1. The top 15 states in total population -
1. CA - 37.6
2. TX - 25.6
3. NY - 19.4
4. FL - 19.0
5. IL - 12.8
6. PA - 12.7
7. OH - 11.5
8. MI - 9.8
9. GA - 9.8
10. NC - 9.6
11. NJ - 8.8
12. VA - 8.0
13. WA - 6.8
14. MA - 6.5
15. IN - 6.5
4 of the top 10 are still Big Ten states. The SEC needed to add Texas to get to three. Michigan with 9.8 million still has twice or even three times the population of Alabama (4.80), Louisiana (4.5), South Carolina (4.6), Kentucky (4.3), Mississippi (2.9), and Arkansas (2.9). Not surprisingly, 3 Big Ten states have major flagship programs with stadiums of over 100k, in fact of the top 4 stadiums in the country in terms of seating capacity, three are Big Ten programs.
2. The 10 largest schools in the country -
1. ASU - 60k
2. UCF - 59.7
3. OSU - 56.3
4. TAM - 53.1
5. UT - 52.1
6. Minny - 51.8
7. UF - 49.5
8. Sparty - 48.9
9. FIU - 47.9
10. PSU - 45.6
The Big Ten puts four on the list, the PAC-12 with one, Big East with one, CUSA with one, SEC with 2, Big 12 with one. Again the SEC had to add TAM to get to 2, while the Big Ten has been BIG for a long time. These are very wealthy, very large schools with hundreds of thousands of living alumni and they will remain big schools, ensuring their importance will continue well into the next generation.
3. Unemployment rates in September of this year. Most recent data I could find.
http://i.usatoday.net/_common/_notches/ ... t-rate.jpg
Those awful rust belt states of PA, OH, IN, Illinois, chock full of unions and the like, all with unemployment rates lower than North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Ohio at 7% is lower or tied with every SEC state except Missouri and Texas, and take away those new comers and Ohio's unemployment rate is lower than all but one of the old SEC states, tying with Louisiana. You know the rust belt mantra is worn out when Michigan has a lower unemployment rate than North Carolina.
4. Endowment of Big Ten schools vs. SEC schools, 2011 data, listing only those over 1 billion endowment -
Michigan - 7.8 Billion
Northwestern - 7.1 Billion
TAM - 7 Billion
Vanderbilt - 3.4 Billion
Minnesota - 2.5 Billion
Ohio State - 2.1 Billion
Purdue - 2 Billion
Wisconsin - 1.8 Billion
PSU - 1.7 Billion
Illinois - 1.6 Billion
Indiana - 1.5 Billion
Michigan State - 1.4 Billion
Florida - 1.2 Billion
Nebraska - 1.2 Billion
Missouri- 1.1 Billion
Iowa - 1 Billion
Not even close here, the Big Ten features 12 schools with endowments of over 1 billion, the SEC with only four.
5. If you want to look at cost of living, taxes, and income, check out this article. It may surprise you. "Best States to Make a Living in 2012"
You might be surprised to find two Big Ten Rust Belt states in the top 10, Illinois and Michigan. Again the SEC had to add Texas to get just one state in the top 10. The Big Ten puts 9 states in the top 25 while the SEC counts 5.
6. This is fascinating article here...doesn't have much to do with the argument other than where the money really is, as you didn't like my other data.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/49243659/When_It ... s_Dominate
Top states with ultra-high net worth residents, defined as 30 million plus.
1. CA - 10,955 residents with a net worth of 30 million +
2. NY - 8,595
3. TX - 5,890
4. FL - 3,650
5. IL - 2,780
6. MI - 1,700
7. PA - 1,620
8. CT - 1,345
9. OH - 1,330
10. WI - 1,295
11. NJ - 1,275
12. VA - 1,200
13. WA - 1,195
14. MN - 1,125
15. GA - 1,110
16. MD - 1,060
17. MA - 995
18. NC - 945
19. CO - 925
20. AZ - 910
21. IN - 830
22. TN - 815
23. OK - 800
24. MO - 760
25. AR - 560
SEC with 6 states in the top 25, the Big Ten with 9 states. Half of the top ten are Big Ten states. The SEC with two in the top ten, AFTER adding Texas.
Those 9 Big Ten states have 13,015 residents with a net worth of 30 million+, the SEC states have 12,785. Even by adding Texas, the third wealthiest state, the SEC still falls behind the "rust belt" in terms of ultra high net worth.
*As a side note, while the Forbes list of 400 billionaires is quite a selective bunch, when you look at the incredible number of people worth 30 million in this country, you see just how wealthy we really are. 1,200 Virginians worth 30 million? Impressive. I wonder how many live in Lynchburg?
So we could go on and on with this...The Big Ten has bigger schools, more money, more students, more people, more alumni, etc, and so on. It is a relevant conference and will continue to be relevant for well into the future. Sure, the population centers of this country are changing...but look also at the changing demographics that follows the population. Again, with no disrespect to our friends south of the border, if I am a marketing executive I am looking at income, total wealth, race, and population, and if I'm trying to sell products or determining which market will command a greater advertising price I am still going to look to the Big Ten states as a whole.
Again Michigan with all the unions (I agree, unions are awful in 21st century America and they ruined Detroit) STILL had a lower unemployment rate this past September than North Carolina, a right to work state. Ohio with a lower unemployment rate than every single SEC state besides the newcomers...
The Rust Belt theory should be put to rest once and for all. Big Ten states and schools simply have more money than their SEC counterparts, hardly deserving of the rust belt label.
work has been stressful. I needed a good laugh.
- By cruzan_flame13
