The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) presidents decided not to hold a vote on adding Stanford and California to the league, leaving the schools in uncertainty as they explore options to leave the struggling Pac-12 conference. The discussions took place over three days, but the necessary 12 votes to add the Northern California schools to the ACC appeared difficult to secure.
Although the exploration of westward expansion is not deemed dead, the ACC has also been considering SMU, a school from the American Athletic Conference, as a potential expansion target.
Cal and Stanford have been actively seeking opportunities to move from the Pac-12 to another Power Five conference. They have reportedly reached out to officials with the Big Ten as well, but no significant progress has been made.
The ACC has been searching for ways to increase revenue for its member schools while dealing with a long-term media rights contract with ESPN that runs until 2036. Adding Stanford and Cal could potentially bring in additional revenue from ESPN, but the distribution of the revenue among existing and new member schools is a contentious issue within the ACC.
On the other side, the Pac-12 has faced significant challenges recently, with several schools leaving for other conferences due to concerns about revenue and exposure. Washington State, in particular, has criticized the Pac-12’s leadership and expressed interest in exploring other options, including potential conversations with the Mountain West Conference.
The situation highlights the complex dynamics and financial considerations involved in conference realignment and expansion in college athletics.