ACC Adds Stanford, Cal, SMU In College Sports Landscape Transformation

By Barry Janoff

September 1, 2023: The once-shining Pac-12 is now down to a barely lit Pac-2.

The Atlantic Coast Conference Board of Directors voted today to formally admit the University of California, Berkeley (Cal), Southern Methodist University and Stanford University to the ACC.

They will  join the ACC as full members with full voting participation effective July 1, 2024 (SMU) and Aug. 2, 2024 (Stanford and Cal).

The decision, which followed the submission of letters of application from all three institution, means that “more than 2,200 student-athletes from Cal, SMU and Stanford will join the nearly 10,000 current ACC student-athletes competing at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics," according to the ACC.

All told, more than 80,000 students are enrolled in the three universities.

The ACC, founded in 1953, currently includes Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.

Cal, SMU and Stanford will begin competing in the ACC across their respective sponsored sports in the 2024-2025 academic year. The move will increase the ACC’s number of football schools to 17 and 18 in most other sports, with Notre Dame remaining a football independent.

The ACC becomes the fourth conference to have at least 16 football members, along with the SEC, Big Ten and Big 12.

“This is a significant day for the ACC as we welcome Cal, SMU and Stanford to this incredible conference,” James E. Ryan, University of Virginia president and chair for the ACC Board of Directors, said via the ACC.

“This expansion will enhance and strengthen the league now and in the future.”

The decision also means that ten universities are planning to leave the Pac-12.

The Big Ten said Oregon and Washington would be joining the conference next August, with Pac-12 members Southern California and UCLA having previously decided to move there.

The Big 12 is adding Pac-12 members Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado  and Utah.

Currently without plans to leave the Pac-12 are Oregon State and Washington State.

“We are very pleased with the outcome, which will support the best interests of our student-athletes and aligns with Berkeley’s values,” Carol Christ, UCBerkeley chancellor, said via the school.

“We are confident that the ACC and its constituent institutions are an excellent match for our university and will provide an elite competitive context for our student-athletes in this changing landscape of intercollegiate athletics.’

The ACC, which has a long-term deal with ESPN, has been actively expanding its national presence.

In July, the ACC signed a deal with The CW Network for exclusive broadcast rights to 50 college football and basketball games each season through 2026-27.

The first ACC football game on The CW is scheduled for Sept.  9 when the Pittsburgh Panthers football team plays non-conference opponent Cincinnati Bearcats.

Games will then air every Saturday throughout the season in the afternoon and in primetime.

In addition to 13 football games, The CW will broadcast 28 men’s basketball games and nine women’s basketball games in December, January and February.

Calling it “the next great frontier for live sporting events,” ESPN and Theater Sports Network this week signed a deal with MetaMedia to serve as the exclusive live-streaming partner for regular season ACC college football, as well as New Year's Bowl games and the CFB semi-finals and National Championship in U.S. cinemas.

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