If I understand right, you three believe that it is financially important to Big Ten schools to take in members that get a lot of research money. I'd like one of you to explain why because it's not obvious to me. (I do understand that Big Ten members want research institutions as a matter of prestige, and that being in the Big Ten benefits members academically through cooperation, but of course that's not the same thing). To help you, I have attached a link to the Big Ten Academic Alliance's web site.
https://btaa.org/
My own view, subject to correction, is that being academically distinguished is necessary for an institution to be considered for Big Ten membership, but that the institution must also show how its addition will increase the media rights payout for all the individual members -- that it's the media rights payout that is the important financial element. But I'm willing to be proven wrong.