There a million opinions floating around about Maryland's impending switch to the B1G. In my opinion, it all comes down to William "Slappy" Kirwan's influence on the Board of Regents. Personally, I think Kirwan will block the deal. I've never met the man, but every opportunity he's had to do something bold in his career, he's refrained from acting. In the end, I think this decision will be no different.
Personally, I will be disappointed if we don't make the move. For the purists wanting to hold onto the traditions of the ACC, let me ask: what are we holding onto exactly? With the ACC expanding to 14 teams, the basketball team will be aligned with Pitt and UVA for the guaranteed home and home rivalries each year. Let me pause for a moment while you try to contain your excitement from the last sentence. Seriously, that sucks. In the "new" ACC, we'll be playing Duke and UNC once a season. Is that worth staying in the ACC?
Financially, it is not even close. We will earn more money in the B1G than in the ACC. That's a no-brainer. It will boost attendance in football and that will drive more revenue for athletics. The Big Ten Network will generate many millions more for Maryland than the ACC ever will. The media footprint is bigger and better. Period.
In terms of geography, The average distance between College Park and the nearest B1G campus is 650 miles. In the ACC, College Park is 467 miles away on average. Most trips will require airline flights in either case, so the added financial burden is minimal.
Culturally, I think Maryland is more closely aligned with rust belt states like PA, OH, MI, and IL than the Deep South. Baltimore's industrial economy has always been more influential than the rest of the state's agrarian roots. Besides, Tobacco Road schools always looked at the Terps as "yankees".
So in the end, what's the risk of joining the B1G?
