FWST: TCU, Texas Tech and Baylor’s future as Power 5 schools depends on ESPN, Fox and Big Ten

[TopFrog]

TCU, Texas Tech and Baylor’s future as Power 5 schools depends on ESPN, Fox and Big Ten

BY Big Steaming Pile

Not long after UCLA and USC announced their intentions to join the Big Ten, Pac-12 officials immediately began to quietly gauge the interest of others schools if they were interested in heading west to join that league.

The list includes pretty much every major school east of Salt Lake City, including TCU, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and the usual suspects.

According to sources familiar with what are now “very preliminary” discussions, the answer is, “Maybe.”

Read more at: https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mac-engel/article263109828.html#storylink=cpy

 

[This Ain't Chopped Liver]

Excerpt—
According to TCU’s Board of Trustees “Retreat Outcomes” in April of 2022, one of primary goals of the school moving forward includes, “Be proactive, nimble and win, maximize placement as member of Power 5 conference in intercollegiate athletics.”

High ranking TCU officials recently relayed to select faculty members that the school is so invested in its current model that there is no Plan B.

To go in an another direction could be catastrophic, and would have a trickle down effect on salaries and compensation packages for staffers all over campus.

That message likely is as a result of discussions with the TCU Board of Trustees. The school adopted the “athletics model” in 1998, and it worked so well it became a model for other schools around the country.

It’s risky, but the sports model remains the single most effective marketing tool for universities to raise and/or maintain their profile and appeal to donors and prospective students.

One of the reasons TCU’s profile has grown from a regional name to a nationally recognized one in the last 10 years is a recruiting pitch anchored around, “Small college classrooms, individual attention from college professors and big-time college sports.”

TCU is among a small number of Power 5 schools that can make that pitch: Baylor, Wake Forest, Duke are some others.

What that identity is worth to TCU is in the hundreds of millions.

 

[HG73]

Another bowel movement from Mac. If we don't get a call from B1GSEC then we're doomed.
IMO if the Big12 just holds together in present form we'll be just fine. If we get the mountain teams (and a CA team or two) then we'll be doing great. And if ND joins the B1G we'll have our pick of ACC teams not named Clem or FSU. Take UV, VT and maybe UNC and NC State. The rest get relegated to the AAC. That gives us 16 to 22 teams coast to coast. And no more PAC or ACC. Three major conferences with 48-56 teams. Plenty of TV money to support 56 teams.

 

[Nick Danger]

I don't know about buying a seat at the Big-10 table as BSP calls for, but it might not be a bad idea to offer the Big-10 (if they haven't already) a pledge to make a concerted effort, one with all the necessary financial resources like the stadium initiative and the new Medical School, to achieve AAU or Tier 1 Research status within, say, 5 years of admission!

That, plus the underappreciated benefit of TCU's geographical location both in a major media market, and in the heart of a major recruiting region that is already coveted by several Big-10 schools. TCU doesn't need to control the D/FW media, their high-profile opponents would do that! They would just need to be the local tie-in or "hook" for game day stories about USC or Ohio State coming to town to play TCU! That would draw the interest of many more college football fans in the MetroPlex, than just TCU alumni, that would be interested in reading about or viewing a game that includes an Ohio State, USC, or a Notre Dame.

In regards to recruiting, currently Ohio State, USC, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Oregon, and some other present or future Big-10 schools have a top Texas recruit committed. Imagine what they could do with the additional benefit of playing some games in the MetroPlex for them to showcase their programs, bring potential recruits to the game, and allow the families and friends to see them play. Of course, being in the "big leagues" now would enhance TCU's recruiting as well.

It still might be a longshot to garner a Big-10 invite, but it's not as long as some may think. With all the other high profile schools that the Big-10 is bringing in, they might be willing to "take a flyer" on their last open slot on a TCU and its' underappreciated geography and recruiting benefits! But even if not, we're still looking at being in a very vibrant Big-12 Super conference!

 

[Hoosierfrog]

I don't know about buying a seat at the Big-10 table as BSP calls for, but it might not be a bad idea to offer the Big-10 (if they haven't already) a pledge to make a concerted effort, one with all the necessary financial resources like the stadium initiative and the new Medical School, to achieve AAU or Tier 1 Research status within, say, 5 years of admission!

That, plus the underappreciated benefit of TCU's geographical location both in a major media market, and in the heart of a major recruiting region that is already coveted by several Big-10 schools. TCU doesn't need to control the D/FW media. They would just need to be the local tie-in for game day stories about USC or Ohio State coming to town to play TCU! That would draw the interest of many more college football fans in the MetroPlex, than just TCU alumni, that would be interested in reading about or viewing a game that includes an Ohio State, USC, or a Notre Dame.

In regards to recruiting, currently Ohio State, USC, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Oregon, and some other present or future Big-10 schools have a top Texas recruit committed. Imagine what they could do with the additional benefit of playing some games in the MetroPlex for them to showcase their programs, bring potential recruits to the game, and allow the families and friends to see them play. Of course, being in the "big leagues" now would enhance TCU's recruiting as well.

It still might be a longshot to garnering a Big-10 invite, but it's not as long as some may think. With all the other high profile schools that the Big-10 is bringing in, they might be willing to "take a flyer" on a TCU and its' underappreciated geography and recruiting benefits! But even if not, we're still looking at being in a very vibrant Big-12 Super conference!

Having to live among the BIG types the only reference to the letters tcu are used when referring to a bank Teachers Credit Union, such as the TCU Outdoor Music venue.

TCU is not even an afterthought in BIG circles, at least in the media. Just this morning in an article about adding Notre Dame there was a line about the Big 12 and the left overs nobody wants among their newly anointed few anyway…

 

[TopFrog]

I see the Big 12 aligning with the Pac12 leftouts.

 

[This Ain't Chopped Liver]

I don't know about buying a seat at the Big-10 table as BSP calls for, but it might not be a bad idea to offer the Big-10 (if they haven't already) a pledge to make a concerted effort, one with all the necessary financial resources like the stadium initiative and the new Medical School, to achieve AAU or Tier 1 Research status within, say, 5 years of admission!

TCU—Texas College & University is primarily a liberal arts college with only about 1700 postgraduates of its total 12,000 students, so obtaining Tier 1 Research status in five years is probably not realistic. I assume postgraduate student and research professor numbers would have to increase significantly, and physical space and its equipment too. I wish TCU would move in that direction, having at least 3500 postgraduate students. That could, but may not have to come at the cost of undergraduate numbers and I recognize that I don't know the financial cost of such change. But, Wake Forest’s endowment is only 1.35 billion dollars and they have 8800 total students with 3450 of them being postgraduates (2020 numbers).

Baylor has about 5450 postgrad students and is maybe about a year away from Tier 1 Research status—it is their objective. Houston is already there. AAU status is another matter, more elite, drawing in big government grants.

EDIT: Baylor reached their goal this past December.

Baylor earns prestigious R1 status; here's what that means for BU

In mid-December, Baylor received a surprise early Christmas present: the attainment of R1 status, three years earlier than expected. "R1" has been a big buzzword around campus for the past few years -- but what exactly is it? And, perhaps more importantly, what does it mean for Baylor moving forward

www2.baylor.edu

 

[This Ain't Chopped Liver]

TCU doesn't need to control the D/FW media, their high-profile opponents would do that! They would just need to be the local tie-in for game day stories about USC or Ohio State coming to town to play TCU! That would draw the interest of many more college football fans in the MetroPlex, than just TCU alumni, that would be interested in reading about or viewing a game that includes an Ohio State, USC, or a Notre Dame.

I think that is a great point. TCU in the BIG TEN would change TCU’s dynamic in DFW and Texas. It would be offering something unique, worth going to the game for or turning on the TV to see BIG TEN teams playing a Texas school in Texas, OR on the road in the BIG TEN. We currently don’t have that uniqueness in the Big 12.

 

[McFroggin]

TCU is primarily a liberal arts college with only about 1700 postgraduate students, so obtaining Tier 1 Research status in five years is probably not realistic. I assume postgraduate student and research professor numbers would have to increase significantly. I wish TCU would move in that direction, staying at about 12,000 total students and having at least 3500 postgraduate students at the cost of undergraduate numbers. Though I recognize I don't know the financial feasibility of such change. But, Wake Forest has a 1.35 billion dollar endowment and has only 8800 total students with 3450 of them being postgraduates (2020 numbers).

Baylor has about 5450 postgrad students and is maybe about a year away form Tier 1 Research—it is their objective. Houston is already there. AAU status is another matter, more elite, drawing in big government grants.

I’m not an AAU expert, but adding postgraduate students after a med school should be easy. Med school enrollment increases and add residency/fellowship positions. Adding allied health would be easy.

 

[Palliative Care]

Nick as much as I like your thoughts and wish that it might happen, I see neither the BIG TEN nor the SEC taking advantage of our "potential and dynamics". Why? Because basically each organization is full of big schools and snobs who ignore and disrespect small private schools. We are nothing to them and when we upset one in a game they take it not like we were their equal on the field but rather as an insult to be brushed aside like the cockroaches they believe us to be (see all those typical UT responses over the years). See also UT's take on all those loses to us over the resent years... "Patterson cast some sort of spell over them".

To UT and OU we are the garbage of a conference that they cannot wait to leave. Back in the east it is "What's a TCU anyway? Oh that silly little school with a frog for a mascot". Ok now that I insulted ourselves let me say, I could have never been more proud as when we won the Rose Bowl and I like slapping the big schools in the face. But that is exactly why they do not want us. Our competing on their level diminishes their bluster.

 

[HG73]

Nick as much as I like your thoughts and wish that it might happen, I see neither the BIG TEN nor the SEC taking advantage of our "potential and dynamics". Why? Because basically each organization is full of big schools and snobs who ignore and disrespect small private schools. We are nothing to them and when we upset one in a game they take it not like we were their equal on the field but rather as an insult to be brushed aside like the cockroaches they believe us to be (see all those typical UT responses over the years). See also UT's take on all those loses to us over the resent years... "Patterson cast some sort of spell over them".

To UT and OU we are the garbage of a conference that they cannot wait to leave. Back in the east it is "What's a TCU anyway? Oh that silly little school with a frog for a mascot". Ok now that I insulted ourselves let me say, I could have never been more proud as when we won the Rose Bowl and I like slapping the big schools in the face. But that is exactly why they do not want us. Our competing on their level diminishes their bluster.

Maybe back in the SWC days. But we are cockroaches no more.

 

[Palliative Care]

I would like to believe that. I guess we will see.

 

[TCUdirtbag]

TCU is primarily a liberal arts college with only about 1700 postgraduate students, so obtaining Tier 1 Research status in five years is probably not realistic. I assume postgraduate student and research professor numbers would have to increase significantly, and physical space and its equipment too. I wish TCU would move in that direction, having at least 3500 postgraduate students. That could, but may not have to come at the cost of undergraduate numbers and I recognize that I don't know the financial cost of such change. But, Wake Forest’s endowment is only 1.35 billion dollars and they have 8800 total students with 3450 of them being postgraduates (2020 numbers).

Baylor has about 5450 postgrad students and is maybe about a year away from Tier 1 Research status—it is their objective. Houston is already there. AAU status is another matter, more elite, drawing in big government grants.

Baylor already hit R1.

 

[Big Frog II]

I guess if the Big 10 would take Rutgers, then we would have a chance. A long shot for sure, but a chance. I still think the Big picks at least two more Pac schools, and we get the choice of those left over. In reality we would be on equal footing in sports with anyone in the new Big 12/16/18.

 

[LisaLT]

It’s just a matter of time before Amazon becomes a player in streaming college football games. Amazon could buy and sell ESPN and Fox 100 times over, and with the gazillion prime members, it’s going to happen. They already bought the rights to NFL Thursday night football and are paying ESPNs Herbie Herbstreit and Al Michaels 10 million a year to call the games.

When amazon (Jeff Bezos) decides to throw their weight around in college football, things will get interesting. And his brother is a TCU Alum. Can’t hurt to have that connection.

 

[Hoosierfrog]

I guess if the Big 10 would take Rutgers, then we would have a chance. A long shot for sure, but a chance. I still think the Big picks at least two more Pac schools, and we get the choice of those left over. In reality we would be on equal footing in sports with anyone in the new Big 12/16/18.

How so? Basically the state university of New Jersey with over 60k students. You can’t be comparing DFW with the tri state area tv audience of NYC?

 

[TopFrog]

Anyone see the ACC, Big 12 and PAC 12 remnants forming a super conference?

 

[BrewingFrog]

How so? Basically the state university of New Jersey with over 60k students. You can’t be comparing DFW with the tri state area tv audience of NYC?

Well, that's the thing: The NYC Media Market is the undisputed #1, but it is hardly monolithic in it's viewing habits. The vast majority of Big Apple denizens could care less about Rutgers. Yes, it is in this majestic market, but they can't draw flies even in their own neighborhood. And still, no one cares if Michigan or tOSU is beating the living crap out of them. This is the fallacy of the Big TV Market: There is no guarantee that those in proximity have any interest.

 

[Big Frog II]

How so? Basically the state university of New Jersey with over 60k students. You can’t be comparing DFW with the tri state area tv audience of NYC?

DFW is the 5th largest media market. The DFW area watches college football. Rutgers has never been good at college athletics and no one cares about them in New jersey or NYC.

 

[Eight]

DFW is the 5th largest media market. The DFW area watches college football. Rutgers has never been good at college athletics and no one cares about them in New jersey or NYC.

think the real question is not if on the average fall saturday college football is being watched in the metroplex, but instead which teams are drawing the most eyeballs in the metroplex on an average fall saturday