ALTOONA, Pa. -- There always has been -- and perhaps always will be -- a significant portion of the fan base that believes the Big Ten has treated Penn State like a red-headed stepchild over the years. And hey, maybe that actually is true, or at least has been true on occasion (such as always starting league play on the road).
It's led to a feeling among some -- dare I say even many -- that the Nittany Lions would be better off in the ACC.
But with next year marking 30 years since Penn State began competing in the Big Ten -- after initially agreeing to join the league in 1990 -- this much has never been more abundantly clear: The conference move three decades ago positioned Penn State to be one of the most financially successful programs in the nation for many more decades to come.
You've probably heard by now that the Big Ten is closing in on a new TV rights deal worth $1.1 billion per year, beginning in 2024. If you don't have a calculator handy, that comes out to a staggering $78 million annually to each of the 14 member schools.
I don't want anyone to gloss over that number: $78 million dollars per year for each school!
Good. Lord.
That's before a single ticket is sold. Before seat license funds are added. Before counting any merchandise sales. Before booster funding.
As I've said before, all of this is a major reason why college football is absolutely a professional sport.
If, by some chance, you still think Penn State would be better off in the ACC because of more regional rivals, easier travel or what have you, just consider this: The ACC's current TV rights deal pays its members $32 million per year, and that deal runs through 2036.
So, based on those figures, starting in 2024, Penn State will be getting close to $80 million per year being in the Big Ten, compared to just over $30 million if it were in the ACC.
Given that college football has become an arms race, those figures alone represent a mic drop kind of argument for why Penn State is so fortunate that it decided three decades ago to join the Big Ten.
But this street goes both ways.
Because the Big Ten is very fortunate to have Penn State, as well. And a case can be made that the league wouldn't be anywhere near as enticing from a TV rights standpoint if the Lions were in another league such as the ACC.
The Penn State brand, alumni base, historical success, stadium size -- all of it is worth literally millions and millions of dollars from a value standpoint to the Big Ten. Ohio State is worth more to the league from a dollar figure standpoint, and also probably Michigan, but certainly having Penn State in the fold gives the league a tremendous amount of leverage when it comes to bargaining any TV rights deal.
Penn State vs. Ohio State is often in or near the top 10 most-viewed college football games each season. Last year, Penn State vs. Auburn was the 12th-most viewed game. And Penn State vs. Michigan always draws a huge number.
If Penn State had not joined the Big Ten three decades ago, it's tough to see the Big Ten Network becoming anywhere near as big of a success as it has been over the years.
Adding Pennsylvania into the footprint was huge for BTN. Even though the additions of Rutgers and Maryland aren't tremendously appealing from a football standpoint most years, adding those TV markets has been good for business. And face it, those markets wouldn't have been needed or even in play if Penn State wasn't already in the league.
So, as we await final details of any new TV rights deal in the Big Ten, the bottom line is that Penn State will cash in big time, as will all other teams in the league. And no matter what happens going forward in college football regarding conference realignment or anything else, the Big Ten's power and prestige will keep the league in prime position to keep cashing in.
And that will always be a great thing for Penn State.
BYE BYE, DIVISIONS
The path has been cleared for conferences to do away with divisions starting in the next year or so, and the Big Ten almost certainly will go that route.
Division I Council relaxes restrictions for FBS football conference championship games; FBS conferences to determine their championship game participants. All Council actions are not final until today’s meeting ends. pic.twitter.com/cHjD4nfVle
— Inside the NCAA (@InsidetheNCAA) May 18, 2022
Doing away with divisions in the Big Ten would be a positive in numerous ways for Penn State. For a great discussion on all of that, check out this week's We Are podcast, where Jarrod Prugar and I discuss the benefits for the Nittany Lions.
