New Red Raider Rivals: Big 12 Could Add Cincinnati, Houston, UCF Before 2023
As reported by the Action Network, the three AAC schools slated to bolt for the Big 12 might happen sooner than expected. Houston, Cincinnati, and UCF are in the process of negotiating a settlement in the $17M - $20M range that would allow the teams to exit early and officially join the Big 12 on July 1, 2023.
AAC bylaws dictate schools must provide 27 months' advance notice and pay an exit fee of up to $10M. If the settlement doesn’t happen, the schools will leave exactly one year later on July 1, 2024.
As a result, the six Conference USA schools who are preparing for their entry to the AAC, Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, Rice, UAB, and UTSA, could join the AAC on the same date. BYU, which has no conference affiliation, is already set to join the Big 12 next season.
The Action Network reports that multiple sources said they are “fully confident” that a settlement will be reached as early as this month between the three schools and the league. AAC commissioner Mike Aresco initially named a price of $35M for each school to leave early, yet in 2019, UConn paid only $17M to become an independent and gave only 12 months' notice.
Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF will give the Big 12 a total of 14 teams until Oklahoma and Texas leave for the SEC in 2025, unless they also negotiate an early exit.
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