American ‘Not Proactively Seeking’ New Members Despite Overtures
Three schools reportedly have interest in joining the league.
The American Conference is not actively pursuing new members despite interest from several schools, according to a recent statement. The league emphasized that they will continue to assess opportunities that bolster the conference and align with their mission. Miami (Ohio) and James Madison are among the schools that have shown interest in joining as full members.
Miami (Ohio), formerly part of the Mid-American Conference (MAC), expressed interest in transitioning conferences following a successful men's basketball season. James Madison, a member of the Sun Belt Conference since 2022, has quickly risen to prominence, securing a spot in the College Football Playoff after ascending from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Additionally, the University of Connecticut has reportedly expressed interest in rejoining the American Conference on a football-only basis. The Big East transitioned to the American Conference a decade ago, with UConn remaining within the conference and transitioning to a football-only membership. However, UConn's football program faced challenges when the university left for the recent iteration of the Big East, which does not sponsor football.
While these overtures have been received, the American Conference has shown little interest in these proposals at the moment. Requests for comment from Miami (Ohio), James Madison, and UConn went unanswered.
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