With the Big Ten conference officially expanding to 18 teams on Monday, the end of June marks the end of an era for the legendary Big Ten map television advertisement.
The ad takes the viewer from Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California, to each of the 14 current Big Ten campuses, from west to east, ending at Rutgers, while the Guards’ “Silver Lining” plays in the background.
The current iteration of the Big Ten came into effect in 2014, when Maryland and Rutgers joined the conference, expanding to 14 teams over a decade. Now, in 2024, Oregon, USC, UCLA and Washington will join the Big Ten.
It’s unclear whether the conference will simply adjust its popular advertising, adding new programs, or whether it will scrap the whole thing and go in a different direction.
However, it’s the end of an era for the Big Ten and the future is officially here for the 18-team conference.
