The informal split of NCAA Division I conferences into the wealthy, TV-revenue-driven top tier (Power 5) and everyone else (Group of 5). Affects scholarships, exposure, and recruiting reach.
"Power 5" and "Group of 5" are informal labels for the two tiers of NCAA Division I FBS athletic conferences. The terms come primarily from football but apply broadly across D1 sports because the same conferences sit on top of D1 athletics generally.
The five wealthiest D1 conferences with the most TV revenue, the largest athletic budgets, and the deepest recruiting reach: SEC, ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12. (Note: conference realignment has been reshuffling these — the Pac-12 has largely dissolved as of recent years with most members moving to Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC. Verify current alignments.)
The five next-tier D1 FBS conferences: American Athletic Conference (AAC), Conference USA, Mid-American Conference (MAC), Mountain West, Sun Belt. Real D1 athletics, real scholarships, real competitive level — just less TV money and less recruiting budget than Power 5.
Power 5 programs have larger recruiting staffs, bigger travel budgets, and more aggressive evaluation timelines. A Power 5 offer means more by most measures than a Group of 5 offer. But Group of 5 programs offer real D1 experiences, real scholarships, and often better playing-time paths — many athletes have better four-year experiences at Group of 5 programs where they actually play vs. Power 5 where they sit.
The Power 5 / Group of 5 distinction is football-specific but the conference hierarchy extends to other sports. SEC baseball is dominant; Big 12 wrestling is dominant; ACC lacrosse is dominant; and so on. Within each sport, knowing where the strong conferences sit shapes where to target recruiting outreach.