Quote Originally Posted by cburgroop View Post
Everything I've seen says the ACC signed over their rights to starting a conference network as part of the deal with ESPN. This is the worst part of the deal IMO. Maybe there is some provision for that down the line (like the five-year look-in mark). ESPN could even own half the network, like Fox does with BTN.

There may not be as much of a demand for an ACC Network in the conference's footprint as compared to the Big 10 and its footprint, but due to the size/population of the ACC's, the league wouldn't necessarily need to command as high a fee from the cable and satellite providers. They would make up for it in volume. As you said, adding Notre Dame, even if just as a partial member, might be enough to get an ACC Network on Midwestern-area cable systems.
we can't do it in the first 5 years, but we can negotiate/trigger the creation of a network during the 5 year look-in. Swofford specifically mentioned this aspect of the renegotiated deal after it was signed. basically, the original deal did specifically block us from launching a network during the 12 year term of the deal. Swofford wasn't able to completely undo that, but he got the road block shortened to 5 years. given the fact this was an exclusive renegotiation of a 1 year old contract, i think he did VERY well for the ACC. i think folks have lost sight of the fact that we weren't taking our rights to the open market, we had to renegotiate within the terms of a 1 year old deal with ESPN.