Probably the biggest surprise of the day came when the league announced that it would be moving to a 20-game conference schedule for men’s basketball in 2019, coinciding with the launch of the linear channel.
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ESPN and the Atlantic Coast Conference have partnered to create the ACC Network, as announced by ACC Commissioner John Swofford and ESPN President John Skipper this week at the Football Kickoff media event in Charlotte. Nearly no one is trying to start cable channels now because cable and satellite subscriptions have dropped by the millions in the three years the ACC has been working in earnest on a network deal. Currently, ESPN is the ACC’s exclusive worldwide rights holder, broadcasting a number of events on its Internet streaming platform. “Yes, after years of discussions and rumors, I’m pleased to announce a new media agreement with ESPN that extends through 2035-36”.
ESPN will roll out the ACC Network in two phases: A digital channel dubbed ACC Network Extra, will launch next month with over 600 live events that will be available to ESPN subscribers.
The impending launch of the ACC Network leaves The Big 12 as the only one of the NCAA’s five so-called “Power” conferences without its own dedicated network (though Texas is a Big 12 school).
The location of the network has not yet been determined.
The SEC led all the Power 5 conferences in total revenue with $527 million reported followed by the Big Ten ($448 million), Pac-12 ($439 million), ACC ($403 million) and Big 12 ($267 million).
2019 is long time away when you consider technology changes at a rapid pace and we’re already seeing lines drawn between cable operators and networks, so how do you see that playing out in terms of potential difficulty getting full distribution for the ACC Network? John Swofford, the ACC commissioner, reportedly began seriously considering the prospect of an ACC channel in the fall of 2012, when Notre Dame joined the ACC in all sports except for football. “This is historic”, Duke athletic director Kevin White said.
The linear channel is slated to debut in 2019 and is expected to air 450 exclusive live events, including 40 regular-season football games, 150+ men’s and women’s basketball games, and 200+ “Olympic sports” contests and conference tournament games.
“The ACC and ESPN have been great partners for many years and this is a tremendous announcement in a mutually beneficial relationship”.
The new TV network and its online component accompanied a grant-of-rights agreement between the league’s 15 schools that expires with the ESPN contract in 2036. Because of when they made their original deals, neither the ACC nor the SEC can take their rights to market anytime soon.
This also has huge implications for the schools in the conference.
“I believe in this wholeheartedly, I believe in paying great respect to the things that have happened in the past”, said Fuente, who left Memphis.
“That’s the glue. You don’t get to this point without understanding who you’re dancing with”, Radakovich said.
Virginia Tech AD Whit Babcock attended the event and expressed excitement over what the announcement and the coming of the long-awaited network means for the Hokies’ future.
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“We have to look at a variety of business models”.
