According to multiple sources, the Big 12 Conference will extend a membership bid to Texas Christian University– perhaps as early as today.
As part of the bid, TCU would share in the revenue from established Tier One and Tier Two television rights deals over the course of the next six years.
An equal revenue sharing agreement was decided upon by presidents from the Big 12 schools in the same meeting at which time it was proposed to extend a membership bid to TCU. The University of Texas also agreed to refrain from any broadcast of high school sports on the Longhorn Network as part of the new revenue-sharing agreement.
If TCU indeed does formally join the Big 12 in the next couple of days it makes sense from several standpoints.
The TCU athletic program has improved dramatically under the course of the past few years– driven by the success of its baseball and football programs– and a visible dedication to improvement of facilities and alumni engagement.
TCU’s geographical location makes perfect sense for the league, and the league could benefit from the re-kindling of several previous rivalries with schools in Texas and beyond.
TCU is a nice fit for the Big 12, but is only a stop-gap solution.
Interim commissioner Chuck Neinas must work now to keep Missouri. Doing so, and preventing their departure to the SEC, may finally get the Big 12 back on solid ground and allow the conference to work towards growing rather than putting out fires.
Until then, the announcement of TCU’s addition is a small blip on the radar of the realignment circus.
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