Report: Big Ten will keep divisions for 2023 season, restructure in 2024

The Big Ten is solidifying their plans for the future amid the addition of USC and UCLA to the conference, and the topic of divisions has been one of the most contested debates.

Alas, answers are being given, as Scott Dochterman of The Athletic revealed the conference is planning of keeping their divisions for next season, restructuring in 2024.

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“The Big Ten is planning to run it back one more time with the East-West divisions and then configure a new model when USC and UCLA arrive in 2024, multiple sources confirmed to The Athletic on Monday,” wrote Dochterman. “The league also plans to introduce the 2023 schedule this week.

“There was strong consideration to revamp from geographic divisions to a single-conference entity for 2023 but there were too many issues to implement for next season. Among the most discussed issues for Big Ten administrators and school officials include the desire to unveil one new system for USC and UCLA rather than in consecutive years, the number of protected games and television concerns.”

Alas, the future of the Big Ten could look completely different from the conference we now know, but the structure will remain the same for 2023. However, it’s evident 2024 is going to be a season where the winds of change blow for the Big Ten in many ways.

Kevin Warren touts future of Big Ten expansion, integrating USC, UCLA ahead of 2024 arrival

At Big Ten Football Media Days in July, the news of USC and UCLA’s additions to the league was still somewhat fresh. More than two months later, discussion is now about how the conference will look with the two new teams, and Kevin Warren spoke about that integration process last week.

Warren, speaking during his opening press conference at Big Ten Basketball Media Days, said USC and UCLA’s integration is a top priority in the future. The two programs are preparing to join the Big Ten in 2024, but Warren said work is being done now to make sure they wind up fitting in well with the other 14 teams in the league, especially with the new media rights deal coming, as well.

“The biggest thing right now that we have come up with, what we’re calling some of our ‘can’t-miss priorities,’ and one of the can’t-miss priorities is to make sure that we flawlessly integrate our new media partners,” Warren said. “But the other big one is to make sure that we flawlessly integrate USC and UCLA into the Big Ten Conference. In the climate that we’re in right now in college athletics, you also always have to be mindful of expansion. 

“But our priority is just to make sure one, we take care of our 14 member institutions now, from a basketball standpoint, from a conference standpoint, and that we do everything that we possibly can to make sure that we flawlessly integrate USC and UCLA into the Big Ten Conference. We have a lot of work to do. It’s one thing to negotiate contracts, to make an announcement. But it’s another thing to actually get the work done, and that’s what we’re focused on right now.”