What exactly is the Big Ten?

About 120 years ago, president's from Purdue, University of Chicago, University of Illinois, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and University of Wisconsin sat down to organize regulations for intercollegiate athletics.

Their first order of business was setting a rule that "restricted eligibility for athletics to bonafide, full-time students who were not delinquent in their studies" (bigten.org). This along with other legislation became the building blocks for not only the soon to be conference but amateur intercollegiate athletics as well.

Timeline of the Big Ten:
 1896 - "Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty and Representatives" or "Western Conference is established
1899 - Indiana University and the State University of Iowa were admitted
1901 - first Big Ten Chamionship event for outdoor track and field
1908 - Michigan briefly leaves the conference
1912 - Ohio State University joins conference
1917 - Michigan returns to conference, conference was first referred to as the "Big Ten"

At this point the schools in the conference are: Purdue, University of Chicago, University of Illinois, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, University of Wisconsin, Indiana University, State University of Iowa, and Ohio State University.

Ten schools.

In 1922, Major John L. Griffith became the conference's first "Commissioner of Athletics". In 1989 James E. Delany became commissioner of the Big Ten and is now the current commissioner of the conference.

In 1946 the Big Ten dropped to nine schools when the University of Chicago dropped out. Then in 1949, Michigan State College (now Michigan State University) was added to the conference.

On June 4, 1990 the conference added another school, Pennsylvania State University.

Now there is 11 schools.

In 2006, commissioner Delaney announced the creation of the Big Ten Network (BTN). This would be the first conference-owned TV network, a 20-year agreement with Fox Cable Networks.

On July, 1, 2011, the Big Ten gained its final school: Nebraska.

Now there are 12.

In 2011, the Big Ten broke up the 12 teams in to two divisions: Legends and Leaders.

LEGENDS: Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern
LEADERS: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin

 "'Legends' is a nod to our history and to the people associated with our schools who are widely recognized as legends - student-athletes, coaches, alumni and faculty. 'Leaders' looks to the future as we remain committed to fostering leaders, the student-athletes who are encouraged to lead in their own way for the rest of their lives, in their families, in their communities and in their chosen professions," said Delany. "We're proud of our many legends and even prouder of our member institutions that develop future leaders every day" (bigten.org).

Jim Delany, Big Ten Commissioner. Image courtesy of Sportsillustrated.com

Legends and Leaders Fact Sheet