Fans ready for impending ACC tourney expansion

ACC Tournament

Fans ready for impending ACC tourney expansion

An NC State cheerleader performs during first round action of the 2013 ACC Men's Basketball Conference Tournament between NC State and Virginia Tech at the Greensboro Coliseum on March 14, 2013 in Greensboro, NC.

Mar 14, 2013

comments

POST VIEW

Greensboro, N.C. — Although fans still have three days to celebrate the 60th edition of the ACC Tournament, changes are coming.

Notre Dame, Syracuse and Pittsburgh will begin competing in the league this summer, and Louisville isn't far behind. Soon enough, the tournament will look quite different thanks to the latest round of ACC expansion.

Fans in attendance for Thursday's opening round were generally supportive of the changes to the league, but some were disappointed that Maryland – an original member of the conference – will soon be headed to the Big Ten.

"I'm in the hotel industry, so it's good for us," Brian Williams, an NC State fan who works in the hotel industry, said. "The more teams, the more people. Overall, expansion is good. But I'm going to miss those rivalries for sure."

Despite the changes in tradition being a sticking point for some, Alex Sanchez, a North Carolina fan, said he expects competition to be better than ever once new teams arrive and the conference tournament expands into a fifth day.

"It's finally going to be up to par with where the Big East has been the last few years of the Big Ten this year," Sanchez said.

ACC Commissioner John Swofford agrees, saying recently that he expects the competition to be brutal.

“From a basketball perspective, the level of competition will be second to none," he said in a statement. "As we look towards the future, there’s no denying that ACC basketball will continue to set even higher standards of excitement and excellence."

Matt Amick, a Maryland fan, said he's torn about the Terps' exit.

"I'm not sure I'm even going to pull for them after next season," he said. "I might have to pick a new team."

Reporter: Debra Morgan
Photographer: Mark Simpson
Web Editor: Derek Medlin

Most Recent Comments

View All Comments

RE: Fans ready for impending ACC tourney expansion

Here is one fan who is not ready for expansion. Its coming but I don't have to like it, IMO the season and tourney will not be as interesting. I remember taking vaction days just to watch the tourney wouldn't do it now if I had a job would rather work.

RE: Fans ready for impending ACC tourney expansion

I am soooo looking forward to next year's ACC basketball season. It's going to be brutal and better than the Big Ten conference.
http://www.theklowntimes.net

RE: Fans ready for impending ACC tourney expansion

Fans are resigned, not ready. I used to be an ACC Fan.. now I could care less about conference affiliation in no longer has any meaning. Not the least bit interested in watching Syracuse, Pitt, ND, Louisville, Miami, FSU, VT etc..

The ACC tourny used to be a holiday in my eyes.. now and moving forward it means nothing.

RE: Fans ready for impending ACC tourney expansion

I don't like the expansion - never did. I think the Swoff did what he had to do to keep the ACC viable in today's TV $$$$ world. It's eat or be eaten. I'm not looking forward to having schools that aren't even on the Atlantic coast. The name "ACC" won't even fit when the other schools are added. And they call this "Progress". Oh well.

RE: Fans ready for impending ACC tourney expansion

ugh... I wish there was someway I could vote Swofford out... He has ruined this conference since '03. I was one that was excited when they did the first "football grab" debacle. All it did was water down the basketball. Now bringing in Syracuse and Pitt to weaken the football?!?!?! And then get this... we're listening to Pete Thamel (Syracuse grad) to move to MSG for the tourney and we're bringing in ND for non-football? If I wanted this ish I would have been a Big East fan!
But it gets even better with Swofford - now that we're done taking every football team from the Big East - we are suing Maryland for leaving so Clemson and Flo St don't follow... This conference has turned into a nightmare!!! Or should I say the old Big East.

View All Comments

WRAL Sports Fan

ACC Tournament