“I mean, the Hawkeyes in Iowa are the preeminent team,” [Big Ten Network President Mark] Silverman explained. “And because they are, they’re a flagship member of the Big Ten and they’re able to generate revenue.”
Said “flagship” member has won two halves of a conference football championship and two men’s basketball tournaments in the past 20 years. (Who is a non-flagship member? Stop pointing at Illinois like that.)
Remember, the Big Ten shoveled as many Iowa events as it could to the network in its first season to blackmail strong-arm persuade Mediacom into picking it up (and charging $1 per subscriber).