The addition of Stanford, California and SMU to the ACC is gaining momentum after talks seemed to have stalled late last week, sources tell Sports Illustrated. “We’re getting closer, but it’s not done,” a source says. “There’s a lot to be worked out.” There is still no formal vote by the presidents of the ACC schools currently scheduled on the matter, but talks are progressing and were described as “positive.”
In order for Cal, SMU, and Stanford to join the league—and it is expected to be all three or none of them—12 of 15 schools must approve the addition. (Notre Dame, a football independent, is a voting member.) It’s expected that if the vote passes that they would join as members in all sports and would sign the league’s grant of rights agreement, which runs through 2036.
Two weeks ago, SI reported that Florida State, Clemson, North Carolina, and NC State were “no” votes with multiple other schools described as soft “yes” votes. According to multiple sources, no formal vote is expected to be taken unless it is certain that the vote will pass. But as one source put it: “you just need one more vote.” Both UNC and NC State were considered somewhat bound together due to their shared board of regents presiding over the North Carolina university system, and the amicable relationship between administrators. Clemson and Florida State were jointly against any expansions that didn’t materially change the revenue model, but this week there has been fresh discussion while reviewing the updated revenue models, sources say.
