Paul Finebaum believes the ACC and Big 12 missed out on Memphis during the most recent round of conference realignment, chastising the conferences for failing to include a school that struck a historic NIL contract with the Tigers on April 19.
“I think (Memphis’s NIL deal) may be one of the most critical pieces ever,” Finebaum told the Memphis Touchdown Club. “From a distance, if you’re in another league and you see one of the most important organizations in not only the country, but the world, enter this sector, it must energize you. And, to be honest, I think the ACC made a mistake by not selecting Memphis over SMU last year.
“I think the Big 12 made a bigger mistake when they took in Houston and UCF and didn’t come Memphis’s way.”
Finebaum denied acting as a homer against the Tigers since he is from Tennessee. He went on to remark that the program has grown significantly in the last two years.
But is he correct about his assessments?
ACC and Big 12 saw more potential in Dallas, Houston, and Orlando markets than Memphis
These gatherings are all about money and sense. When the ACC absorbed SMU, their goal was to expand into the Texas market, taking advantage of the state’s largest media market while also acquiring a former national champion. For the Big 12, adding Houston and UCF meant expanding into Space City and Orlando, Florida.
When comparing those three towns to Memphis, it’s evident that those conferences knew exactly what they were doing. All four cities have NBA franchises, but the Memphis Grizzlies are the least valuable. Sure, the Tigers have a chance to take over the city due to the lack of a professional football club, but with a larger stadium than Houston and UCF, they had equal attendance levels to the former and far lower attendance numbers than the latter in 2022, when they all shared a conference.
There is a stronger case for SMU to win the ACC over Memphis, but the Mustangs have a longer winning streak and greater fan support than the Tigers. Plus, the DFW market dwarfs Memphis’.
Finebaum may have given the Memphis Touchdown Club lip service here, but the Tigers’ NIL agreement with FedEx makes them a must-see program for the next round of conference realignment.
