The HBCU Athletic Conference expands its brand through diversity

by LOIS ELFMAN

Last week, Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes listened intently to the panels at the She’s Got Time Women in Sports Summit. Held in New Orleans, where Barnes is based as the commissioner of the newly rebranded HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC), she appreciated the insights from people in diverse careers. Hearing what is happening in the professional sports league space brought fresh insights.
“They’ve been talking a little bit about the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership, which is really critical, and they talked about advocacy in sport, getting your seat at the table and advocating for one another,” said Barnes, who serves as a mentor for many young women seeking careers in the athletic sphere. “I enjoy hearing the stories of those in the different areas.”
A former student-athlete, Barnes began her career as a basketball coach before segueing into athletic administration. While still the athletic director at Dillard University, she was also working with the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, an NAIA conference made up of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Since becoming the conference’s first full-time employee in 2022, she has worked to grow its membership—it now consists of 13 schools across several states and the U.S. Virgin Islands—and increase its presence in college sports.

“When I took over full-time in June 2022, we were towards the end of one strategic plan, and part of that plan was a conversation around identity for the conference,” Barnes said. “How are we now in the marketplace able to compete with these other HBCU conferences (there are two conferences in NCAA Division I and two in NCAA Division II) that are in the collegiate space?”
Barnes sought to bring the conference a more visible identity. The presidents of the member institutions approved having a name change. “We wanted a name representative of who we are and that would allow us to continue expansion,” said Barnes. There were focus groups with student-athletes, coaches, athletic directors and other key constituents and the answer became clear.
This spring, the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference officially became the HBCU Athletic Conference with the tagline “Where Winners Thrive.” “We feel like it’s bold; it clearly identifies who we are,” Barnes said. Over the next year, HBCUAC TV will be developing through the digital platform/streaming partner HBCU+.
“This year we’re going to be focused on developing key strategic partnerships,” said Barnes. “We’ll continue to build and grow this conference.”