Texas Christian University (TCU) accepts offer to join Big East
Texas Christian University, otherwise known as the TCU Horned Frogs are moving out of the Mountain West division and into the Big East. A source with direct knowledge of the situation informed the Associated Press earlier today 29 November, but would not
comment publicly, because the decision has yet to be announced.
TCU has scheduled a news conference for Monday afternoon, where they will be unveiling, "a major announcement involving the TCU athletics program."
The third-ranked Horned Frogs finished the season with a 12-0 record, the second year in a row they have gone undefeated. The move to the Big East provides TCU with automatic access to the Bowl Championship Series and its five big-money games. The league
currently has eight football teams, and one of six automatic BCS slots.
TCU has a chance to play in the national championship if current favourites Auburn or Oregon lose next weekend. It is likely the Horned Frogs will play in the Rose Bowl instead, assuming Auburn and Oregon win their matches.
The Horned Frogs have won 25 consecutive regular-season games. Last year, TCU lost to Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.
The move to the Big East will affect all TCU sports, including the men’s and women’s basketball teams, baseball and track & field. Adding Texas Christian University also strengthens the Big East’s position when the league begins negotiations towards renewing
their television contract, after the current deal expires following the 2013 season.
"Membership - quality membership and quality inventory - drives value," says Big East commissioner John Marinatto "We're certainly cognizant of the value that expansion and quality inventory would bring to a television partner."
The Big East will be the fourth conference for TCU since 1995, when the Southwest Conference broke apart. The Horned Frogs were not among the Texas schools that became part of the then-newly formed Big 12, which became athletically competitive in 1996.
TCU was in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) from 1996-2000 before going to Conference USA for four seasons. The university joined the Mountain West division in 2005.
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