Big 12 Expansion: Why Adding TCU Could Save the Big 12 and Kill the Big East

The next set of dominoes in conference expansion looks like they are about to fall.

According to Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman, Big 12 presidents and chancellors have invited TCU to join their conference.

This was later confirmed in a statement from the league: “Acting upon a unanimous recommendation of its expansion subcommittee, the Big 12 Conference Board of Directors has authorized negotiations with Texas Christian University to become the Conference’s 10th member, and instructed interim commissioner Chuck Neinas to immediately begin discussions with TCU.”

This move would have major implications for both the Big 12 and the Big East. The Big 12 would gain another football school from Texas and the Big East would lose its newest member and, at least as of late, its best football school as well as a major, new television market.

While the details of the move have yet to be finalized, there really is no logical reason why TCU would not accept this offer. It would have to pay a $5 million exit fee, but this is a dream come true for the school.

All the Horned Frogs wanted was to be in a conference with an automatic qualifying bid into a BCS bowl game, but to do that and play their in-state rivals is a perfect match. Undoubtedly, some donors will be able to pull together enough money to make the switch.

Missouri is reportedly on the verge of leaving for the SEC, but apparently it doesn't have enough votes. The Tigers are taking issue with how the revenue would be split amongst the schools.

If they do end up leaving, the conference looks very weak, especially from a market perspective. Missouri has some big-time cities and there are no other major schools from the state.

Adding TCU does bring in more of the Dallas market which is huge, but what is even more important is the pedigree of football brought to the table.

If there was any doubt that the Big 12 would end up staying together, a move by the Horned Frogs should erase it.

As for the Big East, it is next to impossible to see how the conference could survive this. The only major school left in the conference is West Virginia and it doesn't have nearly enough to hold everything together by itself.

Even if it were to add Temple, Navy or any other available school, there would not be enough to warrant the NCAA giving it an automatic bid to the BCS. Plus, each of those schools brings in a valuable market with large alumni bases whereas schools like Temple don’t have nearly as much appeal.

If the conference loses its automatic qualifying status, it becomes defunct and it would be pointless for anyone to join when they don’t get any more perks than their current league offers.

Should TCU become the third Big East school to leave the conference in two months, there is simply no way it survives. A move to the Big 12 would all but deliver a signed guarantee that the league will remain viable and keep its automatic qualifying status.