Olympic sport athletes are not happy about moves to Big Ten, Big 12
This isn’t a big question in terms of money, but it is a big question in terms of the well-being and care of athletes who did not sign up for a specific set of circumstances.
Imagine you’re a swimmer or water polo player or gymnast at a school that has moved to the Big Ten or Big 12. You’re not part of a revenue sport. You very possibly went to a Pac-12 school because the Pac-12 — as weak as it has been in football over the past several years — is world-class in the Olympic sports. When USC and UCLA went to the Big Ten, questions emerged about the logic and wisdom of having non-revenue-sport athletes fly long distances, but those questions were more isolated because only two West Coast schools were part of the equation.
Now it’s different.
Oregon and Washington have joined USC and UCLA in moving to the Big Ten. Meanwhile, Arizona and Arizona State have joined Utah and Colorado in moving to the Big 12.
A lot of Olympic-sport athletes went to schools in the Northwest, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Arizona to compete in Pac-12 environments and get a Pac-12 culture of competition for Olympic sports.
Some of these athletes are speaking up, which invites a very important discussion about whether the Big Ten, Big 12, and Pac-12 need to work together to keep Olympic-sport athletes at home in the West.
Reaction on social media has been fierce and contentious. This is a discussion worth exploring further:
ONE QUESTION
Isn’t the Big Ten wealthy enough now that it can buy a bunch of those nice charter jets for Olympic sports travel? #BigTen @bigten
— Kevin Johnson (@kdjohn34) August 4, 2023
NOTRE DAME
What would ND do with their Olympic sports? ACC won’t keep them without football, and Big Ten won’t consider it without full membership.
— Chris Avros (@Stringfellow911) August 5, 2023
REGIONAL INTEREST
SEC sounds cool bc of football but with all the Olympic sports it’ll probably have to be the big ten https://t.co/KOHPZZGhOC
— Breeze (@SusGerb) August 5, 2023
HEADACHE
A live look at the Big Ten scheduling department looking ahead to the 24-25 season for Olympic sports pic.twitter.com/41HggVibb4
— brant parsons (@brantparsons) August 5, 2023
LOTS OF POSSIBILITIES
Stanford and Cal either go to the Big Ten, go independent, or become part of an Olympic sports-focused Six Pac / Pac-8.
Maybe also part of an ACC merger. (?)
NOT Big 12. No way in hell. https://t.co/RmXZR6QiQq
— Matt Zemek (@MattZemek) August 2, 2023
PEACOCK
It also makes me wonder where NBC will use its Peacock selections for olympic sports. If not volleyball, the Big Ten’s #1 women’s sports draw, then what? Next tell should be the tv schedules for soccer which should be coming soon.
— Sym (@symmering) August 1, 2023
UGH
A pretty good indication of the Big Ten's Whole Thing is that the Olympic sports teams are going to fly commercial coast to coast instead of chartering, despite all that new cash. Student-athlete experience is our first priority etc etc https://t.co/LAC3Zof4Lw
— Alex Kirshner (@alex_kirshner) July 31, 2023
WASHINGTON ANGLE
I'm a UW fan and I do feel for Wazzu fans. But I feel worse for UW student-athletes that don't play football or basketball, because they'll be more negatively affected by this move to the Big Ten. Most of their Olympic sports teams don't generate the revenue that FB & BB generate
— Wayne Stell (@WayneStell) August 5, 2023
ACADEMICS
Thank you. Cal and Stanford have the academics that the Big Ten needs, they also need the olympic sports too, which Stanford is the king of. Cal’s athletics program is in shambles, but they both need each other, like SC and Ucla.. Stanford and Cal are also tied to ucla and SC, so…
— Jason Meshekow, AMS (@realwxforecast) August 5, 2023
TRAINWRECK
This is going to be a mess https://t.co/8rLOivIieI
— j (@davesmith3) August 5, 2023
LA MARKET QUESTIONS LINGER
The LA market money is huge for the conference, but leadership at some of the top programs are less than enthused about the increased travel & everything that comes with it; especially for the Olympic sports.https://t.co/iHjIM4waB5
— 2️⃣2️⃣ Cam Rising's Magic Bald Spot 2️⃣2️⃣ (@thetyrusaurus) July 28, 2023
NIGHTMARE FUEL
add Hawaii and a school in Europe.
Let's really make the olympic sport athletes have fun with travel.
Then the Big Ten will try to top it by adding Mexico City and an Antarctic Research Station.
— Tar Heel (@UNCisFamily) August 5, 2023
GOOD Q
@dekker Honest question, as someone who played an "Olympic sport" do you think traveling around the country is doable while taking classes etc. Or do you think the future big ten athletes will face major challenges?
— Chris (@Oceanofcapade) August 5, 2023
FURTHER READING
With expansion, the Big Ten eased some of the logistical issues for its Olympic sports. Continued travel creativity must continue as they move forward with 18 schools. https://t.co/kZ7MhWZdiO
— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) August 5, 2023
SERIOUSLY
This is so stupid. Good lord. Olympic sports doing this is insane. And for what?
“Sorry Purdue volleyball, you finished fifth in the Big Ten but you don’t get a chance to play your way into the NCAAs via the conference tournament because we needed Nebraska vs Rutgers football”.
— HurleyMania (@HurleyMania) July 31, 2023
VERY TANGLED
Schedules aren't set in all sports yet, but this is how the Big Ten is looking for ways to help USC/ULCA travel — pairing teams to charter together + two opponents close by. And flying commercial + making sure to end road trips close to the major airports: https://t.co/gF5a7m254u pic.twitter.com/drHubjFJ2Y
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) July 31, 2023
GROWING CHORUS
Lol. Eventually we’re gonna look back at how ridiculous this all shakes out and be like “why did it ever get here?”. And it’ll be because it network greed and school administrators padding their pockets. This doesn’t serve the athletes or the fans at all.
— Trill Self (@Jaminrawk) August 1, 2023
REGULAR TRAVELERS KNOW
Having spent a considerable amount of time over the years traveling from the west coast to BIG10 cities on business I can tell you there is no way delays will not become an issue both logistically and competitively.
— Keith Dickey (@KdickeyKeith) July 31, 2023
GREAT POINT
College athletes need a union.
Big Ten presidents have authorized their commissioner to explore expansion targeting Washington and Oregon.
2,700 miles separate UW and Maryland.
College athletes need to be able to negotiate travel requirements and rest periods.
— Alicia Jessop (@RulingSports) August 3, 2023
OREGON SOFTBALL PLAYER SPEAKS UP
I picked to play in a high level softball conference where being close to home would allow my parents to come watch my games. It’s unfortunate to hear that my senior year I’ll be playing as far as New Jersey-Rutgers as well as other east coast schools.
— Paige Sinicki (@paige_sinicki) August 4, 2023
AMEN
Oregon softball player speaking out on the Ducks (and Huskies) moving to the Big Ten. I feel for this young lady. And all the other Ducks/Huskies athletes that don't play football or basketball. Long travel is perhaps the biggest consequence that comes out of this realignment. https://t.co/jKT8I1iGmL
— Wayne Stell (@WayneStell) August 5, 2023