Brett Yormark says the Big 12 has not met with anyone from Memphis about its possible conference expansion efforts.
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is not Walking in Memphis any time soon after refuting the Tigers as a potential expansion candidate for his league.
He may have put on his blue suede shoes and boarded a plane, but if he did touch down in the land of the delta blues in the middle of the pouring rain, it was probably for a Sackful of steamy Krystal goodness, over seeing if the Tigers want to go Power Five. I mean, in time, they could, but Yormark being this adamant about having not spoken with University of Memphis officials is so very telling.
What Yormark told ESPN's Pete Thamel does not bode well for the Tigers in expansion talks at all.
"I've never met with anyone at Memphis about adding them to the Big 12, nor have I been on campus," Yormark told Thamel.
Truth be told, Memphis is still not a bad potential expansion candidate for the Big 12. It is just not at the top of the priority list for Yormark and his league. To date, their biggest targets seem to be the Pac-12's Four Corners universities, especially former league member Colorado, as well as Gonzaga and UConn on the hoops side of things. UConn competes independently on the gridiron.
Even if Yormark seems lukewarm on the Big 12 adding Memphis, is there still meat on that bone?
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark refutes league potentially adding Memphis
Look. Even if it doesn't happen, I still think it serves a league like the Big 12 to look long and hard at potentially adding Memphis into the fold. You would be getting the biggest media market in the Mid South. The Tigers have a rich basketball history, as well as a pretty strong football program over the last decade or so. They played Big 12 newcomers Cincinnati, Houston and UCF in the AAC.
While I think getting a footprint in the state of Tennessee, and frankly, into parts of Arkansas and Mississippi as well, make a ton of sense, Memphis does not move the needle like the Four Corners universities potentially could, or what Gonzaga and UConn tend to do on the hardwood. However, if they have an ability to spend big when they level up like Houston probably will, this isn't terrible.
Overall, I do think Memphis would be very competitive in the Big 12 in its two major sports, pretty much right away. Unfortunately, I don't think the dollars and cents make sense to justify adding Memphis from a grant of rights perspective. I could be proven wrong, but the Tigers may end up being a bridesmaid, never a bride, when it comes to making the leap up to Power Five competition.
For now, the Big 12 expansion rumors of adding Memphis with Colorado have cooled off just a bit.