How Desperate Was Memphis To Join The Big 12? Tigers Proposed Giving Over $200 Million For Invitation

The Memphis Tigers are desperately trying to get out of the American Athletic Conference, so much so that the school submitted a proposal that would offer the Big 12 millions of dollars in sponsorship money that would be tied to its invitation. 

The Memphis athletic department submitted a proposal to the Big 12 that would see the conference receive upward of $200 million for them to extend an invitation to the Tigers. 

After being passed over in the last round of realignment, Memphis is pulling out all the tricks to join a power conference, and this includes giving up television money for the league's final years on its contract with ESPN and FOX. 

According to multiple sources, the Big 12 rejected the proposal.  Yahoo Sports was the first to report the proposal. 

Also, if the Big 12 didn’t like what it saw from Memphis during its time in the conference, it could expel the Tigers after the 2030-31 season, which is another move that reeks desperation to join the power-four. 

Now, the financial part of this made sense for the Big 12, especially during a time when schools are looking for additional revenue. But, sources tell OutKick that the conference is not ready to make such a move, even with the potential sponsorship money that would come with adding Memphis. 

Memphis offered the Big 12 upwards of $200 million to join the conference  (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

When Big 12 administrators vetted the proposal, they were not satisfied with what the Tigers had to offer, even with the school being willing not to take any television revenue. When the conference decided to take BYU, UCF, Houston and Cincinnati, it left Memphis with nowhere to go. 

But, even the promise of bringing on corporate sponsors like FedEx or AutoZone was not enticing enough to get a majority vote from Big 12 administrators. 

Even though Memphis was willing to risk it all from a financial standpoint, during a time when schools were looking for additional revenue, the move to add another team to the Big 12 conference was met with push back. 

While this might wreak of desperation, the Tigers are not in a bad spot when it comes to revenue-sharing, thanks to FedEx, along with other sponsors. But, in terms of joining a new conference that would increase its visibility, Memphis will have to go back to the drawing board. 

It was certainly worth a shot, given the landscape of college athletics, but the Big 12 was not biting.