The wait appears to finally be over.
As first reported by Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer, ESPN and the Atlantic Coast Conference have reached an agreement to launch a television network. The official announcement is expected by Thursday morning, when conference commissioner John Swofford will meet with the press to launch the 2016 ACC Football Kickoff festivities.
ACC closing in on TV network deal with ESPN. Announcement could come as soon as Thursday. https://t.co/V0fBvj2hlz
— Luke DeCock (@LukeDeCock) July 18, 2016
While details are still flowing in with the announcement being so fresh, there are some important points that have been rumored by many to be included in the new deal.
First, the ACC and ESPN’s partnership for conference sporting events has been extended through the 2035-2036 academic year. In the modified deal, an ACC cable and satellite network, in similarity to that of the Big Ten and SEC Networks, is scheduled to launch by the 2019 college football season.
While the television network still sounds like it may be a few years away, the conference will launch an internet streaming option as early as this coming football season, which will perhaps give a taste of what is to come down the road.
Finally, if Notre Dame joins a conference in football within the next 20 years, the school is now contractually obligated to join the Atlantic Coast Conference, per the new television agreement. Notre Dame is already a member of the ACC in all other sports save football and men’s hockey, as they joined the conference in the 2013 academic year.
There will certainly be more certainty as far as details are concerned in the coming days, so stay with the InsideTheACC, as we report live from the 2016 ACC Football Kickoff with more news and information out of Charlotte.
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