Morning Edition

October 13, 2026

The Group of 6 is continuing to play musical chairs, as James Madison is leaving behind the Sun Belt to join the American Conference—which recently said it was not actively seeking new members.

—Ben Axelrod

First Up

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ESPN and parent company Disney are stacking the Super Bowl LXI lineup with even more alt-casts, including Field Pass with The Pat McAfee Show on ESPNU.
The DP World Tour will not allow players to hold dual memberships on the circuit and LIV Golf in 2027.

James Madison Joins the American Before Sun Belt Exit Fees Rise

Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

After the American recently said that it wasn’t actively seeking new members, the conference has added a new program. On Monday, James Madison announced that it will be leaving the Sun Belt to join the American as a full league member no later than July 1, 2028.

The timing of the Dukes’ decision appears to be financially motivated.

One of the primary reasons James Madison is leaving this week is because the Sun Belt is attempting to raise its exit fees for departing programs, according to ESPN. That process includes a vote on the matter scheduled for later this week, which reportedly “sped up” JMU’s defection.

Reached by Front Office Sports regarding its exit fees, the Sun Belt only referred to its initial statements on JMU’s departure.

“With James Madison’s recent announcement of its planned departure, the conference leadership will examine and evaluate all opportunities as it continues its work to ensure the sustained rise of the Sun Belt Conference—the premier FBS non-autonomy conference in the country,” the statement from commissioner Keith Gill read, in part. “The Sun Belt Conference is RISING, and our best days are ahead.”

James Madison’s exit fee for leaving the Sun Belt is expected to be $5 million—the same fee that Texas State paid when it left for the Pac-12 earlier this year, per ESPN. JMU will also pay a $23 million entrance fee to join the American. The school says it will pay both fees with privately raised funds.

JMU’s announcement comes just three weeks after On3 first reported that James Madison, UConn, and Miami (Ohio) had all expressed interest in joining the American. The conference responded by saying that it was “not proactively seeking additional members,” while JMU neither confirmed nor denied its interest.

On Monday, JMU revealed that it had formally applied for membership in the American, which the conference accepted following “a deliberate and comprehensive due diligence process to evaluate the institution, its alignment with the American and the long-term value of the relationship.” In its statement announcing the decision, JMU said it was “grateful” for its time in the Sun Belt, which it first joined in 2022 while making the jump up from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

In joining the American, the Dukes become the conference’s 14th full member; JMU’s women’s lacrosse program has already been an affiliate member of the league since 2022, and its women’s swimming and diving team joined in 2025.

The American last added new members ahead of the 2023 season, with Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB, UTSA, and Wichita State all joining the league following the departures of Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF. Despite UConn and Miami (Ohio)’s potential interest, ESPN reports that the conference isn’t expected to imminently add any more schools.

TUNED IN SUMMIT

Follow Along: Year 3 of Tuned In

Tuesday marks our third annual Tuned In summit, where we interview the biggest names in sports media onstage and get their candid answers on newsmaking topics.

This year’s lineup boasts the commissioners of MLS, the NWSL, and the LPGA; the CEO of NASCAR; the head of media at the NFL; and a slew of broadcast talent including Mike Tirico, Elle Duncan, Chris Berman, and Taylor Rooks. Plus: Pablo Torre joins us to break down the stunning punishments from the NBA’s Clippers investigation—one year after NBA commissioner Adam Silver spoke to us in the early days of the story at last year’s Tuned In.

Check the FOS homepage, where we’ll livestream select panels, and our socials all day for full coverage.

ONE BIG FIG

Stormy Outcome

Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

$500,000

That’s the sum Kentucky will have to hand over to LSU in an SEC field-storming fine, following the Wildcats’ 35–34 upset against Lane Kiffin’s Tigers. After the game-winning two-point conversion from quarterback Kenny Minchey in overtime, the raucous crowd at 60,000-seat Kroger Field rushed down from the stands. Kentucky is the first SEC school this season to be fined for field-storming.

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS LIVE

Meet the Moment in Vegas

This November, we’re bringing together leaders from across sports, media, and entertainment in the heart of Las Vegas during the city’s fastest weekend for Tastemakers.

From the evolution of sports operations and new business models to emerging audiences, markets, and fan experiences, we’ll explore how the industry is transforming—and where the biggest opportunities for growth are taking shape.

Join us Nov. 20 for thoughtful conversations, fresh perspectives, and meaningful connections in an atmosphere that’s distinctly Vegas.

Request to attend.

DAILY SPORTS TRIVIA

Can you rank the top five most-watched Super Bowls of all time (by U.S. viewership)?

STATUS REPORT

Two Up, One Down, One Push

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Thursday Night Football ⬆ Amazon Prime Video is averaging 17.52 million viewers per game for its primetime streaming NFL package so far this season. The Buccaneers’ 24–16 upset victory over the Cowboys last week averaged 16.73 million viewers, marking the most-watched Week 5 game on record for TNF since it moved exclusively to Amazon in 2022.

Premier League ⬇ Manchester City is appealing the league’s finding that the club committed more than 100 serious financial breaches that fueled its winning over a decade. The process has the entire league in limbo, as City is atop the standings, but could be relegated or expelled when the appeal is finally decided. Some people are calling City’s matches “ghost games.”

Adidas ⬆ Adidas runners have swept the men’s and women’s titles at three straight major marathons—London, Berlin, and Sunday’s Nike-sponsored Chicago Marathon—since the launch of the German company’s latest supershoe. Amos Kipruto and Hawi Feysa were both wearing the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, which retails for $500.

NBA wearables ⬆⬇ The league has turned its attention to wearable devices as it continues to examine how it can improve its on-court product. Getting full buy-in could prove easier said than done, with NBA commissioner Adam Silver telling CNBC there is a lot of “sensitivity” from the players’ union about how the data could be used. The NBPA didn’t immediately respond to FOS’s request for comment.

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