A Knight Commission C.A.R.E. Champion is a designation that can be earned by a Division I athletics conference when it fully implements all the C.A.R.E. Model requirements, which prioritize the education and well-being of college athletes while integrating education-based principles in financial incentives and athletics spending.
The C.A.R.E. Model (Connecting Athletics Revenues with the Educational Model of College Sports) was developed by the Knight Commission to assist conferences and national entities in bolstering accountability and to ensure that both the distribution and spending of shared athletics revenue prioritize college athletes’ education, health, safety, well-being, equity, and opportunity. This holistic model supports the educational mission of college sports and includes four principles and requirements:
1. Transparency
2. Independent Oversight
3. Incentives for Core Values of Education, Gender Equity, and Opportunity
4. Financial Responsibility for Education, Health, Safety, and Well-Being
The Knight Commission certified the nation’s first C.A.R.E. Champions on September 18, 2024, with its recognition of the Metro Atlantic Athletics Conference and The Southern Conference.
As C.A.R.E. Champions, the MAAC and The Southern Conference are leading the way for other Division I conferences in promoting gender equity. To earn this distinction, a conference must financially reward team success, reflected in postseason performance, equally between men and women. Our C.A.R.E. Champions will reward March Madness victories by women’s basketball teams at a dollar level equal to that of their men’s teams.
2024 C.A.R.E. Champions
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Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, September 18, 2024 |
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The Southern Conference, September 18, 2024 |
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The Big Sky Conference, December 9, 2024 |