don't like to see this because the acc will become a super conference.
Report: ACC presidents vote to add three teams
Posted: Tuesday May 13, 2003 6:50 PM
ATLANTA (SI.com) -- Following weeks of speculations, ACC presidents formally voted Tuesday during league meetings at Amelia Island, Fla., to expand to 12 teams, the Charlotte Observer reported on its web site.
No formal invitations have been extended yet, but it's widely believed the new members will be Miami, Syracuse and either Boston College or Virginia Tech.
John Thrasher, chairman of Florida State's board of trustees, told the Observer the vote was 7-2, with Duke and North Carolina in opposition and Virginia in support, but requesting Virginia Tech instead of Boston College.
"There are still a couple of issues, but the ACC will be expanding," Thrasher said. "Miami really wants Syracuse as part of its package. We definitely want Miami, Syracuse and Boston College, but a couple of ACC schools have a different view of that."
The ACC, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last week, has traditionally been viewed as a basketball conference but is facing pressure to step up its football profile before its current TV contract ends in 2005. Research presented at Amelia Island showed ACC games were the lowest rated of any conference shown on ESPN or ESPN2 last season.
By adding Miami and two other schools, the league will not only be able to negotiate a more lucrative TV deal but establish a football championship game, expected to add $10-12 million in annual revenue, and well increase its chances of landing a second BCS berth each season.
The ACC's not-so-secret courtship of Miami first became public last month when Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese called the league "hypocrites" for trying to poach his conference's members.
Those clandestine ways apparently continued as recently as last weekend, with league officials repeatedly telling the media that no action would be taken on expansion at this week's meetings.
But clearly the issue has been the topic of discussion within the conference in recent weeks. On Monday, Swofford made a presentation to the league's basketball coaches, after which Duke's Mike Krzyzewski, previously a staunch opponent of expansion, softened his tone.
Needing seven votes to approve expansion and already facing opposition from Duke and North Carolina, it was believed the swing vote would belong to N.C. State chancellor Marye Anne Fox, who apparently voted "yes."
Report: ACC presidents vote to add three teams
Posted: Tuesday May 13, 2003 6:50 PM
ATLANTA (SI.com) -- Following weeks of speculations, ACC presidents formally voted Tuesday during league meetings at Amelia Island, Fla., to expand to 12 teams, the Charlotte Observer reported on its web site.
No formal invitations have been extended yet, but it's widely believed the new members will be Miami, Syracuse and either Boston College or Virginia Tech.
John Thrasher, chairman of Florida State's board of trustees, told the Observer the vote was 7-2, with Duke and North Carolina in opposition and Virginia in support, but requesting Virginia Tech instead of Boston College.
"There are still a couple of issues, but the ACC will be expanding," Thrasher said. "Miami really wants Syracuse as part of its package. We definitely want Miami, Syracuse and Boston College, but a couple of ACC schools have a different view of that."
The ACC, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last week, has traditionally been viewed as a basketball conference but is facing pressure to step up its football profile before its current TV contract ends in 2005. Research presented at Amelia Island showed ACC games were the lowest rated of any conference shown on ESPN or ESPN2 last season.
By adding Miami and two other schools, the league will not only be able to negotiate a more lucrative TV deal but establish a football championship game, expected to add $10-12 million in annual revenue, and well increase its chances of landing a second BCS berth each season.
The ACC's not-so-secret courtship of Miami first became public last month when Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese called the league "hypocrites" for trying to poach his conference's members.
Those clandestine ways apparently continued as recently as last weekend, with league officials repeatedly telling the media that no action would be taken on expansion at this week's meetings.
But clearly the issue has been the topic of discussion within the conference in recent weeks. On Monday, Swofford made a presentation to the league's basketball coaches, after which Duke's Mike Krzyzewski, previously a staunch opponent of expansion, softened his tone.
Needing seven votes to approve expansion and already facing opposition from Duke and North Carolina, it was believed the swing vote would belong to N.C. State chancellor Marye Anne Fox, who apparently voted "yes."
