ACC lands new television deal with ESPN

By: Justin Stevens

The Atlantic Coast Conference  and ESPN  agreed to a long-term TV deal today that extends the ACC’s television rights through 2027.

Previously the 12 current ACC schools were gaining $13 million per year by ESPN’s rights fees, but with the expansion of the conference to 14 teams (Pittsburgh and Syracuse) each team will receive about $17 million per year.

ESPN will obtain the rights to air 30 additional men’s basketball games annually, along with 14 more conference football games. In addition to the conference football games, ESPN is allowed to televise three Friday night ACC football games each season with Boston College and Syracuse each hosting one of those games, and televising an afternoon or evening game on Thanksgiving.

The deal also allows ESPN to televise the ACC football championship game in Charlotte, as well as the regular season and conference tournament championship games in men’s and women’s basketball. Besides football and basketball, the championship games for Olympic Sports in the ACC will be televised as well.

With the extension with the ACC, ESPN now has long-term deals with four major conferences in the NCAA, which includes the Big Ten, Pac-12, and the Southeastern Conference. ESPN will continue to carry out their broadcasts through various platforms including the partnerships with ABC and Raycom Sports.