All that talk about the Atlantic Coast Conference expanding to an 18-game basketball season was quickly quieted during the conference's spring meetings. The ACC won't expand to an 18-game hoops season or 9-game football season because of ... what else ... TV contracts.
The conference's TV contracts are in place through the end of the 2010-11 academic year. Any serious tinkering with the ACC's schedules will come when the TV deals expire, so that the conference can maximize the financial payoff of its changes.
The conference feels that they don't want to give away extra games for free.
After all, they know that the ACC is still damn good TV. Five of the top ten college hoops games on ESPN involved at least one ACC team. The second North Carolina-Duke game was ESPN's highest rated game -- ever. As for football, Clemson-Florida State was the World Wide Leader's top rated college game ... while Boston College-Virginia Tech was ESPN's highest rated Thursday game -- ever.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
