Conferences: Western Kentucky University has announced that it will end its football affiliation with the Ohio Valley Conference at the end of the 2000 season and will seek membership in the Gateway Football Conference. Western Kentucky President Gary Ransdell made the announcement after the Ohio Valley informed the school that full membership in the conference would be required to participate in football. The Ohio Valley extended an invitation to the school under those terms, but Ransdell indicated that Western Kentucky would remain as a member of the Sun Belt Conference in all sports other than football. School officials were invited to the Gateway's annual meetings in June to discuss football participation. "Western Kentucky is committed to playing Division I-AA football at the highest level possible and membership in the Gateway, Division I-AA football's most successful league, would certainly be a major step in that direction," Ransdell said. If approved, Western Kentucky would join Illinois State University, Indiana State University, the University of Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Southwest Missouri State University, Western Illinois University and Youngstown State University as Gateway members.

Miscellaneous: The Big South Conference has entered into a five-year agreement with AIM Technologies to provide the fancard.net program, a fan-loyalty program that rewards sports fans for their attendance at conference basketball, football and baseball games. The program provides fans with an ATM-type card that they swipe at any special kiosks located at the playing venue, which allows them to receive points that accumulate during the season. Those points entitle members to receive prizes that may include free soft drinks, game tickets and other items. The program will be implemented at all conference schools' basketball venues for the 2000-01 season and continue through the 2004-05 baseball season ... The Midwestern Collegiate Conference has signed a multiyear corporate marketing agreement with Host Communications, Inc. The agreement will give Host oversight of all corporate marketing activities for the 21-year-old league. "The time is right for our conference to develop new marketing opportunities," said MCC Commissioner Jon LeCrone. "Host is the right fit for us."