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The ACC voted on Friday, September 1, to admit Stanford, Cal, and SMU to their league. This marks the end of the entire realignment frenzy that has been ongoing in the last couple of weeks. The three universities are scheduled to join the conference ahead of the 2024 season.
The candidates eventually got the minimum 12 out of 15 votes needed to be admitted into the league in what was the second voting session for the expansion. This ensured that the required 75% of votes stipulated in the laws of the conference was finally met.
The three universities had earlier failed to secure the needed votes for admission into the league, with only 11 teams in the league supporting their bid. However, the willingness of the ACC leadership to embark on an expansion made them remain in consideration.
Which ACC school eventually flipped its vote?
A vote flip is what Stanford, Cal, and SMU had hoped for in the last few weeks. Four schools voted against the possibility of adding them to the league and one of the four ACC schools needed to change its initial decision for the realignment move to become a reality.
Florida State, Clemson, North Carolina, and North Carolina State were reported to be the four teams that went against the expansion. The Seminoles and Tigers were not expected to flip their votes as the two schools are actively working on the possibility of exiting the league.
The hope had lied on either North Carolina or North Carolina State. In the end, reports suggest North Carolina State was the member that eventually supported the addition of the three universities after a series of lobbying and presentation of a new financial model.
Will this lead to the exit of Florida State and Clemson?
Florida State and Clemson are expected to intensify their push to leave the ACC, following the invitation of Stanford, Cal, and SMU to the league. The two universities have expressed their dissatisfaction with the revenue-sharing model of the conference.
The admission of the three universities is not expected to reduce the annual earnings of the Seminoles and Tigers. However, they consider their current revenue in the ACC not enough to stay competitive in the college football landscape. Notably, they will be on the same media earnings for the next 13 years.
The addition of three new schools could make it easier for Florida State and Clemson to leave. The conference can now maintain its membership strength, which is crucial to keeping its media deal with ESPN should the two schools eventually take the exit door.
