Editorial : TCU’s addition to Big East beneficial
The Big East conference announced Monday the addition of Texas Christian University as an all-sport member effective for the 2012-13 school year. TCU, located in Fort Worth, Texas, is currently a member of the Mountain West conference. TCU’s football team is No.3 in the country, according to the Associated Press poll.
The addition of TCU is a smart decision for the Big East largely because of the increased revenue a strong football team from a major media market will bring.
Originally a conference for East Coast schools, the Big East is a brand name and no longer represents the location of teams. After the addition of universities such as Louisville, Marquette and South Florida in 2005, the Big East is clearly more concerned about what the teams bring to the conference. This is similar to the Pacific-10, which now includes 12 schools and the Big 10, which has 11.
The Dallas/Fort Worth area is the fifth largest media market in the country. The addition of TCU will help to increase exposure for Syracuse University’s football team and aid in recruiting efforts, largely due to the strength of Texas high school football programs. Syracuse mainly recruits student-athletes from the Northeast, and the addition of a Texas university will increase SU’s image in the South. Spreading the university’s name in an area where students are not actively recruited will not only benefit the athletic department but will also bring in more prospective students.
Despite being ranked No. 3 in football, TCU’s basketball team will not be able to compete with the basketball talent in the Big East. However, the losses from having yet another weak basketball opponent are made up for with the gains its strong football team will bring to the conference.
The Mountain West conference does not receive an automatic bid to a major BCS bowl game, such as the Fiesta Bowl or the Rose Bowl. This season, TCU has an opportunity to receive one of two at-large bids, but because of its current conference, there is no guarantee. The Big East is one of six major conferences that receive an automatic bid, and the addition of TCU will give the Horned Frogs a greater chance of playing in a bowl game. The addition of TCU will also help to ensure that the Big East won’t lose its automatic bid.
Increased revenue, expanded recruiting opportunities and a continued automatic bid make the addition of TCU beneficial to not only the Big East conference but also to SU.
