ACC Money Gap Grows as North Carolina Looks at Leaving Conference Under Belichick
ACC schools now get up to $17 million less than their SEC and Big Ten rivals. While ACC schools pull in between $43.3 to $46.9 million, SEC teams get $51 million and Big Ten schools take home $60.5 million yearly.
These big money differences led to legal battles. Clemson and Florida State sued the ACC, just as North Carolina considers its next move under new hire Bill Belichick.
The conference’s total money jumped from $617 million to $707 million last year. ESPN deals added $38 million, while bowl games brought in $40 million more than in 2022.
The growing money gap with top conferences puts more pressure on member schools. Money experts think the difference could grow to over $300 million between ACC schools and SEC/Big Ten programs.
ESPN and the ACC locked in a nine-year deal through 2036, including full ACC Network coverage. The agreement tries to keep current members from jumping ship.
After Notre Dame, North Carolina is the most wanted school that might switch. Its mix of winning sports teams and good academics catches the eye of both major conferences.
Belichick showing up makes things more interesting. Having never coached college sports, the 72-year-old NFL great faces doubts about handling campus life and recruiting top players.
This shuffle matches bigger changes in college sports. As the Pac-12 fell apart, the SEC and Big Ten grabbed more power.
Bowl game changes hit ACC earnings, with the Orange Bowl’s new playoff role affecting how much money came in during 2022.
Each school now gets about $44.8 million from conference payouts. This puts the ACC in third place among major conferences for sharing money, behind the SEC and Big Ten but ahead of other leagues.
