named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
BIG EAST Summer Check-In Series
Weekly summer content series featuring interviews with head coaches from each member institution, focusing on roster changes, scheduling updates, and team development for the upcoming season
Men's Basketball Conference Competition
Organizes and oversees the annual BIG EAST men's basketball season, including conference play, tournament, and team coordination across member institutions
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Recognition and Awards Programs 2 activities
- Administers academic and sport excellence recognition programsRecognizes high-achieving student-athletes through the All-Academic Team, Sport Excellence Awards, and Team Academic Excellence Awards. The Faculty Athletics Representative Council selects one honoree per sport based on academic performance, athletic achievement, and community service. In 2020–21, recognized 3,075 student-athletes on the All-Academic Team.
- Recognizes leadership and inclusiveness in college athleticsAdministers the John Thompson Jr. Award to honor individuals or groups within the conference who demonstrate efforts to combat discrimination and promote inclusiveness. Also awards the Michael Tranghese Postgraduate Leadership Award to recognize leadership among student-athletes.
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Local High School Scholarship Programs 1 activity
- Awards postgraduate scholarships to student-athletesFunds $5,000 postgraduate scholarships for student-athletes demonstrating leadership through academic excellence, athletic performance, and community or institutional service. Scholarships are applied toward professional or degree-granting programs.
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Professional Conference & Symposium Organization 1 activity
- Convenes leaders for revenue strategy development in college athleticsHosted the inaugural Revenue Summit in Chicago, bringing together campus and conference leaders and industry experts at Wrigley Field to share best practices and develop strategies for revenue generation in college athletics.
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Mental Health Education and Awareness 1 activity
- Hosts student-athlete well-being and mental wellness forumsOrganizes an annual Student-Athlete Well-Being Forum focused on mental wellness, convening student-athletes, coaches, and administrators to promote holistic support systems.
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Youth Leadership Development Programs 1 activity
- Leads racial and social justice advocacy through BE the ChangeOperates BE the Change, a conference-wide platform that advances racial and social justice engagement among stakeholders. Includes BE the Change 365, a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC)-led initiative providing ongoing programming to impact campuses and local communities.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Organizes intercollegiate athletic competitionsPlans and hosts championship events and tournaments across 22 sponsored sports, including the annual BIG EAST Baseball Championship and the 2026 Women's Basketball Tournament at Mohegan Sun Arena. Provides competitive opportunities for over 3,800 student-athletes from member institutions.
- Produces media content featuring member programs and athletesProduces weekly summer interview series with head coaches from all 11 men's basketball programs in collaboration with NBC Sports, and runs a feature series profiling women's basketball players during the off-season with CBS Sports Network.
- Promotes African-American basketball history through educational partnershipsHosts educational games during Black History Month and virtual sessions in partnership with The Black Fives Foundation to teach fans and student-athletes about African-American pioneers in basketball.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$93.82M
Contributions & grants$272K0%
Program service revenue$92.02M98%
Investment income$1.52M2%
Other revenue$13K
expenses
Total expenses$90.74M
Program expenses98%
Admin / overhead2%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$7.15M
Grants paid out$64.72M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$39.50M
Cash$6.41M
Investments$27.69M
Liabilities$7.17M
Net assets$32.33M
Liquid reserves4.5 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +3.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 8
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| VALERIE B ACKERMAN | COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT | 35 | $2.00M |
| Vince Nicastro | COO, Deputy Commissioner | 35 | $618K |
| DANIEL LEIBOVITZ | Sr. Assoc Comm. MEN'S BB | 35 | $450K |
| NICOLE EARLY | Sr. Assoc Comm. MKT & EXT AFF. | 35 | $276K |
| Scott Hecht | SR. ASSOC COMM., BROADCASTING | 35 | $270K |
| JACKIE CAMPBELL | SR. ASSOC COMM. WOMEN'S BB | 35 | $257K |
| Christopher Schneider | Executive Associate Commission | 35 | $247K |
| Kevin Flanagan | Bus. Officer, TREASURER | 35 | $210K |
board members · 12
- DR JOHN DEGIOIA — BOARD MEMBER (THRU 11/21/2024)
- Dr Colleen Hanycz — BOARD MEMBER
- Dr Kimo Ah Yun — BOARD MEMBER
- Dr ROBERT M GROVES — BOARD MEMBER (EEF. 11/21/2024)
- Dr Radenka Maric — BOARD MEMBER
- Dr Robert Manuel — BOARD MEMBER
- James Danko — BOARD MEMBER
- MSGR JOSEPH REILLY — BOARD MEMBER
- Rev Brian Shanley — BOARD MEMBER
- Rev Daniel Hendrickson — BOARD MEMBER
- Rev Kenneth Sicard — BOARD MEMBER
- Rev Peter Donohue — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 55
Who they work with
- Altius Sports Partners Partner — Contributes programming on the impact of name, image, and likeness on team dynamics at the Student-Athlete Well-Being Forum.
- Altius Sports Partners Partner — Represented by senior leadership on panel discussing ticketing and data-driven prospecting.
- BIG EAST Faculty Athletics Representative Council Partner — Responsible for selecting the winners of the BIG EAST Sport Excellence Awards.
- BIG EAST Faculty Athletics Representative Council Partner — Responsible for selecting winners of the BIG EAST Sport Excellence Awards.
- Butler Partner — Member institution participating in conference events and programming.
- Butler University Partner — Member institution of the BIG EAST Conference.
- Butler University Partner — Participates in forum leadership through its senior administrator contributing to discussions on student-athlete well-being.
- CBS Sports Network Partner — Collaborates with the BIG EAST Conference on a summer feature series profiling women's basketball players.
- Chicago Blackhawks Partner — Represented by executive leadership on panel discussing revenue lessons from professional sports.
- Chicago Bulls Partner — Represented by executive leadership on panel discussing revenue lessons from professional sports.
- Chicago Cubs Partner — Represented by executive leadership on panels related to ticketing and fan experiences; hosted event at Wrigley Field.
- Chicago Fire FC Partner — Represented by executive leadership on panel discussing revenue lessons from professional sports.
- Creighton Partner — Member institution participating in conference events and programming.
- Creighton University Partner — Member institution with student-athlete programs recognized through award nominations.
- DePaul Partner — Member institution participating in conference events and programming.
- DePaul University Partner — Hosted the inaugural BIG EAST Revenue Summit.
- DePaul University Partner — Member institution of the BIG EAST Conference.
- Elevate Partner — Represented by chief business officer on panel discussing fan experiences and hospitality.
- Follett Partner — Represented by chief merchandising officer on panel discussing retail and brand monetization.
- Georgetown University Partner — Member institution recognized in past years for DEI programming and social justice initiatives.
- Georgetown University Partner — Member institution submitting nominations for the BIG EAST All-Academic Team
- Jeep Partner — Presenting sponsor of the BIG EAST baseball championships.
- Jeep Partner — Title sponsor of the BIG EAST Championships
- Learfield Partner — Represented by president of brand management on panel discussing licensing and brand monetization.
- Learfield Sports Properties Partner — Represented by corporate vice president on panel discussing sponsorship.
- Levy Partner — Represented by senior vice president on panel discussing licensing and retail.
- LidsU Partner — Represented by executive leadership on panel discussing licensing and retail.
- Marquette Partner — Member institution participating in conference events and programming.
- Marquette University Partner — Member institution with civil rights pilgrimage program recognized through award nominations.
- Michael Tranghese Partner — Award named in honor of the former BIG EAST commissioner who served from 1990 to 2009.
+ 25 more
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Athletics as a Vehicle for Educational Advancementmethodology: athletics-for-educationBy organizing and enhancing intercollegiate athletics, the conference supports student-athlete development and educational advancement because structured athletic competition fosters discipline, institutional engagement, and access to academic support systems that contribute to degree completion and lifelong success.
- Coach-Mediated Mental Wellness Supportmethodology: coach-mediated mental wellness supportBy equipping coaches with tools for mental wellness awareness and self-care, the conference promotes student-athlete well-being because coaches serve as frontline relational anchors who can identify and respond to stressors in ways that formal systems may not reach.
- Holistic Student-Athlete Recognitionmethodology: holistic-athlete-developmentBy recognizing student-athletes for integrated excellence in academics, athletics, and community service, the conference promotes holistic development and reinforces the educational mission of collegiate sports because multi-domain recognition incentivizes balanced growth and institutional alignment around non-athletic outcomes.