"The Game" or Just Another?

Ohio State and Michigan have been playing at the end of the Big Ten season every year since 1943. The 3rd Saturday in November has been earmarked for "The Game" like Christmas always falls on the 25th of December. It's a seasonal event that people in the Midwest hold dear like their good old-fashion values. Ahhhh. Ok enough of that, it's time to move into the 21st century.

The Big Ten latest incarnation of itself will feature12 teams (don't get me started on the math) with two divisions, starting in 2011. Michigan and Ohio State will play in opposite divisions. "The Game" will likely be moved from it's annual date to earlier in the season in order for both teams to face divisional opponents the last few games of the year, and possibly lay the groundwork for the Buckeyes and Wolverines to play in the Big 12 err Big Ten title game.

Traditionalist think this move is kin to blasphemy. If you listen close enough you can hear the whining already. "My grandparents watched the game every year at the same time. If it was good enough for them, it's good enough for us." Look, this is not about tradition, it's all about money. The Big Ten found the goose that laid the golden egg when it started it's television network. The shared revenue alone from this venture is more than most countries gross national product.
That being said, it's not enough for the greedy administrators. A group, who by the way, has proven to be short-sighted in the past. Why is the pie from the television contract not enough to keep the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry in tact? Because the Big Ten is just now at a point where it has enough members to have a championship game. Follow me for a second.

No championship game meant the conference has lacked exposure the final two weekends of the college regular season. Nothing to keep the conference on tips of every one's lips when the precious BCS bids go out. When The Big Ten expanded in 1993 to eleven teams (adding Penn State), there should have been another team joining them. Nebraska, Notre Dame, Colorado, somebody. A championship game could have been initiated, like the SEC did in 1992. Quite frankly, the lack of a championship game cost the conference millions and millions of dollars over the last 17 years. True, they're recouping it now with the television deal, but why leave that money on the table again? Exactly. A championship game is a necessity, but at what price?

Big Greed and a lack of Big Thinking has gotten the Big Ten in trouble in the past. Now, will moving it's biggest asset cost the conference in the long run? "The Game"......not so much anymore.

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