The Missouri Valley Football Conference and the Summit League announced a partnership Tuesday to strengthen ties between the two leagues, which share several member universities.

The announcement coincides with a leadership change at the MVFC. The conference hired Jeff Jackson as its new commissioner, replacing Patty Viverito, who is retiring in June.

As part of the inter-conference agreement, Summit League Commissioner Josh Fenton will become executive advisor to the MVFC. Fenton will continue his duties as Summit League commissioner, a position he has held since 2023.

“This partnership will foster a mutually beneficial relationship between our two conferences, ensuring the continued success of the MVFC while establishing a stable framework for our membership,” Jackson said in a statement. “Our collective efforts will be instrumental in delivering an exceptional experience for student-athletes.”

The partnership leverages significant membership overlap. South Dakota State, North Dakota State, North Dakota and South Dakota compete in the MVFC for football and are members of the Summit League for most other sports.

Other Summit League members — Denver, Kansas City, Omaha and Oral Roberts — do not sponsor football. St. Thomas, also a Summit League member, competes in the Pioneer Football League for football.

MVC members Illinois State, Indiana State, Missouri State, Murray State, Northern Iowa, and Southern Illinois compete mostly in the Missouri Valley Conference for other sports. Youngstown State competes in the Horizon League.

Jackson takes over for Viverito, who has led the MVFC since its founding as the Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference. Jackson previously held administrative positions with the Big 12 and Big South conferences.