What ACC announcement means for teams that make postseason

With the threat of further conference realignment jeopardizing its future, the ACC made a slight adjustment for revenue distribution.

The conference board of directors announced Wednesday that, beginning with the 2024-25 academic year, a “success incentive initiative” will be implemented. That means schools will receive more money from the ACC based on postseason success, such as reaching the College Football Playoff or Final Four. 

“The ACC Board of Directors continues to be committed to exploring all potential opportunities that will result in additional revenues and resources for the conference. Today’s decision provides a path to reward athletic success while also distributing additional revenue to the full membership,” said ACC board of directors chair Vincent Price, the Duke president. 

This announcement comes on the heels of the ACC spring meetings in Amelia Island, Fla., last week. On May 15, Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated reported that seven of the 14 ACC schools — a contingent led by Clemson and Florida State — had been examining whether exiting the conference’s grant-of-rights before its expiration date was feasible. 

The other five schools, per Action Network's Brett McMurphy and Dellenger, are Miami, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Virginia and North Carolina State.

The ACC’s media rights deal with ESPN lasts until 2036, with the contract set to bring in roughly $30 million less annually than similar deals between the SEC and the Big Ten and their respective media partners. 

With Oklahoma and Texas set to join the SEC for the 2024-25 academic year, and USC and UCLA set to join the Big Ten at the same time, the ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 are engaged in a fight for self-preservation. 

Staving off the two top leagues, which might be interested in adding the likes of Clemson, Florida State, North Carolina, Oregon and Washington — to name a few notable schools — is paramount.