Memphis May Help Deliver FedEx To Big East Partner Roster
Memphis will join the Big East for all athletics in the 2013-2014 year - a big move for both the university and the conference, each of which have been affected by the recent rush to realignment in college athletics. According to the Memphis Commercial-Appeal, which obtained a copy of the contract, the deal could also help deliver a new major sponsor for the Big East.
In clause 13 of the eight page contract, "The University" agrees that "it will use best efforts to cause FedEx Corporation to provide the Conference with appropriate levels of scholarship, advertising and similar level of commitments."
The ties between the University and FedEx run deep. The Memphis Tigers currently play home games in the FedEx Forum, FedEx's Chairman and CEO Fred Smith is a longtime booster of the school, and Smith's son, Canon Smith, recently transferred to Memphis and is expected to vie for starting QB next year. Last summer, various outlets reported that FedEx could provide up to $10 million in sponsorship to a BCS conference that accepted Memphis.
