ACC Deal Might Bring Stability to Conferences

The Atlantic Coast Conference announced that its 15 member schools unanimously approved granting their media rights to the conference through 2027, essentially making ACC schools worthless during that time to any league interested in poaching them.

It was believed that several ACC schools could have been targeted in the next round of expansion because of the combination of their athletic programs, academic profiles and media markets. The conference already had increased its exit fee to above $50 million, but the new deal solidifies the ACC and makes clear the immediate future of college sports for the first time since 2010. The Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference and Pac-12 Conference already have grant-of-rights deals in place.