MEAC 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
$14.1M
Second largest in cohort
Net Position
+$2.2M
Running a surplus
Total Distributed to Schools
$4.0M
8 member schools
Avg Distribution / School
~$498K
Varies significantly by policy
Royalties
$2.1M
Distributed via policy
HBCU Members
8 of 8
All members are HBCUs
Conference Profile
About the MEAC: The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is an all-HBCU conference with 8 members. The MEAC distributes $4.0M to member schools with an average of ~$498K per school — however, individual school amounts vary significantly due to the conference's NCAA Tournament revenue policy. Schools that have earned recent NCAA Tournament bids retain the majority of that revenue share over a rolling six-year period, creating meaningful variation between members with and without recent tournament appearances.
Key Policy Note
Earning School Retains Majority of NCAA Tournament Share
The MEAC allows the school that earned an NCAA Tournament bid to retain the majority of that revenue share over the rolling six-year distribution period. This is directly visible in MFRS data: Norfolk State ($1.79M confDistrib) vs. NC Central ($357K) reflects accumulated tournament shares — not a structural funding disparity.
Member Schools
| School | State | Football | Recent Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk State University | VA | Yes | Yes — higher confDistrib in MFRS |
| South Carolina State University | SC | Yes | Yes — higher confDistrib in MFRS |
| NC Central University | NC | Yes | No recent bid |
| Howard University | DC | Yes | — |
| Morgan State University | MD | Yes | — |
| Delaware State University | DE | Yes | — |
| Coppin State University | MD | No | — |
| UMES (Univ. of Maryland Eastern Shore) | MD | No | — |
| 8 member schools · All HBCU · 6 sponsor football | |||
Revenue Sources — FY2024–25
How the MEAC generates revenue · Source: IRS Form 990, Part VIII
Total Revenue
$14,147,913
FY2024–25
Royalties
$2,136,485
15.1% of total revenue
Tournament Revenue
$1,042,052
7.4% of total revenue
Other Revenue
$8,578,297
60.6% of total — includes SAOF distributions
Revenue by Source
Breakdown of all MEAC revenue streams, FY2024–25
Revenue Sources — Dollar Amounts
Each category shown as a bar for easy comparison
| Revenue Source | Amount | % of Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other Revenue | $8,578,297 | 60.6% | Includes Student Athlete Opportunity Fund and other pass-through items |
| Royalties | $2,136,485 | 15.1% | Reported as "Royalties" on the 990; specific source not itemized |
| Sponsorships & Partnerships | $1,964,079 | 13.9% | Corporate partnerships |
| Tournament / Championship | $1,042,052 | 7.4% | Conference tournament net revenue |
| Membership Dues | $427,000 | 3.0% | Annual dues from 8 member schools |
| Total Revenue | $14,147,913 | 100% |
Revenue Note: The MEAC's "Other Revenue" category ($8.6M) is the largest component and includes Student Athlete Opportunity Fund distributions and other pass-through items. Tournament revenue ($1.04M) is notable — second highest in the cohort after the CAA ($2.36M). Royalties ($2.14M) are reported as such on the 990; the form does not specify the source of these royalties.
Member School Distributions — FY2024–25
How the MEAC distributes to its 8 HBCU members · Source: IRS Form 990, Schedule I
Total Distributed
$3,988,007
To all 8 member schools
Average per School
~$498,501
Varies significantly by policy
NCAA Tournament Revenue
Earner Retains
Majority stays with bidding school (6-yr window)
Distribution % of Revenue
28.2%
Share of total revenue passed to schools
Distribution Policy — Tournament Earner Retention Effect
Illustrative comparison: schools with vs. without recent NCAA Tournament appearances in MFRS confDistrib data
Tournament Earner Retention Policy: The MEAC allows the school that earned an NCAA Tournament bid to retain the majority of that revenue share over the rolling six-year distribution period. This policy is directly visible in school-level MFRS data. Norfolk State reported $1,789,129 in NCAA/Conference revenue in FY2025, while NC Central — without recent tournament appearances — reported $356,973. The difference reflects accumulated tournament shares, not a structural conference funding disparity. These advantages phase out over six years if tournament appearances don't continue.
MFRS Correlation: In each MEAC school's MFRS filing, conference distributions appear under the combined "NCAA / Conference" line. This field combines conference distributions with direct NCAA funds. Because the MEAC's tournament policy allows earning schools to accumulate shares over a rolling 6-year window, school-level MFRS figures can differ dramatically from the conference average and from each other.
MFRS Data — Selected MEAC Member confDistrib Values (FY2025)
| School | confDistrib (MFRS) | Tournament History (Approx.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk State University | $1,789,129 | Recent tournament bids | Elevated due to tournament earner retention |
| South Carolina State University | $989,000 (est.) | Recent tournament appearance | Elevated due to tournament earner retention |
| NC Central University | $356,973 | No recent bids | Closer to base distribution level |
| UMES (Maryland Eastern Shore) | $364,000 (est.) | No recent bids | Closer to base distribution level; no football |
| Conference Average (all 8) | ~$498,501 | Calculated from $3,988,007 total ÷ 8 members | |
Note: MFRS confDistrib values are the combined "NCAA / Conference" line from each school's MFRS filing. They include both the conference distribution and any direct NCAA funds that flow to the school outside the conference. The variation shown above is consistent with the MEAC's tournament earner retention policy.
Financial Health — FY2024–25
MEAC revenue, expenses, and leadership · Source: IRS Form 990, FY2024–25
Total Revenue
$14,147,913
Total Expenses
$11,920,363
Net Position
+$2,227,550
Surplus — financially stable
Commissioner Compensation
$305,000
Sonja Stills
Revenue vs. Expenses
FY2024–25 comparison
Revenue Allocation
How MEAC revenue is used — distributions vs. operations
| Line Item | Amount | % of Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Total Revenue | $14,147,913 | 100% |
| Member School Distributions | $3,988,007 | 28.2% |
| Conference Operations (non-distribution expenses) | $7,932,356 | 56.1% |
| Commissioner Compensation | $305,000 | 2.2% |
| Net Surplus | +$2,227,550 | +15.7% |
Financial Position: The MEAC generated a $2.2M surplus in FY2024–25, the second strongest financial position in this cohort behind the SWAC. Commissioner Sonja Stills received $305,000 in total compensation — the lowest commissioner compensation among fully staffed conferences in this analysis.
Key Findings
Data Driven HBCU analysis · IRS Form 990, FY2024–25
Finding 1
The MEAC's tournament earner retention policy creates real, measurable financial advantages — and gaps
The MEAC's distribution policy allows the school that earned an NCAA Tournament bid to retain the majority of that revenue over the rolling six-year period. This is directly visible in MFRS data: Norfolk State's $1.79M confDistrib in FY2025 versus NC Central's $357K reflects accumulated tournament shares — not a different conference deal or structural funding disparity. For programs with recent tournament appearances, the MEAC policy delivers significantly more revenue than the conference average. For those without, the baseline distribution is considerably lower than peers.
Finding 2
Tournament advantage is time-limited — appearances must continue to sustain the benefit
The rolling six-year distribution window means that schools currently benefiting from tournament earner retention will see that advantage phase out if they don't continue making NCAA Tournament appearances. A program that earned a bid five years ago is in the final year of that revenue window. For MEAC schools with recent appearances, maintaining tournament competitiveness is not just an athletic goal — it has a direct revenue consequence. Schools that fall out of tournament contention will see their confDistrib figures decline toward the conference baseline over the following years.
Finding 3
The MEAC generates strong tournament revenue — second highest in this cohort
The MEAC generated $1,042,052 in tournament/championship revenue in FY2024–25, second only to the CAA ($2.36M) in this cohort. Tournament hosting and conference championship events are a meaningful revenue source for the MEAC. This revenue contributes to the conference's $2.2M surplus and supports conference operations. For an all-HBCU conference, the ability to generate over $1M from tournament events is a significant financial asset.
Finding 4
The MEAC distributes a smaller percentage of revenue to schools than the SWAC
Despite generating $14.1M in total revenue, the MEAC distributes only 28.2% of that revenue to member schools ($4.0M), compared to the SWAC's 52.5% distribution rate. This reflects the MEAC's higher operational expenses relative to distributions, as well as its conference surplus accumulation. The SWAC's model of distributing TV revenue as part of the pool results in a higher share of revenue reaching member campuses. For MEAC members, the conference retains more revenue for operations than the SWAC model does.
Finding 5
UMES and Coppin State — no football programs — face a structural distribution disadvantage
UMES and Coppin State do not sponsor football, which means they are ineligible for any football-related grant components or championship distributions. In conferences where football drives significant revenue and distribution variation, not sponsoring football limits the total a school can receive. The MEAC's base distribution for non-football schools is lower than for full-program members, compounding the disadvantage for schools already operating with fewer sports and smaller athletic budgets.
Research Verdict
The MEAC's financial position is solid — $14.1M in revenue, a $2.2M surplus, and an average distribution of ~$498K per school. The standout feature of the MEAC model is its tournament earner retention policy, which creates a direct financial incentive for athletic performance and allows tournament-qualifying schools to accumulate revenue advantages over a six-year window. The system rewards competitiveness but creates meaningful disparity between schools with and without recent tournament appearances. For schools like Norfolk State, the MEAC's policy delivers substantially more revenue than the conference average. For schools like NC Central or UMES, the baseline is considerably lower.