TCU to join Big East
http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/11/29/tcu-accepts-offer-from-big-…
Texas Christian University has accepted an invitation to become an all-sports member to the Big East Conference, industry sources told FanHouse.
The Horned Frogs will join the league beginning on July 1, 2012 and begin play in the Big East in the 2012-13 school year.
An important Michigan-related domino effect of this is that we are unlikely to be able to blow up the Big East by adding one Big East team to the Big Ten, making it less likely in turn that Notre Dame would join the Big Ten (Notre Dame has stated that they would only join the Big Ten if the Big East blew up).
UPDATE: Here's a report from the NY Daily News:
In a move designed to prop up a weak football conference, The Big East has convinced TCU to leave the Mountain West and join the league as an all sports member, sources told the Daily News early this morning. Commissioner John Marinatto and Associate Commisioner in charge of communications John Paquette both flew to Dallas yesterday for the official announcement at 1 p.m. today...
For all we know, this could be just the first domino to drop in expansion. With TCU, the league now has 17 teams. The Big East has offered Villanova a chance to join in football, b ut the Philadelphia school seems to be dragging its feet about a decision and there is always a chance the Big East could invite Central Florida or even re-invite Temple to create a 10th football team and an 18th team in the league.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:04 AM ^
Distorting incentives? So what. What SHOULD the incentives be? strictly money? I don't see what you're getting at here.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:13 AM ^
I guess I just mean that it would be nice if leagues were driven mostly by geography, school commonalities, competitive balance, etc. But it's nostalgic to think like that nowadays I suppose. Never mind.
November 29th, 2010 at 1:47 PM ^
It's nostalgic in the sense that looking back on any sort of "purity" in sports be they professional or collegiate is worthless. The same way that home field/court advantage will soon be a myth thanks to corporate sponsorship and luxury boxes outnumbering regular fans, that players are loyal to franchises/cities, that college conferences resemble shared values and athletic competitiveness.
Sports=Money in 2010.
Longing for the old days will make you one of those fisherman's wives standing on an overlook waiting for a ship lost at sea to magically show up at the pier.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:04 AM ^
Let me count the reasons why I like this:
1.) The Big Ten won't take a crappy Big East program.
2.) There will be one fewer consistently-strong non-BCS school for people to hype for the MNC.
3.) There will be one fewer team with this schedule that lands higher in the rankings than a one-loss Big Ten team (or three) with a real schedule. (Well, until TCU goes undefeated in the Big East, anyway.)
4.) We won't see any photos like this unless the Big Ten is assured to send a team to the MNC:
5.) The Big East will resemble a major conference a little bit more.
I think that sums it up. Good move for TCU, the Big East, and me.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:11 AM ^
We'll see how you feel about this argument when TCU bends Wisconsin over their knees and spanks them in the Rose Bowl.
TCU is a good team that plays at a high level in a good conference. This big conference inferiority/superiority complex is getting tiring.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:14 AM ^
"That's why they play the game," as people are wont to say.
I should note that this wasn't an argument, but a list of reasons why I liked this development (all of which acknowledge that TCU is a good program, incidentally).
November 29th, 2010 at 10:14 AM ^
A good conference? Even after losing Utah? that's a pretty low bar.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:27 AM ^
Mountain West is ranked in the bottom half of the Division 1 conference rankings. TCU is ranked 75th by strength of schedule. I know you can't put all that much into these rankings, but they certainly don't say that MWC is a "good conference".
I hardly see how TCU will spank Wisconsin.
November 29th, 2010 at 4:20 PM ^
TCU vs. Wisky = Must-see football
I doubt there will be much spanking going on.
Ah, I love January 1st....HD screen + pizza + lights off = glory
November 29th, 2010 at 10:04 AM ^
We are on a path that you could see 4 Super Conferences in the next 7 to 10 years. The four super conferences would likely have 14 to 16 teams each with a conference championship in football. This would be the preliminary round of the playoffs leading to 4 proven teams vying for a national championship playoff. The Big East is trying to do what they can to have a seat at this table.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:05 AM ^
The Big East is way too weak a conference- the champion should never be considered for a chance at the MNC.
/sarc
November 29th, 2010 at 10:06 AM ^
Yet another bottom-feeder basketball program for the Big East heavyweights to feast on.
Perhaps the BE should boot DePaul to get back to a round number.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:08 AM ^
Uconn, Rutgers, Cincy, Lousiville, TCU, USF, WVU, Syracuse, and Pitt vs. UCF, USM, UAB, SMU, Tulsa, Houston, UTEP, Rice, Tulane, Marshall, and Memphis
Any differences? All I see are a bunch of also ran football programs from small schools that are either directional schools or in small states. I see no tying bind in geography, academics, or culture.
But one group gets an automatic BCS bid because Miami, Vatech, and BC USED TO BE WITH THEM. What a joke. Uconn will likely win the big least. Uconn would be a 9th place team or worse in the big ten.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:25 AM ^
I'm assuming we're talking football here and not basketball. I agree that from a football talent standpoint, there isn't all that much difference between the two, though I would argue that the Big East is definitely better (at least most years). That being said... Pittsburgh, Rutgers and Syracuse are both large, well-respected and well-known universities in huge states. UConn is also a well-known university, with a pretty good academic reputation. I know, they've only been I-A for a few years, but I think their basketball reputation helps a bit on that front. WVU is also a large school, even if it's in a small state
November 29th, 2010 at 10:09 AM ^
I wonder how long before the basketball-only schools say "screw this" and jump ship. Are the football schools that play good basketball enough of a draw to balance the football schools that play shitty basketball? If the Big East is going to grow to a tottering 18 or 20 teams by adding schools that can't play hoops, what are the odds of the Georgetowns and Villanovas breaking away and poaching a few A-10 teams to form a new basketball conference?
November 29th, 2010 at 10:14 AM ^
Agreed that's WAY too big of a basketball league and I can certainly see a league split like we saw with the WAC about ten years ago. However, I think it would be along the lines of a Non-football sports only type move.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:30 AM ^
Problem is, the basketball schools ARE the football schools. Would Villanova, Marquette, and the other basketball schools leave UConn, Louisville, Pitt and Syracuse behind because there are 17 teams in the conference? No way.
If they really want to get back down to 16, they'll probably kick someone out. I would love it to be Notre Dame, but it will probably be DePaul or someone small and relatively useless.
November 29th, 2010 at 3:22 PM ^
The basketball-only schools make a lot of money off TV contracts because they play teams like Syracuse, Louisville, UConn, etc. Playing TCU once a year is a small price to pay to fix that.
Besides, they could always just reform their conference schedule by adding an extra 2 conference games (thus increasing from 18 to 20). This would mean that a few teams would merely be adding two games a year against TCU on top of what they already play and the rest of the Big East would add a game against TCU and a game against another Big East team. This wouldn't really cost anyone much, as they'd play a couple fewer non-conference pushovers in exchange for an extra conference home game, the weaker schools would play a big draw like Syracuse more often, and the football conference would remain viable.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:19 AM ^
Word is the B10 does not want to make the first move this time around and will wait for someone else (i.e. B12 or SEC). Also, I have heard the name at the top of the B10's list (after ND, of course) is not a Big East team -- it is Maryland. Unclear whether MD would accept, but if they did we still need a 14th. Seems to be some internal disagreement about who that would be. ND would solve the problem perfectly, but Delany has been convinced by Swarbrick they are a no-go for the foreseeable future (at least 5 years).
November 29th, 2010 at 10:17 AM ^
At least they now can answer critics and play with the 'big boys'. For the Big East, after the last couple years, this was essential, and really,what other team would accept the bid to go there?
That said, long term, you still have to wonder what happens when TCU has a down year, WVU will probably rebuild...and they have another disaster of a year like this year.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:23 AM ^
Well the TCU head coach is now off the market. He has sweet gig of basically having to smack around the other Big East teams (UConn and Pitt being the hardest two in conference games I guess) and insta BCS bid. Life is sweet for that staff.
I'm kind of shocked the Domers haven't jumped on that gravy train yet. The Domers are unlikely to join the B10 because it's basically volunteering to be the bitch of Nebraska, tOSU, Wisconsin, Iowa,PSU, etc. In the Big East the Domers would at least have a shot of winning out.
November 29th, 2010 at 2:15 PM ^
Big East jobs are definitely terminal jobs in the college football coaching ranks.
Sincerely,
Rich Rodriguez & Brian Kelly
November 29th, 2010 at 2:21 PM ^
Seconded by Bobby Petrino
November 29th, 2010 at 10:25 AM ^
How many fans, and parents of TCU athletes, are going to want to or be able to make the trips to road games now?
The heart of college football has always been regional rivalries. The further that the ADs and administrators get away from this the worse it is for the game itself.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:40 AM ^
TCU hasn't had a regional rival in the MWC. New Mexico is the closest team at a 10 hour drive. Hell, TCU hasn't even been in any conference long enough to actually form rivalries. This will be their fourth conference in the last 20 years.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:48 AM ^
I thought 10 hours was close in Texas terms...
This is the same reason I never thought Texas would come to the Big 10. TCU is in a different spot not being a part of a BCS conference.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:55 AM ^
It's pretty close to long. 8 hours is nothing, 10-12 is that range of long. 10 hours is basically Dallas to El Paso or Houston to Amarillo. That's a lot of state to cover.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:25 AM ^
Sorry, a little bit of sarcasm there. I've done the cross state drive, and it's brutal--particularly from Midland to El Paso. Tumbleweeds were seriously blowing across the highway!
November 29th, 2010 at 10:50 AM ^
Geography
November 29th, 2010 at 10:57 AM ^
Accounting.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:01 AM ^
Travel Agent Science?
November 29th, 2010 at 11:01 AM ^
what if they go to the Big East and suck? will that be a pox on the little schools or a kudos for the big east teams being good?
November 29th, 2010 at 11:02 AM ^
it depends on whether they are losing because the Big East teams are good or whether they lose because they suck.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:02 AM ^
is not good. TCU just signed up for a couple automatic bids while the rest of the conference will be trying to catch up.
November 29th, 2010 at 12:08 PM ^
F* Notre Dame.
That's all.
November 29th, 2010 at 12:44 PM ^
The Big East is having a down year, without a doubt.
This just puts it on the road to becoming the next ConferenceUSA.
I have no idea why people assume TCU will still be good when they join? They're going to be losing a lot of players after this run is over this year. Remember how good Louisville used to be when they joined?
November 29th, 2010 at 1:08 PM ^
Somehow, the TCU women's gymnastics team flying to Syracuse in January for a dual meet just doesn't make sense financially...
November 29th, 2010 at 1:20 PM ^
How about their softball team playing in Syracuse outdoors in March?
November 29th, 2010 at 1:16 PM ^
not exactly geographically relevant
November 29th, 2010 at 1:50 PM ^
In earlier articles about this possibility, the conventional wisdom was that TCU might participate as a football only member (for all of the issues being noted - travel distance for non-revenue sports) or not at all. The awkward number of teams also will make it hard to schedule a full slate of games. The travel budgets for many sports will probably surge upwards, or there will have to be serious consideration given to multi-lateral meets. For activities such as for example baseball, softball, volleyball, gymnastics etc, it might make sense for one team to host 3 or 5 others and play a minitourney style meet in one weekend thereby allowing as many teams to play each other for the cost of just one trip.
For a professional sport - which often cultivates a national TV following, the distances and even home base may not be as important. Take the so-called America's Team, the Dallas Cowboys. More fans follow the team (as actual members of their official fan club) outside of Texas than within the state. Probably more fans follow the Yankees outside of the greater metro NY city TV area as well. But those are pro teams whose rosters are more stable. For a college sport, local fan base is more important.
Don't see how it will last.
November 29th, 2010 at 1:41 PM ^
why TCU is not in the Big12? that would seem to be the obvious destination for them
November 29th, 2010 at 3:29 PM ^
While TCU competes at a high level in both football and baseball, they don't have a big enough fanbase that consistently watches their games. Combined with the fact that Texas and Texas A&M already deliver the Dallas-Fort Worth television sets anyway, adding TCU would only add an unnecessary mouth to feed into a conference that finds itself in danger of falling apart after losing two important members.
November 29th, 2010 at 5:05 PM ^
I live in MWC country and it sucks to see all these teams leave. The MWC could have had Boise St, TCU, Utah, BYU, Nevada, Air Force, and Fresno St. But now the conference will be complete shit.