Byline:Jim Williams, Senior Columnist – Capital Sports
Having covered college sports for over five decades, I have witnessed conferences rise, fall, and reinvent themselves. However, few have the potential for a bright future like the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Despite ongoing speculation about the possible departures of Clemson, Florida State, North Carolina, and Miami, the ACC could be positioned to survive; it’s set to thrive. The league is evolving into the Ivy League of Power Conferences, distinguished by its academic prestige, staying competitive in football while dominating the Olympic sports, and a media presence that spans the nation. In a landscape driven by ratings and realignment, the ACC remains too unique, too strategic, and too valuable to fail.
If those four football powers leave in 2030, the ACC would receive $75 million per school in exit fees—totaling $300 million. That’s not a loss; it’s a strategic cushion. This revenue can be reinvested to stabilize the conference and fuel its next chapter, carrying it through to the end of its ESPN deal in 2036.
Academic and Institutional Power
The ACC’s strength lies in its academic excellence and research output. The combined endowment value of current and proposed members exceeds $90 billion, dwarfing the Big 12. Schools like Stanford ($36.5B), Duke ($11.6B), Virginia ($9.8B), and Cal ($6.9B) lead the way in federal research funding and innovation.
This isn’t just a sports league—it’s a consortium of elite institutions. The ACC’s identity is rooted in cultivating scholar-athletes, honoring legacy matchups, and building universities that lead in classrooms and stadiums alike.
Strategic Expansion and Media Value
Even without its four biggest football brands, the ACC can maintain competitive media value by adding:
UConn, Memphis, Tulane, USF: Access to major media markets—New York, Memphis, New Orleans, Tampa.
Navy and Army (football-only): National prestige, historic rivalries, and patriotic appeal.
Stanford, Cal, SMU: Academic clout and West Coast reach.
These strategic additions give the ACC a true bi-coastal footprint, extending its reach across more than 30% of U.S. media markets—including Boston, New York, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Dallas, San Francisco, and Miami. Collectively, these regions represent over 120 million people, offering unparalleled exposure and advertising value. Importantly, the incoming schools would waive any media rights revenue for the remaining six years of the current ESPN deal, allowing the ACC to preserve its per-school payouts and maintain financial stability through 2036.
The ACC Is Not the Pac-12
Let’s stop pretending the ACC is on borrowed time. The ESPN deal may end in 2036, but the conference is forward-thinking. With elite brands, rising programs, and a commitment to academics, the ACC isn’t just surviving—it’s redefining what a Power Conference can be. It’s not chasing the SEC’s football obsession or the Big Ten’s media empire. It’s building something smarter, broader, and more sustainable.
The ACC is too big, too smart, and too rooted in excellence to be ignored.
Basketball Royalty, Olympic Dominance
While there will be quality football the ACC basketball remains a goldmine. Duke, Virginia, Syracuse, NC State, and Louisville (if retained) drive elite viewership. UConn adds championship pedigree, while Memphis and Tulane bring strong hoops cultures. Olympic sports? Stanford, Cal, and Virginia dominate nationally.
The Atlantic Coast Conference Revenue Model and Media Rights
The ACC’s viewership-based payout model rewards performance and ratings. Even without FSU, Clemson, UNC, and Miami, schools like Duke, Virginia, and UConn can generate strong media value.
In 2024, the ACC earned $711 million in revenue, with average payouts of $45 million per school. With strategic additions, that figure could remain in the $35–45 million range.
Looking ahead to 2036, the ACC is poised to renegotiate its media rights with leverage. Potential partners include:
Apple: Tech synergy and global reach.
Amazon Prime, Peacock, Paramount+, YouTube TV: Streaming giants hungry for exclusive college content.
Turner Sports, Scripps Sports: National and regional distribution.
Estimated value of a new deal? $1.5–2.2 billion annually.
Notre Dame Is Staying
Notre Dame will continue its unique position as a non-conference member in football while maintaining full ACC membership for its Olympic sports. This arrangement reflects a deeper alignment: the ACC’s commitment to academic excellence and its strong East Coast footprint mirror Notre Dame’s institutional values and national identity. The university’s emphasis on rigorous scholarship, tradition, and broad geographic reach finds a natural partner in the ACC’s blend of elite academics and competitive athletics.
Notre Dame’s football legacy is woven through decades of matchups with ACC schools.
Navy (93 games): The longest uninterrupted intersectional rivalry in college football.
Pitt (73 games): A gritty, blue-collar rivalry with plenty of memorable moments.
Army (53 games): Steeped in wartime history and mutual respect.
Boston College (28 games): The “Holy War” between two Catholic institutions.
The ACC will remain competitive on the gridiron. Programs like Georgia Tech, Pitt, Syracuse, SMU, and USF are rising. Army and Navy add tradition. And Notre Dame—still a member in all but football—anchors the conference’s legacy and relevance.
The Atlantic Coast Conference: Smarter, Broader, Sustainable
The Big 12’s growth has been reactive. The ACC’s evolution is intentional. It’s building a future rooted in excellence—on and off the field. Even without its biggest football brands, the ACC remains a more stable, valuable, and visionary conference.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter Week 14 with a 7-5 record and first place in the NFC South, but the margin is razor-thin. Carolina (7-6) is surging and waiting for any slip-up. That makes Sunday’s divisional showdown against the rival New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium a must-win for Tampa Bay.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield continues to lead the Buccaneers’ offense, averaging 216.7 passing yards per game. Rookie running back Bucky Irving has added balance to the attack with 59.6 rushing yards per game. Wide receiver Chris Godwin remains a reliable target, posting 78 yards in last week’s win over Arizona.
For New Orleans, rookie quarterback Tyler Shough has shown flashes, throwing for 239 yards and two touchdowns against Miami. Veteran linebacker Demario Davis anchors the Saints’ defense, ranking among the league leaders in tackles. Utility man Taysom Hill continues to be used in multiple roles, though his production has been limited.
Radio and TV Information
Kickoff is set for Sunday, December 7 at 1:00 p.m. ET from Raymond James Stadium. The game will be broadcast nationally on CBS, with Kevin Harlan and Trent Green on the call. Fans can also listen locally on 98ROCK in Tampa and WWL 105.3 FM/870 AM in New Orleans. Streaming options include NFL+, Fubo, and TuneIn Radio.
What Lies Ahead for the Buccaneers
The Buccaneers are chasing their fourth straight NFC South title, a feat that would cement their dominance in the division. With three straight divisional games ahead (Saints, Falcons, Panthers), Tampa Bay controls its destiny. A win over New Orleans would set the stage for a pivotal showdown against Carolina, which has emerged as a surprising contender.
Head Coach Todd Bowles emphasized the importance of turnovers: “Any time we play them, it’s always who wins the turnover battle – every time”. If the Bucs can execute cleanly and keep Mayfield healthy, they remain favorites to secure another division crown and a playoff berth.
Future expansion of the Big Ten and SEC in 2030 and beyond is far less certain than it was in the last cycle. Both leagues already function as national networks with coast-to-coast reach, and media companies like ESPN, FOX, CBS, NBC, Amazon, Apple, and YouTube are becoming more budget-conscious. Adding more schools could simply mean more mouths to feed without significantly increasing overall revenue, unless the new members bring undeniable brand power, recruiting markets, or television value.
National footprint already achieved: The Big Ten stretches from Rutgers to USC, while the SEC dominates the South and Texas. Both conferences already cover the largest recruiting and media markets.
Media company selectivity: Networks are prioritizing billion-dollar NFL and MLB renewals, leaving less room for escalating college rights fees.
Cord-cutting pressures: Cable decline forces ESPN, FOX, and CBS to be more cautious with spending. Streaming platforms prefer marquee matchups rather than funding entire conferences.
Revenue-sharing with athletes: Following the House v. NCAA settlement, schools must share revenue with players, increasing costs and reducing the incentive to dilute payouts by adding more members.
Expansion Trade-Offs
Pros of adding schools:
Access to new recruiting markets (e.g., Florida State for Florida, UNC for Carolina).
Strengthening brand dominance against rival conferences.
Potential leverage in future media negotiations.
Cons of adding schools:
Dilution of per-school payouts (more mouths to feed).
Higher travel costs and logistical strain.
Risk of diminishing traditional rivalries and regional identity.
Likely Outlook for 2030+
Big Ten: May only expand if ACC schools like North Carolina or Virginia become available and deliver clear ROI. Otherwise, stability is favored.
SEC: Already dominant in the South; expansion beyond Texas and Oklahoma may not add significant value unless it’s a powerhouse brand.
Media companies: With tighter budgets, they will demand proof that any new member increases national ratings, not just conference size.
Bottom Line
By 2030, the Big Ten and SEC will likely be more cautious about expansion. Unless a school offers undeniable brand strength and media market value, adding members risks diluting payouts and creating logistical headaches. In a budget-conscious media environment, stability may prove more valuable than size.
Bears’ ownership wants to build a stadium in Arlington Heights.
It is wait until next year for the National Football League Chicago Bears ownership in its quest to get public money for a planned stadium-village in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The Bears ownership failed twice to get money from the Illinois state lawmakers in 2025 but next year isn’t very far away. The Illinois General Assembly starts on January 16th, 2026. Bears’ ownership has decided that Arlington Heights, a Chicago suburb is the right place for its stadium-village after running into opposition in Chicago over its plan to build a stadium-village in a Solider Field parking lot.
The Bears ownership’s stadium-village plan was first revealed in 2023. The Bears’ ownership bought the Arlington Park racetrack property in the Chicago suburb in Arlington Heights in February 2023 for $197 million. Bears’ ownership was set to build a stadium-village in town but then came the property tax bill. Bears’ ownership was alarmed with the tab and decided Chicago was a better option. In April 2024, Bears’ ownership unveiled a plan to build a domed lakefront stadium and surround the structure with a residential and retail zone. The McCaskey family, the owners of the football business, claimed they were willing to throw in about $2 billion to help finance the venture but they also said they needed public support. The McCaskeys claimed they would put up $2.025 billion and would get a $300 million loan from the NFL. The McCaskeys wanted at least $900 million in bonds from the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. That funding would include extending bonds of an existing 2% hotel tax. That means people using hotels and motels would be paying for a football stadium that more than likely the hotel and motel users would never step foot in. The Bears ownership’s stadium-village saga continues.
