Name Image Likeness

PAC-12 Unsuccessful in Poaching AAC Targets

In a joint statement, Tulane, Memphis, UTSA, and USF have reaffirmed their commitment to staying in the American Athletic Conference

Noah Henderson

Sep 21, 2024; Annapolis, Maryland, USA; Memphis Tigers quarterback Seth Henigan (9) runs with teammates before the game against the Navy Midshipmen at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
Sep 21, 2024; Annapolis, Maryland, USA; Memphis Tigers quarterback Seth Henigan (9) runs with teammates before the game against the Navy Midshipmen at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

After a stressful week of conference realignment catalyzed by the PAC-12’s addition of four of the Mountain West’s most prolific schools, the American Athletic Conference has quieted any rumor of defection from their ranks. The PAC-12 had met with and pitched the new look conference to four of the biggest brands in the AAC: Tulane, Memphis, the University of Texas San Antonio, and the University of South Florida. 

Roadblocks, including exit fees nearing $27,500,000, heightened travel costs, and only estimations of anticipated media rights valuation, have led those institutions garnering interest from the PAC-12 to stay put in the AAC. Hopefully, administrators and conference officials also discussed student-athlete welfare.

The joint statement from the four schools courted by the AAC is crucial in retaining the conference’s viability. These are the four most valuable brands within the conference, and any defectors would have collectively lowered the conference's value and, ultimately, the quality of services provided to their athletes. A single defector could have been enough to create a domino effect, forcing other schools to join, further highlighting the collective commitment to the AAC that these schools share. 

While the media deal would have likely been larger in the PAC-12, without an agreement in hand, the PAC-12 had little firm data to show that this deal would be a slam dunk for new members. Current AAC member schools make roughly $7,000,000 in broadcasting rights. 

The AAC will live on… at least through this wave of conference realignment. As for the PAC-12, or Six Pack, as some like to call it, the future remains unclear. Who will join Washington State, Oregon State, Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, and Colorado State in creating a viable conference? NCAA regulations mandate the conference to add at least two more schools before the 2026 season. The PAC-12 picking up more schools from the now-depleted Mountain West appears a viable and less lucrative alternative to AAC institutions. Still, as with most things in conference realignment, you can never tell. 

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Noah Henderson
NOAH HENDERSON

Professor Noah Henderson teaches in the sport management department at Loyola University Chicago. Outside the classroom, he advises companies, schools, and collectives on Name, Image, and Likeness best practices. His academic research focuses on the intersection of law, economics, and social consequences regarding college athletics, NIL, and sports gambling. Before teaching, Prof. Henderson was part of a team that amended Illinois NIL legislation and managed NIL collectives at the nation’s most prominent athletic institutions while working for industry leader Student Athlete NIL. He holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law in Urbana-Champaign and a Bachelor of Economics from Saint Joseph’s University, where he was a four-year letter winner on the golf team. Prof. Henderson is a native of San Diego, California, and a former golf CIF state champion with Torrey Pines High School. Outside of athletics, he enjoys playing guitar, hanging out with dogs, and eating California burritos. You can follow him on Twitter: @NoahImgLikeness. 

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