Rutgers Univ. officials yesterday at a BOG meeting said that the school "expects to pull in" at least an additional $200M over 12 years by moving to the Big Ten, according to Kelly Heyboer of the Newark STAR-LEDGER. Rutgers BOG Vice Chair Greg Brown said, "It’s a projection. What we’re saying is Rutgers is better off by about $200 million versus the status quo." The move "means Rutgers can cash in on the Big Ten’s more lucrative television contracts," but it also means the university "will need to invest more in its athletic program to upgrade its teams and facilities to compete in the conference." School officials said that the $200M estimate "includes the extra money Rutgers expects to spend to transition its football and other teams into the Big Ten." It will "take Rutgers six years to become a full member of the Big Ten and cash in on its full share of the profits." Meanwhile, Rutgers and the "remnants of the Big East, now called the American Athletic Conference, continue to battle in court over whether the university needs to pay" $10M in exit fees to leave (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 10/3).
