CAA Football at a Glance — FY2024–25
Source: IRS Form 990, tax year 07/01/2024–06/30/2025 · Prepared by Data Driven HBCU · April 2026
Total Revenue
$2.0M
Football-only operations
Net Position
+$560K
Running a surplus
FloSports Rights Fees
$645K
Primary media revenue
Media Rights Distributed
$540K
~84% of FloSports fees
Avg Distribution / School
~$45K
Media rights only
HBCU Member
Hampton & NC A&T
Both HBCU football members
CAA Football DOES Distribute Media Revenue: Unlike the main CAA (which retains all multimedia contract revenue), CAA Football distributes its FloSports Rights Fees to football members. Of $645,008 received, $539,969 was distributed — an ~84% pass-through rate. Both HBCU football members — Hampton University and NC A&T — receive a share of this distribution.
Conference Structure
About CAA Football: CAA Football is a separate legal entity (EIN 42-1719463) from the main CAA (EIN 54-1670009). It operates as the football-specific conference for CAA football-playing schools. Commissioner Joseph D'Antonio leads both entities; his compensation is paid by the main CAA, with CAA Football reimbursing the CAA for his time. CAA Football generated $2.04M in revenue and ran a +$560K surplus in FY2024–25. Unlike the main CAA, it distributes the majority of its FloSports Rights Fees to member schools as conference distributions.
Football-Only Members (Basketball-Ineligible for Main CAA Distribution): Several CAA Football members — Rhode Island, Bryant, Albany, Maine, and New Hampshire — play football in the CAA but do not compete in CAA basketball or other multi-sport activities. These schools receive the conference distribution from CAA Football but do not participate in the main CAA's basketball and multi-sport distributions.
Relationship to Main CAA
| Aspect | CAA (Multi-Sport) | CAA Football |
|---|---|---|
| EIN | 54-1670009 | 42-1719463 |
| Total Revenue | $10,079,332 | $2,040,281 |
| Media Revenue | $2,474,992 (multimedia) | $645,008 (FloSports) |
| Media Revenue Distributed? | No — retained | Yes — ~84% distributed |
| Commissioner | Joseph D'Antonio (shared; paid by main CAA) | |
| HBCU Members | Hampton University, NC A&T | Hampton University, NC A&T |
Revenue Sources — FY2024–25
How CAA Football generates revenue · Source: IRS Form 990, Part VIII
Total Revenue
$2,040,281
FY2024–25
FloSports Rights Fees
$645,008
31.6% of total revenue
Membership Dues
$540,000
26.5% of total revenue
CFP Distribution
$302,777
College Football Playoff pass-through
Revenue by Source
CAA Football revenue breakdown, FY2024–25
Revenue Sources — Dollar Amounts
Each revenue line item from Part VIII of the 990
| Revenue Source | Amount | % of Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| FloSports Rights Fees | $645,008 | 31.6% | Media rights contract; majority distributed to members |
| Membership Dues | $540,000 | 26.5% | Annual dues from football members |
| CFP Distribution | $302,777 | 14.8% | College Football Playoff NCAA pass-through |
| Conference Entrance Fees | $286,505 | 14.0% | One-time fees from new members joining conference |
| Conference Exit Fees | $250,000 | 12.3% | Fees paid by departing members |
| Investment Income | $15,991 | 0.8% | Investment returns |
| Total Revenue | $2,040,281 | 100% |
Entrance & Exit Fees: Conference entrance fees ($286,505) and exit fees ($250,000) represent a notable combined $536,505 — more than 26% of total revenue. These are one-time fees associated with member transitions. Revenue from entrance and exit fees is non-recurring and reflects conference membership changes during the fiscal year.
Media Rights Distributions — FY2024–25
What CAA Football distributes to member schools · Source: IRS Form 990, Part IX
Media Rights Distributed
$539,969
Line 24a — to football members
Pass-Through Rate
~84%
Of FloSports fees received
Avg Distribution / School
~$45K
Based on ~12 members
Per-School Share (est.)
~$45K
Proportional share of conference distribution
FloSports Fees: Received vs. Distributed
How CAA Football handles its primary media revenue
Distribution from FloSports Fees: CAA Football distributed $539,969 of its $645,008 FloSports Rights Fees to football member schools — an ~84% pass-through rate. The remaining ~16% ($105,039) was retained for conference operations. This contrasts with the main CAA, which retained 100% of its multimedia contract revenue. For Hampton University and NC A&T, this represents an additional conference distribution on top of their main CAA NCAA pass-through.
Note on Reporting: CAA Football's Form 990 does not include a Schedule I (no grants to specific organizations exceeding $5,000 were reported). The $539,969 distribution appears in Part IX (Statement of Functional Expenses), Line 24a as "Media Rights Distribution" — that label is the 990's own terminology. Per-school amounts are not broken out in the publicly available 990. At the school level, NC A&T reports $0 in media rights revenue on its MFRS filing. Despite the 990's label, this distribution is recorded as a conference distribution at the school level — not as a distinct media rights revenue item.
What HBCU Members Receive from CAA Football
| School | Distribution Type | Amount (est.) | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hampton University | Conference Distribution (per 990 Part IX) | ~$45,000 | CAA Football 990, Part IX Line 24a | Proportional share est.; exact per-school amounts not itemized in 990; recorded as conference distribution on MFRS, not media rights |
| NC A&T State University | Conference Distribution (per 990 Part IX) | ~$45,000 | CAA Football 990, Part IX Line 24a | Proportional share est.; NC A&T reports $0 media rights on MFRS; recorded as conference distribution at school level |
| Conference Average (all ~12 members) | ~$44,997 | $539,969 total ÷ ~12 football members | ||
Financial Health — FY2024–25
CAA Football revenue, expenses, and leadership · Source: IRS Form 990, FY2024–25
Total Revenue
$2,040,281
Total Expenses
$1,480,214
Net Position
+$560,067
Surplus — financially stable
Commissioner
D'Antonio
Shared with main CAA; compensated by main CAA
Revenue vs. Expenses
FY2024–25 comparison
Expense Breakdown
How CAA Football spends its revenue
| Expense Category | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Member Distribution (labeled “Media Rights Distribution” in 990 Part IX) | $539,969 | Conference distribution to football members; not recorded as media rights in school-level MFRS |
| Other Conference Fees | $461,946 | Conference operations and fees |
| Advertising & Promotion | $222,247 | Marketing and promotional expenses |
| Compensation | $131,400 | Staff compensation (D'Antonio via CAA reimbursement) |
| Other Expenses | $124,652 | Miscellaneous operating expenses |
| Total Expenses | $1,480,214 |
Commissioner Compensation Structure: Joseph D'Antonio serves as Commissioner of both the CAA (EIN 54-1670009) and CAA Football (EIN 42-1719463). His full compensation is paid by the main CAA. CAA Football reimburses the CAA for his time — this reimbursement arrangement is documented in CAA Football's Schedule O and reflected in Column F of Part VII on that return. The $131,400 shown in compensation reflects the reimbursement amount.
Surplus Context: The $560K surplus includes the non-recurring entrance and exit fee revenue ($536,505). Excluding these one-time items, the core recurring revenues and expenses are approximately in balance. Future years without significant membership transitions will show a different financial picture.
Key Findings
Data Driven HBCU analysis · IRS Form 990, FY2024–25
Finding 1
CAA Football distributes the majority of its FloSports fees to members — unlike the main CAA
The most significant structural difference between CAA Football and the main CAA is that CAA Football passes the majority of its FloSports fees to member schools (84% pass-through), while the main CAA retains 100% of its multimedia contract revenue. Both HBCU football members — Hampton University and NC A&T — receive an estimated ~$45K from this distribution on top of their main CAA NCAA pass-through. Note that despite the 990's "Media Rights Distribution" label (Part IX Line 24a), NC A&T reports $0 in media rights on its MFRS filing — this payment is recorded as a conference distribution at the school level. The two entities operate under the same leadership but with different revenue distribution approaches.
Finding 2
The per-school distribution from CAA Football is the smallest in this cohort
The average distribution per CAA Football member (~$45K) is the smallest in this analysis — it represents a conference distribution only, not a full conference revenue share. By comparison, SWAC schools average ~$1.12M in total conference distributions, MEAC schools average ~$499K, and the main CAA averages ~$430K per school in NCAA pass-throughs. The CAA Football distribution supplements what Hampton and NC A&T receive from the main CAA rather than replacing it.
Finding 3
Entrance and exit fees represent significant but non-recurring revenue
Conference entrance fees ($286,505) and exit fees ($250,000) together contributed $536,505 to CAA Football's revenue in FY2024–25 — more than 26% of total revenue and the primary driver of the $560K surplus. These fees are non-recurring by nature; they depend on membership transitions. In a year without member changes, CAA Football's revenue would be approximately $1.5M against similar expenses, yielding a much smaller surplus or a breakeven position.
Finding 4
Hampton and NC A&T are the only HBCUs in a predominantly non-HBCU football conference
With ~12 football members and only two HBCUs, Hampton and NC A&T occupy a distinct position in the CAA Football landscape. Each receives the same estimated per-school conference distribution as any other member. The competitive implications of being two of just a handful of HBCUs in a conference with predominantly non-HBCU programs are distinct from the financial ones — but both factors matter for understanding how Hampton and NC A&T's football situations compare to SWAC or MEAC football programs, which operate in all-HBCU or majority-HBCU conference environments.
Research Verdict
CAA Football operates as a distinct financial entity with a more member-favorable distribution model than its parent conference. The ~84% pass-through of FloSports fees to member schools stands in contrast to the main CAA's retention of multimedia revenue. However, the absolute dollar amounts flowing to individual schools from CAA Football are small (~$45K average). For Hampton and NC A&T — the two HBCU members — CAA Football membership provides an additional conference distribution that supplements their main CAA NCAA pass-through, but the combined total is still far smaller than what SWAC or MEAC football peers receive from their conference distributions. The $560K surplus in FY2024–25 is meaningful but partially non-recurring due to entrance and exit fees.