to be movement.”

Pioneer Press

As Coyle notes, the Big Ten has participants that span the entire country. The media markets that the conference is part of are some of the largest in the world. That obviously has value.

The more other schools look to generate revenue and carve out future earnings, the more they could become enamored by inclusion within the Big Ten.

Related: Minnesota Gophers Fall in CFB Poll

Minnesota is well-positioned as a charter member of the conference. The Gophers also remain competitive amongst the group they directly compete with as well. Hoe additional expansion changes that, or helps things to evolve, remains to be seen.

College athletics have drastically changed in recent years. More schools continue to gravitate towards those in good revenue generating positions. That leaves Minnesota, and the Big Ten, as something of a constant target.