QUOTES FROM AROUND THE ACC
ACC Network Set to Launch in 2019 | ACC Network Extra' Digital Component to Debut in August 2016 [Complete Release]
Click here for a transcript of the complete press conference (opens in a new window)
BOSTON COLLEGE
We are thrilled about the ACC Network and look forward to launching extraordinary access of our games and events to our students, alumni, fans and Eagles everywhere. We look forward to a partnership with ESPN that will provide extensive and meaningful exposure of Boston College.
Brad Bates, Director of Athletics
This is an exciting and significant day for the ACC. This new deal between ESPN and the ACC will reinforce the fact that this conference is the best in collegiate athletics. As a league, we need to explore new opportunities to keep that status at the top. I believe this announcement will drive the ACC into the future both on and off the court.
Jim Christian, Men’s Basketball Coach
CLEMSON
I am excited that ESPN and the ACC Network will give our outstanding member schools an opportunity to showcase their institutions to new audiences across the country, said Clemson President James P. Clements, who is serving as Chair of the ACC Council of Presidents for 2016-17. The ACC not only has world-class student-athletes and coaches, but it also has some of the top academic institutions in the nation, and this new network will be a great opportunity for national exposure for all of us in the conference.
Jim Clements, President
ESPN has been a great partner to the Atlantic Coast Conference and a great promoter of college athletics, so we're excited to continue and expand our relationship with the creation of this network. The opportunities for exposure of Clemson athletics and our institution as a whole will be a great benefit for years to come.
Dan Radakovich, Director of Athletics
The ACC network will certainly enhance the exposure and branding of our league and thereby help each school. As coaches we have been looking forward to this announcement because it will broaden our recruiting base, not only in football but in all sports. It will be a plus for the entire university.
Dabo Swinney, Football Coach
The ACC Network will give our program and other programs in the ACC much more exposure to other parts of the country that may not see us on a regular basis. It spreads out brand nationally, and it's a testament to how competitive and how good our league is.
Monte Lee, Baseball Coach
ESPN has long been the destination for soccer fans in America, and we’re excited to continue and build upon that relationship with the ACC Network. The exposure of collegiate soccer, specifically ACC soccer, will have positive impacts on our program for years to come and continue to solidify the ACC as the strongest soccer conference in the nation.
Mike Noonan, Men’s Soccer Coach
DUKE
Duke is delighted that the public will now have ready access to the full range of ACC sports contests, where serious students also compete at the highest level of athletic performance. My thanks to all who helped secure such a far-sighted agreement.
Richard H. Brodhead, President
First off, congratulations to everyone who has been working so incredibly hard behind the scenes and in the trenches to make the partnership between the ACC and ESPN even stronger. Kevin White and the other members of the television committee are to be commended for navigating through this process and putting the conference in a great position going forward. Obviously, we’ve reached another benchmark milestone in the history of our league and we are certainly proud to be a part of it. With these additional resources, the exposure for our schools – and most importantly for our student-athletes – will reach new heights going forward while at the same time providing our fans more opportunities to watch our teams compete.
David Cutcliffe, Football Coach
The ongoing efforts of Commissioner Swofford and the ACC presidents and directors of athletics, led by Kevin White and the league’s television committee, should be commended. The ACC Channel provides a terrific new platform to further brand all 15 ACC institutions as the very best mix in college athletics competing at the highest level, all while maintaining the proper relationship between academics and athletics. The extension of a long-term partnership with ESPN, the unquestioned leader in the sports broadcasting industry, also places the ACC in a prime financial position in relation to peer conferences across the country.
Mike Krzyzewski, Men’s Basketball Coach
FLORIDA STATE
We here at FSU are very pleased that this day has finally come. We believe that ESPN is the best partner the ACC could have in this venture, and we are confident that we will get the best possible ACC Network by working with them.
John Thrasher, President
This is a great day for the ACC, ESPN and Florida State University.
My response to questions about the potential of a network over the last two years has been that we (the ACC) were more interested in making the right decision for the long-term future of broadcasting athletic events and not the most expedient. As a result of diligence, hard work and the outstanding leadership by Commissioner Swofford and ESPN, today’s announcement means an extremely bright, long-term future for Florida State University, the ACC and ESPN.
The revenue generated by the ACC Network assures that we will have resources and exposure on par with that of our peers in the top echelon of collegiate athletics and that was an important part of the negotiations, but not the only part.
With today’s announcement, we are now extremely well positioned to take advantage of the evolving broadcast environment and we will have an even deeper partnership with ESPN.
We have been forward thinking at Florida State and have been investing in the infrastructure needed to support and take full advantage of a potential broadcast network. FSU is ready to hit the ground running in terms of televising live events and creating unique programming. We are just days away from completing additional video control rooms that will allow us to broadcast several live home events simultaneously. In addition, we have replaced the majority of our video production equipment to meet network standards.
So as much as I am pleased with the potential financial impact of today’s announcement, I am just as excited about the exposure it creates for all our sports.
Stan Wilcox, Director of Athletics
The ACC Network will provide a tremendous platform for our league and is a testament to how highly regarded all of the schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference are throughout the country. The ACC has the greatest collection of teams in the history of college basketball and the increased exposure by the ACC Network will make us an even stronger league. It provides a showcase that allows our teams and our student-athletes in all sports unprecedented exposure to the great fans of the ACC.
Leonard Hamilton, Men’s Basketball
The addition of the ACC Network will continue to strengthen not only the ACC brand, but the brand that is Florida State. Visibility of the excellence of our institution and athletics programs is vital. Having our own conference network means we will expand the reach of our fan base. Women’s basketball will continue to benefit from the exposure. This proves once again that the ACC focuses not just on the present but also the future of our conference.
Sue Semrau, Women’s Basketball Coach
GEORGIA TECH
All of us here at Georgia Tech and in the ACC are very excited about this new partnership with ESPN. The upcoming launch of the ACC Network will be a powerful platform to showcase the ACC’s position as one of the top athletic conferences in the country.
G.P. "Bud" Peterson, President
We're excited that the ACC Network has become a reality. The network will be an invaluable tool for Georgia Tech and the rest of the ACC membership to showcase our institutions and share the extraordinary talents and achievements of our student-athletes.
Mike Bobinski, Director of Athletics
The creation of the ACC Network is a big development for our league. Joining three of our other four peer conferences in having a dedicated national network will allow us to further showcase our schools, sports and student-athletes to fans and recruits across the country.
Paul Johnson, Football Coach
This is an exciting development for the ACC that will put us on a par with our major conference peers in many ways. Having a dedicated ACC Network allows for enhanced exposure for our programs, making more of our events available on television. Not only can we broadcast more of our events, but they will be easier to find and watch. It also gives us a platform to tell our stories, showcase our accomplishments and highlight our great athletes and coaches.
Josh Pastner, Men’s Basketball Coach
We are excited about the impact of the ACC Network and the benefits for our student-athletes and academic institutions. We have such a tremendous product to put out in front of our fans and it will be exciting to have the opportunity to showcase ACC women's basketball on the ACC Network.
MaChelle Joseph, Women’s Basketball Coach
LOUISVILLE
There has been an abundance of hard work invested in this venture, particularly from Commissioner John Swofford. We have worked closely with ESPN so we may plan to successfully launch this platform and have the network flourish. This is a terrific next step in the branding of the ACC and Cardinal Athletics. We look forward to working with the ACC and our television partner to develop exciting ACC programming for fans everywhere.
Tom Jurich, Vice-President and Director of Athletics
The ACC Network will be a great addition to our league and it enhances the visibility of our institution. It will bring added exposure to our football program and also will be beneficial to all of our other outstanding programs at UofL.
Bobby Petrino, Football Coach
Having an ACC Network will not only enhance our earning power, but will take the visibility for the nation's strongest basketball conference to greater heights.
Rick Pitino, Men’s Basketball Coach
MIAMI
The partnership between ESPN and the ACC will provide an unparalleled viewing experience, giving our fans the opportunity to see a greater variety of conference athletic events—from women’s soccer and volleyball to baseball and track and field. The new network will showcase our more than 400 students who represent the true spirit of intercollegiate athletics.
Julio Frenk, President
Today's announcement of the ACC Network is groundbreaking for the University of Miami, the ACC and for our fans, and is indicative of the overall strength of our conference. The network will enhance the stature and visibility of Miami and the ACC and with the expanded digital platform on ESPN, I am excited about the addition of new Hurricane fans from around the country.
Blake James, Director of Athletics
This is a tremendous day for our league and our institution. I would like to congratulate Commissioner John Swofford and his staff for finalizing this historic deal. The exposure of the ACC Network will significantly enhance our league’s visibility nationwide.
Mark Richt, Football Coach
We are very excited about the league's continued partnership with ESPN and the exposure the league will receive through the new ACC Network, Larrañaga said. The launch of the ACC Network is very beneficial for the University of Miami and the continued growth of our basketball program. Our fans will also love the extensive national television coverage the ACC Network will provide for the Hurricanes. The ACC is the best basketball conference in the country and we keep getting better and better.
Jim Larrañaga, Men’s Basketball Coach
This is an exciting day for the entire ACC and especially so for women's basketball. We have consistently been the nation's best conference and it is time for us to take advantage of this amazing platform. Our league is so tough and it spans so many interesting cities, regions and university communities. I'm thrilled that people all over America will be able to watch my team and all the teams from The U. This will help us both with recruiting and expanding our footprint.
Katie Meier, Women’s Basketball Coach
The ACC is the most competitive conference in college baseball, and the opportunity to showcase that product nationwide on the ACC Network will provide a tremendous lift to all of our programs.
Jim Morris, Baseball Coach
The ACC Network will be a great addition to an already elite conference. It is exciting to know that our program, as well as the rest of the programs at Miami, will have the opportunity to receive the coverage that the ACC Network will provide.
Jose Keno Gandara, Women’s Volleyball Coach
This is a great opportunity to showcase our sport in the most competitive conference in the country. Every game is played at a high level and now fans across the nation will have the chance to see that on a regular basis.
Mary-Frances Monroe, Women’s Soccer Coach
NORTH CAROLINA
This is a historic step for our conference, ensuring that the ACC and its member institutions will continue to thrive. At Carolina, we’re particularly excited that this agreement will enable us to continue to support a robust and successful 28-sport program and will provide additional exposure for our Olympic sports.
Carol L. Folt, Chancellor
ESPN is the leader in the distribution of live sports broadcasting and our league’s partnership with the network has been strengthened. The agreement today extends our rights with ESPN and ensures Carolina’s athletic programs will receive a tremendous amount of exposure across a variety of network platforms for many years to come. With this agreement, Carolina and the ACC are well positioned for future coverage of our outstanding teams and their successes.
Bubba Cunningham, Director of Athletics
NC STATE
Creation of the ACC Network is a great step forward for this outstanding conference and all its member institutions. Beyond the beneficial funding the new agreement provides, the network will also elevate the visibility of the ACC and expose more of the country to the excellence of athletics and academics at our universities.
Randy Woodson, Chancellor
The ACC Network will offer our loyal fans a whole new level of access to Wolfpack teams and their competitions, something they have been vocal about wanting. The potential added revenue that we expect will eventually be distributed will be used to further enhance the experience for our student-athletes on all 23 of our NC State teams.
Debbie Yow, Director of Athletics
This is a very exciting time to be coaching in the ACC. The addition of a league network is going to help further extend our profile and be an enormous help in recruiting. There are so many great stories at NC State, and this network will give us the opportunity to share them even more broadly.
Dave Doeren, Football Coach
This is huge for our league. The ACC is already the most visible basketball league throughout the country. Having a network only solidifies our position among the most powerful brands in all of sports.
Mark Gottfried, Men’s Basketball Coach
I think this has been anticipated for a while, and it's exciting to finally see it come to pass for us. I think that it is a great opportunity for NC State, as well as the ACC, to market our products. From a recruiting standpoint, being aligned with ESPN gives us great coverage and exposure. Women’s basketball in particular, has really grown because of TV exposure, so it is exciting to know that we are going to be maxed out as far as ability to reach homes all across the country. It will expand our footprint. This adds excitement to our program. It gives our players more exposure and gives their families an opportunity to see them play, so it's just a win-win-win situation. You've got to give our administration a lot of credit for their planning. I know that some of the decisions made in the renovations of Reynolds Coliseum were with an ACC Network in mind. I think that we will be able to put a great product on the air once Reynolds is completed because everything has been planned so well.
Wes Moore, Women’s Basketball Coach
This is an incredible moment for our league in terms of expanding our visibility and exposing a greater audience to learn about our legendary conference. There are so many great stories, whether it be here at NC State, or in our league, and this gives us an outlet to bring those stories to life once again. From a recruiting standpoint , it's a tremendous addition , and it's very exciting for our fans who will be able to see much more of a great product in ACC athletics.
Elliott Avent, Baseball Coach
The word ‘Excitement’ is an understatement. The potential this network brings for branding and exposure for the ACC will certainly position us for national prominence. As one of the Power 5 conferences, an ACC Network will be a perfect avenue to showcase our talented student-athletes in all sports. It will certainly help ACC Wrestling achieve more national recognition.
Pat Popolizio, Wrestling Coach
NOTRE DAME
Beyond its positive impact for our student-athletes and fans, the ACC Network will help Notre Dame and all of the members of the Conference to further develop our capabilities to engage in digital learning, highlight the achievements of our students and faculty, and promote our schools. In the long run, we believe those impacts will prove to be every bit as important as the consequences for athletics.
Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., President
This is an exciting announcement for all our sports and all our teams. The additional exposure will drive the interest of our fans and recruits. The additional revenue will ensure that our league continues to compete at the highest level. A great day for our conference, our school and our sport.
Kevin Corrigan, Men’s Lacrosse Coach
We compete in the best basketball conference in the country. The ability of our fans across the country to get increased access to the great competition we face each game will not only help our program, but push ACC basketball to even greater heights.
Mike Brey, Men’s Basketball Coach
I am thrilled that the ACC is partnering with ESPN, the world wide leader in sports, to create its own network. The national exposure will make it easier for our fans, alumni and prospective student-athletes to watch us play in the best basketball conference in the country. I could not be happier than I am today to be a part of the ACC.
Muffet McGraw, Women's Basketball Coach
PITT
This newly enhanced partnership between the Atlantic Coast Conference and ESPN is as fitting as it is exciting. The ACC and ESPN have long been leaders and innovators in their respective endeavors, and the launch of the ACC Network is a powerful example of what can happen when they are working in partnership. This collaboration will help provide our student-athletes with the resources necessary to compete and achieve at the highest levels. Moreover, each of our 19 varsity sports programs at Pitt will have a world-class showcase, giving these student-athletes tremendous exposure nationwide and beyond.
Patrick Gallagher, Chancellor
The unveiling of the ACC Network is a tremendously exciting and impactful development for our conference, student-athletes and fans across the country. The ACC brand is historic and accomplished. Today’s announcement reaffirms the ACC’s stature as one of the country’s strongest and most influential leagues. The ACC footprint covers 45% of the nation's television audience, the largest of any league in the country. With games and competitions accessible on multiple platforms, our student-athletes will enjoy unprecedented exposure. The ACC Network will help us continue to provide our young people with the greatest opportunities to achieve their academic, athletic and personal goals during their collegiate careers. We are thrilled about the many opportunities and possibilities created by the ACC Network.
Scott Barnes, Director of Athletics
The ACC is one of America's elite conferences so it only makes sense we would partner with ESPN, the World Wide Leader in Sports. The exposure we will receive from the ACC Network will be incredible. It is going to be a great promotional platform for not only Pitt football but Pitt Athletics as a whole.
Pat Narduzzi, Football Coach
The ACC and ESPN have been great partners for many years and this is a tremendous announcement in a mutually beneficial relationship. The added exposure will give our student-athletes unprecedented coverage across the country and help to expand the ACC brand. The added resources generated by the ACC Network will also enable us to provide even better opportunities for our student-athletes to achieve success in the classroom, in competition and in the community.
Kevin Stallings, Men’s Basketball Coach
The launch of the ACC Network is incredible news for women’s basketball. ESPN has been so important in the growth of our game. The increased exposure has resulted in tremendous gains from a fan standpoint. At Pitt we are very proud to play in the country’s strongest basketball conference and we will be equally proud to represent the league on the ACC Network.
Suzie McConnell-Serio, Women’s Basketball Coach
SYRACUSE
The partnership to create an ACC network will provide broad opportunities for Syracuse University students – for both our student athletes in all sports and our students involved in programming and production of content in schools including the David Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics and the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
Kent Syverud, Chancellor and President
The ACC is among the most elite collegiate athletic conferences in the nation and today’s announcement underscores the significant role it (and its member schools) plays in intercollegiate athletics. The ACC Network will be a boon for the conference and will have a particularly positive effect on Syracuse University as we compete to attract the nation’s best, brightest and most talented student-athletes. The long-term benefits for the ACC, its member schools and for Syracuse University as a whole, are vast and I look forward to seeing the ACC Network come to life in the coming years.
Daniel J. French, Acting Athletics Director
The creation of this network is transformational for both the ACC and for Syracuse. It will give all of our programs greater visibility on the national stage, solidifies the ACC’s position among the Power Five conferences, and helps provide stability in the ever-changing world of college athletics. I commend Commissioner Swofford and the ESPN leadership for their vision and their hard work in making this network a reality.
Dino Babers, Football Coach
This is an exciting announcement made by the ACC because it benefits all of the league members and every sport at each member institution. The ACC has positioned itself on solid ground with the new ACC Network and the rights extension with ESPN.
Jim Boeheim, Men’s Basketball Coach
The ACC network is huge for our program's exposure and recruiting. The ability to have all of our games televised is major. This is an exciting announcement and we look forward to this great opportunity to showcase our program nationally.
Quentin Hillsman, Women’s Basketball Coach
The launch of the ACC Network will boost women’s lacrosse and help take it to the next level. We have the most competitive league in the country. The possibility of having multiple games available on different platforms is exciting. It’s a great opportunity.
Gary Gait, Women’s Lacrosse Coach
The ACC Network will bring increased exposure and stability to ACC men’s lacrosse as well as other sports nationally and will grow the Syracuse brand as well as the ACC’s brand. It’s an exciting opportunity to continue to showcase our programs to a broader audience.
John Desko, Men’s Lacrosse Coach
We have already we have been pleased by the television coverage the ACC Cross Country Championships have received over the last two years. With the advent of the network, I am sure the exposure will go up tenfold and help ACC schools tremendously in all sports.
Chris Fox, Cross Country/Track & Field Coach
This is a tremendous opportunity for Syracuse and ACC field hockey. The creation of an ACC network will provide more opportunities to showcase world-class athletes and championship caliber teams as they compete against the best collegiate field hockey has to offer.
Ange Bradley, Field Hockey Coach
VIRGINIA
The creation of the ACC Network will help meet the growing needs of conference members to provide across the board exposure for all of our programs. When you consider the great success of all ACC sport programs, it is clear that fans will have viewing access to some of the most competitive college sports in the nation.
Craig Littlepage, Athletics Director
The network will be a big advantage for us as we have a national recruiting base and want relatives of our student-athletes to have access to all of our ACC matches. I feel it is a big step in the right direction for the University as more and more people will have greater access to witness what great student-athletes and facilities we have on Grounds.
Dennis Hohenshelt, head volleyball coach
The ACC Network is a fantastic addition for our league and gives us another tremendous platform to promote our league and especially ACC Baseball. It will be a great resource for our university, alumni and fans.
Brian O’Connor, head baseball coach
I am really excited about today’s announcement of the ACC Network. For the past several years, we have increased the number of games that we have streamed online through our VirginiaSports.com website and the feedback from fans has been phenomenal. To be able to take these efforts to the next level, and to create even more access through the ACC Network, is only going to help the growth of lacrosse as a sport across the nation.
Julie Myers, head women’s lacrosse coach
We are excited for the new ACC Network. ACC soccer is year in and year out the best conference in the country. It will be great to showcase our program and league on a larger scale.
George Gelnovatch, head men’s soccer coach
Anytime we can get our great sport on television and out to the masses it is a wonderful thing. The programs in the ACC that support wrestling are doing great things and the more people can see that progress the better. I’m really excited, not only for our program but for the ACC in general.
Steve Garland, head wrestling coach
The ACC is the best women’s basketball conference in the country with its unmatched talent and depth of teams. Having a far-reaching national platform to showcase the talent in this league is going to not just benefit our teams, but it is also going to help continue to build on the explosive growth of women’s basketball. I am excited about the immediate impact that the digital network will have, enabling our fans across the country to have the ability to follow Virginia basketball no matter how far they are from Charlottesville.
Joanne Boyle, Women’s Basketball Coach
VIRGINIA TECH
Virginia Tech is excited about the new ACC/ESPN partnership. The expanded platform will certainly enhance national awareness of the strength of our ACC athletic programs and the quality of the ACC student-athlete experience. We also look forward to having this much bigger stage to highlight our academic programs, impactful research, and global engagement.
Timothy Sands, President
Thanks to the leadership of Commissioner Swofford, the ACC and ESPN, the experience of student-athletes at every school will improve dramatically thanks to this agreement. Yes, the revenue component will help us stay competitive. And yes, this collaborative undertaking with ESPN provides added stability for the ACC. And without question, it will be advantageous from a recruiting perspective.
One of the many aspects of the ACC Network that excites us the most is the fact it dramatically increases the possibility of many programs to be televised on a consistent basis. If you’re a competitor in women’s lacrosse or men’s tennis, how wonderful would it be to know your championship event or match against your fiercest rival will be televised? It’s hard to quantity what that might mean to our student-athletes and their families.
The Virginia Tech motto of ‘Ut Prosim’ – that I may serve, is something we live by every day. Simply put, the creation of the ACC Network will allow us to better serve our student-athletes. Whether it means enhancing academic opportunities or the scope of our nutrition programs, every Virginia Tech student-athlete will see tangible benefits from the ACC Network, and for that we are tremendously grateful.
Whit Babcock, Director of Athletics
Our staff at Virginia Tech is ready to embrace the ACC Network. We’re excited to showcase our campus, our program and our student-athletes to a vast audience. From a recruiting perspective, it’s great opportunity for prospects and their families to get to see us in action and get a better sense of what makes Virginia Tech special. That’s a very tangible selling point for everyone in the ACC.
The scope of the ACC Network will impact our program and every student-athlete at Virginia Tech. Our entire athletic department will benefit from a new revenue stream. I know our other head coaches in other sports are also excited about the potential it has to help increase the interest and support of their programs. We’ll all benefit and I’m grateful to be joining Virginia Tech and the ACC at such an exciting time.
Justin Fuente, Football Coach
WAKE FOREST
The ACC Network will be a great addition to the ACC. Across the conference, our sports are national contenders and draw a great deal of interest from our fans. The ACC Network will provide greater exposure of all of our Olympic sports as well as football and basketball games. The revenue generated by the ACC Network will be a key to the long-term stability of not only our athletic department but every school’s athletics program. For Wake Forest, the ACC Network will give us the opportunity to showcase our facilities and our nationally-ranked Olympic sports programs.
Ron Wellman, Director of Athletics