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Andy Katz on USC, UCLA joining the Big Ten: The conference touches three major markets

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz•07/02/22•

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(Jayne Kamin-Oncea via Getty Images)

One of the biggest points about USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten is how it impacts media markets. Well, Andy Katz addressed that this week and how it not only impacts the TV deals, but also Big Ten alumni.

Once USC and UCLA enter the league in 2024 in the latest round of conference realignment, the Big Ten will have a presence in the top three media markets in the country. That’s huge as the league negotiates its media rights agreement, which was previously reported to top $1 billion before the two high-profile additions. Adding another major market will all but certainly add to that value and, therefore, lead to that much more exposure for the league.

But Katz argued media value isn’t the only thing that’ll be impacted by the move. Those cities are also huge for recruiting, and he thinks the league will land even more impressive recruits as a result.

“You’ve got now the Big Ten touching alumni bases in the three major markets of New York, Chicago and Los Angeles,” Katz said. “Recruiting will be tremendous for these Big Ten schools in rich recruiting areas.”

Andy Katz discusses ramifications on USC, UCLA for college basketball realignment

Having UCLA travel to the Horseshoe, or having USC play at the Big House are just a couple of dream matchups fans never thought were possible. Those dream matches will soon become reality — in more sports than just football.

Following both Pac-12 programs’ announcements that they intend to join the Big Ten in 2024, college basketball insider Andy Katz discussed the ramifications the Bruins and Trojans’ moves will cause regarding the future of conference realignments.

“Clearly, the era in realignment has moved on from one state school protecting another,” Katz said. “Back in the ACC when Virginia helped Virginia Tech get into the ACC we all kind of thought that maybe that would happen with other moves. But when Texas and Oklahoma went without state schools in their respective states to the SEC – that was a signal.

“So when UCLA goes to the Big Ten Without Cal – USC is private – but without its fellow UC school in Berkeley, that is a strong sign that each school is out for itself.”