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University of Cincinnati, AAC working on settlement that allows UC to join Big 12 early

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Keith Jenkins, Cincinnati Enquirer
·4 min read

FORT WORTH, Texas – American Athletic Conference Commissioner Mike Aresco and University of Cincinnati Director of Athletics John Cunningham are working to strike a deal that will allow the university to split from the AAC and join the Big 12 Conference before July 1, 2024.

Aresco said Saturday – a day after the Cincinnati men's basketball team lost to top-seeded Houston in the second round of the AAC Tournament – he and Cunningham met Friday and are trying to reach a "financial settlement."

More: University of Cincinnati accepts invitation to Big 12 Conference

More: 'It happened very quickly': How Cincinnati became the newest member of the Big 12

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"We're trying to do it amicably," Aresco said.

Cunningham confirmed to The Enquirer that he and Aresco spoke about the date of UC's exit from the American and will continue to try to reach a settlement.

John Cunningham, the University of Cincinnati's athletic director, speaks during a press conference announcing the University of Cincinnati's commitment to join he Big 12 conference on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati. The university announced Friday it has accepted an invitation to join the Big 12 by no later than July 1, 2024.

The AAC has an exit fee of $10 million and requires its members to give a 27-month notice of departure. If a school leaves before 27 months, the exit fee increases to a negotiated amount.

"If we don't get there (reach a settlement), then we will just say fine," Aresco said. "We'll stop the negotiations and you can just stay until July 1, 2024, which they've said they would do if we ultimately can't reach an agreement. I'm hoping we can, if in fact they want to leave (before July 1, 2024), and it does appear that they do. It appears that the Big 12 would be willing to take them in 2023-24. But the Big 12 has made the point that they're not taking them unless they have a right to go."

FILE - In this Aug. 4, 2015, file photo, American Athletic Conference Commissioner Mike Aresco addresses the media during an NCAA college football media day in Newport, R.I. Aresco vehemently denied that his league has ever "plotted" with ESPN to undermine another conference by poaching its schools. Aresco addressed conference realignment Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, during the AAC's virtual football media day, saying the league is not actively looking to add schools. (AP Photo/Stew Milne, File)

Aresco said if the AAC and Cincinnati are going to reach a settlement, "it's probably going to be done fairly soon."

"There's some urgency to our discussions, and that's probably the best description, at this point, that I can give you," he said.

Cincinnati – along with fellow AAC members Central Florida and Houston and independent Brigham Young University – announced in September 2021 that it had accepted an invitation to join the Big 12.

BYU is set join the conference in 2023, but Cunningham said during the September announcement that Cincinnati's move to the Big 12 would likely have to wait.

"We're contractually obligated to the American (Athletic) Conference," he said. "We would not start (in the Big 12) no earlier than July 1, 2024. Now, I say that – if conversations and arrangements are made that would be different than that, then those are going to take place between the American (Athletic) Conference schools that are leaving and the conference office. We'll follow our contractual obligations with the conference."

Wes Miller, left, is formally introduced as the new head men's basketball coach by University of Cincinnati Director of Athletics John Cunningham, Friday, April 16, 2021, at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati. Miller comes to UC from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he was the longest-tenured coach in the Southern Conference and winningest coach in UNCG history. He led UNCG to the NCAA Tournament twice over a 10-year span.

Aresco said the AAC already has a schedule in place for the 2022-23 year that includes the conference's current 11 members. He said it's "most likely" that the 2023-24 year will again include those same 11 schools.

The American will eventually replace exiting members Cincinnati, Houston and UCF with new members Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UTSA.

Cincinnati has won the last two AAC championships in football, while Houston won last season's men's basketball championship and Central Florida won this season's women's basketball title.

Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Luke Fickell shakes hands with conference commissioner Michael Aresco during a trophy ceremony after the American Athletic Conference Championship football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Houston Cougars at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. The Bearcats remained unbeaten as they won the AAC Championship with a 35-20.

"We hate to see them go, but I wish them well," Aresco said of the exiting schools. "They did a lot for our conference, but our conference did an enormous amount for them. If it weren't for our conference, would they be potentially going to the Big 12? I don't know that they would be, to be honest with you, because our conference gave them an opportunity for incredible exposure."

Aresco said he and Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby remain "good friends." Aresco said he doesn't take the departures of Cincinnati, Houston and UCF to the Big 12 personally.

"We are losing three great teams, and again, I congratulate them for the great success that they've had," he said. "But we're not losing them yet. They're going to be here for possibly another two years or one year."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: UC, AAC working on settlement that allows UC to join Big 12 early