Does the Big Ten’s grant-of-rights prevent Michigan from announcing that it intends to leave the B1G when the GOR expires in 2027 and then immediately move all the men’s and women’s sports to another conference—say the SEC—leaving football to play in the B1G until the GOR expires in 2027? And yes I know that men’s and women’s hockey would have to find a different conference, but that isn’t much of a problem. Hockey could join the NCHC, which is a better hockey conference than the B1G anyway.
At that point Michigan would have only one team left in the Big Ten—football. Could Michigan propose to the B1G that an exit fee of a much discounted GOR be negotiated? (The B1G does not have a separate “exit fee” as do other conferences.) The worst case scenario would be that we play football in the Big Ten another three years, being paid their full share of the B1G’s TV rights, then move to the SEC.
I know this is a crazy idea that may be impossible for anyone here to answer, but what do you think of the concept? It definitely solves the problem of being in a conference where all the other members and the commissioner are “unfriendly”, possibly even improving the long term financial effect.
At that point Michigan would have only one team left in the Big Ten—football. Could Michigan propose to the B1G that an exit fee of a much discounted GOR be negotiated? (The B1G does not have a separate “exit fee” as do other conferences.) The worst case scenario would be that we play football in the Big Ten another three years, being paid their full share of the B1G’s TV rights, then move to the SEC.
I know this is a crazy idea that may be impossible for anyone here to answer, but what do you think of the concept? It definitely solves the problem of being in a conference where all the other members and the commissioner are “unfriendly”, possibly even improving the long term financial effect.
