ACC presidents meet to discuss adding Cal, Stanford, SMU, but no vote as of yet

By Jerry Ratcliffe

ACC presidents met Tuesday morning to discuss the possibility of expansion, adding Stanford and California from the Pac-12, with an unexpected twist of reviving interest in SMU from the American Athletic Conference, but no vote was taken.

Instead, the presidents want more research conducted on the financial models that each of those schools could bring to the ACC. After more evaluation, the presidents will consider a vote in bringing in any combination of those three schools or none at all.

A vote to expand the league would require a three-fourths majority (12 of 15 presidents) to approve such a move. Meanwhile, present ACC schools have an Aug. 15 deadline to notify the conference of any intent to leave the league for 2024. Florida State’s administration has been vocal in recent weeks about the possibility of an exit from the ACC, even though such an action would result in a minimum $120-million penalty in addition to its loss of revenue in future TV money via the Grant of Rights contract, adding up to $300 million or more.

Presently, should FSU decide to leave, it has nowhere to go, officially, although most observers believe the SEC or Big 10 would make room.

Cal and Stanford are outstanding academic institutions even though each has struggled in football of late, but the reputations are attractive to the ACC. Part of the deal in adding either or both schools may include less than a full share of the league’s TV money initially, which could prove to be a sticking point.

Some of those funds might be shifted toward travel expenses should the ACC bring both schools into the conference.

SMU, which had a flirtation with the ACC some time ago, was a bit of a surprise on Tuesday. The ACC talked with SMU in the past about possibilities, but those discussions seemed to fade away.

However, with the recent expansions by the Big 10 and Big 12, nothing is off the table.

SMU, which has a $10-million exit penalty fee should it leave the AAC with less than a 27-month notice, is part of the large Dallas-based media market and smack dab in the middle of football recruiting-rich Texas. Insiders said the ACC evaluations may compare SMU’s financial models to those of Cal and Stanford.

SMU has a 32,000-seat stadium, but its football program seems to be on the rise.

“SMU has donors and alums who can write freaking big checks and will, even if they only get a small share (of the ACC TV money),” a source in the Dallas area told JerryRatcliffe.com. “They would give up testicles to get into a Power 5 conference.”

A report out of Dallas on Tuesday confirmed that financial suggestion, noting that because of the backing of wealthy alumni, SMU would be willing to skip a few years of [TV money] distribution in order to advance the school’s football program beyond its current Group of 5 situation.