Jeff Bacon

Chief Executive Officer

Jeff Bacon serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Unisun Sports, an athletic

organization that powers and supports two NCAA Division I Conferences; the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) and the United Athletic Conference (UAC). Bacon began his tenure on July 1, 2026 after previously serving as Commissioner of the Atlantic Sun Conference for three years. Selected for his deep expertise in collegiate athletics administration and a reputation for strategic innovation, Bacon has swiftly constructed Unisun Sports with a focus on stability, brand elevation, and enhanced revenue generation. His work, focused on economic partnerships and strategic growth, defines him as a leader shaping the next generation of Division I conference administration.

In June of 2025, while serving as Commissioner of the ASUN, Bacon announced the creation of a strategic alliance between the ASUN and UAC (formerly the Western Athletic Conference, “WAC”) wherein both conferences would join a consortium intended to support and manage both leagues and fifteen (15) participating member institutions, bringing together the twelve (12) members of the ASUN and three remaining members of the WAC. The Alliance would provide its members with reduced overhead and expenses, increased revenue generation opportunities, and collaboration in key areas including regular season scheduling. Additionally, the alliance would create a larger institutional footprint while allowing both the ASUN and the UAC to maintain their independent conference structures and NCAA automatic qualifier statuses.

In a significant move strengthening the UAC's all-sports membership, Bacon announced in October of 2025 that the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (Trojans) would join the UAC effective July 1, 2026. This addition bolstered the new conference's competitive profile and strategic footprint, furthering the alliance's growth focus. Just six months later, Bacon announced yet another addition; that on July 1, 2026, the University of West Florida would join the ASUN as its eighth multisport member and the UAC as its eighth football playing member, solidifying both conferences for the 2026-27 season and further strengthening the destination-based footprint of Unisun Sports.

Bacon followed these announcements by unveiling the Unisun Sports brand and its “What’s Next” campaign in the late spring of 2026. The brand identity of the United Athletic Conference quickly followed as “Forge Ahead” defined the first Division I Conference full rebrand in over a decade.

Before the end of the 2025-26 season Bacon added to the momentum of Unisun Sports by announcing a new media rights partnership with ESPN, the first-ever collegiate media rights agreement to incorporate multiple conferences. This historic agreement dramatically increased rights fees, local linear exposure, and national linear exposure for all Unisun Sports members.

During the 2025-26 year Bacon also led the construction of Unisun Sports, developed a forward facing staffing and financial model, and managed brand development in anticipation of the launch of Unisun Sports.

The Atlantic Sun Conference / 2023-24 thru 2025-26

Several of Bacon’s most impactful initiatives while serving as commissioner of the ASUN

centered on a comprehensive move to Jacksonville, Florida, designed to establish the ASUN as a destination-based conference and a significant economic entity in the Southeast. Upon his arrival, Bacon championed the relocation of the ASUN Conference offices from Atlanta, Georgia, a move completed in the fall of 2024. This decision was driven by the desire to be the only NCAA Division I conference headquartered in Florida and to tap into Jacksonville's growing market and affordability.

Under Bacon's leadership, the ASUN secured a landmark, multi-year agreement with the City of Jacksonville to host both the Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments at a single-site location, marking the first time since 2013 that both events will be held in one place. The centralization of the event is projected to generate more than $10 million in economic impact for the Northeast Florida region. Bacon stated this move is intended to elevate the student-athlete experience by creating an exciting, neutral-site championship environment akin to "March Madness."

Highlighting his commitment to the local community and the new home city, Bacon actively serves on the Board of Directors for the Jacksonville Sports Foundation. This position directly supports the Foundation's mission to attract and host major sporting events, further intertwining the ASUN's success with the region's economic growth.

In the fall of 2023, Bacon announced the addition of the University of West Georgia, beginning July 1, 2024, a move that reestablished the ASUN’s geographic footprint within the state of Georgia and brought in one of the most competitive Division II athletic programs in the country, bringing the ASUN’s membership back to twelve.

That same year, Bacon announced the return of the “Atlantic Sun Conference” brand, which had been vacated since 2016. Along with this announcement Bacon unveiled “The Destination” brand identity, representative of the conferences destination-based membership located in the most populated region in the United States including several of the most populated and fastest growing states (Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas and Kentucky) and cities (Nashville, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Louisville, Fort Myers and others) in the country. The Destination theme also applies to Conference member universities, who continue to experience unprecedented enrollment and campus growth.

During the 2024-25 campaign, Bacon spearheaded an extension of the ASUN’s media rights agreement with longtime partner ESPN, notably bringing the ASUN Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship Game to a linear network for the first time.

The Mid-American Conference / 2004-05 thru 2022-23

Bacon’s administrative depth was forged over 19 years at the Mid-American Conference (MAC), where he rose to Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer (COO). Bacon was responsible for high-level operations including serving as liaison to the Directors of Athletics and providing oversight of staff, football, media and multi-media rights partnerships, external relations, strategic planning, championship event management (including the MAC Football Championship Game and Basketball Tournaments), marketing, branding, licensing, data rights management, and affiliate membership.

Among his many accomplishments Bacon holds national credibility as the former Chair of the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Committee, demonstrating a long-standing commitment to the national association. He also created the MAC Academic Consortium, a program aimed at developing academic leaders and supporting the academic mission of member universities; developed the Conference Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program; served as the primary liaison to the MAC’s Strategic Plan; and led the MAC’s Presidential Steering Committee.

Bacon also led several successful NCAA Championship bids, securing three NCAA Women’s Bowling Championships, the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Midwest Regionals, the 2018 NCAA DI Wrestling Championships, the 2020 NCAA Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds, the 2024 NCAA Women’s Final Four, the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds, and the 2026 NCAA DI Wrestling Championships. These Championships combined to generate over $6 million in direct revenues and over $100 million in economic impact.

Bacon’s full-time career at the MAC began as the Director of Compliance and Championships where he initially managed five championships and served as lead compliance officer, before accepting oversight of conference legislation and governance and an assignment as liaison to the MAC’s Faculty Athletics Representatives. In 2009, Bacon was appointed by MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher to develop the MAC Championship and Sport Administration Department where Bacon oversaw all 20 MAC Olympic sports and championships and became the primary liaison to the MAC Medical Advisory Committee and the Game Management Committee. Later, as Associate Commissioner, Bacon was appointed liaison to the MAC Council of Senior Administrators and took on Tournament Director duties for the MAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament in Cleveland, Ohio. Prior to ascending to Deputy Commissioner/COO, Bacon served as a Senior Associate Commissioner and as Deputy Commissioner for Administration, Strategic Initiatives and Chief Sports Officer.

Personal Life

A former attorney, Bacon grew up in northeast Ohio and earned his B.A. in Criminal

Justice from Kent State University and his Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from The University of Akron School of Law. He currently resides in Saint Augustine, Florida with his wife Jessica and their two daughters, Chloe (16) and Cecily (9). Bacon’s son, Caleb (24), resides and works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania after graduating from Liberty University in 2024.