They weren't in either TV market and they chose Nebraska. Bottom line: Nebraska is a lengendary program (much more so than Missou) who added TV sets to their network, added even more prestige to the conference and will give the conference leverage in any future TV talks. Now I know this is tough, but try and keep up with this next sentence: ADDING TCU DOES NONE OF THAT FOR THE BIG 12! Literally NONE of that! Why is that so hard for you to understand?
Missouri would have added a lot more tv sets than Nebraska. And they flat out turned Missouri down. It wasn't an either or situation, they could have taken both of them. They obviously didn't care about Missouri's tv sets. By the way, TCY is in a MUCH bigger tv market (Dallas) than Nebraska, and their football program has been a lot better than Nebraska's recently too. To say TCU adds none of that is completely false.
Word is that the Big 12 may not exactly be too concerned with A&M leaving. I'm sure they'd like to keep them and will publicly try to go out of their way to try to keep them but in reality they don't lose TV sets or TV money if A&M leaves. There's even rumors out there that they will not to replace them and go with 1 less member so each member has an even bigger piece of the TV pie.
The Big 12 doesn't care about A&M leaving?!?! lol, maybe you haven't been paying attention, but the Big 12 is on the verge of collapsing if A&M leaves. The reason we are talking about 16 team super conferences is because the Big 12 is expected to collapse if A&M leaves.
Now your trying to pigeon-hole the argument in some sort of weak *** bait and switch attempt. I never said TV markets are the "only" concern, but they do happen to be the biggest area of any conference talks. Why should the Big 12 share millions of dollars with TCU and elevate them to a level playing field when the Big 12 gets nothing in return? The Big 12 doesn't need TCU's prestige, Texas and OU don't want to be competing with them for recruits and they already monopolize their TV market.
First of all, nobody is elevating TCU at this point. In fact, even though it is rumored that TCU is at the top of the Big 12's wish list, it is also rumored that TCU would decline an invitation. Why? Because TCU is already in a BCS conference. Not only that, but TCU is in a BCS conference without Texas demanding to be the supreme ruler, and without rumors that it is on the verge of collapse. I don't know what makes you think they would be elevating TCU and forced to compete on a level playing field, but the fact of the matter is TCU is already there, and would probably decline their offer. You ask why would the Big 12 share millions of dollars with TCU? The simple answer is because they are on the verge of collapsing if Texas A&M leaves. TCU is in roughly the same market as A&M, used to play in the same conference with these guys (and was pretty close to being in the Big 12 before), has historic rivalries with these guys (they are still considered Baylor's biggest rival and they play every year), and has a better football program than A&M anyway. This is the logical choice to anyone who can get past the flawed tv market argument.
Tell Larry Scott that and I will be smiling ear-to-ear as he laughs in your naive, stubborn face.
Larry Scott? You mean the same Larry Scott that was willing to take Texas A&M even though he already had Texas? I can guarantee you Larry Scott would be all over TCU right now if he was the commissioner of the Big 12. And Beebe has already been rumored to be all over TCU anyway. Seriously, your argument appears to be that it is better to have nobody at all than it is to have the Dallas market (huge) replace the College Station market (which is pretty close to Austin anyway, where Texas is). Why? Because Dallas happens to be in the state of Texas (but nowhere near Austin)? It doesn't make any sense. And it will be funny to see your reaction when it comes to light that TCU has been invited to the Big 12.
