Not only is the Big Ten expanding its athletic footprint to the Eastern seaboard, but a new portion of the conference’s operations are headed in that direction as well.
In a press release, the league revealed it will open a second office in New York City, specifically on Third Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. The release states that the new office will be fully staffed and operational byJune 1.
Additionally, the conference notes that “its member institutions will also have access to satellite office space in Washington, D.C.”
The twin moves, of course, are directly tied to the additions of Maryland (ACC) and Rutgers (AAC), which will officially join the conference July 1.
“We are excited to be on the East Coast and to open a second office in New York City,” commissioner Jim Delany said in a statement. “With the addition of Maryland and Rutgers, we have become a conference with a significant presence in two regions of the country. While the space will be utilized full time by Big Ten staff, it will also be open to our member institutions conducting business in the city. New York is one of the world’s greatest cities, and this provides an opportunity for connecting with our many conference partners, media and alumni in that area.”
It should go without saying that the Big Ten will still maintain its current headquarters in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Ill.
At what will become its second office, "[t]hree Big Ten staff members working in branding, championships, communications and compliance will be based in the New York City office to provide expanded coverage and service, while Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany and senior staff will maintain a presence in both the New York City office and the conference’s current headquarters,” the release added.