The ACC Spring Meetings are wrapping up this week in Amelia Island, and ESPN’s Andrea Adelson and David M. Hale have the writeup.
Long one of the frustrations of ACC fans is the football scheduling model.
It appears a significant change is on the way, and that’s a good thing for the ACC.
From the Adelson and Hale piece…
The ACC is moving closer to adopting a new football scheduling format that would scrap divisions and allow teams to play each other more frequently, starting as early as 2023.
Though no vote was taken to formally change the format, commissioner Jim Phillips and multiple athletic directors discussed a 3-5-5 scheduling model in which league teams would play three permanent opponents, then rotate through the rest over two years (five one year, five the next).
We predicted such a change would happen back in 2021.
Below is from our blog…
Regarding the Lookins from ESPN that Teel mentioned in the podcast. The ACC doesn’t have a lot of flexibility to move the needle with their current contract, but they do have something to work with – football scheduling.
I would fully expect the scheduling model in ACC football to change in the next 3-5 years to create more attractive conference matchups and more frequent conference matchups than we have now. However that model works, ESPN will have some influence and that will affect the current TV Deal.
Back to Adelson and Hale’s article.
“We need to talk a little bit to our TV partners and see what they think and run it through the car wash one more time,” Radakovich said.
Yep seems to match up from a year ago, and now ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said this,
#ACC‘s Jim Phillips on future revenue gap between ACC and Big Ten/SEC, says some changes coming for ACC to help set itself up better.
– Creating position in ACC office for a Chief Revenue Officer
– High-level sponsorship opportunities through ESPN (championship sites, etc.)
— Brandon Marcello (@bmarcello) May 11, 2022
I don’t think anything like Notre Dame joining the ACC is coming, but at least somethings are in the works.
Nothing changes in the ACC without their television partner ESPN. If they are on board with the 3-5-5 divisionless schedule model it’s going to happen.
Let’s face it, ACC teams playing each other more often create better more compelling matchups with better travel options for fans.
What looks better on TV than a full stadium?
The divisionless model virtually guarantees a top 25 matchup in the ACC Championship game which of course ESPN will like.
Anything that adds revenue to the ACC is a good thing.
The ACC needs to make bold moves while the conference still has time, and it’s good to see Phillips keeping his eye on the future.
