Reports: Cal a Possible Candidate to Join Big Ten

The possible future conference homes for Cal football and the Bears athletic program continue to pour in, and Brett McMurphy, a reputable sports journalist, reported on Monday that the Big Ten could be a landing spot for the Golden Bears.

Big Ten commish Kevin Warren told @ActionNetworkHQ there are "handful of schools" besides Notre Dame that would add value to Big Ten. Sources said other schools being considered by Big Ten: Oregon, Washington, Stanford, Cal, Miami & Florida State https://t.co/nO3heAEHJP
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 26, 2022

Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren said last week that his conference could expand beyond the 16 teams it will have when USC and UCLA join the Big Ten in 2024, and the possible addition of Notre Dame has always seemed to be the linchpin of any Big Ten expansion. But the Big Ten would need another school to balance the conference if Notre Dame should join, and there is a sentiment that conferences may balloon to 20 or 22 schools, maybe more, before all this realignment stuff is through.

And McMurphy said, based on information from sources, that Cal, Stanford, Washington, Oregon, Miami and Florida State might be schools the Big Ten is interested in adding.

CBS Sports had a similar report Tuesday, suggesting the Big Ten is evaluating whether Cal, Stanford, Oregon and Washington are worth adding to its conference. The CBS Sports report did not mention Miami and Florida State.

It has been reported ever since USC and UCLA made their departure announcements that Washington and Oregon might be Big Ten candidates, but the other four schools have been mentioned only on wish lists as possible Big Ten additions.

So what would appeal to the Big Ten about Cal and Stanford? Well, the Bay Area is the nation’s sixth-biggest market, so cornering the Los Angeles and Bay Area markets might be of interest to the Big Ten media interests. And it has always been said that a lot of Big Ten alumni reside in the Bay Area. (Doesn’t it seem like a Michigan alum pops up everywhere in the Bay Area?)

Warren told this to McMurphy of Action Network during Big Ten Media Days:

“When I say add value: value is important, but I just look at the fit. A fit has to be there academically, has to be there athletically. All those things are really important. There are a handful of schools that potentially could add value to us, but I’m so focused right now that we welcome USC and UCLA to our conference in 2024 with open arms.”

The academic prestige of Cal and Stanford might appeal to the Big Ten. This would only provide enhancement to the Big Ten brand, not to their television appeal, and we're not sure this would have much impact on the TV entities pulling the strings on such conference modifications. The Big Ten already has Northwestern.

Any serious consideration of Cal heading to the Big Ten is not likely to happen anytime soon. Notre Dame’s media agreement does not expire until 2025, and the Irish reportedly are seeking $75 million from media partner NBC to remain independent.

One source told Action Network the following in terms of a timetable for Big Ten expansion:

“It could be two months to two years. There could be an odd number, and there are not any specific number of teams.”:

And there are countless reports of Cal possibly ending up elsewhere, whether it be some partnership with the Big 12 or ACC or remaining in the Pac-12 and possible expansion in that conference.

Plus, Cal’s inclusion in the Big Ten would carry the same travel concerns that USC and UCLA will face. Does Cal’s baseball team want to travel to New Jersey to face Rutgers? Does the Golden Bears women’s basketball team want to make a trip to Maryland? And what about the many Olympic sports Cal would like to keep; what would their travel look like? Cal currently has 28 varsity sports, more than most colleges.

Of course, there are ways to work around some of those issues, but it might be tricky.

So just add this Big Ten report to the mountain of possible destinations for Cal's athletic department.

One unidentified Big Ten coach said this:

“We know how this ends. Twenty or more teams in the Big Ten, 20 or more teams in the SEC. One televised on Fox. One on ESPN. Just like the NFL. And then you have your Big Ten-SEC playoff for college’s Super Bowl. Then the six-win teams will play in a Tampa bowl, the seven-win teams will play in Orlando. That’s where we’re headed.”

Hmmm.

Cover photo of Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren is by Robert Goddin, USA TODAY Sports

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