ACC: Automatic Cash Conference, TV Deal With ESPN Doubles Dollars
The commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference led his membership into the first large-scale “raid” of another big-time college athletic conference back in 2004 and 2005. That expansion helped the ACC reach a lucrative increase in their football media rights with ABC/ESPN of over $35 million per year, but it created some bitter enemies from the remaining Big East members.
That deal expires after the 2011 spring semester, along with the basketball contract with long-time partner Raycom Sports. By design, the ACC wanted to create leverage by having the two revenue sports deals offered up simultaneously.
BleacherReport.com
5/19/10