logo
AAC rebrands as American Conference in move designed to fuel growth in changing college landscape

AAC rebrands as American Conference in move designed to fuel growth in changing college landscape

The American Athletic Conference is rebranding itself as, simply, the American Conference as part of a wide-ranging effort it says is designed to fuel growth and elevate its position in a quickly changing college-sports landscape.
The 15-team football conference also on Monday unveiled a new slogan — 'Built To Rise' — and introduced Soar the Eagle as a new mascot. Both will be featured in promotions and public service announcements that air during games involving its teams.
By changing names, the conference will get rid of the 'AAC' nickname that often got confused with the Power Four's ACC — Atlantic Coast Conference. It wants to be known as the 'American Conference,' or the 'American.'
American's commissioner, Tim Pernetti, has been aggressive about positioning the conference in the name, image and likeness era, announcing earlier this year that all members except Army and Navy would be required to revenue share at least $10 million over the next three seasons; it was the first league to set such a minimum standard.
Under the new NIL rules, schools are allowed to share up to $20.5 million in revenue in the 2025-26 season.
'This modernization is rooted in who we are and where we're headed,' Pernetti said. 'It prioritizes clarity, momentum, and the competitive advantage driving every part of our conference forward.'
These are fraught days for the Group of Five conferences, which includes the American, and whose teams have been constant targets in an era of realignment.
Since 2023, the American has lost Cincinnati, UCF and SMU but has added seven teams: Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, Rice, UAB, UT-San Antonio and Army (for football). It now has 15 teams. Army and Tulane stayed on the fringe of the race for a spot in the College Football Playoff race last season.
___
AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Lottie Woad keeps 2-shot lead in Scotland and closes in on victory in pro debut on LPGA Tour
Lottie Woad keeps 2-shot lead in Scotland and closes in on victory in pro debut on LPGA Tour

Winnipeg Free Press

time2 hours ago

  • Winnipeg Free Press

Lottie Woad keeps 2-shot lead in Scotland and closes in on victory in pro debut on LPGA Tour

IRVINE, Scotland (AP) — Lottie Woad had four birdies in a six-hole stretch around the turn and posted a 5-under 67 on Saturday to maintain her two-shot lead in the Women's Scottish Open as she closes in on victory in her professional debut. Woad has such control of her game at Dundonald Links that she went 33 consecutive holes without a bogey until dropping a shot on the 15th. Her lead was down to one shot, but the 21-year-old from England responded with a short wedge she played perfectly on the 17th, leaving her an 8-foot birdie putt she converted. A closing par put her at 17-under 199. Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark, who caught Woad early with an eagle on the par-5 third hole, fell behind after Woad's birdie streak. But the Dane rallied with three straight birdies and a couple of par saves for a 67. She was two shots behind, along with Sei Young Kim (66), who made a long eagle putt on the 14th and got up-and-down for birdie on the par-5 closing hole to get within two shots. Nelly Korda played bogey-free, but the American managed only two birdies on another relatively calm day by Scottish standards. Her 70 left her five shots behind Woad, who already has had a golden summer in Europe. Woad, who won the Augusta National Women's Amateur in 2024 and rose to No. 1 in the women's amateur ranking that year, won the Irish Women's Open three weeks ago on the Ladies European Tour. Then she missed the playoff by one shot in the Evian Championship. But her tie for third in the LPGA major earned her a tour card, and she decided to skip her senior year at Florida State and turn pro. And now she has a chance to win in her debut. 'That's the aim, to shoot as low as possible and keep giving myself chances,' Woad said. 'If someone shoots lights out, fair enough. I'm excited for the opportunity. I've got the experience and I'll try to use that.' Kim has 12 titles on the LPGA, including the Women's PGA Championship in 2020 at Aronimink, though she is coming up on five years since her last win. She will be in final group Sunday with Woad and Madsen. Korda, meanwhile, has a lot of ground to make up if she wants to end her surprising drought. She won seven times last season on the LPGA and still has yet to win this year. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'Wasn't hitting it probably as good as I was the first two days,' Korda said. 'I made some really good par saves and just didn't really capitalize on some of my good shots. But that's golf. That's OK. I still have tomorrow.' Woad will try to match Rose Zhang by winning on the LPGA in her pro debut. Zhang did that at Liberty National two years ago in the Mizuho Americas Open. The Women's Scottish Open is co-sanctioned by the LPGA and the LET. ___ AP golf:

Seoul's trade hopes dim after delay in key US tariff meeting
Seoul's trade hopes dim after delay in key US tariff meeting

Canada News.Net

time3 hours ago

  • Canada News.Net

Seoul's trade hopes dim after delay in key US tariff meeting

SEOUL, South Korea: With just days left before a 25 percent tariff deadline, South Korea's push to strike a trade deal with the United States has hit a snag. A high-stakes meeting aimed at averting the duties was suddenly postponed due to scheduling issues on the U.S. side, Seoul's finance ministry said on July 24. The delay, caused by a conflict in U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's calendar, forced South Korean Finance Minister Koo-Cheol to cancel his flight to Washington just an hour before departure. Talks between Bessent, Koo, and their top trade envoys—dubbed the "2+2" meeting—will be rescheduled, but no new date has been announced. The unexpected shift has cast uncertainty over Seoul's ability to secure a last-minute reprieve from the tariffs, which could significantly impact key South Korean exports if they take effect on August 1. "It might be difficult to reschedule 2+2 again before August 1, so the best we can do is for the trade chief Yeo to request an extension of the tariff exemption," said Heo Yoon, a professor of international trade at Sogang University. Markets reacted to the delay. South Korea's KOSPI index pared early gains, closing up just 0.7 percent as shares of automakers and parts suppliers declined. Hyundai Motor fell as much as 1.8 percent. Washington has not offered further details for the postponement, but U.S. officials are juggling parallel negotiations with China in Sweden and the European Union back home—as they race to finalize multiple trade deals ahead of August. Despite the setback, South Korea's Minister for Trade Yeo Han-koo and Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan remain in Washington, continuing lower-level discussions with U.S. officials, including a meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. The delay comes just days after Japan struck its own deal with the U.S., committing to increased market access for American agricultural and auto products and a US$550 billion investment and loan package. That agreement has raised the pressure on Seoul to deliver something similar. Analysts say the involvement of multiple high-ranking South Korean officials in Washington suggests the two sides were nearing the contours of a broad trade package, potentially covering sectors from autos to agriculture. South Korean access to the U.S. market is seen as essential for deepening industrial ties between the two countries, especially in advanced manufacturing. Yonhap News Agency reported that Seoul is preparing a proposal for a $100 billion U.S.-focused investment plan involving major conglomerates such as Samsung and Hyundai. President Lee Jae Myung recently met with Hyundai's Executive Chair Euisun Chung and LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo to discuss their American ventures, and meet Samsung Chairman Jay Y. Lee on, according to local media. Meanwhile, Seoul is also weighing participation in a proposed $44 billion natural gas pipeline in Alaska, an infrastructure project championed by President Trump.

Despite cancellation, Colbert's deft late-night punches will continue to land
Despite cancellation, Colbert's deft late-night punches will continue to land

Winnipeg Free Press

time11 hours ago

  • Winnipeg Free Press

Despite cancellation, Colbert's deft late-night punches will continue to land

Opinion Getting hit in the funny bone is painful, so last week's news about the firing of Stephen Colbert really hurt. He's a funny guy, and funniness is not just good right now. It's necessary. But there are other reasons this comedy cancellation feels bad. On July 17, Colbert announced that his contract would not be renewed and that CBS would shut down the entire Late Show in May. This came three days after the 61-year-old host used his monologue to call out CBS's decision to pay US$16 million to settle Donald Trump's lawsuit — seen by most legal experts as meritless — against 60 Minutes. Stephen Colbert (Scott Kowalchyk / CBS) In his comic bit, Colbert implied the payment was meant to smooth the way for the Trump administration's approval of the US$8-billion merger of CBS parent company Paramount Global with Skydance Media. According to Colbert, 'the technical name in legal circles' for this action is a 'big, fat bribe.' The timing of the cancellation announcement and CBS's insistence that it was 'purely a financial decision' have led to a lot of talk. There's talk about the economics of a changing entertainment landscape and the conflicts of interest that can arise as media ownership is absorbed into increasingly massive corporate conglomerates. There's talk about Trump using the power of the American presidency as a form of financial extortion to crack down on the free expression of law firms, universities and media outlets he despises. Finally, there's talk about the real value — beyond dollars and cents — of comedy, especially in our fraught era. While the reasons behind CBS's decision might not be purely financial, there are economic issues at play. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert employs about 200 people, costs about US$100 million to produce annually and reportedly lost about US$40 million last year. There are other numbers, though: Colbert currently leads the late-night ratings, giving his network some much-needed pop-culture currency. The Late Show certainly generates more buzz than, say, Tracker, the CBS primetime show that Colbert has been gently mocking for two seasons. (I only know of the existence of Tracker, about a 'lone-wolf survivalist' who uses his skills to find missing persons, because of Colbert's jokes about it. And I suspect I'm not alone.) Still, while Colbert might win the late-night ratings race, it's also true late night's overall audience is a dwindling demographic. After the mid-20th-century heyday of Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, the snarkier David Letterman captured and held a younger audience for a while, but viewership for network television has been steadily declining in recent years, as have ad revenues. (And I don't really have any right to complain here. I have never watched the whole show on the television box at 11:35 p.m. Like most people, I catch up on late-night monologues on YouTube the next day.) These bottom-line financial issues are just one part of a bigger problem, however, now that CBS has gotten into a Trumpy quagmire that involves both the serious news show 60 Minutes and The Late Show, which often covers some of the same ground except with prop comedy. When networks are owned by huge parent companies, it becomes much more likely that the journalistic imperative to serve the public interest will clash with the business interests of shareholders. The proposed merger between Paramount and Skydance involves two Succession-style billionaire dynasties with all kinds of holdings, so it's no surprise things are getting sticky. Running an effective news program — or even a comedy show that comments on politics and current events — needs to be rooted in the belief democracy requires informed citizens. Colbert's commitment to the American experiment is deeply, deeply earnest, which is why he can be so funny about it. Not everyone is laughing, of course. While the Trump admin likes to complain about 'cancel culture,' it seems to love actual cancellations. After Colbert's announcement, Trump proclaimed on social media, 'I absolutely love that Colbert got fired,' while hinting that Jimmy Kimmel is 'NEXT to go.' The White House also issued a statement about The View after co-host Joy Behar suggested Trump was jealous of Obama. With all the corporate capitulation going on, Trump's attacks on TV hosts could have a chilling effect on free speech. Colbert, having been fired already, seems to be well positioned to talk back. Wednesdays A weekly dispatch from the head of the Free Press newsroom. He has a staff of good comedy writers. His delivery is nimble, his timing is deft. But more than that, he has a particular comic vibe that's very effective against Trump. His style is precise, even prim, at times. He's got that adorably dorky Lord of the Rings obsession. He has nice manners. While the shamelessness of Donald Trump means his scandals practically come pre-satirized, there's something about Colbert's approach — sharp but not cheap — that punctures that self-sealing bubble. When Colbert says of Trump, 'I don't care for him,' it lands. And this last week, as Colbert started off his monologue with his usual intro — saying, 'I'm your host Stephen Colbert,'— the roar of response from the live audience was palpable, suggesting good things for his inevitable future podcast. Trump has been dealing with a lot of unintended consequences in recent days. He might end up being less than happy about the Colbert firing. Lame-duck politicians struggle to get anything done. Outgoing comedians, on the other hand, can do a whole lot. Alison GillmorWriter Studying at the University of Winnipeg and later Toronto's York University, Alison Gillmor planned to become an art historian. She ended up catching the journalism bug when she started as visual arts reviewer at the Winnipeg Free Press in 1992. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store