Three of the American Athletic Conference’s top programs are now getting ready to leave and join the Power Five as members of the Big 12. But they’re not getting in for free.
According to Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic,, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF will have to pay a pretty penny to leave the AAC. Per his sources, their exit fee will be in excess of $18 million.
The three schools knew that from the get go though and have probably been setting aside or fundraising to secure that move for a while now. Certainly their boosters would be willing to pay for the prestige of joining one of the nation’s most prominent athletic conferences.
Cincinnati, Houston and UCF will be replacing Oklahoma and Texas in the Big 12. Oklahoma and Texas are set to join the SEC in 2025.
Together with BYU, the three schools will restore the Big 12 to a 12-member conference on a permanent basis.
Houston were members of the Southwest Conference with many of the current Big 12 members until 1996. But when the Southwest Conference dissolved, Houston joined the Conference USA instead of the Big 12. They moved to the AAC in 2013.
Cincinnati has been part of the AAC since 2013 after spending the previous 18 as a founding member of Conference USA. They recently became the first Group of Five school to reach the College Football Playoff.
UCF have largely been journeyman in various conferences through their history. They joined the AAC when it was formed after spending several years in Conference USA.
Now they’re all moving to the Big 12 together.