Memphis explored other options, including Big East in basketball, as Pac-12 situation played out | Report
Memphis announced Monday it was staying put, for the time being, in the American Athletic Conference.
But that's only after the school reportedly explored multiple alternative options. In addition to fielding a pitch from an expanding, repurposed Pac-12 − which was ultimately rejected − Memphis engaged the Big East to gauge its interest in the Tigers joining in basketball and other sports while going to the Pac-12 in football only, according to USA TODAY Sports columnist Dan Wolken, who cited three anonymous sources close to the discussions.
That scenario, obviously, did not come to fruition.
"... given the quick timeframe, concerns about fit from the Big East side (the league is all private Catholic schools except UConn) and the lack of certainty about Pac-12 money, Memphis had little choice but to recommit to the AAC for now," Wolken wrote.
Apart from the uncertainty regarding a Pac-12 media rights deal, another significant hurdle for Memphis was the AAC exit fee and how much the Pac-12 would pitch in to help cover. According to Yahoo's Ross Dellenger, Memphis would have been on the hook for an exit fee around $25 million, and the Pac-12 offered to foot just $2.5 million.
MEMPHIS PASSES ON PAC-12 OFFER: So what happens next?
As a result, the AAC kept its full membership intact and, now, the Pac-12 is scrambling to put together a roster big enough to meet the eight-team minimum to meet NCAA and College Football Playoff requirements.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or follow him @munzly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis explored other options, including Big East in basketball | Report
