Back in 2011, we wrote an article about what the ACC had to do to ensure it’s future viability as a power 5 conference. It was simple, the ACC needed to become a better football and sports conference… period. Everything would fall in line if that happened. It did, culminating in 2016 with the ACC becoming the best college football conference of that year, led by Clemson’s national title. Florida State’s 2013 title started it all. The ACC network is coming next year , and the conference is in a good position going forward.
Worries of teams getting poached are a thing of the past, especially with the GOR being signed. What does the future hold for the next 10 years of the ACC?
The network is going create an influx of revenue that the conference currently doesn’t enjoy. Right now the conference struggles at near or bottom of the ACC in terms of revenue. I’m not sure the ACC can catch the SEC or Big 10, but moving solidly into the 3rd position should ensure the conferences future financial stability. I believe this will happen.
I don’t see any future expansion, unless Notre Dame joins. This certainly won’t happen in the next 5 years, but towards the end of the next decade these discussions will ramp up. Notre Dame’s antiquated decision to hold on to their fleeting football independence seems less and less beneficial to their football program. Notre Dame has just one top ten football finish in the last 12 years. Joining the ACC may not solve their problems, but what they are doing certainly isn’t working. The Irish have basically become a 2nd tier football program behind the Alabamas, Ohio States, and Clemsons of the world. I would say it’s a 70% chance you’ll see Notre Dame join or make an announcement about joining the ACC in the next 10 years.
Should Notre Dame join, I think the expansion candidate pool is fairly small. I’m looking at West Virginia due to football, quality basketball and their geography. Connecticut is a possibility with their solid academics and quality basketball programs. A school like Texas would be stretch in my opinion, and schools from the Big 10 and SEC are not an option. I also think schools like Central and South Florida are not an option, as the ACC doesn’t really need another Florida school. Cincinnati could also be on the table and to a lesser extent Navy. We’re are still at least 5 years from any serious discussions on this.
Retirements of Jim Boeheim, Roy Williams, and Mike Krzyzewski will leave a basketball coaching gap, but guys Tony Bennett, Chris Mack, Buzz Williams, and Kevin Keatts give the ACC a solid foundation of young coaches.
The ACC is the middle of a golden age for it’s sports. The winning came as we said it needed to 7 years ago. It can’t slow down – now the financial catching up has to begin in earnest. The network is coming, so a plan is in place for an increased revenue stream. Past mistakes can’t be undone, but the future is bright for the ACC.
