Memphis athletic director Ed Scott admits it stung when the Big 12 rejected an unprecedented bid to join the league in July. The ambitious proposal — which included up to $250 million in sponsorship commitments and forgoing revenue distributions for at least five years — was among the boldest yet by a Group of Six program to buy into the Power Four.
“I’m a human being, man. I don’t like being rejected,” Scott said on the Gary Parrish Show. “If I interviewed for a job and they told me no, it hurts. If I said anything different, I’d be disingenuous and that’s just not my style. So that hurt, right? You never want someone to tell you that they don’t want you.”
University president Bill Hardgrave spent more than a year pitching Big 12 leaders on the plan, according to Yahoo Sports, but the board showed no interest when Memphis’ final proposal arrived in early July. For now, the Tigers remain in the American Conference while the Big 12 presses ahead with 16 members.
“The initial reaction was that people were upset because we didn’t get in,” Scott said. “But folks like you started to respond differently and say, ‘Wait a minute. I see what Memphis is doing.’ … As a leader, you have to know when to take it and when to be out front. … My job is to do what’s right for this institution, for the athletic department and the city — even when other people react a certain way. And I think that keeps me grounded.”
Asked directly why the Big 12 doesn’t want Memphis, Scott argued the usual explanations don’t hold up. He dismissed many of the “short-sighted” criticisms tied to the school, pointing out that the football stadium renovation is on time and on budget, Memphis is now an R1 research institution, and the athletic department set a…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/memphis-ad-ed-scott-acknowledges-big-12-rejection-hurt-says-tigers-sent-shockwave-in-college-athletics/
Author : Cody Nagel
Publish date : 2025-08-20 20:40:00
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