The Big 12 has been quite the expansion trailblazer in recent years, welcoming eight new teams since 2023. This wave of additions—Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, Cincinnati, Colorado, Houston, UCF, and Utah—came as a countermeasure to offset the loss of powerhouses Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC. So, what’s next on the horizon for this dynamic conference?
The latest chatter in collegiate sports circles, according to Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports, is that Memphis has thrown its hat into the Big 12 ring. The Tigers have reportedly dangled a tantalizing $200 million offer to join the party. It’s an intriguing proposition, no doubt, but as it stands, the Big 12 isn’t quite ready to RSVP with a “yes.”
At the heart of this weighing decision are the conference’s officials, who are diligently evaluating Memphis’s pitch. But as Dellenger reports, the proposal’s got to lock in the support of a supermajority, which means hearing a firm “yes” from at least 12 of the league’s 16 presidents and chancellors. A more detailed version of Memphis’s bid has been circulated among Big 12 athletic administrators, but as history with proposals from Gonzaga and UConn shows, not every interesting idea crosses the finish line.
Take a deep breath and soak in what Memphis is proposing: they’re ready to take one for the team by foregoing any conference distribution funds for five years. Additionally, they’re pledging to inject up to $3 million annually into each Big 12 school through sponsorships. And if all that doesn’t pan out, they’re even willing to accept expulsion post-2030 if deemed not valuable enough. Talk about bold moves!
Whether this is enough to sway the Big 12’s decision-makers remains to be seen. While it’s possible the conference might reassess this offer in the coming months, for now, Memphis appears set to stay in the American Athletic Conference as they look ahead to the 2025 season. The Tigers’ tenacity is clear, though—watch this space, because the landscape of college sports can change faster than a run down the field.
