The Atlantic Coast Conference and ESPN announced an extension to their multi-platform broadcast agreement Wednesday that will run through 2026-27.
According to the ACC, the deal is worth $3.6 billion over 15 years, netting each ACC school $17 million per year. That is up from the $1.86 billion, 12-year deal negotiated in 2012 which gave each institution $14 million annually.
With the deal, ESPN gains the rights to televise three Friday ACC football games, including the Friday after Thanksgiving, with Boston College and Syracuse committed to host one each. It also guarantees to add additional women’s basketball games and increase the coverage of Olympic sports on more than a dozen ESPN platforms.
“We are excited to have further enhanced our partnership with ESPN through the extension of our multimedia contract,” said ACC Commissioner John Swofford. “We are proud that ESPN has invested so deeply in the ACC both from a resource and exposure standpoint. As we look to the future, this relationship will be tremendous for our schools, fans, coaches and student-athletes.”
The ACCs planned expansion to include Syracuse and Pittsburgh will ultimately increase the amount of in-conference competitions. According to a release by the conference, at least 14 ACC football games will be televised each season as well as 30 men’s basketball and a minimum of 10 women's basketball games.
Also included in the extension, ESPN acquires the rights for title sponsorships, outside of football, in conference championships including men’s and women’s basketball. In the 59-year history of the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament, it has never before had a title sponsor.
“This expansion and extension of our exclusive agreement brings tremendous value to our company and to ACC fans everywhere,” said John Skipper, president, ESPN and co-chair, Disney Media Networks.”
ESPN and the ACC were able to restructure the old deal because of a contractual clause that opened the door for negotiations if there were membership changes.
Back off and look at the "bigger picture". No doubt this is a very good TV "package" for the ACC and ESPN - very profitable for both it seems. However, keep in mind what the ACC is - it is NOT a professional sports league, rather the ACC is a group of UNIVERSITIES - degree awarding institutions of higher education. At least "in theory", all athletes are STUDENT-athletes, who take classes, tests, exams, write papers, etc. How does this lucrative contract fit into that picture? No doubt - for that amount of $$$ - ESPN will "dictate" which days and times football and basketball games will be played - WITHOUT REGARD for the fact that the athletes playing the games are STUDENTS! No doubt... with such contracts the likelihood of the "tail wagging the dog", more so than it already does, will be increased.
- Posted by Objective Scientist
Until the universities get out of the minor league business, they will continue down this road. The ACC and other major conferences ARE the minor league for the NFL and NBA. Maybe they shouldn't be, but they are, and the reason why is for $$$ like this deal.
- Posted by 4tarheels
4tarheels - agreed! I've said what you said many times in posts/comments. IMO... the Universities should get out of functioning as a "developmental or minor league" for the NFL/NBA.
Back off and look at the "bigger picture". No doubt this is a very good TV "package" for the ACC and ESPN - very profitable for both it seems. However, keep in mind what the ACC is - it is NOT a professional sports league, rather the ACC is a group of UNIVERSITIES - degree awarding institutions of higher education. At least "in theory", all athletes are STUDENT-athletes, who take classes, tests, exams, write papers, etc. How does this lucrative contract fit into that picture? No doubt - for that amount of $$$ - ESPN will "dictate" which days and times football and basketball games will be played - WITHOUT REGARD for the fact that the athletes playing the games are STUDENTS! No doubt... with such contracts the likelihood of the "tail wagging the dog", more so than it already does, will be increased.
- Posted by Objective Scientist
Until the universities get out of the minor league business, they will continue down this road. The ACC and other major conferences ARE the minor league for the NFL and NBA. Maybe they shouldn't be, but they are, and the reason why is for $$$ like this deal.
Back off and look at the "bigger picture". No doubt this is a very good TV "package" for the ACC and ESPN - very profitable for both it seems. However, keep in mind what the ACC is - it is NOT a professional sports league, rather the ACC is a group of UNIVERSITIES - degree awarding institutions of higher education. At least "in theory", all athletes are STUDENT-athletes, who take classes, tests, exams, write papers, etc. How does this lucrative contract fit into that picture? No doubt - for that amount of $$$ - ESPN will "dictate" which days and times football and basketball games will be played - WITHOUT REGARD for the fact that the athletes playing the games are STUDENTS! No doubt... with such contracts the likelihood of the "tail wagging the dog", more so than it already does, will be increased.
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