Basically, cable systems inside the B1G footprint, to carry the B1G network, must put it on their basic tier and pay over $1 per subscriber. Cable systems outside the B1G footprint put the network on their Sports tier and only pay about $.25 per sports tier subscriber.

So, when the B1G moves into a large new market such as New York City/New Jersey (Rutgers) or Baltimore/Washington, DC (Maryland), they get millions of extra dollars in subscriber fees.

I'll agree that these adds don't necessarily help the B1G in ESPN negotiations -- at least on a per team revenue standpoint -- though Rutgers and Maryland are likely close to being revenue neutral. The advantage to making additions prior to making the ESPN contract is that you get credit for all the teams in the conference, whereas adding Virginia and another team (Boston College?) later might not be enough for ESPN to renegotiate just because those teams were added.