Coaches: Basketball took 'back seat' in Big Ten expansion

No Big Ten men's basketball program generates revenue like Wisconsin.

The Badgers earned more than $17.66 million in fiscal year 2010, nearly $1.1 million more than runner-up Indiana, according to the U.S. Department of Education. But Wisconsin's profitable basketball program also ranks below every other league football program in revenue.

So when Big Ten officials deliberated about adding at least one more school last spring and summer, it didn't surprise Wisconsin men's basketball coach Bo Ryan that the Big Ten chose Nebraska, a notorious football school.

“Everybody knows why the realignment talks were going on,” Ryan said.

“I don't think (Kansas Coach) Bill Self and the basketball people really care. Because you know what, 90-some percent of the NCAA's budget comes from men's basketball, so we don't really get excited about a controversy in some other sport. That's not for us to sit and worry about.”

Most of the NCAA's $705 million in 2009 revenue did come from television revenue and basketball's postseason tournament. But college football's postseason generates money for conferences and schools, not the NCAA. When it comes to comparing football and basketball revenue per school, the difference is stark.

The Big Ten's football programs earned nearly $446.5 million in fiscal year 2010, compared to league basketball programs raking in $138 million. Penn State posted the most extreme difference, clearing $70.2 million in fiscal year 2010 but generated just $8.38 million in basketball. Iowa football earned $45.85 million while basketball took in less than $8.8 million. Even Michigan State, a basketball stalwart, earned nearly three times less in basketball ($16.13 million) than football ($44.46 million).

“I love college basketball,” Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo said. “But if we think that we don't need football to run an athletic department, we're lying to ourselves. Duke has managed it. Kansas and Kentucky, football has gotten better. They've managed it. Georgetown managed it early on. But if you look at most of the great programs, athletic programs, you've got to be good at football and then hopefully we do what Florida has done - you become great at both.”

In May, Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany offered several factors for expanding the league, including demographics and population trends as well as athletic and academic fit. One month later, the league added Nebraska as its 12th member. In early December, the league announced it no longer was considering expansion.

At a closer look, Nebraska wasn't a perfect match for Delany's requirements, especially demographics. According to Census figures, only 1.8 million people live in Nebraska, about 1.2 million fewer people than live in the Big Ten's current lowest-populated state, Iowa. Academically, Nebraska - like all Big Ten institutions - is a member of the Association of American Universities but ranks 104th among public university rankings by U.S. News and World Report, below the Big Ten's next-lowest Michigan State (79th).

Nebraska hasn't qualified for the NCAA basketball tournament since 1998 and the program earned just $6.02 million in 2010, at least $1.7 million below every other Big Ten school.

But Nebraska makes up for its demographic and basketball deficiencies with high earnings in football. The Cornhuskers took in nearly $50 million in football revenue in fiscal year 2010, below only Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan among Big Ten schools. Nebraska has won five national titles and 44 conference titles in its 121 football seasons. It ranks fourth all-time in Division I football wins, behind only Michigan, Texas and Notre Dame.

Nebraska will step up its commitment to basketball as it transitions to the Big Ten. By 2013 the basketball program will move into the new $168 million Haymarket Arena. Its new $18.7 million practice facility opens in 2011.

Even Ryan admits Nebraska could become a high-powered Big Ten basketball addition.

“They brought Nebraska in for football,” Ryan said. “There's been some leagues that brought in a team in expansion and that team in like five years has been the leader of the league. So if a sport, maybe if one school isn't as good at one time that could change.

“In basketball with the lower numbers, sometimes a couple of players can make the biggest change. So I think Nebraska will end up being pretty competitive in basketball down the road. You and I might be retired or it could be in two years.”

Izzo has tried to keep Nebraska's addition in perspective. It wasn't a move made with basketball at the forefront, but it was one that strengthens the league and that can help every sport.

“Even though basketball took a back seat a little bit in the realignment of conferences, we're kidding ourselves, too, if we don't think money and TV and revenue isn't important,” Izzo said. “I understand all of those things. You know what, Michigan State basketball has been king at Michigan State for a while. Football deserves to be. When it is again, I'm going to be as good or better of a program, we're going to be a better athletic department and a better university.”