The recent court decision to allow revenue sharing between colleges and their student athletes has dramatically shifted the landscape in college athletics.
Just like that, the “haves” like the SEC, Big 12, Big Ten and ACC had it all. But the Historically Black University conferences were seemingly left out of the conversation to share not much with their student athletes.
But on July 30, 2025 the four most prominent Black college conferences united to form what is now known as the HBCU4Us Association.
The endgame doesn’t seem to be to form an HBCU super conference — at least not yet. What the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and Southern Intercollegiate Conference (SIAC) did was create an unprecedented alliance that is about preserving tradition, growing opportunities for their student-athletes and putting together their collective power influence to keep Black college sports in the collegiate athletic conversation.
“The formation of the HBCU4Us Association marks a new era of collaboration,” the commissioners said in a collective statement. “As stewards of our storied athletic programs, we are committed to honoring our legacy while creating opportunities that ensure the competitiveness and sustainability of HBCU athletics for generations to come.”
The clear message among the commissioners of the four conferences is that they are stronger together than separately.
The possibilities of this alliance seem endless. For sure, they will collaborate to find NIL deals for their student-athletes. They may be able to walk into ESPN, CBS, Fox or some other network and demand a lucrative broadcast deal or maybe form their own robust network. We could also see a true HBCU football playoff system that would produce a true Black college national championship.
Maybe I’m dreaming a little here, but who knows where this alliance might lead us? That will depend on how imaginative, forward-thinking and aggressive commissioners Charles McClelland (SWAC), Sonja O. Stills (MEAC), Jacqie McWilliams Parker (CIAA) and Anthony Holloman (SIAC) are ready to be with this thing.
What we do know so far is that the HBCU4Us Association will stand on six key pillars:
- Student-Athlete Leadership and Development – Preparing young athletes for success beyond the field through mentorship and career readiness programs.
- Preservation of Cultural Heritage – Highlighting the rich history, pageantry and societal impact of HBCU sports.
- Competitive Excellence – Strengthening athletic programs to compete regionally and nationally.
- Financial Sustainability and Partnerships – Securing joint sponsorships and long-term funding opportunities.
- Unified Advocacy – Presenting a collective front on NCAA governance, student-athlete rights and public policy.
- Holistic Welfare – Supporting mental health, academic performance and overall student well-being.
Those are all wonderful steps and goals. But this alliance must be about preserving Black college athletics because the future right now seems murky at best. HBCU coaches, especially in football and men’s and women’s basketball, have been put in a nearly unsustainable position given the NIL money available at the highest levels of college athletics and the NCAA transfer portal that now allows student-athletes to move around freely in search of those available dollars.
While HBCUs are trying to get involved with NIL on some level, they will never be in the same conversation with the University of Texas, Texas A&M or even Rice. What that means for HBCUs in the present is that it will be hard for them to keep their successful student athletes, and it will be less likely to see student athletes drop down to join a SWAC or MEAC program.
As the rules stand right now, it’s wiser for student athletes to go the junior college route—where soon they won’t lose any eligibility time—rather than start their development process at a four-year HBCU.
The lifeblood and level of competition at the HBCU level are very much in the balance, which makes uniting the four HBCU conferences essential. They must come together for survival’s sake.
