JMU athletics is leaving the Sun Belt Conference to join the American Conference, the school announced Monday. It will join the league as an all-sports member, no later than July 1, 2028.

It’s massive news for an athletic department that just joined the Sun Belt ahead of the 2022 athletics season. The Dukes make the move to a league with better College Football Playoff access, TV revenue, and basketball competition.

“The Board of Visitors voted unanimously to authorize the university to apply for and accept an invitation for membership in the American Conference, and we did so with tremendous confidence and excitement for this university’s future. The American Conference is the right home for James Madison University, academically, competitively, and geographically. This conference is where our academic peers compete, they have a shared vision for the future, it’s where our alumni live and work, and where our student-athletes will thrive,” said Dave Rexrode ’01, Rector of the James Madison University Board of Visitors.

JMU will receive a full media rights share (it’s about $7 million annually for legacy members and reduced for newer league members, compared to about $1-2 million in the SBC), per Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported the entrance fee is $23 million.

“Yes, JMU will have to cover both a Sun Belt exit fee and American entry fee,” JMU said in a separate news release. “However, the exit fee is being covered by new private funding from generous supporters, while the entry fee has already been committed from new private corporate partners who championed this move.”

The American Conference previously opted to add teams in major TV markets, but the Dukes’ consistent on-field success made them an intriguing addition despite being located in Harrisonburg. This also signals more changes could be coming to the league.

Memphis and USF are among the American Conference teams pushing hard to join a Power Four league. Is JMU trying to position itself for future Power Conference membership? Is the American getting ready for departures?

“We’re ecstatic for James Madison to take the next step in our university’s growth by joining the American Conference,” AD Matt Roan said in a statement. “We work every day to best position our athletics program for excellence, and today’s announcement is the next step in our strategic elevation. The American offers opportunities for all our sports to thrive, to grow our brand and media exposure, to expand our constituent base, and to continue to elevate the impact of James Madison on college athletics.”

So who’s in the American? Here are the full members:

• UAB
• Charlotte
• East Carolina
• Florida Atlantic 
• Memphis
• North Texas
• Rice
• South Florida
• Temple
• UTSA
• Tulane
• Tulsa
• Wichita State

In football, the conference includes Army and Navy, while Wichita State does not sponsor football.

JMU fans will soon adjust to another new conference.

Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications