Michigan's Value to B1G

Hopefully Santa, regents, Warde etc take the 25 year forward view and not fight last decade's battles about conference re-alignment (i.e., forming a 8 team super conference without 'dead weight schools' would almost certainly be more profitable than a BIG10 or SEC)

We are America's team.

Michigan has a lot of leverage if we threaten to leave.

But we also have a lot of leverage if we stay and reform the Big Ten rules from within. 

Here is how:

Programs such as Purdue / Northwestern / Rutgers are clearly not "carrying their weight" based on what the Big Ten cares about the most: $$$.  If mighty Michigan is vulnerable to mob rule, then programs like Purdue, Northwestern, and Rutgers are extremely vulnerable to mob rule.  The kind of mob rule that whittles away at their right to stay in the Big Ten at all and seeks to eventually push them out.  Don't think it can't happen when two thirds of the Big Ten would want it to happen.  They will find a way if the current system lets them.

Those lower tier programs should be terrified of a system that combines mob rule with a malleable commissioner and operations committees that have unchecked powers.  It may be fun to gang up on haughty Michigan right now, but be very careful . . . you will be next.  And it will be existential for you.   

Those lower tier programs need to team with Michigan right now to reform the Big Ten rules and policies.  Those reforms need to entail the kind of guardrails that allow democracy to work but protect against the "tyranny of the majority": Strong checks and balances against concentrated power, a concrete "bill of rights" for each member that cannot be overridden, and a truly independent judiciary. 

Specifically: 

- All Big Ten policies and rules must be codified, and where punishments are described those punishments must be specifically defined.  Rule of law not men.

- All Big Ten "little king" rules that allow the commissioner or operations committees to implement capricious and arbitrary rulings from above are eliminated (ex: vague "sportsmanship" rulings).

- There is no single judge / jury / executioner position or function in the Big Ten.

- Punitive rulings or rulings that negatively impact a single program must pass by a supermajority of member programs.  One program, one vote.

- Defined rights of members ("bill of rights") are unassailable and can not be voted away in the heat of mob rule passion.

The Big Ten can not carry on as a sustainable organization with today's Mean Girls lunch table popularity rules.  These rules must be reformed immediately. 

Michigan has natural allies to begin this process.  Enough to get it done.  Those programs need to see the light and act right now on their own self interest.  This kind of episode has been an annoyance for Michigan.  But it could be fatal for the Purdue / Northwestern / Rutgers type programs.  They need to act now.

The Big Ten is their safe harbor right now.  They need to make sure they preserve it.  If Michigan were to leave to help start a national superconference and the Big Ten collapses, they would be without a home with no prayer of being invited into the national superconference.

They have a good thing going right now.  A very good thing.  They need to help preserve it all costs. 

A lot of people habitually underestimate the level of fairweather, bandwagoneering college football fandom in the state of California.

UCLA football is the Michigan State of the West. When Bruins football goes tits up, which it always does, it's oh look basketball season in September. 

USC is awesome and all the glamourous movie star like rage for 4 weeks until they lose one or two games, then suddenly nobody GAF anymore, and it's time to go metal detecting at the beach.

I still don't understand why Rutgers is in the BIG10.

"Buh, buh, buh NY Market!" 

My ass. Those numbers are an embarrassment.

Kudos for putting in the work!  I wanted to do this but never "got around to it" :-)

Thanks, I was wondering this exact same thing. Without Michigan, another matchup would air, so our value would be what you measured, minus the value of a lesser game. 
 

my guess, which matches my original hunch without any data, is that we provide about 25% of the value to the league currently. 

Why is revenue shared equally?

What value does any program not named OSU and/or PSU bring to Michigan

Again why is revenue shared equally when the few at the top bring in 80% of the ad dollars.

I love data!!

I've done some analysis on the numbers, utilizing much of the math I learned at Michigan.  What I found is that the contour integral around the Big 10 singularity in the complex plane, taking into account probability bounds, = "fuck you, Pettiti" +/- 0.005%

Last season, of the top ten TV-rated regular season games, Michigan was in 4 of them.

Michigan vs OSU was the highest rated regular season game of 2022.

The B1G needs UM more than UM needs the B1G.  UM could go independent, join the ACC (which is what I prefer, and add ND back to the schedule) or join the B12 and it would not affect UM's pocket-book in any way.

This is why Warde's statement was so strong yesterday.  He knows Michigan has so many options without belonging in the B1G, and all those options still guarantee UM is making the same kind of $$$ as being in the B1G.

The B1G can bite me.  It's time to leave.

#GoBlue

Ok… ok. I see you. I thought we were just talking about leaving… but now that you showing a table with numbers… it’s getting real

I've seen a lot of speculation about what might happen were Michigan to leave the B1G.

I'm curious whether anyone here could give a concise answer on what sort of catalyst would force the ACC to renegotiate its GOR. I ask because I think the ACC is a better fit than any other conference for Michigan on every level except for the money.

I know there was some speculation about the ACC GOR earlier this year with talk of the Magnificent Seven, but I don't remember a consensus forming about what would force a change in financial circumstances for the conference.

Would adding Michigan be enough? If not, how many more schools would need to be added? Or is a renegotiated GOR only happening if there's subtraction?

People hate watch or love watch Michigan 

It’s frankly too bad the B1G  just signed the new tv contact. This would have never happened during negotiations and if it did we would’ve had the pick of our conference options.   I am so done with this shit league. 

9.16MM viewers vs PSU on Saturday. “Sign gate” is paying off for Fox.