American Athletic Conference

American Athletic Conference
The American Athletic Conference · Public domain · source
Name	American Athletic Conference
Founded	1979 (as the Metro Conference), 2013 (as the American Athletic Conference)
Association	NCAA
Division	Division I
Members	14
Sports	22
Region	United States

American Athletic Conference. The conference was formed in 2013 after the Big East Conference underwent a major realignment, with several schools leaving to form a new conference, including University of Connecticut, University of Cincinnati, and University of South Florida. The conference is headquartered in Irving, Texas, and its members compete in 22 sports, including football, basketball, and baseball, with teams like Cincinnati Bearcats football and Connecticut Huskies men's basketball being part of the conference. The conference has partnerships with several bowl games, including the Birmingham Bowl and the Gasparilla Bowl, and has a television contract with ESPN.

● History

The conference has its roots in the Metro Conference, which was founded in 1979 by schools such as University of Louisville, University of Cincinnati, and University of Florida. Over the years, the conference underwent several changes, including the addition of new members like University of Memphis and University of Houston. In 2013, the conference was rebranded as the American Athletic Conference, with the addition of new members like Southern Methodist University and University of Tulsa. The conference has also had partnerships with several other conferences, including the Southeastern Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference, with teams like Alabama Crimson Tide football and Clemson Tigers football competing against American Athletic Conference teams. The conference has also been involved in several high-profile games, including the Peach Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl, with teams like Ohio State Buckeyes football and Oregon Ducks football competing against American Athletic Conference teams.

● Member Schools

The conference currently consists of 14 member schools, including University of Central Florida, University of Cincinnati, University of Connecticut, East Carolina University, University of Houston, University of Memphis, University of South Florida, Southern Methodist University, Temple University, Tulane University, University of Tulsa, Wichita State University, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and Florida Atlantic University. These schools are located in several states, including Florida, Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, and have a combined enrollment of over 300,000 students. The member schools have a strong athletic tradition, with teams like UConn Huskies women's basketball and Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball competing at a high level. The conference also has several rivalries, including the War on I-4 between University of Central Florida and University of South Florida, and the Bayou Bucket Classic between University of Houston and Rice University.

● Conference Championships

The conference crowns champions in several sports, including football, basketball, and baseball. The conference football championship game is played between the winners of the East and West divisions, with the winner earning a spot in a bowl game like the Cotton Bowl or the Orange Bowl. The conference basketball tournament is played at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, with the winner earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. The conference also crowns champions in several other sports, including volleyball, soccer, and track and field, with teams like University of Oregon and University of Southern California competing against American Athletic Conference teams. The conference has also had several teams compete in the College World Series, including University of Louisville and University of Miami.

● Media Rights

The conference has a television contract with ESPN, which broadcasts several conference games, including football and basketball. The conference also has a partnership with CBS Sports, which broadcasts several conference basketball games. The conference also has a digital media platform, which streams several conference games and events, including the American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament. The conference has also partnered with several other media outlets, including Fox Sports and NBC Sports, to broadcast conference games and events. The conference has also had several games broadcast on ABC, including the American Athletic Conference Football Championship Game.

● Facilities

The conference member schools have several state-of-the-art facilities, including Nippert Stadium at University of Cincinnati, Spectrum Stadium at University of Central Florida, and Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium at University of Memphis. The conference also has several basketball arenas, including Fifth Third Arena at University of Cincinnati and FedExForum at University of Memphis. The conference member schools have also invested heavily in several other facilities, including baseball stadiums and track and field stadiums, with teams like University of Texas at Austin and University of Georgia competing against American Athletic Conference teams. The conference has also had several facilities host high-profile events, including the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament and the College Football Playoff.

● Awards and Honors

The conference presents several awards and honors to its member schools and student-athletes, including the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year award and the American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year award. The conference also has several student-athletes who have gone on to compete at the professional level, including NFL players like A.J. Green and Geno Atkins, and NBA players like Andre Drummond and Shabazz Napier. The conference has also had several teams win national championships, including the University of Connecticut women's basketball team, which has won several NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship titles. The conference has also had several student-athletes win individual national championships, including Olympic gold medalists like Ashton Eaton and Allyson Felix. Category:National Collegiate Athletic Association