NAPLES, Fla.—The Atlantic 10 Conference concluded its annual business meetings this past week with meaningful discussion by the league’s athletic directors, men’s and women’s basketball coaches, and corporate partners.  Topics included Name, Image and Likeness (NIL), the NCAA transfer portal, NCAA litigation, future sites for A-10 Championships as well as affiliate member policies and membership criteria.
 
NCAA President Charlie Baker joined the meeting Tuesday providing an update on the current state of the NCAA, NIL legislation and the legal cases facing the Association. Meeting with the athletic directors and basketball coaches, Baker discussed the potential expansion of the NCAA Basketball Championship and the potential allocation of funds to support a revenue distribution unit for selection or participation in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship. The directors and coaches strongly supported the future expansion of the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments. Given the parity in the sport, there was support, (and a recommendation) for combining the current NIT / WBIT into the expansion review of the current field of 68 teams selected for March Madness. 
 
Following the Baker meeting, the directors discussed concerns related to the financial payment model being proposed in conjunction with the Autonomy 5 / NCAA negotiations to offer settlement in the House, Hubbard & Carter lawsuits. As a basketball-centric Division I conference, the recommended payment model disproportionately and significantly impacts the A-10 future revenue.
 
“This is a crucial time in college athletics and the athletic directors and coaches were able to take a deep dive on the critical issues impacting the future of this industry,” stated Bernadette V. McGlade, Atlantic 10 Commissioner. “The opportunity to talk directly to President Baker was important for the basketball coaches and athletic directors as they shared the importance of March Madness access and the desire to see the NCAA tournament expanded.”
 
The athletic directors reviewed proposals for future Atlantic 10 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship sites as well as the men’s basketball championship format.  Under the newly signed A-10 media contract, NBC /  USA Network will televise three opening round Men’s Basketball Championship games and the Women’s Championship quarterfinals.  The new media agreement begins this fall and increases the amount of coverage for the league in all sports.
 
“I want to thank my colleagues, the men’s and women’s basketball coaches and the Atlantic 10 staff for another week of outstanding meetings, said Tanya Vogel, George Washington University Athletic Director and Chair of the A-10 Athletic Directors. “Our time together provided the right environment to continue our work tackling the industry’s largest current issues in pursuit of solutions that can best serve our member institutions.”
 
In Olympic Sports, the directors approved affiliate members in men’s lacrosse, (Massachusetts & Delaware) beginning with the 2026 season. A 10-run mercy rule for baseball regular season in the final game of a series was adopted, and the adoption of a video replay requirement in volleyball for A-10 Championship hosts was confirmed. Also approved by the directors was a Fall men’s and women’s tennis tournament to align with the ITA and NCAA plans to conduct individual championships in the Fall season, rather than the spring.  Davidson College will host the first Fall invitational tournament determining the A-10 representatives to the ITA Conference Masters Tournament, which is a qualifying event for the NCAA Individual Championships.
 
Preliminary plans for the Atlantic 10’s 50^th Anniversary, which will occur during the 2025-26 academic year, were previewed. The plans provide for a year-long celebration of the league’s history and moments, its people, and its member institutions across five decades.  The Atlantic 10 Conference traces its history to Pittsburgh, Pa., founded in 1975-76 as the Eastern 8 Basketball League with eight charter members.
 
The Athletic Directors were briefed on major A-10 initiatives, including the Commission on Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion which hosted it’s first in person meeting of over thirty representatives from all 15 member institutions. The opening of the league’s new production studio and advanced media offices were presented and the league multi-media right partners presented potential partnerships through the JMI team and Fanbase.
 
The league recognized Richmond women’s basketball and Duquesne men’s basketball as 2023-24 A-10 Championship winners and multiple teams for their postseason success, including a special recognition for Rebecca Tillett and Saint Louis women’s basketball, which won the WNIT, the first postseason title for an A-10 women’s basketball program. SLU athletic director Chris May was also given special recognition for his six-year tenure on the NCAA Division I Council, which concluded this year.