Arrrrr! The ACC be votin' to add 3 fine schools to our crew as conference realignment sails on!
2023-09-01
Arr, ye scurvy dogs of the ACC be makin' quite the decision on Friday! They be addin' SMU, Cal, and Stanford to their crew, joinin' 'em in all sports by 2024-25. Arrr, the poor ol' Pac-12 be left with only two ships in their fleet!
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has announced that it will be adding Stanford, Cal, and SMU as full members starting in the 2024-25 school year. ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips expressed excitement about welcoming these "world-class institutions" and enhancing the league in various ways. The additions of Stanford and Cal mean that the Pac-12 conference now only has two schools committed beyond the 2023-24 seasons. The Pac-12 has experienced significant losses in the past month, with eight schools leaving for other conferences, including USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten. The rumors of Stanford and Cal moving to the ACC have been circulating for weeks, although initially, Clemson, North Carolina, Florida State, and NC State were against these additions. According to ESPN, Cal and Stanford are expected to receive a 30% revenue share when they join, while SMU will not receive broadcast revenue for the first nine years. Stanford University President Richard P. Saller expressed enthusiasm about joining the ACC and continuing to provide student-athletes with academic and athletic opportunities at a national level. With the addition of these schools, the ACC will now have 18 members, with 17 playing football. Notre Dame will continue to compete as an independent. Increased travel for student-athletes has been a concern, especially as former Pac-12 schools have joined conferences mainly located in the Midwest and East Coast. Missouri Tigers head football coach Eli Drinkwitz questioned whether these decisions were made with the best interest of student-athletes in mind, particularly regarding mental health and the lack of rest and sleep resulting from long-distance travel.