Stanford, Cal, SMU Heading to ACC in Latest Round of Collegiate Realignment

Stanford, Cal, SMU head to ACC for final round of college adjustments

The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is expanding. Last week, new recruits from Stanford, University of California, Berkeley (Cal) and Southern Methodist University (SMU) were approved.

The three universities will join the league next summer in time for the 2024-25 football season. The move brings the total number of conference members to 18, including Notre Dame, which remains independent in football.

On Friday, current membership chairs voted 12-3 in favor of adding members. Clemson University, Florida State University and the University of North Carolina reportedly objected. North Carolina gave up its resistance at the last moment.

The ACC Board of Trustees, led by distinguished University of Virginia President James Ryan, also gave its approval.

The decision comes after a month of secret deliberations, during which a compromise was reportedly reached over how revenue would be paid to new members.

Money can make the world go round

Stanford and the University of California, two deep-pocketed academic giants, will see about a 30% reduction in media rights revenue under the deal, according to Yahoo Sports. According to ESPN, they will have some of that revenue flowing into the conference over the course of the decade. In year 10, they receive all allocated media revenue.

But CBS Sports announced that SMU will not receive media rights revenue from the conference for nine years. However, the report adds that universities will receive funding from the College Football Playoff, NCAA Tournament and bowl games during this period.

CBS Sports reports that the ACC could receive approximately $72 million in media rights revenue due to the addition of the three universities. Some conference revenue may be distributed based on individual team performance. ACC members like Florida State complain they are underpaid compared to other conferences like the Big 10 or SEC.

It was reported earlier this year that seven members of the ACC were looking for opportunities to play in another conference in an effort to increase revenue. The granting of media revenue rights by the ACC is a roadblock to any possible action.

travel time

The recent additions of two California universities and a Texas-based SMU mean longer travel times for college athletes to compete. Most members of the ACC are located on or near the East Coast.

But overall, the ACC is positive about newcomers.

"We are pleased to welcome three world-class schools to the ACC and look forward to them competing as part of our great conference," ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said in a statement.

Throughout the evaluation process, the ACC Board of Trustees, led by Chancellor Ryan, has emphasized the priority of providing the best possible athletic and academic experience for our student-athletes and ensuring that the three universities strengthen the alliance in every possible way. "

New additions to the ACC will impact other conferences as well. SMU withdraws from American Athletic Conference (AAC). Cal and Stanford are exiting the struggling Pac-12 Conference.

The only remaining members of the Pac-12 are Oregon State and Washington State. Both need a home and could end up in the Mountain West or American Athletic Conference.

National Image

Other universities across the country continue to seek to join the conference.University of Connecticut (UConn) was considered several times to join the Big 12 and ACC, but has remained independent in football and affiliated with the Big East in most other sports.

USF, San Diego State, Tulane and Army could play in other college conferences.

Nationally, Utah, Colorado, Arizona State and Arizona State from the Pac-12 will make the Big 12. UCLA and the University of Southern California are among the top 10 universities. Texas and Oklahoma will leave the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference (SEC).