TCU set to join Mountain West Conference

[Cheesesteak]

Posted on Fri, Jan. 23, 2004

TCU set to join Mountain West
By Damien Pierce
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Fort Worth: Where the Mountain West begins.

After months of deliberating and number-crunching, Texas Christian University will accept an invitation next week to join the Mountain West Conference beginning in the 2005-06 school year, high-ranking university officials said.

TCU expects to receive a formal invitation as early as Monday, the sources said, adding that the school's athletic committee will recommend to trustees that the school leave Conference USA.

Such a move could bring the school millions of dollars more in TV revenue than it would make by staying in Conference USA. Also, although the Mountain West is not a Bowl Championship Series conference, adding TCU could put the league in position to replace the Big East, which is losing three of its strongest football schools.

The athletic committee, which has studied a possible move for months, is expected to make its recommendation to the board of trustees at the board's regularly scheduled meeting Jan. 30. The board can veto the move but is expected to approve it.

"I think there were a few board members who were initially neutral about making the move, but once they got all the details from the athletic committee back in November, they've been supportive of the change," a source said.

Another source confirmed that an invitation is imminent but cautioned that the final decision belongs to trustees.

"If and when an invitation comes from the Mountain West, it will be up to the board to process it," the source said.

Another high-ranking official said that the decision is a "foregone conclusion" and that the school plans to announce the move after the board meeting.

TCU athletic director Eric Hyman said, "Right now, it's inappropriate for me to comment."

The move would end months of speculation about TCU's athletic future and solidify a place for the Horned Frogs in a major conference. TCU would join Air Force, Brigham Young, Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State, Nevada-Las Vegas, Utah and Wyoming in a nine-team league.

The Mountain West could expand further to add a travel partner for TCU. One possibility is Boise State, which defeated TCU in the inaugural Fort Worth Bowl. TCU would be the only Mountain West school in the Central time zone.

TCU has been on the move since the Southwest Conference dissolved in 1995. The Mountain West would be TCU's fourth conference in 10 years. TCU joined the Western Athletic Conference in 1996 and left for Conference USA after the 2000-01 season.

This move will be costly.

TCU will pay an entrance fee to the Mountain West in "the neighborhood of $1 million," one of the sources said.

The university will also pay Conference USA a $400,000 exit fee despite giving the league two years' notice. But the conference can demand even more under its bylaws. The league is expected to seek extra compensation from TCU equal to any expected decrease in TV or other revenue caused by the school's departure.

TCU would become the eighth Conference USA member to announce plans to leave the league. Current members Cincinnati, DePaul, Marquette, Louisville and South Florida are leaving for the Big East, and Saint Louis and Charlotte plan to join the Atlantic 10. Louisville and Cincinnati have offered to offset the revenue loss by playing nonconference games against schools remaining in the league.

TCU also expects higher travel costs. But a source said the future financial benefits and long-term stability of the Mountain West appear more promising than staying in Conference USA.

The Mountain West Conference, like Conference USA, is not included in the Bowl Championship Series system that determines a national football champion. But by adding TCU, the Mountain West hopes to better position itself for possible inclusion in the BCS when the contract expires after the 2005-06 season.

For nearly two months, TCU's football team captured the attention of the nation as it became the first non-BCS school to crack the top six of the BCS rankings. Earning a top-six ranking or winning the championship of a BCS conference are the only avenues for guaranteed inclusion in a BCS bowl game and the millions of dollars that come with it.

The BCS consists of six conferences: the Big 12, Big Ten, Southeastern, Atlantic Coast, Pacific-10 and Big East. The Big East could be in danger of being excluded in the next contract after losing Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College to the ACC.

If the BCS looks to replace the Big East, the Mountain West could be a leading contender, based on an argument that it will be more competitive, especially in football.

TCU officials are also concerned about the attendance of the schools recently added to Conference USA. Central Florida, Marshall, Southern Methodist, Tulsa and Rice have accepted invitations to join the conference. TCU compared football attendance figures of both leagues and found the Mountain West to be the more stable conference.

Based on 2003 home attendance figures, the average draw for TCU and the Mountain West schools was 34,248 per game; the average draw for TCU and the teams expected to make up Conference USA in 2005 was 26,393.

Only three schools in the Mountain West ranked worse than 70th in average attendance last season. Only two of Conference USA's expected members ranked better than 70th.

Brigham Young (61,501) and Utah (41,478) were the Mountain West's top draws. TCU would have ranked fourth, with an average of 36,155 -- 62nd in the NCAA.

Attendance can translate into TV revenue, another area in which the Mountain West is expected to surpass Conference USA.

Conference USA is in the third year of an eight-year, $80 million broadcasting deal with ESPN, but the TV network is expected to push for change because of realignment.

TCU officials have contacted ESPN and learned that Conference USA's next TV contract will be a "drop in the bucket" compared with its current deal.

The TCU officials said that Conference USA is considering a more regional package with Fox Sports, which would not appeal to TCU.

The Mountain West's seven-year, $48 million contract with ESPN will expire in 2006. The addition of TCU would put the league in prime position to negotiate a new contract.

Conference USA commissioner Britton Banowsky said he has not been informed by TCU of any decision to leave.

"Even as of this week, TCU continued to participate and was involved in our planning for the future with new members," Banowsky said. "Until notified otherwise, TCU is a member of Conference USA. In the event they decide to do something different, it certainly won't diminish our enthusiasm for the future of our league."

Louisiana Tech and North Texas have been mentioned as possible replacements for TCU in Conference USA.

Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson was unavailable for comment but said in a statement that any speculation of movement is "premature and nothing has been offered to any school."

During a teleconference this month, Thompson said that he hoped to resolve the Mountain West's expansion plans by the end of January.

New Mexico athletic director Rudy Davalos, whose school is a member of the league, said he hasn't heard a definitive answer but wasn't surprised to hear that an invitation would be extended.

"When these expansion conversations first started, the talk has always centered around TCU," he said.

The Mountain West Conference

• Air Force

• Brigham Young

• Colorado State

• New Mexico

• San Diego State

• UNLV

• Utah

• Wyoming

[Bergermeister]

At last! Thank gawd! Now that the issue is resolved, let's move on to the important things. TCU-related matters are NON-important.

[MizterTea]

Originally posted by Bergermeister:
At last! Thank gawd! Now that the issue is resolved, let's move on to the important things. TCU-related matters are NON-important.

As many comments as I have made about them tcu suckas - I have to agree with Bergermeister! Its tcu's problem now, we need to worry about the ponies and pity them foo's later !

<img src="http://www.mijnkopthee.nl/moblog/images/i%20pity%20the%20fool%20who%20dont%20do%20his%20laundry!.thumb.jpg" alt=" - " />
need to wash that tcu stink off?!

[EastStang]

My view is that this can only be read as a snub to SMU, Rice and Tulsa. Nothing more, nothing less. I think we should dump them from our schedule. I would rather schedule even the likes of North Texas or UTEP at this point than TCU. When they went to CUSA without us, I gave them the benefit of the doubt and figured they were being smart and taking an opportunity. But a lateral move to a conference that will never be a BCS conference that will cost them $$$$, can only be interpreted as an insane desire on their part to get as far away from SMU as they can. I think in the short term with 9 teams the MWC will give them a crowd boost with BYU, AFA and CSU on the schedule every year. But if the MWC goes to 10 or 12, they'll be in the bastard step-child division. Go bye and good riddance.

[abezontar]

Don't you have to have a conference member finish in the top 15 to meet one of the BCS conference requirements? This past year they would not have met the requirement. Utah finished 22, and TCU 18. If they add Boise (17) they still would not meet requirements. I will say this though, at least we won't have to hear about how great TCU is anymore cause I seriously doubt they will have any more 10+ win seasons soon.

<small>[ 01-23-2004, 06:57 AM: Message edited by: abezontar ]</small>

[Stallion]

I wouldn't be surprised to see them win 10 games next year when they will be better at least on offense.

[NavyCrimson]

tcu must have a 'gut' feeling that smu has no intentions of being serious about football anymore or they would have never made this move OR........

they realize that smu is indeed serious about football & they feel that 'again' they'll b :hmm: e second fiddle once smu finally gets their act together & therefore try the florida/miami model & go for different conferences...
OR.....

the mwc is 'really' getting a bcs-bs invitation once the little east implodes & we're screwed again.....
OR.......

they gambled & lost!
OR.......

we're basically just jewed, brewed & screwed - end of story!

[Water Pony]

It appears that a:

- Move to MWC is an emotional one for TCU
- Unfortunately they feel a need to distance themselves from their traditional rivals, especially us
- At the moment and the near future, BCS status for MWC is wishful thinking
- The economics are unlikely to benefit them. No lift for home games and travel expenses and, more importantly, time for ALL sports and their student-athletes with become a negative.
- No advantage for recruiting

I am afraid their ego's require them to do this move. In the end, two parties will regret this decision, TCU and the other MWC schools.

Having said this, we are better served to focus on our own issues. We have an even longer journey ahead of us.

:wacko:

[MizterTea]

Originally posted by Stallion:
I wouldn't be surprised to see them win 10 games next year when they will be better at least on offense.

that may be the case - and kudos to them foo's for doin' it. But the problem with the non-BCS (and the MWC will STILL be a non-BCS) is that one loss - drops you out of the top 10. UT loses twice and makes it in the top 10 - Miami (OHIO) loses once, and is out of it (even though they had arguably the best non-BCS program this year

actaully this just hit me - if them BCS foo's are looking for a conference with more than one strong team - maybe they should add the MAC instead of the Goats - at least the MAC plays their games before 10PM EST.

[Dooby]

My favorite bit in Star Telegram is the thought of adding a "travel partner" for TCU such as Boise State.

For the record, according to Mapquest, door to door from Amon Carter Stadium in Fort Worth to Bronco Stadium in Boise by car takes 25 hours, 20 minutes with an estimated distance of 1699.22 miles.

<img src="http://www.mapquest.com/mqproxy/401145dd-0023f-03d72-400c3301" alt=" - " />

<small>[ 01-23-2004, 07:10 AM: Message edited by: Dooby ]</small>

[DiamondM]

Okay, I will be calling for Copeland's head if we keep TCU on the schedule past our current contract. Do not give them an easy non-conference travel game. That is what they have chosen to give up.

Good bye and good riddance to TCU. In Greek tragedy, purple was the color worn by mortals with so much hubris that the god's punished them.

[Stallion]

this is the 4th in a series of direct slaps in the face of schools like Rice and SMU which have decided to play Ivy League sports and have not done what is necessary to compete at the Division 1A level. Those schools under those Athletic Models now have uninterrupted streaks of failing to a go to a Bowl Game or the NCAA Tournament for a combined 103 years. Incredible!

[JasonB]

We should absolutely drop TCU from the schedule.

They will have no in-state schools to play, which will really hurt recruiting.

SMU on the other hand will play local teams.

I have some news for them - the Big East is not getting dropped by the BCS. TCU has a pipe dream of wanting to be in a BCS conference. And I do believe that the MWC has a better chance than C-USA. But the whole BCS entity will be gone in a couple of years and replaced with a playoff; on top of that, MWC will not be included because the BCS will want to retain a northeast presence.

This is a horrible move for TCU in the long term - they will lose a local rival, will lose out on recruiting and will have significantyl increased travel costs.

[MizterTea]

Originally posted by Stallion:
this is the 4th in a series of direct slaps in the face of schools like Rice and SMU which have decided to play Ivy League sports and have not done what is necessary to compete at the Division 1A level. Those schools under those Athletic Models now have uninterrupted streaks of failing to a go to a Bowl Game or the NCAA Tournament for a combined 103 years. Incredible!

hey, I agree that SMU's athletic woes are worse than ever - I heard we lost to rice by 40, I live in Houston and didn't even follow them enough to know there was a game - I am honetly starting not to care anymore (which concerns me)

But look, this is not just about SMU and rice... go look at the CUSA boards, tcu is not leaving us per se, since we were never together. They ARE leaving UH, Tulane, Memphis, SO. Miss and others ...

<small>[ 01-23-2004, 07:41 AM: Message edited by: MizterTea ]</small>

[Eddie P]

I am freaking thrilled. Good bye and good riddance. I had thoughts more level-headed people would be making the decision over there, but apparently everyone over in Ft Worth has gone insane. Good freaking