Sources: ACC expansion verdict expected in days

• Pete Thamel, ESPNAug 28, 2023, 10:30 AM ET

A choice on ACC expansion is anticipated today, and sources told ESPN that there’s “continued momentum” toward the league adding Stanford, Cal and SMU to the league.Early Monday morning, ACC officials were working on gathering the league’s presidents and chancellors on a call to even more talk about and possibly vote on the issue.After a weekend of conversations, a source informed ESPN that the information of the potential additions are “just in pencil, “but it’s trending in the instructions of occurring. One of 4 ACC schools that had actually previously objected to the additions– Clemson, Florida State, NC State and North Carolina– required to alter its vote, and that is expected to occur this week.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated Sources warned to ESPN that the scenario is fluid

and absolutely nothing is settled. But the general

tenor going out of the conversations over the weekend is that the league is close to formalizing the additions.While there’s momentum toward additions, a decision either way is can be found in the early part of this week. This is the fourth week that ACC officials have actually discussed the possible additions, and there’s a now-or-never tone hanging over the next couple of days.ACC commissioner Jim Phillips went over the potential adds with the ACC presidents in small groups recently. Phillips likewise invested the bulk of the week having smaller sized discussions with the 4″no”schools in an effort to get them on board with the expansion plan, multiple sources informed ESPN’s Andrea Adelson. One source indicated Phillips would like to have a consentaneous vote on growth because he sees this as a big win for the conference, particularly as a method to protect its future. After weeks of strife, a consentaneous vote would suggest he has every league member dedicated and on board with the decision.The ACC officials are still calling in on how to divide the pool of cash that would be split up among ACC members after the three schools join.SMU is anticipated to sign up with the league with no broadcast media revenue for seven years, per ESPN sources. Cal and Stanford are expected to initially sign up with at approximately 30%shares.That’s expected to develop a pool of in between

$50-60 million every year to divide among ACC schools. A few of that would be dispersed to all members, and the rest would be taken into a pool for success efforts. Conversation on that pool of cash centers on how to divide it to everyone’s fulfillment– taking into account CFP looks, ACC champions, ACC champion looks and bowl appearances. One source believes there need to be a tiered technique to how the bowl cash is divided up; an Orange Bowl look must be worth more than a Pinstripe Bowl appearance, for instance. There also is ongoing discussion about how much Notre Dame must share in the added cash the league will get from the brand-new schools.The ACC has been discussing success initiatives given that May that are anticipated to be executed for the 2024-25 season. When the ACC announced those efforts, it noted the specifics were “still in progress.”Another source showed that including these three schools is vital not just for long-lasting security however likewise to assist close the income space with the SEC and Big 10, which is set to grow to roughly $30 million annually. The source stated this existing strategy is” the only thing that gets us closer to closing that gap”compared to other options that have been presented.All three schools would be expected to enter for the 2024-25 season in all sports. The prospective move follows the Pac-12 spiraled in the wake of departures of eight schools in recent weeks.ESPN’s Andrea Adelson contributed to this report.