Mid-American Conference

Mid-American Conference
Name	Mid-American Conference
Established	1946
Association	NCAA
Division	Division I (FBS)
Members	12
Sports	23
Headquarters	Cleveland, Ohio
Commissioner	Jon Steinbrecher

Mid-American Conference. The Mid-American Conference is a NCAA Division I collegiate athletic conference, competing at the Football Bowl Subdivision level. Founded in 1946, its membership is primarily composed of public universities across the Midwestern United States. The conference headquarters are located in Cleveland, Ohio, and it is currently led by Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher.

History

The conference was established in 1946 by charter members Ohio University, Butler University, the University of Cincinnati, and Wayne State University. Early expansion saw the addition of schools like Miami University and Western Michigan University. The league has undergone significant membership changes, with notable departures including the University of Cincinnati to the Big East Conference and subsequent moves by schools like the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Temple University. Key moments in its development include the creation of a football championship game in 1997 and the 2022 announcement that the University of Massachusetts Amherst would become a full member. The conference's history is intertwined with the evolution of the NCAA Division I structure and the College Football Playoff.

Member schools

The conference comprises 12 full member institutions, all public universities. The membership is divided into East and West Divisions for football. The East Division includes Buffalo, Kent State, Miami University, Ohio University, the Akron, and the Bowling Green. The West Division consists of Ball State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Toledo, and Western Michigan. The University of Massachusetts Amherst is scheduled to join as a full member in 2025. Affiliate members for specific sports include institutions like the University of Missouri for wrestling and Appalachian State University for field hockey.

Sports sponsored

The conference sponsors championship competition in 10 men's and 13 women's NCAA sports. Men's sponsored sports include football, basketball, baseball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and wrestling. Women's sponsored sports include basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, triathlon, volleyball, and wrestling. Not all member schools field teams in every sponsored sport. The conference does not sponsor ice hockey or lacrosse, though some member institutions compete in those sports in other leagues like the National Collegiate Hockey Conference and Atlantic Sun Conference.

Conference championships

The conference crowns champions in each sponsored sport, with the football championship game being a prominent event held at a predetermined campus site. The men's basketball tournament, often held at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, awards an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. Notable team champions include the University of Toledo in football and Kent State University in baseball and golf. The conference has produced numerous individual national champions, particularly in wrestling and track and field. Its teams have achieved success in the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament and the College Football Playoff access bowl structure.

Facilities

Member institutions play in notable venues, including InfoCision Stadium (Akron), Glass Bowl (Toledo), and Waldo Stadium (Western Michigan University). For basketball, primary arenas include University Arena at Western Michigan University and the Convocation Center at Ohio University. The conference's football championship game has been hosted at venues like Ford Field in Detroit and campus stadiums. Many facilities have undergone significant renovations, such as those at Scheumann Stadium (Ball State University) and Doyt Perry Stadium (Bowling Green State University).

Media coverage

The conference's primary media rights are held by ESPN, which broadcasts football and basketball games across its networks, including ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPN+. The football championship game is televised on ESPN or ESPN2. Selected basketball games and Olympic sports coverage are also provided through the ESPN platform. Local radio networks, such as the Toledo Sports Network and the Kent State Golden Flashes radio network, carry game broadcasts. The conference also has a digital network, MAC Digital Network, for streaming non-televised events. Media partnerships have included deals with CBS Sports Network and American Sports Network in prior years.

Category:NCAA conferences Category:Mid-American Conference Category:Sports leagues established in 1946 Category:Sports organizations based in Ohio