IRVING, Texas (Nov. 18, 2025) — American Conference and LLH Healthcare (LLH) today announced LLH as the
Title Partner of the 2025 American Football Championship, set for December 5, 2025, on ABC and hosted by the No. 1 seed team at their home stadium.
The partnership highlights the American’s strategy to expand its commercial growth through innovative brand collaborations that deliver added revenue streams, national exposure, and enhanced experiences for student-athletes and fans. By aligning with LLH, a national leader in healthcare and benefits innovation, the conference continues to strengthen its member institutions and brand within the evolving collegiate landscape.
“We are proud to welcome LLH Healthcare to the American Conference family as a key partner in the continued growth of our league,” stated Commissioner Tim Pernetti. “Their commitment to health, education, and especially innovation, consistent with the American brand, creates new and exciting opportunities and resources for all our student-athletes and member institutions.”
LLH Healthcare combines proven technology, compliant plan design, and expert education to deliver the most effective employee healthcare solutions on the market. The company is working with universities nationwide to advance innovative employee benefit programs that create NIL impact, strengthen athletic programs, and make healthcare more inclusive and financially smart.
“We’re honored to partner with the American Conference on a championship that celebrates excellence on and off the field,” said Zachary Rogers, CEO of LLH Healthcare. “LLH was built on the idea that smarter, more inclusive healthcare should empower people to perform at their best—whether in the workplace or on the playing field. Through this partnership and our Athletes for Hope initiative, we’re proud to turn each moment of success into lasting opportunities for student-athletes and employers in their communities.”
The agreement was executed through American RISE Ventures (Revenue, Innovation, Sports, Entertainment), the conference’s business and innovation division, launched by Commissioner Pernetti to drive revenue generation, sponsorship strategy, media rights, brand partnerships, technology, and emerging ventures. Led by Chief Commercial Officer Bryan Calka, a veteran sports executive with nearly 25 years of experience across professional and collegiate sports, RISE is redefining how conferences leverage commercial strategy to create value for member institutions and partners alike.
“Our partnership with LLH showcases the future of how the American approaches brand alignment,” Calka said. “Together, we’re building relationships that drive impact and creative partnerships for our schools and student-athletes rooted in performance and purpose. This is what RISE was designed to do.”
The new co-branded
American Football Championship presented by LLH Healthcare was designed to celebrate the integrity of the championship mark while seamlessly integrating the LLH identity within the game logo. The design elevates LLH’s presence as a true partner in the event’s visual identity, positioning the integration as a central element rather than an add-on. The championship mark will appear at midfield, symbolizing the strength of the partnership and the American’s commitment to innovation, grit, and service across its football platform.
Partnership Highlights
- Title Partnership: LLH Healthcare becomes the official Title Partner of the 2025 American Football Championship.
- Game Details: The championship will be hosted by the No. 1 seed on December 5, 2025, and televised nationally on ABC.
- Branding: The championship will feature on-field branding, including a co-branded American Football Championship and LLH Healthcare logo at midfield.
- In-Stadium Exposure: LED ribbon boards, videoboard features, and premium hospitality experiences.
- Trophy Presentation: LLH Healthcare Founder and Chairman of the Board, Edward Shaw, will participate in the on-field trophy presentation ceremony.
- National Visibility: Integrated media and broadcast partnership showcasing LLH’s mission and the Americans’ vision on a national stage.
- A donation from LLH Healthcare from a “First Down Fund” during the American Conference Championship Game will go to Athletes for Hope, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by elite athletes to help sports figures at all levels use their platforms for good. The organization serves as a vital bridge, connecting athletes with charitable causes and providing them with the education and tools to become effective philanthropists. Through its work, Athletes for Hope empowers thousands of athletes to channel their energy and passion into purposeful action that strengthens communities.
About American Conference
The American Conference is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The league was founded in 1979, reconstituted in 2013 as the American Athletic Conference, and rebranded “American Conference” in 2025.
With the conference office in Irving, Texas, the American is comprised of the following institutions: University of Alabama at Birmingham, United States Military Academy West Point (Army - in football only), University of North Carolina at Charlotte, East Carolina University, Florida Atlantic University, University of Memphis, United States Naval Academy (Navy - in football only), University of North Texas, Rice University, University of South Florida, Temple University, University of Texas at San Antonio, Tulane University, University of Tulsa and Wichita State University (basketball and Olympic sports). Under the leadership of Commissioner Tim Pernetti, the American sponsors 20 sports (nine for men and 11 for women); is a member of the College Football Playoff (CFP); has television partnerships with ESPN and CBS Sports; in the spring of 2019, signed a foundational television agreement with ESPN that commenced in 2020-21and extends through the 2033-34 academic year. For more information, please visit
www.TheAmerican.org.
About LLH Healthcare
Founded in 2019, LLH Healthcare is where workplace champions choose care. Our mission is to empower individuals and families to take charge of their health through proactive, preventative care. LLH Healthcare delivers smarter, more inclusive benefits designed to support total wellbeing—physically, emotionally, and financially. Our comprehensive plans include 24/7 telemedicine access, prescription coverage, virtual mental health support, and healthy lifestyle coaching to help members build sustainable habits that enhance performance and quality of life.
With household-wide coverage, hospital indemnity benefits, and wellbeing tools that reward prevention, LLH Healthcare helps employers, universities, and organizations reinvest in their people. Together, we’re helping today’s champions live life healthy. Learn how at
LiveLifeHealthy.com.
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