James Madison Joins the American Before Sun Belt Exit Fees Rise
JMU's move beats a pending vote on higher Sun Belt exit fees.
The American Conference has expanded its roster after James Madison University (JMU) announced its intent to leave the Sun Belt Conference and join the American as a full member by July 1, 2028. The Dukes' decision appears to be financially driven, as the Sun Belt is contemplating raising its exit fees for programs leaving the conference.
The Sun Belt revealed that the exit fee for JMU is set at $5 million, which is the same amount Texas State paid when it transferred to the Pac-12. However, JMU will also pay a $23 million entrance fee to join the American, which the university will cover using privately raised funds. ESPN reported that JMU was not actively seeking a new conference at the time of its announcement.
Three weeks prior, On3 had reported that JMU, UConn, and Miami (Ohio) had shown interest in the American. The conference had initially stated that it was not actively seeking additional members. After receiving JMU's formal application, the American Conference accepted it following a comprehensive evaluation process. This move makes JMU the 14th full member of the American Conference, which previously added new members in 2023.
Despite interest from UConn and Miami (Ohio), the American Conference is not anticipated to add new schools in the near future.
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