According to this source, the renegotiation clause did NOT include UConn, but only included Cincinnati, Houston, USF, UCF, and Memphis. If the AAC lost one of those schools, ESPN could renegotiate contract.
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/...057439.php
On a conference call early this week, American Athletic Conference presidents listened as Susan Herbst, president of the University of Connecticut, outlined her school’s plan to depart for the Big East and hope to remain as a football-only member.
“It was a no,” a source with knowledge of the call said Thursday. “It wasn’t just a no … it was not happening.”
AAC commissioner Mike Aresco released a one-paragraph statement.
“We wish UConn well,” the statement partly read.
Translation: Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
Asked about UConn’s decision to leave, Pezman said: “They made a decision in their best interest; we’re going to make decisions that are in ours.”
In an interview with the Houston Chronicle late Thursday, Aresco said the AAC has no interest in keeping UConn as a football-only member.
The AAC has a “very small list” of potential expansion candidates, according to a source, that is believed to only seriously include BYU and Army.
Another important issue revolves around what impact if any, UConn’s departure will have on the league’s new media rights deal that goes into effect in 2020.
The $1 billion deal has a clause that would allow ESPN to renegotiate if a member leaves, according to the Sports Business Journal. A source said the clause is specifically tied to five schools (Houston, Cincinnati, Central Florida, Memphis and South Florida), which UConn was not included.
Under the current terms, each AAC school was projected to receive about $7 million annually.
UConn’s departure could mean an additional $700,000 bump.