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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'It happens more than we'd like': Kansas football coach says he's called coaches about tampering
FRISCO, Texas — Among the many things talked about last week during Big 12 Conference media days, as Kansas football looked ahead to its 2025 season, was the issue of alleged tampering. It was something that was discussed during a roundtable of Big 12 coaches. Enforcement of the rules, and how that occurs when an athlete on one roster is someone another program might want to poach, was discussed. In what at times seems like an ever-changing world of college athletics, it's something that is on a lengthy list of things that need to be handled. KU coach Lance Leipold later acknowledged during media days that it's something his program has had to deal with when it comes to other programs being interested in his players. He acknowledged it's a frustrating part of the sport right now. And, according to him, it's something he's taken the time to address with certain individuals in the past. RELATED: DeShawn Hanika represents Kansas football, and Topeka, at Big 12 Conference media days 'It happens more than we'd like, probably a lot more than I even know about,' Leipold said. 'I didn't this year, but in the previous two years, I've picked up the phone and called head coaches. They all said they were going to call me back after they were going to find out about it, and my phone's never rang. But, I'll let you guess the conference it came from.' Leipold is entering his fifth season in charge at Kansas, after taking over ahead of the 2021 season. In both 2022 and 2023, the Jayhawks reached bowl games. In the latter, KU won its first bowl game in more than a decade. This upcoming season, Kansas will look to bounce back after a disappointing 2024 season. It'll have two new lead coordinators attempting to help the Jayhawks do so, after one retirement and one departure to another power-conference program. Perhaps most importantly, quarterback Jalon Daniels is back for his redshirt senior season and healthy to the point he can lead the offense and the team in general. Kansas' season opens with an Aug. 23 home game against Fresno State, and non-conference play continues in the weeks that follow with a home matchup against Wagner and a road game against rival Missouri. Big 12 play follows. The Jayhawks aren't seen as the Big 12 title contenders they were a year ago, and it'll be up to them to prove those who hold that view wrong. Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association's sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@ or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas football coach Lance Leipold addresses tampering concerns
New York Times
a day ago
- Business
- New York Times
Memphis' Big 12 pitch, including $200 million in sponsorships, isn't gaining traction: Sources
By Chris Vannini, Ralph D. Russo and Justin Williams The University of Memphis pitched itself to the Big 12 with an offer to bring sponsorship revenue to the conference while taking no media rights payments, an unprecedented offer to join a conference, but the deal has not garnered enough support within the league. Advertisement According to people briefed on the situation, that proposal would include Memphis joining the Big 12 without taking revenue from the league for at least five years — what administrators dub the 'SMU model' in the ACC — while also committing hundreds of millions in corporate sponsorships from Memphis supporters. Big 12 athletic directors recently met on the idea, and conference presidents talked about it on Monday. But the determination was that the league is not interested. One source said there was 'very little momentum for this,' and multiple league sources expressed concern that adding Memphis could 'dilute' the league's value in the next television deal. Any expansion would need 12 of 16 members to approve a move, a number that was not reached for UConn or Gonzaga in recent years. Memphis did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Memphis' proposal includes $200 million in sponsorships with FedEx, Lowe's and AutoZone over five years, according to one person. FedEx, based in Memphis, has long been a supporter of Tigers athletics, currently committing $25 million over five years in name, image and likeness support. Marvin Ellison, the CEO of Lowe's, is a Memphis graduate and is on the school's board of trustees, which also includes FedEx executive vice president Rob Carter. Multiple people with knowledge of the situation said Memphis' leadership first reached out to Big 12 presidents about the idea, rather than the conference office. The proposal would also include a clause allowing the Big 12 to kick the Tigers out before the next TV deal is done if it's determined they're not bringing enough value. The tepid performance of recent American additions to the Big 12, outside of Houston men's basketball, has also caused some pause among administrators. Memphis' pitch is an attempt to make this a no-risk situation for the Big 12. The school and its big-money supporters have tried to find a pathway to a Power 4 conference ahead of what could be another round of conference realignment in the next five years. After SMU got an ACC invitation in part thanks to its billionaire backers, Memphis is trying the same thing. Advertisement Memphis has also talked with the Pac-12 about a football-only membership, if the rest of the Tigers sports can get into the Big East, but that may not be a long-term solution. Men's basketball has historically been Memphis' signature sport. The Tigers have reached three Final Fours, including a championship game appearance under John Calipari in 2008. That and Memphis' 1985 Final Four appearance were later vacated due to NCAA violations. Memphis has 29 NCAA men's tournament appearances overall, including three of the past four seasons under coach and former Tigers star Penny Hardaway. But under Hardaway, the program has also incurred multiple NCAA investigations, including being placed on probation last week after an academic counselor paid two softball players to do coursework for a men's basketball player. The football program at Memphis, after decades of mediocrity and struggles, has had its greatest sustained success since joining the American in 2013. Under three different coaches, the Tigers have had five double-digit victory seasons, including each of the past two years under Ryan Silverfield, as well as a Cotton Bowl appearance under Mike Norvell to cap the 2019 season. They have not had a losing record since 2013. Memphis received $11 million from the American Conference in 2023-24, tops in the league it has been a member of since 2013 and also likely the most for a Group of 5 school. But as college sports continue to be reshaped and driven by who can find and spend the most money, perhaps toward an eventual consolidation, Memphis has tried to tap into its resources to find a new home. To this point, it hasn't happened.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Memphis proposing lucrative offer to join Big 12, but it lacks support from conference leadership: Sources
Memphis has proposed to the Big 12 a lucrative membership proposal — a serious enough endeavor that league presidents met Monday about the offer — but the proposition is not believed to have the necessary support, for now. The proposal from Memphis — one of the most aggressive membership propositions in college athletics history — features hundreds of millions of dollars in sponsorship commitments to the Big 12 from UM-affiliated corporate partners, as well as the school eschewing revenue distribution from the league for at least five years. Multiple sources spoke to Yahoo Sports under condition of anonymity about the proposal, which is the latest and most serious chapter in the school's effort to move out of the American and into one of the four power leagues. This particular effort began more than a year ago. Memphis president Bill Hardgrave has spent at least 14 months visiting with the presidents and top athletic administrators of many Big 12 schools in individual, on-campus meetings that have culminated in a membership offer to the league that is expected to be as high as $200 million over the next five years. Big 12 officials are in the midst of exploring the proposal, but league-wide support is not there, multiple conference officials told Yahoo Sports.. Any expansion move needs the support of a super majority of the league's presidents and chancellors, or 12 of the 16. A more finalized copy of the Memphis proposal was disseminated among conference athletic administrators in the last few days. Over the last 18 months, the conference seriously explored two expansion proposals, from Gonzaga and UConn, only for each to fail to gain the necessary support. This effort is much more lucrative, but hurdles remain. 'I'm not certain it has enough support,' one Big 12 leader told Yahoo Sports over the weekend. 'We vetted Memphis when we added the other four (Cincinnati, UCF, Houston and BYU) and chose not to add them,' said another Big 12 administrator. 'What's changed now?' However, the proposal was attractive enough to garner weeks of exploration from the conference. It comes at a financially stressful time as Big 12 leaders work to compete against the Big Ten and SEC, both with more lucrative television contracts and revenue distributions. The timing is important. On July 1, college athletics launched into a new era in which schools can directly compensate athletes in a capped revenue-sharing system. The industry has never been in a more money-hungry time. Already, Big 12 schools are receiving roughly $1 million in additional revenue from a sponsorship with PayPal. Memphis' proposal would have increased that by at least $2 million with sponsorship commitments from UM partners. The school is notoriously aligned with partners such as FedEx, Lowe's and AutoZone. Memphis' proposal is described as a 'no-risk' concept, according to some in the Big 12, and it also sets a standard, perhaps, of expansion fees to enter a league. The school would (1) take zero distribution for the final five years of the league's new television deal with ESPN and FOX; (2) add the sponsorships in excess of $150 million over five years; and (3) subject itself to expulsion after 2030-31 if Big 12 deems it is not adding value. The sizable offer represents a historic moment in college sports of a school quite literally purchasing their way into a conference — a move that further expounds upon a precedent set by SMU's entrance into the ACC. While SMU agreed to take no league revenue for a stretch of time in the ACC, the school did not arrange millions in sponsorships for the league. The pricy nature of Memphis' offer speaks to its unwavering desire to elevate to a power conference — something the program attempted to do years ago with the ACC. Under Hardgrave and new athletic director Ed Scott, the school has increased investment significantly over the last several years, with financial help from sponsors like FedEx and Lowe's. In fact, with a massive gift from FedEx coming, the UM officials expect to share the full $20.5 million in rev-share with athletes by next year, they have told Big 12 leaders. Any move out of the American would come with another steep price tag. The American exit fee is expected to be at least $25 million - a similar fee that SMU paid the conference upon its departure last year.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Sources: Memphis proposing lucrative offer to join Big 12, but it lacks support from conference leadership
Memphis has proposed to the Big 12 a lucrative membership proposal — a serious enough endeavor that league presidents met Monday about the offer — but the proposition is not believed to have the necessary support, for now. The proposal from Memphis — one of the most aggressive membership propositions in college athletics history — features hundreds of millions of dollars in sponsorship commitments to the Big 12 from UM-affiliated corporate partners, as well as the school eschewing revenue distribution from the league for at least five years. Multiple sources spoke to Yahoo Sports under condition of anonymity about the proposal, which is the latest and most serious chapter in the school's effort to move out of the American and into one of the four power leagues. This particular effort began more than a year ago. Memphis president Bill Hardgrave has spent at least 14 months visiting with the presidents and top athletic administrators of many Big 12 schools in individual, on-campus meetings that have culminated in a membership offer to the league that is expected to be as high as $200 million over the next five years. Big 12 officials are in the midst of exploring the proposal, but league-wide support is not there, multiple conference officials told Yahoo Sports.. Any expansion move needs the support of a super majority of the league's presidents and chancellors, or 12 of the 16. A more finalized copy of the Memphis proposal was disseminated among conference athletic administrators in the last few days. Over the last 18 months, the conference seriously explored two expansion proposals, from Gonzaga and UConn, only for each to fail to gain the necessary support. This effort is much more lucrative, but hurdles remain. 'I'm not certain it has enough support,' one Big 12 leader told Yahoo Sports over the weekend. 'We vetted Memphis when we added the other four (Cincinnati, UCF, Houston and BYU) and chose not to add them,' said another Big 12 administrator. 'What's changed now?' However, the proposal was attractive enough to garner weeks of exploration from the conference. It comes at a financially stressful time as Big 12 leaders work to compete against the Big Ten and SEC, both with more lucrative television contracts and revenue distributions. The timing is important. On July 1, college athletics launched into a new era in which schools can directly compensate athletes in a capped revenue-sharing system. The industry has never been in a more money-hungry time. Already, Big 12 schools are receiving roughly $1 million in additional revenue from a sponsorship with PayPal. Memphis' proposal would have increased that by at least $2 million with sponsorship commitments from UM partners. The school is notoriously aligned with partners such as FedEx, Lowe's and AutoZone. Memphis' proposal is described as a 'no-risk' concept, according to some in the Big 12, and it also sets a standard, perhaps, of expansion fees to enter a league. The school would (1) take zero distribution for the final five years of the league's new television deal with ESPN and FOX; (2) add the sponsorships in excess of $150 million over five years; and (3) subject itself to expulsion after 2030-31 if Big 12 deems it is not adding value. The sizable offer represents a historic moment in college sports of a school quite literally purchasing their way into a conference — a move that further expounds upon a precedent set by SMU's entrance into the ACC. While SMU agreed to take no league revenue for a stretch of time in the ACC, the school did not arrange millions in sponsorships for the league. The pricy nature of Memphis' offer speaks to its unwavering desire to elevate to a power conference — something the program attempted to do years ago with the ACC. Under Hardgrave and new athletic director Ed Scott, the school has increased investment significantly over the last several years, with financial help from sponsors like FedEx and Lowe's. In fact, with a massive gift from FedEx coming, the UM officials expect to share the full $20.5 million in rev-share with athletes by next year, they have told Big 12 leaders. Any move out of the American would come with another steep price tag. The American exit fee is expected to be at least $25 million - a similar fee that SMU paid the conference upon its departure last year.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ranking all 16 Big 12 logos from worst to first
The 16-team Big 12 Conference is home to some iconic college athletic brands, despite losing Oklahoma and Texas in recent years. Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and Arizona State, the four most recent additions to the conference, may not all be football powerhouses. Still, they are among the best athletic programs in other sports, such as skiing, swimming, golf or basketball. The most recognizable aspect of all these programs is their logo. Worn at every athletic event, the logo is front and center in all big moments and is often the most recognizable thing about a team. So far this offseason, we've ranked the Big 12's 16 football stadiums, evaluated each stadium's in-game atmosphere, and ranked each program's helmet and uniforms. Now, to wrap up our offseason ranking series before season preparation begins to ramp up in late July, here is an in-depth look at the Big 12's 16 logos, ranked from worst to best. 16. Houston Cougars Houston's logo feels more functional than anything creative or unique. The block "UH" with interlocking letters is clean and recognizable, but it misses the opportunity to connect to the "cougar" mascot. A redesign that leans into an actual cougar might help it climb the rankings. 15. UCF Knights I am just not a big fan of the entire UCF branding. The lettering is fine and has good lines, but similar to Houston, it lacks creativity. Compared to other Big 12 brands, it comes across more like a generic logo rather than a timeless college football emblem. 14. TCU Horned Frogs If the logo above were used as the primary logo for all sports, TCU would likely rank higher. The Horned Frog is such a great mascot, but TCU does not feature it enough. Instead, their primary logo is the three letters, which is fine, but not anything to write home about. 13. Baylor Bears The interlocking "BU" is well known, but it is not memorable. There is no visual nod to their "Bears" identity, which detracts from its uniqueness among a multitude of more expressive logos in the conference. I love the colorway, and on the green helmet, the gold "BU" really pops, but I can't put an only-letter logo in the top tier. 12. Texas Tech Red Raiders Out of all the interlocking/overlapping logos in the Big 12, I do think Texas Tech's is the best. Furthermore, the Red Raiders' emblem is a historic one. However, it seems like it is due for a refresh, with the shaded aesthetic feeling outdated. It's easily identifiable and fans love it, but among the competition, it falls in the middle of the pack. 11. BYU Cougars BYU could have gone the direction of TCU, Houston, or Baylor, but instead, they chose to enclose only the "Y" in a circle. It seems pretty creative to me, albeit simple. It is distinctive, even if it lacks the connection to the cougar mascot. 10. Iowa State Cyclones Talk about creativity with only lettering. Iowa State does a great job of making the most of the letters. The overall logo is solid, but with a cyclone as a mascot, they could do better. It is easy to recognize, which gives it some bonus points. 9. Oklahoma State Cowboys Another logo with blocky lettering. Oklahoma State earns a spot in the top 10 for its historic significance and effective use of the cattle-brand font, which ties the logo to its cowboy mascot. The logo is somewhat clunky compared to the more modern Big 12 designs, and a refined version might help it rise to the upper half of this ranking. 8. Arizona Wildcats Maybe this pick is controversial, but the Arizona "A" is a classic. It is a perfect emblem to go on every athletic uniform. I love the tri-color outline, which gives it dimension and pop without feeling overwhelming. 7. Kansas State Wildcats The "powercat" logo is excellent and speaks to the aggressive nature of a wildcat. Its minimalist style makes it instantly recognizable, and the design conveys a sense of energy. The logo is a solid, upper-mid-tier logo. 6. West Virginia Mountaineers Now, talk about an iconic logo, especially when talking about college football. West Virginia's stacked "WV" is bold, and the font perfectly suits the school's mountainous identity. The golden yellow pops on the dark blue, making it one of the more eye-catching logos in the Big 12. It is a good example of the 'less is more' theory in action. 5. Cincinnati Bearcats Cincinnati does a fantastic job of connecting its logo to its mascot. The "C" in the shape of a bear paw is next level. It is one of the more creative and distinct animal logos in the conference. 4. Utah Utes I opted for the classic black "U" surrounded by a circle and two feathers, rather than the interlocked black "U." The feathers give the logo some cultural depth and are immediately recognized as the Utah emblem. It's bold, clean, and unique to college sports. 3. Kansas Jayhawks The Kansas Jayhawk logo is quirky but legendary. It is a smiling, colorful bird that is not to be liked. While it lacks intimidation, it makes up for it with charm and uniqueness. Not many mascots and logos are instantly tied to their university as the Jayhawk is to Kansas. 2. Arizona State Wildcats Kenny Dillingham at Big 12 media days confirmed that Sparky is returning to be a more regular presence on uniforms, which is fantastic. Sparky should be everywhere when it comes to the Sun Devils. 1. Colorado Buffaloes Colorado combines classic block lettering with a charging animal to make one of the best logos in college athletics. The back and gold palette feels timeless, especially on a gold helmet. The design conveys tradition, passion and regional pride all at once, which, as a college logo, is near perfection. This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Power ranking all 16 Big 12 logos from worst to first
