- The Knight Commission recognizes Division I conferences for meeting the C.A.R.E. Model financial framework for “Connecting Athletics Revenues with the Educational Model of College Sports.”
- Three new Division I conferences – America East Conference, Patriot League, and The Summit League – awarded Knight Commission C.A.R.E. Model Grants for their commitment to educational values and financial responsibility in college athletics.
- Big Sky Conference, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and The Southern Conference maintain C.A.R.E. Champion distinction and are awarded grants for ongoing commitment to the C.A.R.E. Model.
The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics announced today that six Division I conferences earned grants and recognitions through the Knight Commission’s C.A.R.E. Model program by meeting criteria for “Connecting Athletics Revenues with the Educational Model of College Sports.”
The America East Conference, the Patriot League, and The Summit League are recipients of $25,000 C.A.R.E. Model Conference Grants. In addition, three inaugural C.A.R.E. Champion Conferences, the Big Sky Conference, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), and The Southern Conference, continue as C.A.R.E. Champions for a second year and each receive a $10,000 continuation grant. The financial awards recognize and support each conference’s commitment to the C.A.R.E. Model principles in their distribution and use of shared athletics revenues.
Knight Commission Co-Chair Pam Bernard said, “These six Division I conferences are leaders in connecting their revenues with the education-based values that make college sports special. The Knight Commission is honored to recognize them.”
“One of the distinguishing characteristics of a C.A.R.E. Champion conference is having gender equitable financial incentives,” said Len Elmore, Knight Commission Co-Chair. “Incentives reflect values, and the C.A.R.E. Champion conferences are to be commended for embedding their values in their annual revenue distributions.
Among other criteria, the gender equity incentive standard requires that if a conference financially rewards team success, such as postseason performance, the rewards must be provided equally for the success of men’s and women’s teams. For example, the Commission’s C.A.R.E. Champions will reward March Madness victories by women’s basketball teams at a dollar level equal to that of their men’s teams.
The C.A.R.E. Model (Connecting Athletics Revenues with the Educational Model of College Sports) financial framework was created to assist conferences and national entities in bolstering accountability and ensure that both the distribution and spending of shared athletics revenue prioritize supporting college athletes’ education, health, safety, well-being, equity, and opportunity. This holistic model supports the educational mission and includes four universal principles and requirements:
- Transparency
- Independent Oversight
- Incentives for Core Values of Education, Gender Equity, and Opportunity
- Financial Responsibility for Education, Health, Safety, and Well-Being
Each conference can use its C.A.R.E. Model Conference Grant to implement the principles and educate institutional leaders, staff, college athletes, and other stakeholders about how this new framework positively impacts student-athletes’ experiences.
Quotes from Commissioners:
Brad Walker, America East Conference
“The America East Conference is honored and thankful to be one of six NCAA Division I conferences receiving the C.A.R.E. model grant from the Knight Commission this year,” said America East Commissioner, Brad Walker. “America East and its member institutions have long been committed to broad-based excellence and been at the forefront of prioritizing the same education-centered values as the Knight Commission. We look forward to partnering with the Knight Commission as this funding will go a long way towards enhancing the student-athlete experience within the America East Conference.”
Jennifer Heppel, The Patriot League
“The Patriot League and our membership are truly honored to be recognized by the Knight Commission as C.A.R.E. Model Grant recipients,” Patriot League Commissioner Jennifer Heppel said. “This distinction highlights our commitment to maintaining a student-centered approach to athletics, where prioritizing academic success and personal development is paramount to all that we do. We are grateful for the recognition and reward and look forward to continuing to lead by example in promoting the C.A.R.E. Model in a way that benefits our student-athletes and our member institutions.”
Josh Fenton, The Summit League
“The Summit League is honored to receive the C.A.R.E. Model Conference Grant from the Knight Commission. We are proud that our conference policies align with the Commission’s continued commitment to strengthen the bond between athletics and higher education in a sustainable and equitable manner. Thank you to CEO Amy Perko and co-chairs Pam Bernard and Len Elmore for this tremendous recognition.”
Tom Wistrcill, Big Sky Conference
“On behalf of our membership, the Big Sky Conference is honored to once again be recognized as a C.A.R.E. Champion,” Commissioner Wistrcill said. “This continued distinction affirms our commitment to aligning athletics with the core educational values that define our league and its 13 member institutions. Each year we proudly support more than 3,700 student-athletes in their academic and athletic pursuits, and the C.A.R.E. Model helps ensure that our financial decisions reflect our mission and values.”
Travis Tellitocci, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
“The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is proud to once again receive the C.A.R.E. Model Champion designation from the Knight Commission. This honor reaffirms our commitment to education-based values, gender equity, broad-based sports opportunities, and financial responsibility. We appreciate the Knight Commission’s continued partnership and remain dedicated to fostering an environment where academic success, service, and leadership are prioritized alongside athletic achievement.”
Michael Cross, The Southern Conference
“The Southern Conference is honored to be recognized by the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics as a C.A.R.E. Champion for the second time. Acknowledgement of the SoCon’s unwavering commitment to student-athlete education, health, safety, and well-being shows “It’s All Here” in the Southern Conference. We remain dedicated to implementing the C.A.R.E. principles to support meaningful and gender equitable opportunities for all student-athletes. The Southern Conference will continue leading by example and reinforce the educational imperative at the core of college sports.”
About the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics
The Knight Commission, founded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in 1989, is an independent group that leads transformational change to prioritize college athletes’ education, health, safety, and success. The Commission has a legacy of influencing NCAA policies that have helped propel record-high graduation rates of Division I athletes. The Commission’s ongoing efforts focus on governance, equity, and financial reforms, as well as providing education on the changing landscape of college sports. For more, visit knightcommission.org.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy. For more, visit knightfoundation.org.
Media Contacts
Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics: JoJo Rinebold – jojo@rineboldresults.com
America East Conference: Sean Tainsh – tainsh@americaeast.com
Big Sky Conference: Tyson Rodgers – trodgers@bigskyconf.com
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference: Hamilton Cook – hamilton.cook@maac.org
The Patriot League: Ryan Sakamoto – rsakamoto@patriotleague.com
The Southern Conference: Ralan Wardlaw – rwardlaw@socon.org
The Summit League: Ryan Powell – powell@thesummitleague.org