The Big Ten Close To Agreement With Pinstripe Bowl

In January I wrote about Jim Delany and the Big Ten looking to diversify their bowl lineup over at Eye on College Football, and in that post I mentioned the possibility of the Big Ten striking a deal with the ACC to meet every year in the Pinstripe Bowl.

It made sense because the Big Ten wanted to include the ACC as an opponent and a game in New York seemed pretty appealing for a conference that is adding Rutgers for the rights to all those televisions in New York.

Well, guess what's happening? From my colleague Jeremy Fowler over at CBSSports.com:

The Big Ten and ACC are in discussions with the Pinstripe Bowl on a commitment after the 2013 season, according to a league source that expects a deal to happen eventually.

The two-year-old Pinstripe, sponsored by New Era and paying out around $2 million per year, currently pits the Big East's No. 4 team vs. the Big 12's No. 7 team in Yankee Stadium. Syracuse bounced West Virginia 38-14 in last season's snow-fest.

Bowl agreements expire after 2013, prompting conferences and bowls to get creative with an already-stale national bowl lineup.

Again, this makes all the sense in the world. For the last few years the Big Ten's bowl lineup has basically been playing the SEC in Florida on New Year's Day and a couple of games against the Big 12. If the conference wants to move east then playing a game in New York every season just makes sense.

And you have to admit, the idea of going to see the Illini play in Yankee Stadium is an appealing one.

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