New Memphis athletic director Ed Scott said that one of the factors in saying no to the Pac-12 was the business side of the matter.

The Pac-12's membership offer to Memphis would have been a "bad" deal for the university, Tigers athletic director Ed Scott said Thursday, confirming, too, that the Pac-12 was only willing to cover $2.5 million of AAC's $25 million exit fees.

Memphis Athletics has been in the conversation as well. However, in late September, news broke that the program along with Tulane, USF, and UTSA planned to stay in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) despite Pac-12 discussions.

The Pac-12, if it wanted to become more than just a “glorified Mountain West,” plainly did not play its cards right in this latest go-round. Sound familiar?

Memphis, Tulane, South Florida, and Texas-San Antonio announced Monday that they remain committed to the American Athletic Conference after receiving overtures from the Pac-12.

After reported discussions regarding a potential move to the Pac-12, several AAC schools are remaining members of the conference instead. The AAC announced

The schools had seen presentations from the Pac-12 but ultimately felt the league’s uncertainty and travel weren’t enough to leave.

It is a decision that hasn’t sat well with a large portion of the Tiger fan base. And trust me, new Athletic Director Ed Scott has heard the disappointment about the university’s decision not to accept a bid to the rebuilding Pac-12.