Report: Big Ten To Keep Divisions In 2023, Reconfigure When UCLA, USC Join In 2024
According to a report from The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman, the Big Ten will keep its current divisional structure for one more season before reconfiguring when UCLA and USC join the conference ahead of the 2024 season.
“There was strong consideration to revamp from geographic divisions to a single-conference entity for 2023, but there were too many issues to implement from next season,” Dochterman said. “Among the most discussed issues for the Big Ten administrators and school officials include the desire to unveil one new system for USC and UCLA rather than in consecutive years, the number of protected games and television concerns.”
The Big Ten announced a new media rights deal with FOX, CBS and NBC this summer, which is expected to be worth more than $7 billion. Dochterman states that maintaining the current East-West structure “allows the league’s new partners to showcase two postseason races, maintain key rivalries and air its most attractive games.”
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He also pointed out the downside of keeping with the status quo, which is the imbalance between the two divisions, as the East has won all eight championship games since the format changed from Legends and Leaders in 2014. Whichever team emerges from the East will likely be favored again this December, as well.
With the divisional aspect now determined, Dochterman also reported the Big Ten will announce its 2023 football schedule later this week.
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