In a recent development, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) presidents have deferred the decision to add Stanford and California to the league. Both universities are allegedly seeking an escape from the disintegrating Pac-12 and have been left in limbo by the ACC presidents’ decision to withhold a vote on their inclusion.
Despite three days of meetings discussing the potential westward expansion of the league, it was evident that achieving the required 12 votes to add the Northern California schools would be challenging. Alongside Stanford and Cal, the ACC also evaluated the Dallas-based Southern Methodist University (SMU) from the American Athletic Conference as another potential addition.
With the Pac-12 falling apart, both Stanford and Cal have also approached officials with the Big Ten. However, to date, the Big Ten has not been inclined to add two more West Coast schools to the lineup it has set to join in 2024, including Southern California, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington.
The ACC is currently exploring avenues to generate more revenue for its schools amidst a media rights contract with ESPN that extends to 2036. The introduction of Stanford and Cal could potentially bring in two more full ESPN shares, albeit likely as partial payouts, with incumbent schools sharing the remainder.
The issue of revenue division within the ACC has proven contentious, with Florida State’s president suggesting that without radical change, the school may be forced to leave the league. However, breaking the ACC’s grant of rights could impose massive financial penalties amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.
The disintegration of the Pac-12 continues with only four schools committed beyond the current season. While Stanford and Cal have drawn interest from another Power Five conference, the prospects for Oregon State and Washington State appear less promising. The future of these schools remains uncertain as conversations about conferences and alignments continue.