/ 05.19.2010 12:00AM
Report: ESPN Nails Down $1.86 Billion ACC Deal
BRISTOL, CONN.: ESPN has reached a 12-year, $1.86 billion deal
with the Atlantic Coast Conference, according to published reports. The network
beat out Fox Sports for the conference’s slate of college mens' football and
basketball games.
The deal provides $155 million a year for the ACC schools, up from around $67
million they received annually from existing TV deals with ESPN and Fox
Sports, which end after the 2010-11 season. Neither ESPN nor the ACC have
confirmed the deal, reported on Monday by the
Sports Business Journal and the Triangle
Business Journal of Raleigh, N.C.
The ACC let it be known last summer it was shopping for a better TV deal
following one paying the Southeastern Conference a total of $3 billion,
yielding $205 million annually over 15 years. The SEC struck its broadcast
deal, which started this year, with CBS, ABC and ESPN.
The head of the ACC, John Swofford, told news outlets last July that he
intended to seek a better deal for the schools so they could continue to
compete. Each of the SEC schools receive roughly $16 million a year from the
current contract. The ACC schools averaged around $3.1 million from the
contract expiring after next season. Clemson, for example was reported to
receive $6.5 million. Under the new contract, ACC schools will receive an
average of $12 million a year.
Raycom Sports of Charlotte, N.C. is expected to continue running its syndicated
football and basketball package through a sublicensing deal with ESPN. -- Deborah D. McAdam