The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[statman]

No love for North Texas? SMU, TCU, Rice, and Houston can't even sell out there own stadiums let alone Cowboy Stadium or Reliant. It's like a team from the midwest thinking they are going to break into Utah recruiting by playing Utah St. There will be little media attention and few will show up because nobody cares. So telling a Texas recruit that SMU or Houston is on the schedule will get a coach no where. Telling a recruit that he will be playing the Longhorns or Aggies will get his attention (because that's who he really wants to play for).

If TCU turned into an SEC team overnight, they'd instantly have a bigger fanbase. About 60% of Metroplex sports fans are either, Longhorns, Aggie, or Sooner fans. About half the remaining 40% are long-term fans of some other program - a transplant from another Big 12 school, Notre Dame, USC, BYU or some other program. The final 20% are fans of 'anyone other than Longhorns, Aggies or Sooners' - the "undecided" sportsfans in the middle.

A TCU with membership in the SEC, that would bring in 4 or 5 quality SEC opponents a year, would grab a whole bunch of these undecided 20%. They'd sell the place out each and every week. They'll probably do that with crappy Big East opponents as well...

[Green Monstah]

If TCU turned into an SEC team overnight, they'd instantly have a bigger fanbase. About 60% of Metroplex sports fans are either, Longhorns, Aggie, or Sooner fans. About half the remaining 40% are long-term fans of some other program - a transplant from another Big 12 school, Notre Dame, USC, BYU or some other program. The final 20% are fans of 'anyone other than Longhorns, Aggies or Sooners' - the "undecided" sportsfans in the middle.

A TCU with membership in the SEC, that would bring in 4 or 5 quality SEC opponents a year, would grab a whole bunch of these undecided 20%. They'd sell the place out each and every week. They'll probably do that with crappy Big East opponents as well...

Though I agree they'd capture a certain percentage of fans, I couldn't disagree more with this statement. I could be wrong (don't live in Dallas), but that 40% seems awfully high to me.

[Babs]

Though I agree they'd capture a certain percentage of fans, I couldn't disagree more with this statement. I could be wrong (don't live in Dallas), but that 40% seems awfully high to me.

That's because college sports aren't a big deal in DFW. Probably half of the "metroplex sports fans" are perfectly comfortable not claiming a college team of their own. They're too busy worried about whether Danica is going to leave Nascar, or about how many of the Mavs are on geritol. An obscure school with an enrollment of less than 10,000 can jump to any conference and it's not going to change anything.

What makes SEC and Big 12 football such a big deal is that virtually none of the venues has to compete with major league sports.

[shoganai]

I wonder if the commisioners of the ACC, Big10, PAC12, SEC won't get together and do what the PAC12 has done regarding scheduling OOC games outside of the first month of the season.

That would certainly be bad news for every independent (even Notre Dame) if it happened. But, the full story is that Larry Scott actually had to do a fair amount of arm-twisting to get his way on this.

It was not a popular move with most of the schools (including Utah), and it's ultimate impact on the TV deal is actually quite doubtful in retrospect.

I think the independents are safe from this becoming a more widespread phenom in the forseeable future.

[shoganai]

Do people really believe you get the exposure from playing Rice that you get from playing Texas?

Of course not. But getting rolled by Texas powerhouses might not be great exposure either, and not everybody can play Texas anyway. You do what you can. If you want to recruit somewhere, get a game or two in the region. If you can get a studly primetime opponent on ESPN, and look good in the process, great. If not, take your next best option.

[Green Monstah]

That's because college sports aren't a big deal in DFW. Probably half of the "metroplex sports fans" are perfectly comfortable not claiming a college team of their own. They're too busy worried about whether Danica is going to leave Nascar, or about how many of the Mavs are on geritol. An obscure school with an enrollment of less than 10,000 can jump to any conference and it's not going to change anything.

What makes SEC and Big 12 football such a big deal is that virtually none of the venues has to compete with major league sports.

That seems strange to me considering almost the exact opposite is true in Houston. Longhorns, Aggies, and the rest (including tons of LSU fans). Almost all sports fans are college sports fans (at least, of the people I know).

[ERCougar]

What makes SEC and Big 12 football such a big deal is that virtually none of the venues has to compete with major league sports any worthwhile activity.

FIFY.

[Babs]

FIFY.

Two words: Cedar. City.

[statman]

That seems strange to me considering almost the exact opposite is true in Houston. Longhorns, Aggies, and the rest (including tons of LSU fans). Almost all sports fans are college sports fans (at least, of the people I know).

That was my experience when I was living in the metroplex as well. We did a survey at our office and got a distribution of ~30% horns fans, 15% Aggies, 15% Sooners, 20% 'other', and 20% 'anyone but horns, aggies or sooners.' There were WAY more college sports fans than NASCAR fans - as in a ratio of 50+ to 1. There was one guy who was a serious NASCAR fan, and at least 50 people with their college sports team's regalia in their office. True, I worked in an office where basically everyone had a masters degree, and actually went to college, so in the general population there certainly are more NASCAR fans. Race Day at Texas Motor Speedway meant that all the highways leading toward TMS were parking lots for 10+ miles. So there was SOME interest in NASCAR. But even in our relatively blue collar neighborhood in north Fort Worth, on any given weekend, college flags outnumbered NASCAR by about 50 to 1 as well.

That was NOT the case in Charlotte. NASCAR rules in Charlotte...

[ERCougar]

Two words: Cedar. City.

Oh, you mean Doctor City, 1L?
I wonder if there are three doctors in Norman.

[Paperback Writer]

That seems strange to me considering almost the exact opposite is true in Houston. Longhorns, Aggies, and the rest (including tons of LSU fans). Almost all sports fans are college sports fans (at least, of the people I know).

I've lived in the Metroplex for 20+ years and there are similar amounts of college football fans with Houston. Probably fewer LSU fans but more Sooner fans. I disagree with the presumption that TCU could turn into an SEC program anytime soon. Those 20% undecided will probably not hop onto the TCU band wagon unless Texas and Texas A&M fall off a cliff. In my view, Texas seems to be the program picking up the undecided fans despite TCU's comparable success lately. Even Texas Tech seems to have a much stronger fan following than TCU. I don't know why TCU cannot sell out Ammon G. Carter Stadium (44K) while Texas and Texas A&M regularly sell out their stadiums with over twice the capacity despite the opponent.

But I give TCU credit for a quality football program and the ongoing improvements to their stadium. If TCU had the following of Texas or Texas A&M they would have similar interest from the SEC. But the fan support has to occur first not after. It will be interesting to see what occurs when TCU begins playing a Big East schedule in 2012. I think the fan following will improve marginally but the Horned Frogs have a long way to go before they get to the level of Texas or Texas A&M or an SEC program.

[Paperback Writer]

That's because college sports aren't a big deal in DFW. Probably half of the "metroplex sports fans" are perfectly comfortable not claiming a college team of their own. They're too busy worried about whether Danica is going to leave Nascar, or about how many of the Mavs are on geritol. An obscure school with an enrollment of less than 10,000 can jump to any conference and it's not going to change anything.

What makes SEC and Big 12 football such a big deal is that virtually none of the venues has to compete with major league sports.

If half of the "metroplex sports fans" don't claim a college team, I haven't met very many of them. Maybe because it's been a decade since OU has won a national title so all the Sooner car flags have remained in gloveboxes instead of being displayed on metroplex highways (In January 2001, I would have sworn that half the Metroplex were Sooners). Longhorn, Aggie, and Sooner fans easily make up 50% of DFW. And that brings out the fan in everybody else-especially Texas Tech and other Big 12 and SEC fans.

Sure, many (including myself), like to bandwagon with the Mavericks and god forbid if the Cowboys ever get rolling again. But Metroplex fans love their football. High school games are well attended and there's a heafty Cowboy fan base. I don't buy that DFW football fans attend HS games on Friday, take Saturday off, and then cheer for the Cowboys on Sunday. With the Cowboys prolonged struggles, I think college football has grown deeper roots in the Metroplex.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Two words: Cedar. City.

Oh, you mean Doctor City, 1L?
I wonder if there are three doctors in Norman.

Getting chippy. Doctors and lawyers fighting, the tension is thick.

[YOhio]

Getting chippy. Doctors and lawyers fighting, the tension is thick.

Babs isn't a lawyer yet.

[SteelBlue]

This thread has been hopelessly ruined. It once stirred hope in my heart each time it appeared with new comments. Now I know it will yield nothing but disappointment.