Miami (Ohio), James Madison and UConn trying to join American Conference.
Miami (Ohio) · James Madison · UConnOne reason other schools are seeking out the American is the league’s revenue and brand. The league has a media rights deal that is substantially more than the other Group of Six conferences.
In 2019, the American signed a 12-year, $1 billion media rights deal with ESPN, which at the time was worth more than $7 million annually per school. The conference also brought all of its multimedia rights in-house and built a commercial arm, Rise Ventures, under commissioner Tim Pernetti, increased its value by 100% in 11 months and launched a modernized brand.
The attempt by Miami (Ohio) to gain membership is similar to how American member Memphis tried to join the Big 12. In July 2025, Memphis offered the Big 12 $250 million in sponsorship to join the league, but the Big 12 wasn’t interested.
Miami (Ohio) has spent the last year positioning itself as an expansion target for the American. “As the landscape of college sports continues to evolve competitively, legislatively and legally, the American Conference remains focused on driving innovation and helping shape key decisions and opportunities for our member institutions, student-athletes and the industry,” the conference said in a statement Friday morning.
KEY POINTS
- The American is also the only Group of Six conference that has had multiple teams make either the four-team or 12-team College Football Playoff – Cincinnati in 2021 and Tulane last season.
- Miami (Ohio), James Madison and UConn have contacted the American Conference about joining the league, multiple sources told On3.
- Despite overtures from those three schools – including an offer of $30 million to $40 million from Miami (Ohio) – sources said the conference is not expanding at this time.
- Miami (Ohio) and James Madison are seeking full membership in the American, while UConn is interested only in a football-only membership to keep its Olympic sports in the Big East, sources said.