The American Athletic Conference is dropping "Athletic" from its name as part of a rebrand unveiled Monday that aims to sharpen the league's identity and better position it in a rapidly shifting college sports landscape.
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Now simply the American Conference — or just the American — the 15-team league also introduced a new slogan, "Built To Rise," and debuted a mascot, Soar the Eagle, which will be featured in promotions and public service announcements during broadcasts involving its teams.
The change is meant to create distance from the Atlantic Coast Conference, a member of the Power Four often abbreviated as "ACC." Officials said removing the "AAC" nickname will eliminate lingering brand confusion and strengthen the conference's national presence.
"This modernization is rooted in who we are and where we're headed," said American commissioner Tim Pernetti. "It prioritizes clarity, momentum, and the competitive advantage driving every part of our conference forward."
Pernetti, hired in 2023, has taken an aggressive approach to name, image and likeness (NIL) issues. Earlier this year, the league became the first to set a minimum NIL revenue-sharing requirement for its members, mandating that all schools, except Army and Navy, contribute at least $10 million over the next three years. Under current NCAA guidelines, schools can share up to $20.5 million in revenue with athletes starting in the 2025-26 season.
"These are service- and mission-driven institutions of higher learning with highly competitive athletics and deeply committed leaders," Pernetti said in a statement. "We're not slick, we're strong."
The American, a member of the Group of Five, has felt the effects of conference realignment more than most. Since 2023, it has lost Cincinnati, UCF and SMU to Power Four leagues. In response, the conference added seven schools: Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, Rice, UAB, UTSA and Army (football only), bringing its football membership to 15.
Despite the churn, teams like Tulane and Army hovered around the College Football Playoff conversation last season, and league leaders say the rebrand reflects their intent to remain a major player in the evolving landscape.
"We stepped back, listened and involved our community," Pernetti said. "That's how real, lasting identity is built."
