Why Is it Still the Big Ten, Even With 18 Teams? The Conference Explains

The Big Ten could have changed its name when Penn State joined in 1993. Instead, the conference retained its brand through expansion.

An inflatable Big Ten Conference logo adorns the outside of the track during the Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Penn State begins its 33rd season in the Big Ten Conference this fall with a football team that will contend for a title in a conference that spans 14 states, four time zones and two coasts. Technically, the conference could be called the Big 18 but has refused to move on from its well known brand that dates to 1917.

But why? Why is the Big Ten still called the Big Ten and not the Big 18 or some other branded name? Well, the conference helpfully sought to answer this question itself. Here's why the Big Ten says it's still calling itself the Big Ten.

The Big Ten tried to change, but nobody bought it

According to the conference, former commissioner Jim Delany said that "now we're the Big 11" when Penn State joined in 1993. Turns out, though, most Big Ten fans disapproved of the potential name change.

Of course, many Big Ten fans also disapproved (at least initially) of Penn State's addition to the conference. It took a while for Penn State to feel welcome in the Big Ten; some Nittany Lions fans still don't feel welcome more than 30 years later.

But ultimately, the Big Ten cited "immediate backlash" for not changing its name then to the Big 11. "There's a deep-rooted sense of pride that comes from being part of this conference, and no one wanted to give that up," according to the conference itself. "It was decided decades ago: we have always been and always will be the Big Ten."

A smaller point to note: Not every Big Ten program sponsors the same number of sports. Big Ten men's hockey, for instance, is a seven-team league, including Notre Dame. Big 18 would be inconsistent applied, so the conference is better off going with the brand name.

The Big Ten is a brand

The Big Ten reported revenue of $928 million for the 2023-24 fiscal year, according to Front Office Sports. That's nearly $90 million more than the SEC reported during the same fiscal year. Soon, the Big Ten will generate $1 billion in annual revenue, making it one of the biggest brands in American sports.

In its explainer, the Big Ten Conference danced around the finances but certainly made clear that branding is important. The Big Ten did not want to change its name during conference realignment to promote brand consistency.

"Think about it," the Big Ten's post states. "If a casual fan heard the 'Big 18'? It'd sound like a
brand-new conference. When they hear 'Big Ten,' they know who we are, what we stand for, and where we came from. A stable, recognizable name like the Big Ten provides clarity and consistency. It's our north star."

The Big Ten positions itself beyond athletics

The conference asserts that its brand recognition extends beyond the football field and basketball court. Big Ten member schools have nearly 10 million alumni and conduct $17 billion in annual research.

But in athletics, the Big Ten averaged nearly seven NCAA titles annually for the past 30 years and crowned 98 gold medalists at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"Changing the name would mean stepping away from a 129-year legacy," the Big Ten explanier said. "If our tradition is what sets us apart, why would we throw it all away?"

Where did the name 'Big Ten' come from, anyway?

The conference didn't name itself. Journalists did. According to the Big Ten's website, a collection of schools incorporated as the “Intercollegiate Conference Athletic Association” in 1905. Twelve years later, after Michigan re-joined to bring the ICAA to 10 schools, some media members began calling the group. But the conference itself didn't incorporate the name "Big Ten" until 1987.

Last 'word' from the Big Ten

And that is the proper reference name: Big Ten. The "Ten" is considered a word, not a number.

"For decades, the Big Ten name has been more than a simple descriptor. It's a symbol of tradition, leadership, and excellence — not headcounts," the Big Ten concluded in its explainer.