💬 Report: FedEx advocates for Memphis in Big 12/ Big12 expansion

[ESPNU]

Big 12 drawing interest from Houston, Memphis

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[FOX Sports Digital]

New documents show the incredible lengths some schools will take to get into the Big 12.

Memphis, specifically, seems to be willing to do whatever it takes to get into the conference — including the unusual step of guaranteeing that local company FedEx will sponsor the new Big 12 title game. Via ESPN:

On Feb. 24, Memphis president David Rudd penned a letter to (West Virginia president Gordon) Gee and copied Oklahoma president David Boren and Baylor president Ken Starr, the other two members of the composition committee, as well as former Big 12 board chairman and Kansas State president Kirk Schulz. In the letter, Rudd pledged that Memphis will make a $500 million investment in academic and athletic infrastructure over the next five years. Rudd also enclosed a letter from FedEx chairman Fred Smith, who stated that the delivery services giant headquartered in Memphis will be behind the school's Big 12 campaign.

"We strongly support the university's efforts to become a member of an expanded Big 12 athletic conference," Smith wrote to Rudd in a letter dated Feb. 23. "In support of [Memphis'] Big 12 aspirations, we have researched college conference sponsorships and are prepared to become a major Big 12 sponsor of football and basketball."

Smith also wrote that FedEx would be prepared to sponsor a Big 12 championship game. ​

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[College Football News :]

Report: FedEx advocates for Memphis in Big 12

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[rick4bama]

FedEx Has a lot to do with the Big 12 these days? I would think maybe these guy would push Memphis toward the SEC or am I thinking the wrong way ?

 

[mhardiman]

^They probably know there's not a chance for that to happen; There's already one too many teams ideally from Tennessee in our conference, so we sure as heck are NOT going to add a third. If Memphis was in North Carolina or Virginia then maybe.

 

[252BAMA]

:rolf: at one of the comments.

"Memphis has no history, no following, no big stadium, small TV market, no national brand, noncompetitive sports programs, limited tradition, poor academics, and is an afterthought in the state in which they reside. Why would they be any better than BYU, Cincy, Rutgers, or Boise? Hey, nice to see corporate bribery and extortion heralded by CBS."

 

[252BAMA]

If they'll take WVU, I don't see how they could cull any of them. That one made no sense at all.