Method To TCU's Madness?

[RGV Pony]

Hyman says they (TCU) "...sold a ton of tickets" at SMU home games vs. the Frogs. Maybe I'm wrong, but I swear it was the same crapp-a** crowds of 18-23k at the Cotton Bowl when I last went to SMU home games vs. TCU. How many is "a ton?"

And know what else? I lived in Dallas when everyone was still in the WAC, and my mormon buddy wanted me to go watch BYU play the frogs. Guess what? Not much difference in that crowd than last year's SMU-TCU game.

Perhaps Hyman's trying to make points about some OTHER games & their attendances.

[Stallion]

O come on TCU has sent at least 5-6 times the numbers SMU has sent to Ft Worth. Trying to claim otherwise is asinine. Geez.

[Hoop Fan]

He did say when HE last attended a TCU game at the Cotton Bowl. I would agree they did not show up in overwhelming numbers back then. They have since 2000 though when they started winning much more and since we moved to Ford Stadium.

[RGV Pony]

Now Stallion, if this was anything but a message board, I'd be surprised at your counter-post. In fact, I'd have my attorney fire you a letter saying that among other flaws in your argument, you tried to pretend that I claimed that SMU sent more people to Ft. Worth than TCU sends to Dallas (cf your post, "...to claim otherwise is asinine.")

Who claimed otherwise? Not me. Thank you, hoopfan, for reading carefully the post. I think we are all very well aware that SMU doesn't travel well. Then again, we don't have Mr. Copeland claiming that we do.

5 or 6000 people going from Ft. Worth to Dallas doesn't constitue "a ton" to me...passable, maybe.

In addition to my SMU season tickets, I have LSU season tickets. Apples vs. oranges, perhaps-at least if SMU is involved in the conversation. But remember, TCU is trying to pretend they just might belong with the BCS boys. But the last time I saw LSU play in Dallas-the Cotton Bowl vs. UT, the entire 25k allotment was sold, and more were made available-and sold. That's around 30k. That, my friend is a ton. Not 5k across town with a top 25 team (TCU). Tyler Jr. College pulls that in vs. Kilgore.

[PlanoStang]

It doesn't have anything to do with the BCS -and everything to do with SMU ending up in a Magnolia Conference type situation with little national TV prodpects or bowl opportunities. TCU has sheltered itself from that possibility.

Got news for ya Stallion.

We've been there ever since the MWC split off from the WAC. Since
there seems to be an unlimited supply of bowls popping up nowdays,
there will be bowl opportunities for every Div. IA conference. TCU has
sheltered itself from conference changes because nobody in the MWC
wants any more members unless they're defecting from a BCS
conference, and nobody from the BCS wants anyone from the MWC.

[EastStang]

Several problems for the MWC. They seem to be losing bowls, not gaining them. Second, to Hoop Fan. CUSA has 12 teams, I do not forsee any increase to 13-14 and there is no guarantee that TCU would be "welcomed back with open arms" unless there were eastern defections which at this point I don't foresee. As far as the "Magnolia League" concerns with regard to bowl opportunities and television is a bit overblown. We would have several teams in large market cities and would do just fine in a television contract. Lastly, there are other elements to a television contract which could play into this scenario, namely basketball. The Big East merged the way they did to enhance their basketball product and stay passable in football. We would have two national champion teams in the league plus Tulsa and Memphis who have excellent basketball pedigrees. Perhaps a basketball- all sports (except football)- merger with the Missouri Valley Conference would generate some larger interest from television networks or it might not be necessary. Right now, we have a great conference and we should all work to make it elite. The MWC has its problems, too.

[Hoop Fan]

Is 12 really that magical? The Big 10 operates with 11 and no divisions. If UT wanted to join CUSA, wouldnt they find a way to align it? Not saying the Toads are UT, but I dont think there is really much of a barrier to them coming back. All it takes is Memphis and Southern Miss to bless it. If those schools think TCU adds something, then it happens. The only way we will have anything to say about it is if we start winning and pulling our weight. And since we have examples now of conference downsizing (WAC 16), its always an option for certain schools to form an 8 or 9 team league. After a few years go by, whats stopping Memphis and TCU from forming a new league once the BCS dream falls apart? Why? Same reason the Mountain Goats did it, they felt they were the ones generating the revenue and saw no reason to share it so many ways. Even today, the only security is to win and be marketable yourself.

[EastStang]

12 is more magical than 13 because every team gets to play each other at least two times every four years. There is more inter-divisional play. 9 is more magical than eight or ten because each team gets four conference home games and four conference away games. Again, it gives an evenness there. Lastly, would adding TCU significantly increase our television contract? I really doubt that they would. If not, you are losing a piece of the pie and adding no increased $$$ to the league. Given that the NCAA is all about $$$, there is no guarantee that the teams in CUSA would welcome the Frogs with open arms unless a vacancy were to occur. The Frogs left a big bad taste in the mouths of the remaining CUSA teams because their leaving was considered a lateral move and a slap in the face (as opposed to joining an existing BCS conference which everyone understands). No one is going to give up money to let them in.