Buckley: Big 12, ACC pros and cons as Memphis looks to leave AAC
The Memphis Tigers could potentially join the Big 12 or the ACC. (Top: Rick Bowmer/AP file; bottom: Karl B. DeBlaker/AP file)
Tim Buckley
Tim is a veteran sportswriter who graduated from CBHS in Memphis and the University of Missouri. He previously covered LSU sports in Baton Rouge, and the University of Louisiana football and basketball for The Daily Advertiser/USA TODAY Network in Lafayette, the NBA’s Utah Jazz for the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning for the St. Petersburg Times in Florida, and West Texas State basketball for the Amarillo Globe News in Texas.
The Memphis Tigers’ aspirations to join a higher-profile league than their current one, the American Athletic Conference, are no secret.
Ed Scott discussed as much when in late June he was introduced as the Tigers’ new athletic director.
Tim Pernetti, the AAC’s new commissioner, recently said it is the league’s “responsibility” to show “it’s great for Memphis to stay.”
But Scott, whose first official day on the job in Memphis was July 29, even specified the ACC and Big 12 as possible landing spots for the Tigers whenever the conference realignment wheel starts circling again.
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Memphis Tigers Athletics Ed Scott AAC ACC Big 12 Subscriber OnlyThank you for supporting local journalism.
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