It's time for West Virginia's capital to claim its place on the national stage. The Golden Eagles are ready. The city is ready. The moment is now.
Join the EffortCharleston is the most Division I-ready city in West Virginia. With the largest market in the state, world-class facilities, and an underserved fan base hungry for top-tier college athletics, this is the natural home for West Virginia's next Division I program.
The Charleston metro area is more than double the size of any other market contained entirely within West Virginia. While some markets extend into border states, Charleston stands alone as the state's largest concentrated population center—a market ready to rally behind Division I athletics.
Only two other Division I schools exist in West Virginia, both are on the boundaries and neither is close enough to serve Charleston's sports entertainment demands. Lower level local institutions have never been able to fully engage this market as a DI brand can, leaving fans to support distant higher level programs instead of rallying behind their own capital city. Moving to Division I gives Charleston the opportunity to capture its own community and build a larger dedicated following.
Charleston's community often feels divided, lacking a unifying local brand that brings people together across neighborhoods and backgrounds. Division I athletics can change that. When your city has a team to believe in—one that represents you on a national stage—it builds civic pride and creates a shared identity that transcends differences. Charleston deserves something to rally behind together.
The leap from Division II to Division I isn't just competitive—it's transformational for visibility. The MEC operates on a small, limited platform. A Division I conference means ESPN+, making Golden Eagles games easy to find at home and in sports bars across the region, rather than the extremely difficult and inconvenient experience today. Division I programs also recieve more attention from local and statewide media. We will be mentioned among the group of 3 versus the overcrowded group of 12 today.
Home to West Virginia's only international airport, Charleston offers low-cost flights, easy access, and abundant hotels—attractive assets for prospective conferences looking to expand. While most matches will be regional bus trips, this infrastructure demonstrates Charleston's readiness to compete at the highest level.
Charleston's NCAA institutions have access to exceptional municipal facilities that rival or exceed those of established Division I programs across the country.
A 12,000+ seat basketball arena available to supplement the home court when larger crowds are expected. This model has worked for many programs nationwide—the Big East famously built its legacy on these types of city-school partnerships.
A modern minor league baseball facility that easily qualifies to host NCAA tournament games and conference championships, giving the Golden Eagles a professional-grade second home for baseball.
An 18,500-seat stadium considered by some to be the largest football stadium in Division II—and would be one of the largest in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Tremendous potential for a community that has repeatedly proven they can bring more than 10,000 fans to Division I contests when those opportunites come to town.
A planned 3,000-4,000 seat arena that will offer additional event hosting options for sports needing capacity between the on-campus home court and the downtown coliseum.
This isn't just about athletics. Moving to Division I is about elevating Charleston and the state's identity, capturing the community's imagination, and positioning both the city and the university for unprecedented growth and visibility.
Charleston is leaving significant revenue on the table by staying in Division II. The financial case for Division I isn't aspirational—it's backed by proven revenue streams that low-major programs leverage every single year. Here's where the money comes from.
This is the most reliable revenue stream for low-major Division I programs. Big South men's basketball teams regularly receive $90,000-$110,00 per game to play at major programs with no return home game required. One high major paid $750k for a single game with a low major in 2025. Football guarantee games for FCS programs range from $350,000-$750,000 per appearance and can far exceed 7 figures for a single game. Playing just 3-6 basketball guarantee games and 1-3 football games annually could conservatively generate $1,000,000 to $2,000,000+ in new revenue that doesn't exist in Division II.
West Virginia University and Marshall University combined spend well over $1 million annually bringing in Big South teams and other low-major Division I programs for home games. That money currently goes to out-of-state programs. As a Division I team, Charleston would be an attractive regional opponent—keeping those dollars in-state while providing our programs with guaranteed revenue and exposure playing in front of energized crowds.
Charleston sits in the heart of Division I country. Within 300 miles of the capital, there are over 100 Division I institutions—creating an unmatched density of competitive opportunities and revenue-generating matchups all within a comfortable bus ride. Meanwhile, West Virginia's 12 Division II schools actually outnumber all of populous Ohio's Division II programs. We also have more Division II institutions than Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky combined. This imbalance creates a strategic opportunity: our neighboring states are saturated with Division I programs looking for regional opponents, while we're oversaturated with Division II schools competing for the same limited scheduling pool.
The numbers tell the story: The average conference game in the Mountain East Conference is under 200 miles—a comfortable distance. Moving to the Big South increases that average to under 300 miles, a marginal change. But here's what changes dramatically: access to 100+ Division I schools for non-conference scheduling, guarantee games, and cross-sport opportunities—all within that same 300-mile radius. The distance stays manageable. The revenue and exposure opportunities only available at Division I become abundant. It's not just a wash—it's a strategic advantage.
Division I athletics create measurable economic impact through visitor spending, media exposure, and community engagement. This opens doors for public support from state, county, city, and economic development organizations that recognize the return on investment. Other communities have successfully secured public partnerships to fund Division I transitions—Charleston can make the same economic development case.
Increased exposure on ESPN+ and regional sports networks dramatically enhances sponsorship value. Corporate partners pay significantly more for Division I visibility compared to Division II's limited reach. Local and regional businesses want to be associated with teams that compete on a national stage—that premium didn't exist before, but Division I makes it possible.
These aren't theoretical revenue streams—they're how low-major Division I programs operate successfully across the country. Charleston has the market size, facilities, and competitive programs to capitalize on every single one of these opportunities. The question isn't whether the money exists. The question is: how much longer do we leave it on the table?
The right conference fit is everything. After careful analysis, one conference stands out as the ideal destination for Charleston's Division I aspirations.
The Big South simply checks the most boxes—by far. With similar institutions, the perfect geographic footprint, and an urgent need for football programs, the Big South represents the ideal landing spot for Charleston to thrive immediately while building toward long-term success.
The Big South features similar institutions and offers the crucial geographic proximity that minimizes travel for conference matches, all of which will be in the Carolinas and Virginias, creating a tight regional identity.
The Big South desperately needs football programs. With only 9 schools remaining after massive conference realignment and just 3 football-playing members (one non-scholarship), Charleston's market and 18,500-seat stadium would be extremely attractive to a conference that has lost so many football members.
The level of competition is perfectly calibrated. Charleston will be able to compete right away with just a few years to recruit ahead of the move—ensuring success from day one rather than struggling through a brutal transition period.
To fill out their football conference, the Big South has an alliance with the Ohio Valley Conference—another solid choice, though not as attractive as the Big South for our move up. This alliance means Charleston gets a new conference for all sports (except Men's Volleyball) tightly contained in the Southeast, plus a football conference that extends exposure into the Midwest and Mid-South.
The Big South's sports offerings align remarkably well with Charleston's current programs. In fact, if you visit the sports pages for both the university and the conference, you might think their website designs were copied from each other—that's how natural this fit is.
The match is nearly perfect. The only difference is Indoor Track & Field, which Charleston doesn't currently offer and isn't a barrier for membership. Charleston's Men's Volleyball program already competes in a different conference and would remain unchanged. This alignment makes the transition seamless.
The stars have aligned. The community has been ready for years. The athletic programs have built themselves into contenders. And a rare window of opportunity has opened that makes 2026 the perfect time to explore this transition.
The NCAA has instituted a moratorium on Division II to Division I reclassification applications until February 2027. This pause is designed to manage growth, review membership standards, and prevent instability—ensuring a sustainable Division I landscape moving forward.
This moratorium creates a unique strategic window. Until February 2027, Charleston has the opportunity to engage municipal partners, political leaders, potential corporate sponsors, alumni, and the community to lay critical groundwork without speculation of making an actual move. This allows private negotiations and the establishment of agreements that could be triggered if a Division I conference extends an invitation.
The groundwork begins now. Engage stakeholders. Build consensus. Secure commitments. And position Charleston to move decisively when the NCAA moratorium lifts in 2027. This isn't just about sports—it's about transforming Charleston's identity and giving our city the platform it deserves.
The future of Charleston athletics—and Charleston itself—starts with this conversation. Will you be part of making it happen?
Charleston is ready for Division I. The question is: are you ready to help make it happen? Join the effort to bring elite college athletics to West Virginia's capital.