TCU trustees held a meeting Monday night and accepted the Big 12's invitation to join the conference beginning July, 1 2012.
"Joining the Big 12 connects us not only to schools with whom we share a rich tradition in sports, but also to schools committed to academic excellence," TCU Chancellor Victor J. Boschini Jr. said.
"Participating in this conference allows us to strengthen the core of the TCU experience, which includes providing students with major opportunities in a personalized environment."
The Horned Frogs are currently a member of the Mountain West Conference and were scheduled to make a jump to the Big East next year. However, after the Big 12 extended an invitation on Thursday, TCU will back out of its Big East commitment and become a member of the Big 12 next year.
The move will not come without a penalty, though. TCU will have to pay the Big East $5 million to leave, but will still be able to begin the 2012-13 athletic seasons with the Big 12.
This is the first aggressive move the Big 12 has made amidst all the recent conference realignments. After losing Colorado and Nebraska to other conferences this year, the Big 12 is down to 10 teams this season and will lose Texas A&M to the SEC next year. There was also speculation that Oklahoma and Texas would move to the Pac 12, but those talks fell through.
With the move, TCU will be able to tap into the equal revenue-sharing plan from the Big 12's television contracts. The conference says schools will make $20 million by next June, with that number increasing in the following years with new television deals.
