Memphis, Tulane, USF, UTSA commit to AAC
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Pete Thamel
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Kyle Bonagura
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Kyle Bonagura
ESPN Staff Writer
- Covers college football.
- Joined ESPN in 2014.
- Attended Washington State University.
Some of the highest-profile targets of the Pac-12’s expansion have rebuffed its interest, as Memphis, Tulane, USF and UTSA publicly committed to stay in the American Athletic Conference on Monday.
The schools announced their intentions on social media, which solidifies the AAC in the short term and leaves the six-team Pac-12 in flux as it searches for at least two more members to complete its rebuild.
The Pac-12 added Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State and San Diego State in recent weeks, with the goal to create a clear-cut fifth-best football conference. The school is in discussions with Gonzaga as a basketball addition, which sources told ESPN would come with a full revenue share. ESPN is also reporting preliminary discussions with Saint Mary’s for the Pac-12.
But some of the Pac-12’s momentum to become the top football conference outside the Power 4 leagues has stalled, as Memphis loomed as the linchpin of any potential additions.
The schools issued statements filled with standard jargon about student-athletes and academics, but the reality is that a significant financial risk loomed if any of them decided to join the Pac-12. AAC commissioner Tim Pernetti has aggressively tried to leverage private equity money to help boost cash flow in his league.
The four schools released a joint statement that read, in part: “While we acknowledge receiving interest in our institutions from other conferences, we firmly believe that it is in our individual and collective best interests to uphold our commitment to each other.”
Exit fees from the AAC loomed as a big factor, as SMU paid $25 million to leave under a 27-month window. Factoring in revenue loss, it would cost a projected $27.5 million for each school to exit, as the Pac-12 is slated to start play in 2026.
The biggest factor working against the Pac-12 in luring the high-profile AAC programs was that it couldn’t guarantee them a set monetary amount. The conference is working with its consulting partner, Navigate, to reconstruct the league. The costs and toll of travel also played a role in the decision-making. Navigate has been at the forefront of the outreach calls for the Pac-12, sources said.
While the Pac-12 has offered revenue projections of more than $12 million, there’s no guarantee it would land there, considering it doesn’t know who the final members will be. That has prevented the conference from getting an idea from television partners on what a deal would be worth, and that uncertainty presented a risk for the AAC schools. Memphis, Tulane and USF make close to $9 million in revenue from the league all-in between media rights, bowl deals and NCAA units.
As the Pac-12 whiffed on some of its top targets, the Mountain West has been scurrying to solidify its league. ESPN reported that the Mountain West is offering outsized deals to Air Force and UNLV as incentives to stay. The conference is offering all eight of its members extra money and guaranteeing that they won’t move backward in their media contract.
ESPN has confirmed that Air Force has pledged its commitment to stay in the Mountain West. That is in the form of a memorandum of understanding that will allow the league to work toward a television deal and grant of rights.
The San Diego Padres placed right-hander Michael King on the 15-day injured list Thursday because of left knee inflammation.
King (4-2, 2.81 ERA) had just come off the IL on Saturday, allowing two runs in as many innings of a no-decision against the Boston Red Sox.
It was his first start since May 18 as he dealt with shoulder inflammation.
Now, he’s back on the IL with a knee issue in a move retroactive to Monday.
It’s a setback for a red-hot Padres team, who will carry a five-game winning streak into a weekend showdown against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. First-place San Diego is one game ahead of L.A. in the NL West.
King had been scheduled to start the series opener Friday.
In the corresponding roster move, the Padres recalled right-hander Randy Vásquez from Triple-A El Paso.
While the Milwaukee Brewers keep on rolling, another Wisconsin business is stocking up on beef and buns.
For the third time in its history, George Webb Restaurants will make good on its promise of giving away free hamburgers as part of a longstanding promotion to celebrate the Brewers winning 12 consecutive games.
The free burger giveaway will be held Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. CT at all 23 of the restaurant’s locations throughout Wisconsin. Vouchers for a burger at a later date will be available at all locations starting Friday.
“Hungry fans are welcome to stop by any location for a free, juicy burger and some camaraderie with fellow baseball fans,” the restaurant said on its website.
Starting way back in the 1940s, when Milwaukee was home to the minor league Brewers of the old American Association, George Webb promised free burgers if the local baseball team won 17 consecutive games.
The promotion dropped to 13 games by the time the Braves made Milwaukee a big league city in 1953, but that franchise couldn’t make it happen before departing for Atlanta in 1966.
George Webb changed the promotion to 12 games when the Brewers moved from Seattle in 1970. In 1987, the Brewers opened the season with 13 wins in a row, and more than 170,000 burgers were given away to mark the occasion.
The Brewers accomplished the feat a second time in 2018, closing the regular season with eight victories followed by four playoff wins. That streak led to 90,000 free burgers being given away in addition to 100,000 redeemable vouchers.
Prior to reaching the magic mark on Wednesday, the Brewers had come close on a few occasions, including an 11-game winning streak earlier this season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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