Back at the turn of the decade, the University of Memphis was fighting to get into a better conference.
The Tigers couldn't offer winning football or a massive TV market. But they did have one big advantage: a local Fortune 500 company in their corner. And thanks in part to Memphis' connection to FedEx -- and the potential sponsorship and advertising revenue the company could provide -- the Big East took in the Tigers.
Now, Memphis once again is campaigning for stronger conference affiliation, this time the Big 12, which will be contemplating expansion in the coming weeks.