The American Conference has a problem. Years of chasing “Power 6” status left them with an identity crisis, a confusing acronym, and a dwindling membership.
Now, Commissioner Tim Pernetti is betting everything on a complete reinvention that goes far beyond changing the conference’s name.
Why Did The American Conference Drop “Athletic” From Its Name?
On Monday, just days before its football media days, The American Conference unveiled a major facelift, and it’s not just cosmetic.
After a year-long rebrand campaign, the league introduced “Soar,” a wingless, muscle-bound eagle that now serves as the first-ever mascot for a college sports conference.
Shaping the future of college athletics with innovation, competition, grit and service.
The American, Built To Rise. pic.twitter.com/53zSsKA7dl
— The American (@American_Conf) July 21, 2025
Alongside its new avian ambassador, the league shed the word “Athletic,” reintroducing itself as simply “The American.” The conference also retired the often-confused AAC acronym, which ironically sparked competition with Google search results for the ACC, with some fans saying “AAC” would autocorrect to “ACC” when typing the acronym out.
“I think we’re gonna have to do a little hand-to-hand combat on it,” Pernetti said. “Let’s not get into the acronym business. Let’s not be too similar to someone else.”
The decision represents a clear pivot from past identity struggles. Under Pernetti, who took the reins in June 2024 after Mike Aresco’s retirement, the conference is leaning into its middle-tier status in FBS with a bold slogan: “Built to Rise.”
“Where we had a challenge was that nobody could really define what the brand stood for,” Pernetti said. “Where we landed was, we have a great word, so let’s build around that word.”
The branding signals grit over grandeur, replacing years of power-conference posturing with something more grounded, and arguably more authentic.
What Challenges Led To The American’s Complete Makeover?
The rebrand comes after major membership shakeups that left the conference scrambling for identity. With Cincinnati, Houston, UConn, and SMU gone, only three of the original 10 programs remain: South Florida, Memphis, and Temple.
However, Pernetti, formerly of Rutgers and IMG Academy, isn’t just repackaging the conference. He’s betting on a full commercial overhaul that goes beyond surface-level changes.
The league pulled in $147.7 million in revenue during the 2024 fiscal year, with $70.1 million from media rights and $25.1 million from departing schools.
Introducing @Soar_TheEagle
The edge, the energy, the emblem of the American.#BuiltToRise pic.twitter.com/jo75uYikSU
— The American (@American_Conf) July 21, 2025
The conference also replaced Learfield with an in-house venture arm: American RISE Ventures, headed by former PFL COO Bryan Calka.
Meanwhile, the branding strategy was crafted by Anachel, a media firm led by Carrie Cecil, whose previous jobs included advising ex-Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren.
From mascot muscle to marketing muscle, The American is pushing to be more than the creation of a mascot. The conference is aiming for staying power in an increasingly competitive landscape.
How Did The American Conference Evolve From The Big East?
The American Conference’s roots run back to the Big East, launched in 1979 and powered to prominence by powerhouse basketball. Football came later, but by the early 2010s, the league fractured under the weight of conference realignment.
In 2013, the split became official. Basketball-centric schools kept the Big East name, while the football-driven programs rebranded using the original charter, birthing the American Athletic Conference.
During its early years, the AAC blended Big East leftovers like Cincinnati, UConn, and South Florida with rising names such as UCF, Memphis, and SMU. The conference quickly stood out among the Group of Five, sending teams to major bowl games and punching above its weight in both football and basketball.
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But change kept coming with relentless frequency. By 2023, Houston, Cincinnati, and UCF bolted to the Big 12, prompting the then-AAC to reload with six Conference USA additions: Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB, and UTSA.
A year later, SMU exited for the ACC, but Army joined as a football-only member, giving the league fresh gridiron credibility and national recognition.
From its Big East bloodline to modern reinvention, The American keeps reshaping itself to stay relevant in college football’s realignment whirlwind. Each transformation brings new challenges, but also new opportunities to define what the conference wants to become.
