American Conference commissioner Tim Pernetti 'very aware' of Memphis' conversations with Big 12

Memphis made news this week with its reported attempt to be the next school to possibly realign with a move from the American to the Big 12. Now, at the league’s kickoff to end this week in Charlotte, Commissioner Tim Pernetti had to address that move by the Tigers.

In response today to the realignment attempt by Memphis, Pernetti said during his time at the podium that he knew about those discussions and understood where the school was coming from. That’s due to the Tigers’ transparency in the matter, which only made the commissioner feel better about where things stand with the schools in the American.

American's Tim Pernetti on Memphis trying to buy way into Big 12: "I was very aware of the conversations. I understand Memphis' ambition"

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 25, 2025

“I was very aware of the conversations. President Hardgrave and Ed Scott and I, back to when Ed got hired back in August? Like, he hasn’t, you know, been on the job quite a year. We’ve had very transparent conversations for a year about what’s happening,” Pernetti said. “I understand Memphis’ ambition. I think other schools have that ambition. I admire their ambition. Like, I was an athletic director years ago when I took Rutgers into the Big Ten. Your job is to do what you think is best for your school. And I also give them credit for having the guts to after it.

“Having said all that, as I said in my speech, the important thing to remember is this. We’re not surprised by it and we’re building strong, resilient programs in the conference. So, when these things happen, they’re not a surprise. I’m very encouraged that our membership continues to operate in a transparent manner as these things come around.”

On Monday, reporting broke by Ross Dellenger at Yahoo Sports that Memphis offered $200 million, sponsored by its corporate partners, to the Big 12 to become their seventeenth member. That was apparently the culmination of over a year’s worth of effort by the Tigers’ leadership to make the move up from the American, formerly the AAC prior to this week’s rebrand, to the Big 12. However, soon after that day, On3’s Brett McMurphy reported that the Big 12 didn’t have interest in adding Memphis, despite what would come with the nine-figure offer for membership.

Memphis is entering its 13th year as part of the AAC, now the American. That was after what was an 18-year affiliation in Conference USA.

As a brand and athletic department, Pernetti understood Memphis as a candidate for realignment. That’s with their membership likely to still continue as part of the American for now, though, with how things have played out to this point for the Tigers following their reported bid.