JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) is relocating from Atlanta to Jacksonville this fall, making the announcement on Wednesday afternoon at City Hall.
The city also packaged the creation of the Jacksonville Sports Foundation with the news, reinforcing the area’s commitment to boost sports tourism and bolster the appeal of the region.
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“I am more than thrilled to be announcing our relocation to Jacksonville, a market that is growing exponentially in a location that will allow us to access and engage with our student-athletes, coaches and administrators at an unprecedented level,” said ASUN commissioner Jeff Bacon.
“As the only NCAA Division I conference headquartered in Florida, we have a unique opportunity to capitalize on the value that our membership brings to one of the fastest-growing states in the country. Thank you to the City of Jacksonville and to VisitJAX for their support, and thank you to our Atlantic Sun Conference Presidents for their vision and support of this move. We look forward to the continued growth of the Atlantic Sun and our phenomenal institutions.”
The ASUN, which counts Jacksonville University and the University of North Florida as members in its 12-school NCAA Division I conference, was initially created in 1978 as the Trans America Athletic Conference. Along with JU and UNF, the ASUN has Florida Gulf Coast and Stetson in the Sunshine State.
The conference fields 22 sports (12 in women’s and 10 in men’s).
“I’ve seen first-hand the impact of sports tourism in Jacksonville,” said Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan said in a statement. “Having an organization dedicated to attracting sport events to Jacksonville is a game-changer and I’m excited to see what the Jacksonville Sports Foundation brings here.”