Looks like the Orange are seeing green.
Syracuse University athletics will receive roughly $6.8 million in conference payouts after the ACC earned more than $100 million over the past three NCAA Tournaments, ESPN’s Darren Rovell reported on Friday.
In 2015, four ACC teams advanced to the Sweet 16, including eventual winner Duke. Last season the ACC sent six teams to the Sweet 16, including Syracuse and North Carolina, which both advanced to the Final Four. While ACC schools haven't fared well this year, North Carolina still remains and is just one win away from returning to the National Championship game.
Over the past three years, the ACC has earned 64 units from the NCAA's basketball fund, money from television deals the NCAA sets aside to reward conferences for their play in the tournament. Outside of the National Championship, each tournament game played is worth one unit.
Each tournament run’s earnings is payed out across six years, with the value of each unit increasing by three percent each year.
Although the ACC managed to send nine teams to the tournament, only North Carolina advanced to the Sweet 16. Despite the ACC’s shortcomings, its 18 units so far lead all conferences.
Here’s how ACC’s stellar three-year tournament run breaks down:
2015: 21 units, $33 milion
2016: 25 units, $39.9 million
2017: 18 units, $30.6 million*
*Note: Total can rise if North Carolina advances to the NCAA Championship game.
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Since the ACC, like all conferences, split its money evenly, the total $103.5 million is divided among all 15 members, resulting in roughly $6.8 million to be paid equally to each school.
So even though Syracuse did not play in the NCAA Tournament in two out of those three seasons, the Orange will receive the same amount of money as the likes of Duke or North Carolina.
Hey, we’re not complaining. ¯\_(?)_/¯
