PJ Fleck is still adjusting to the news that the B1G is expanding with the arrivals of USC and UCLA set for the 2024 season. During his B1G Media Days appearance, Fleck admitted he was thrilled when he first heard the news.

“The first thing that came to my mind was L.A., are you kidding me? That’s perfect,” Fleck explained .”The Big Ten now is represented from the West Coast to the East Coast. You look at the major media markets now, that’s incredibly positive.”

Some have been critical of the B1G’s move to go coast-to-coast from New Jersey and Maryland in the east to Los Angeles, California to the west. Some of the chief concerns in those criticisms have been a bigger travel schedule for student-athletes.

For Fleck, he is less concerned about the travel schedule. He harkened back to his time in the MAC and “9-hour bus rides” to get to midweek games to dispel concerns about a coast-to-coast flight.

“I think people asked me a question back there about travel, I think other sports could be affected. Again, I look through it from the football eyes. I was a part of MACtion. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday nights on 9-hour bus rides. I don’t think anyone asked me that question (about travel). I think there’s people way smarter than me that will figure all that out in terms of how we’re going to make that all work.

“Again, it’s a positive blueprint for the Big Ten, and change is really healthy. It’s a big change, and we’re excited about having the L.A. market into the Big Ten.”