HBCU Athletics LeadershipThursday, December 10, 2026Atlanta
Lead the legacy forward.
One day for the presidents, athletic directors, and senior administrators who lead HBCU athletics, in Atlanta during Celebration Bowl week. One hundred seats.
About the Summit
One day. One room. The leaders of HBCU athletics.
Every December the HBCU football community comes to Atlanta. Two days before kickoff, the Summit brings together the people who make those programs possible.
This is a summit about athletics leadership, not a general higher-education conference. It is built for the presidents, athletic directors and senior athletics administrators who manage budgets, compliance, facilities, enrollment, and the wellbeing of student-athletes, often with fewer resources than their peers. Expect candid panels, practical ideas you can take back to campus, and time with colleagues who understand the work.
~100HBCUs nationwide
21states, plus DC & USVI
1day, start to finish
Who should attend
Built for the people who lead HBCU athletics
Registration is open to HBCU athletics leadership and invited partners. Seats are capped at 100.
Presidents & chancellors
Set the vision and see athletics as a driver of enrollment, visibility, and fundraising.
Athletic directors
Trade strategies with peers facing the same pressures, from budgets to NIL.
Senior administrators
Compliance, business operations, student-athlete development, communications, and fundraising.
Conference leaders & FARs
Help shape the future of HBCU athletics across conferences.
Invited partners
Organizations committed to strengthening HBCU campuses.
Focus areas
What we’ll cover
Five conversations HBCU athletics leaders are already having. Topics are being finalized with our programming partners; the full agenda and panelists will be published as they are confirmed.
Higher education
The President Panel
The intersection between athletics and higher education, and how presidents are managing a landscape that keeps shifting underneath them.
Intercollegiate athletics
The Athletic Director Panel
Navigating a career to the AD chair. The skills the job demands now, and how to position yourself for what comes next.
Sustainable leadership
The Wellbeing of the Athletic Administrator
The people who support student-athletes need support too. Burnout, mental health, and personal development.
Growth
The Future of Sports
Technology, media, Esports, and the enrollment drivers reshaping what an athletics department is expected to deliver.
Business development
Space is limitedRevenue
NIL, sponsorships, and integrated partnerships that keep a program funded.
Your seat is free
One hundred seats for the 2026 Summit.
Panels & speakers
Built as conversations
Every session is a panel of two to four voices, usually a university president, an athletic director, and an industry executive. Each one is moderated for candor rather than talking points.
Panelists announced as they are confirmed
We publish names only once they are locked in. Check back, or register and we will email you each panel as it is announced.
Someone who belongs on a panel? Tell us at [email protected].
Who takes care of the people taking care of our student-athletes?
The question behind the Summit
Date, venue & travel
See you in Atlanta
Book early. Atlanta hotels fill up quickly during Celebration Bowl week.
DEC10Thursday
2026
2026
- Check-in
- 8:30 AM
- Program
- 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, with an evening reception
- Venue
- Venue to be announced
- City
- Atlanta, Georgia
In town for the Cricket Celebration Bowl? Kickoff is Saturday, December 12 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, two days after the Summit.
Hotel
Plan your stay
- Hotel
- Room block coming soon
- Group rate
- To be announced
- Book by
- To be announced
Flying in? Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) is about 20 minutes from downtown, and MARTA rail runs from the airport.
Registration
Reserve your seat
Registration is free and capped at 100 seats. You’ll get a confirmation email right away, then the agenda, panels, and travel details before the Summit.
- Thursday, December 10, 2026 · Champions Club at Center Parc Stadium
- For HBCU athletics leadership and invited partners
- No registration fee for you or your institution
Free registration
Registration is open
Registration is handled on our event page. You will need your name, title, and institution.
Click here to beginPartnership
Bring your organization
A small group of partners makes the Summit free for the people who attend it. If that sounds like your organization, we would like to hear from you.
Become a partner