Imagine celebrating half a century of hoops history without the stuffy tuxedos—just pure, heartfelt basketball passion. That's the vibe as the Atlantic-10 Conference hits its 50th milestone, looking ahead to a brighter, more competitive era in college sports.
PITTSBURGH — Back in her days as a Senior Associate Commissioner for the Atlantic Coast Conference from 1997 to 2008, Bernadette McGlade was right in the thick of things, organizing all sorts of milestone events. Take the 25th anniversary of ACC women's basketball, for example—it featured everything from community outreach programs and fan engagement activities to glamorous black-tie galas that brought everyone together in celebration. Fast forward to today, and as the commissioner of the Atlantic-10 since 2008, McGlade drew inspiration from those experiences when plotting the league's golden anniversary bash. But she put her own spin on it, skipping the high-society flair. 'I figured, hey, we're not that kind of league,' she shared with Hoops HQ in a casual chat.
So, rather than rolling out the red carpet for an elegant night out, the A-10 kicked off its 50th anniversary initiative with a welcoming, down-to-earth luncheon on September 30. This gathering was the highlight of the media day spectacle for both men's and women's basketball teams. Hosted at the iconic PPG Paints Arena here in Pittsburgh—a venue set to host the men's postseason tournament in 2026—the event felt like a nod to the league's roots. And speaking of roots, choosing Pittsburgh wasn't random; the Steel City cradled the A-10's early days, hosting five of its first six championship tournaments. It was also the birthplace of the original Eastern Collegiate Basketball League (later rebranded as the Eastern 8) during key 1976 meetings, and home to the league's very first office back in 1978. For variety, the tournament will shift to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for 2027 and 2028, keeping things fresh and exciting.
Over the past five decades, the Atlantic-10 has weathered a storm of transformations in college athletics, much like the rest of the landscape. The last 20 years or so have been especially turbulent, with conference realignments—think schools jumping ship to chase bigger opportunities—shaking up the map repeatedly. And right now? The league is steering through what might be the biggest shake-up yet: the rollout of revenue-sharing models and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights, born from the groundbreaking House v. NCAA lawsuit settlement. For beginners, NIL basically lets student-athletes earn money from their personal brand, like endorsements or social media deals, while revenue sharing means schools can directly pay athletes a portion of the program's income, up to certain limits.
Historically, it's been an uphill battle for the A-10 to match the firepower of those powerhouse conferences with massive football programs and TV deals. But with new rules capping revenue sharing at $20.5 million per school and NIL agreements facing strict oversight from bodies like the Collegiate Sports Commission (CSC) and auditors at Deloitte, the scales are tipping—just a bit—in favor of basketball-focused leagues like the A-10 and the Big East, which skip the football gridiron altogether. No more funneling huge bucks into pigskin stars means more resources for hoops.
'We're all about basketball here—no secret about it, and we've always owned that identity,' McGlade explained. 'Without the need to fund NIL for football players, we've got a real shot at the table. Sure, our budgets aren't swimming in College Football Playoff (CFP) cash like the big boys, but we can offer solid, market-rate compensation to our men's and women's basketball athletes. It's a step toward evening things out.'
Loyola Chicago's head coach, Drew Valentine, echoed that optimism. 'If your program gets strong financial backing without the football drain, you can absolutely hang with the best,' he noted. 'This evolving setup is priming us for wins on and off the court.'
But here's where it gets controversial: Does this really level the playing field, or is it just a feel-good illusion? And this is the part most people miss—how will under-the-table deals sneak in and undermine it all?
On paper, it sounds promising. In reality? St. Bonaventure's Mark Schmidt dubs it 'the million-dollar question'—and he's got a laundry list of them. 'How much shady cash will creep into NIL? Are we sliding back to the wild west days of brown paper bags under the table? And what can Deloitte or the oversight crew actually do to stop it?' Schmidt wondered aloud. 'I mean, it's tough to picture them turning down Duke or those mega-programs when push comes to shove.' His skepticism highlights a bold counterpoint: even with rules, the powerhouses might still bend them, leaving mid-majors like the A-10 scrambling. What do you think—can fair play truly stick in this high-stakes game?
The system's only been live for a short while, and McGlade's encouraged by early signs. Still, she warns the true trial awaits next spring, when the transfer portal— that whirlwind window where players switch schools—revs up again. 'If third-party NIL groups start dodging the cap to overspend, we'll hit snags big time,' she said. 'That said, signals from the CSC, NCAA president Charlie Baker, and others show they're dead serious about enforcing those limits.'
This enforcement could be a game-changer for the A-10's biggest goal: boosting its presence in March Madness, the NCAA Tournament that defines the season. The league peaked with five bids in 2013 and six in 2014, but lately, it's struggled, snagging just four at-large spots (teams selected not via conference tournaments) across the last six Dance appearances. Last year, only VCU—co-regular-season champs with George Mason and postseason victors—made the cut. For context, at-large bids go to teams with strong overall resumes, not just conference success.
The A-10's 15-team roster (now down to 14 after UMass bolted to the MAC this season) complicates the equation. Weaker bottom-feeders pull down the league's collective stats, like the NET ranking—a key metric blending efficiency on offense and defense. Last season, the A-10 clocked in at No. 7 overall in NET, with five teams cracking the top 100 and just VCU in the elite top 40. Four squads languished below 200, diluting the group's strength. Dayton boasted the toughest non-conference slate, but most of its high-stakes Quad 1 games (toughest opponents, per the metrics) were against outsiders, leaving slim room for slip-ups in league play. Outside VCU and Dayton, the entire conference mustered only two Quad 1 victories all year—a stark reminder of the grind.
This slump fuels McGlade's push for expanding the NCAA Tournament field, maybe to 80 or more teams, to give more mid-majors a fair shake. Explanations for the dry spell vary—from tough scheduling to bad breaks—but the fix is simple: rack up wins. 'We've lined up the right non-con games, but ultimately, victory is king,' McGlade stressed. 'Losing a nail-biter by three? Props for the effort, but it doesn't cut it forever.'
This year's schedule aims to tackle that head-on, yet Dayton's Anthony Grant keeps expectations grounded. 'Truthfully, the bar doesn't budge,' he admitted. 'You start hot in November and December, snag those marquee wins, then grind through 18 conference games. It's relentless from wire to wire.'
Grant's got a front-row seat to the football-vs.-basketball debate, having assisted at Florida for a decade under Billy Donovan, helmed Alabama from 2009 to 2015, and led VCU during its Colonial Athletic Association days before the Rams jumped to the A-10 in 2012. 'It all hinges on the fit,' he reflected. 'The buzz of a packed football stadium can wow recruits, with all the lights and energy. Some thrive in that big-time spotlight, while others shine brighter in a cozier, basketball-first spot. It's a win when hoops rules the roost, backed by solid resources that make every recruit feel like a star.'
With UMass's departure shrinking the league to 14, McGlade's open to growth but picky. 'I'm not ruling out new members, but they'd need to be basketball purists at heart,' she said. 'Think national contenders with real investment in NIL, top-notch academics, and true value—not just padding numbers. For example, a school like that could boost our NET and tournament chances without diluting quality.'
Hitting 50 at this pivotal moment is a golden opportunity for reflection and reinvention. The A-10 isn't dwelling on yesterday; despite a tough market and elusive NCAA bids, the shifting rules and fresh dynamics offer hope. 'Our geographic reach is solid, our schools are robust,' McGlade concluded. 'With strong buy-in on NIL and revenue sharing, I'm pumped to watch how we battle this season.'
So, readers, what's your take? Will NIL rules really empower basketball leagues like the A-10, or will the power conferences still dominate? And should the NCAA Tournament expand to include more underdogs—agree or disagree? Drop your thoughts in the comments; let's spark a real debate!
