The conference currently offers championships for girls in basketball, cross country, golf, softball, track and field, and volleyball.

In boys' sports, the BDC offers championships in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, track and field, and wrestling.

The original schools were members of the Coal Belt Conference for other sports.

The original conference schools were Carterville, Christopher, Elkville, Sesser, and Zeigler.

Trico (Campbell Hill) joined the Black Diamond in 1968 -69 season and won three consecutive BDC Basketball Titles.

Carterville and Christopher left the BDC to join the Southern Illini Conference after the 1973 season and returned in 1975.

The 2003–2004 school year saw the largest single expansion in conference history.

Cairo, Eldorado, and Hamilton County became full-time members by joining the conference for all sports.

The Diamond Duels in Basketball puts the 6 teams in each division against each other for Bragging Rights.

[1] Carterville left the BDC at the conclusion of the 2009–2010 school year to the Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference.

[4] Elverado left the BDC at the conclusion of the 2013–14 school year due to dropping their football program.

Sesser-Valier co-ops with non-conference members Waltonville High School while new member Edwards County who joins in 2016 currently co-ops with Grayville High School.

Since 2003 each division has had separate champion determined by regular season conference records.

All but one of the titles were awarded to the winner of the conference tournament held on the final weekend of the regular season.