FW Bowl - MWC Sign Agreement

MeanGreen61 · August 18, 2005

Bowl gets "access" to top 3 teams.

Fort Worth Bowl Signs Four-Year Agreement With Mountain West Conference

Agreement begins in 2006

Aug. 17, 2005

FORT WORTH, Texas - The Fort Worth Bowl, an ESPN Regional Television owned-and-operated event, has signed a four-year agreement with the Mountain West Conference (MWC) for access to its top three team selections beginning with the 2006 football season. The announcement was made today by Tom Starr, the Executive Director of the Fort Worth Bowl and Commissioner Craig Thompson of the Mountain West Conference.

The agreement, which runs through the 2009 football campaign, not only assures the Fort Worth Bowl access to one of the top three selections from the Mountain West, it also allows access to Texas Christian University's (TCU) participation in the game and the possible selection of the MWC football champion in any given year. The 2005 Fort Worth Bowl matches a team from Conference USA (C-USA) against an opponent from the Big 12 Conference. The game is slated for Friday, December 23 and will be telecast to a national cable audience on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET.

"With TCU's entry into the Mountain West, it is a natural for the Fort Worth Bowl to have one of its top teams as a participant," Starr said. "Mountain West football has gained a well-earned reputation for producing some of the most exciting football in the nation, much to the delight of its wide fan base. The citizens of Fort Worth are in for a real treat."

The addition of TCU into the Mountain West Conference brings the league membership to nine institutions. They join charter members Air Force; Brigham Young; Colorado State; New Mexico; San Diego State; UNLV; Utah and Wyoming.

"With the addition of TCU to the Mountain West Conference, the Fort Worth Bowl is considered yet another asset of that fine institution," MWC Commissioner Craig Thompson said. "Additional exposure in the state of Texas is certainly welcomed because of the recruiting advantages and all the amenities offered by the city of Fort Worth and the great folks who are involved in the bowl will be warmly received by the Mountain West as one of our target areas in the coming years."

The Mountain West is coming off one of its most successful football seasons since the league was formed in 1999. Led by the University of Utah, the MWC received its first ever BCS bowl bid as the Ute's defeated Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl. Wyoming and New Mexico also earned post-season bowl invitations in 2004. The Mountain West has 18 bowl appearances since its inception with seven of its eight teams receiving bowl berths during that time. The MWC will now have bowl affiliations with the Pioneer PureVision Las Vegas Bowl (vs. Pac-10) and the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl (vs. TBD).

Edited August 18, 2005 by MeanGreen61

UNTLifer · August 18, 2005

Now there's a recruiting incentive for TCU. Win our conference and go bowling.....at home.

stebo · August 18, 2005

Still interesting article. It fills in a variable. The MWC is actually going to go through with the contract. This WAS a question mark. Now the sponsor will be anounced along with the opponent. The bowl is guaranteed a top 3 team from the MWC, so if TCU is bowl worthy - and #4 - they will be leaving home for bowl season. Now let's see where we (the Belt) and Movie Gallery fit in.

Edited August 18, 2005 by stebo

MeanGreen61 · August 18, 2005

Thread from the MWC board. Mixed bag of reactions.

http://www.mwcboard.com/www/forums/index.php?showtopic=1052

Arkstfan · August 18, 2005

Thread from the MWC board. Mixed bag of reactions.
http://www.mwcboard.com/www/forums/index.php?showtopic=1052
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MWC dug up a bunch of money at the last minute. Until then they had not been willing to do much funding wise.

Cowtown · August 18, 2005

That RebelRobert guy is a freaking hoot.

If you are feeling down, scroll through that link, his sarchasm will make you chuckle.

Arkstfan · August 18, 2005

Without looking my guess is that Robert is mad because they could have put the extra money out there to bolster the Las Vegas Bowl where the MWC champion ought to be and it ties the MWC to a bowl no one except TCU wants to go to.

Am I right?

MootPoint · August 18, 2005

Without looking my guess is that Robert is mad because they could have put the extra money out there to bolster the Las Vegas Bowl where the MWC champion ought to be and it ties the MWC to a bowl no one except TCU wants to go to.
Am I right?
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