Mountain West continues P.R. push for Horned Frogs
Since last month the Mountain West Conference has targeted a portion of Associated Press and Harris Interactive poll voters with informational e-mails regarding TCU.
CBSSports.com obtained a copy of an e-mail to a Harris voter dated Oct. 24 that translates into three printed pages of information from Mountain West associate commissioner Javan Hedlund. The e-mail makes comparisons between TCU and other teams in the top eight of the BCS standings. One page compares TCU directly with Boise State.
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| Quarterback Andy Dalton and TCU are 9-0 overall and 5-0 in the Mountain West Conference. (US Presswire) |
• TCU: From Big 12 snub to possible BCS bowl
"I don't find it unethical," said one BCS official who preferred not to be identified. "It's sort of like Boise hiring a P.R. firm."
It was reported last week that the WAC had put on a monthly retainer Scott Peyron and Associates, a Boise-based P.R. and marketing firm. Last year, the Broncos finished ninth in the BCS standings but were beaten out for the automatic BCS berth by Utah which finished sixth.
BCS rules state that the highest-ranked champion of the five non-BCS leagues shall earn an automatic berth if it finishes in the top 12. That threshold falls to top 16 if it is ranked higher than a BCS conference champion.
"Our best P.R. is three teams in the Top 25 and the play on the field," said Hedlund who compared the move to conferences lobbying for All-American candidates this time of year.
"I would hope that other leagues are doing it, too," he added.
In any year a non-BCS school qualifies, the five non-BCS schools split $19 million. Approximately half of that goes to the participating conference. Boise is on track to finish the regular season undefeated for the third time in four years. It played in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl following the 2006 season.
"I have been made aware of it, yes," WAC commissioner Karl Benson said. "Our efforts have been focusing on generating information, not focusing on voters."
The Harris poll is one half of the human component of the BCS standings. Hedlund did not target participants in the coaches poll which comprises the other half. AP voters were sent e-mails because of the cache it holds as the nation's oldest, and arguably most trusted, poll. The AP dropped out of the BCS after the 2004 season.
The e-mails began approximately the third week of October in conjunction with the release of the first BCS rankings of the season, Hedlund said.
