Amid rumors of a potential Pac-12 implosion, two Pac-4 teams to finally join ACC expansion ahead of 2024 season
Following a series of opposition to the move within the conference, the ACC is finally adding Stanford, Cal and SMU to its fold. On Friday, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced that the Board of Directors had voted for the three universities to join as full members in 2024.
The conference previously held a voting session in which the expansion candidates could not secure enough support from the existing members. Four universities reportedly voted against the possibility of an expansion, resulting in the vote receiving less than the required 75% support.
However, after a series of lobbying that involved high-profile personalities across the country, the three universities are officially becoming members of the ACC. Nonetheless, they've all offered a huge financial concession spanning over a period of seven years to join the conference.
This could be the end of the Pac-12
The realignment of Stanford and Cal to the ACC could be the move that finally ends the existence of the Pac-12 in the college sports landscape. With their exit confirmed, the Pac-12 is officially left with just two members: Oregon State and Washington State.
The only lifeline for the Pac-12 remained an expansion. The conference even hired former West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck to explore the possibility of keeping the Pac-12 alive in college sports.
However, with the exit of Stanford and Cal, the possibility of an expansion is low. Oregon State and Washington State might have to settle for a Group of Five league, becoming the only Pac-12 teams to lose their Power Five status following the collapse of the conference.
The financial concessions offered to join the ACC
The three schools have reportedly joined the ACC while making huge financial concessions that benefit the current members of the conference. The concessions offered by Stanford, Cal and SMU were to convince existing members to support their admission.
Joining from the American Athletic Conference, SMU will take no media revenue from the league in its first seven years as a member of the conference. On the other hand, the Pac-12 duo, Stanford and Cal, will earn a reduced share in media distribution, which is reported to be 30%.
The monetary pool created from this concession will be redistributed among the existing teams in the conference. The league's presidents have earlier met to discuss the model for the distribution of the fund. The model is reportedly based on competitive performances.