Spit Blood... Big 12... Bigger Stadium?

http://www.spitbloodtcu.com/

First... let me send out a special "Thank You" to our friends at Spit Blood for their well wishes on the new Horned Frogs, Hangovers and Hackers Blog.  I've been a loyal reader of Spit Blood for years.  It's the best place to realize your true feelings as a Horned Frog for Baylor, SMU, etc.  Great Blog!!!

Make Room for TCU

Tomorrow will be the day TCU takes it's place among our new Big 12 breatheren.  This is an opportunity TCU can't refuse.  The Big East gig was looking good until Syracuse and Pitt bolted for the ACC.  And if you'd asked me before they left about taking a Big 12 offer over the  Big East, I'd probably said "No".  Not anymore.  We need this Big 12 opportunity for survival with the bigger athletic programs.  The extra TV $$ will also be a welcomed addition to the TCU bank account.  Think about this... these past 13 years of success have been done with severely limited TV revenue.  Sheesh... our MWC TV income was something like $1.5 million yearly.  Come next June, TCU can expect something like $20 million deposited in their account from the new Big 12 participation.  It will be nice operating with the same kind of TV money that Baylor and TTech receive.  Let's see what TCU can do with all that new revenue.

Does joining the Big 12 change current stadium plans?

One of my first vivid memories of TCU as a kid was seeing that old upper deck of Amon Carter Stadium with the old "cTu" embroidered in the armchair seats.  It was during the early 1970's and I was hooked on TCU, stadiums and especially ACS from that time on.  TCU added that upper deck during the mid-50's when my mom was attending college (and ogling Jim Swink in her math class).  The 50's were also a great time for Horned Frog Football, and TCU realized the need for a larger venue to host their football games.  That old upper deck really made a statement back in those days.

I've really been inpressed with the architect's renderings of the new stadium..The new east side plans were released a couple of months ago.  But now... I am wondering if 50,000 capacity is enough to accommodate hosting half of UT, OU, OSU, TTech, BU, KU, Mizzou (maybe),etc.?  In the past couple of years, I have finally seen TCU fill the stadium with mostly our own fans.  Will the new east side be altered to accommodate more fans because of the Big 12 announcement?

I realize cost would come into play about this matter.  There is also the idea that limiting the size also limits the number of visiting fans that can attend the games.  Ensuring a TCU based crowd would be a pretty cool thing to think about, especially when I've got to believe that UT and Tech will still be thinking about invading the new ACS in the same fashion they did back in the SWC days.  It ain't gonna happen!!!