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Having survived the most recent wave of expansion intact, the Big East Conference is studying ways to bolster its position and has targeted TCU as very attractive candidate to help strengthen its football league, The Post has learned.
“We are in a situation that requires us to evaluate and analyze all our options including expansion and television," said a source close to the league who requested anonymity. “There are a dozen or so schools that we’re looking at."
Two sources said the TCU discussion developed recently. The school’s tradition, academics and recent success have lifted the university’s profile. TCU (4-0) is ranked fifth in the polls and many believe it is currently the best team in Texas.
One source stressed that there have been no meetings among Big East presidents or ADs to discuss membership. But that source also said expansion has altered the way conferences think. The fact that TCU hardly matches the Big East footprint is a tertiary concern.
“It’s a good program in a good market,’’ said the source. “That’s what you look for.’’
TCU is a member of the Mountain West Conference, which recently lost Utah to the Pac 10. There was intense speculation that TCU would move to the Big XII when that conference lost Nebraska to the Big Ten and Colorado to the Pac 10, which also almost lured Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State..
TCU officials, attending to their weekly football media obligations, did not immediately return calls.
It’s almost a foregone conclusion that the Big Ten and Pac 10 are not done expanding, which puts the Western Athletic Conference and the Mountain West in a precipitous position. Many thought TCU would jump to the Big XII when Colorado left but that league also is vulnerable.
So as far-fetched as a Big East-TCU union might have seemed just three years ago, the landscape is changing at warp speed. The eight football playing members in the Big East strongly desire a ninth program for scheduling purposes.
Villanova, already in the league for basketball, previously was mentioned as a possible addition for football.
“It’s always been our policy never to comment on individual schools when talking about membership,’’ John Paquette, the Big East’s associate commissioner for communications, told The Post.
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/colle...#ixzz10s2WzKZd
“We are in a situation that requires us to evaluate and analyze all our options including expansion and television," said a source close to the league who requested anonymity. “There are a dozen or so schools that we’re looking at."
Two sources said the TCU discussion developed recently. The school’s tradition, academics and recent success have lifted the university’s profile. TCU (4-0) is ranked fifth in the polls and many believe it is currently the best team in Texas.
One source stressed that there have been no meetings among Big East presidents or ADs to discuss membership. But that source also said expansion has altered the way conferences think. The fact that TCU hardly matches the Big East footprint is a tertiary concern.
“It’s a good program in a good market,’’ said the source. “That’s what you look for.’’
TCU is a member of the Mountain West Conference, which recently lost Utah to the Pac 10. There was intense speculation that TCU would move to the Big XII when that conference lost Nebraska to the Big Ten and Colorado to the Pac 10, which also almost lured Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State..
TCU officials, attending to their weekly football media obligations, did not immediately return calls.
It’s almost a foregone conclusion that the Big Ten and Pac 10 are not done expanding, which puts the Western Athletic Conference and the Mountain West in a precipitous position. Many thought TCU would jump to the Big XII when Colorado left but that league also is vulnerable.
So as far-fetched as a Big East-TCU union might have seemed just three years ago, the landscape is changing at warp speed. The eight football playing members in the Big East strongly desire a ninth program for scheduling purposes.
Villanova, already in the league for basketball, previously was mentioned as a possible addition for football.
“It’s always been our policy never to comment on individual schools when talking about membership,’’ John Paquette, the Big East’s associate commissioner for communications, told The Post.
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/colle...#ixzz10s2WzKZd
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