A Big Ten team is playing in the college football championship game Monday.
That’s providing some benefits to other Big Ten teams like Purdue.
Ohio State –a Big Ten team--is facing Oregon in the national championship, and the way college football revenues work, conferences get a bonus if one of their teams makes it to the playoffs.
That bonus is $6 million and the Big Ten’s share is divided between all 14 universities in the conference….so it ends up being about four hundred and thirty thousand dollars per university.
Athletics department officials like IU associate athletic director for fan experience Jeremy Gray says that doesn’t make a huge difference for most schools’ budgets, but the appearance of a Big Ten team in a championship game is still good for the conference’s profile.
“I’m a firm believe that a rising tide lifts all boats," says Gray. "For a Big Ten team to be playing for the national championship helps the Big Ten brand, it will help television ratings, attendance numbers for Big Ten games next year.”
Gray says he expects recruits will also show more interest in Big Ten teams, although analysts say there is already stiff competition within the conference for up and coming players.
