ACC Mulls Name Change as League Grows Beyond Atlantic Coast

Three schools far from the Atlantic shoreline joined the ACC in 2024, pushing the group to think about a new name. SMU, Cal Berkeley, and Stanford's arrival marks a big shift for the sports league.

For the first time, teams will play thousands of miles from Atlantic waters. Two schools are located on the Pacific Coast, while another is based in Texas. This coast-to-coast spread raises questions about whether the current name fits.

Money talks fill the halls as the ACC handles other changes. FSU and Clemson want different ways to split the cash, leading to courtroom fights and tough talks about who gets what share of the funds.

The top boss, Jim Phillips, stays quiet about switching names. His team puts their work into getting the new schools ready to play next year.

Big changes sweep through college sports these days. Look at the Big Ten: they grabbed USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington. Now their games stretch from corn fields to beach towns.

Old rules about staying close to home no longer apply. TV deals and national attention drive the choices more than state lines or regional pride.

The ACC has grown big: big. From just seven teams back in '53, it now holds 17 schools under its wing. That's quite a jump from its small start.

When the new teams start playing, Stanford and Cal put ACC games on Pacific time, while SMU plants the conference flag deep in the heart of Texas.

This marks the biggest change since Louisville joined up in 2014. Before that, Notre Dame came aboard in 2013: though they kept their football team separate.

The clock ticks on any name switch. First comes the task of bringing in the new schools, then sorting out who gets what from the money pot. After that, maybe they'll pick up their pens and write a new chapter.