In 2024, the Big Ten will compete as a total of 18 teams. The move from 13 to 18 teams was announced in 2023 and is taking effect this fall. The expansion added West Coast schools such as USC and UCLA. The two teams previously played in the Pacific-12 Conference, otherwise known as the Pac-12. With the recent realignment, the Pac-12 no longer exists with multiple teams leaving it and joining other conferences. The new Big Ten has some benefits, such as television networks making more money off of streaming college sports. However, with the expansion comes a lot of negatives.
With the expansion of the Big Ten comes the fall of the Pac-12. The Pac-12 has produced some legends in the world of sports, like Marcus Allen, Jackie Robinson and Jordan Chiles, who competed at UCLA before it joined the Big Ten.
USC and UCLA announced their departure from the Pac-12 in 2022 and are now taking shape in 2024. The expansion only benefits television networks, who can stream more games in different markets. The Big Ten signed a television deal for seven years and $8 billion across three networks. The networks are the only ones who benefit from the expansion.
Almost every sport at these schools is affected by the new conference. The main concern is the scheduling of games and how it impacts college athletes. College football games are only played once a week, but sports like basketball and softball are played multiple times a week.
With the expansion, athletes may have to fly around the country to play their sport while trying to complete courses. UCLA men’s basketball coach said in an interview that “none of it is in the best interest of the student-athlete, no matter what anybody says. It’s in the best interest of more money to cover the bills. That’s it.”
Another concern with the expansion is that the teams joining this season have a different production level than other teams in the Big Ten. Take USC, for example. They had the number one overall pick and Heisman winner Caleb Williams; last season with Williams, the team finished with a record of 7-5. The Pac-12 has not won the College Football Playoff National Championship trophy in 20 years. Teams from the Pac-12 have played in the championship since then but have not won in recent years.
The last Pac-12 team to compete in the championship was Washington just last year, but was no match for the University of Michigan. USC, UCLA and Washington are also entering a new era of football. UCLA and Washington both have first-year head coaches, and UCLA has a new defensive coordinator and quarterback.
The expansion of the Big Ten does bring interesting matchups in all different sports, but it does not benefit the student-athletes. The expansion is only for the money the network deals bring into schools at the expense of student-athletes who now have to fly around the country multiple times a week while completing courses.
Cassie is a junior studying communications at Ohio University. Please note the views expressed in this column do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Cassie? Email her at cb086021@ohio.edu.
