TCU has a tiny alumni base, no television markets and no major conference like the SEC or Big 12 or Pac-10 would want them. TCU doesn't get to choose where they go. They get invited and then decide. As an alumnus, I am excited. While it isn't a power conference, it's better than what the Moutain West will be once BYU and Utah leave and they let in all the other minor programs
I agree with your points except "no television markets", TCU is still in DFW and has a huge television potential, the problem is they don't play in a big conference against big schools so nobody watches. I think being in the Big East will boost the TV ratings in the DFW area (and Texas) for TCU.
Cool, looking forward to it. MWC was going down hill any ways with all these schools leaving, and weak ones coming in. Nice to join an AQ.
I hope you're kidding with this comment. Otherwise you look like you have no idea how college athletics works.
UH! I don't get it, why doesn't UH just join one of these BCS conferences that are expanding? TCU is joining the Big East, very well could have been UH if they really wanted to. :grin:
Villanova is going to be the BE's 10th football member. UH's only hope is that the BE expands to 12 teams with a conference championship game. If that happens, does the BE extend football only or all sports invites? Right now UH should take a football only invite with the opportunity to join all sports later. TCU had leverage and told the BE to stick it for football only.
TCU is no doubt pulling for UH's inclusion if the BE goes to 12. They would be a good partner for them, both in traveling and natural in-state rivalry. The Big East landing teams in the DFW and HOU markets in one round of addition would be quite a coup. I don't think it will happen, but who knows.
Villanova already received the invite....Big East just waiting for response if they want to move up to FBS
Adding TCU, UH, UCF and anybody else to the Big East would make me a happy man. That would make it a 21 team basketball league, or something ridiculous, lol.
Man, can't wait till the.....2012 season is it? Nice to no longer have to be a BCS buster. So is TCU looked at as the favorite to win the Big East when they join the conference?
No... it'll all depend on recruiting for them. WVU would be at the top for me for now, then it's between Pitt and TCU. Lets see if TCU can have some consistency after they have their juniors and seniors leave this year and next year.
Can you imagine the faces of Aggies and Horns in Fall 2012 if TCU and Houston are in the Big East? Better get satellite cause that Big 12 2:30 ABC regional game will become Big East in DFW and Houston markets.
The sophomore class right now is arguably already better than the junior class with the top 3 RB's combining for 2250 yds and 23 TD's rushing who are sophomores or freshmen. And Boyce, Freshmen WR, is the Frogs #1 WR with 600 yds and 6 td's already. They'll be favored in the Big East.
Unless TCU and/or UH were much more highly ranked than UT/A&M, both DFW and Houston would pick UT and A&M games over TCU or Houston games. The fan bases even in those cities are just substantially larger. TCU (and to a lesser extent, UH) can't even fill up it's home stadium, less alone get enough TV viewers to outdraw the other schools.
This is exactly right. TCU graduates about 2500 people per year. Not a huge fan base and TCU certainly doesn't dominate the DFW football market...most people there are UT or A&M grads. It's a major reason why TCU isn't an attractive team to most big conferences.
Great move by the Big East, and kudos to TCU for continually improving year after year since the Southwest split. As poisonous as that league got in its last decade, one could probably argue getting dumped was the best thing for them.
