ACC Network (TV channel)

ACC Network
Launched August 2019
Owned by ESPN Inc.
(The Walt Disney Company, 80%; Hearst Communications, 20%)
Country United States
Language English
Broadcast area Nationwide
Headquarters Bristol, Connecticut
Sister channel(s) ESPN
ESPNU
SEC Network
Longhorn Network
Streaming media
ACC Network Extra Watch live
(U.S. cable internet subscribers only; requires login from pay television provider to access content)

The ACC Network is an upcoming American cable and satellite television channel that is owned by ESPN Inc. Announced on July 21, 2016, it will be dedicated to coverage of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and will launch in 2019. The channel will operate from ESPN's headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut, though some programming and staff will be based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Each ACC school will construct production facilities so they can contribute programming to the ACC Network.[1][2]

Ahead of the linear channel's launch and as part of ESPN's expanded contract with the conference, ESPN launched the digital platform ACC Network Extra on WatchESPN in 2016, which streams ACC events not broadcast on television.

History

There had been repeated calls for the ACC to establish its own cable channel, similar to those that had or were being established by other Power Five conferences.[3] From July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013 (in the midst of realignment that saw Pittsburgh and Louisville announce that they would join the ACC, Maryland leave for the Big Ten, and Notre Dame join the ACC outside of football), the ACC took in less television revenue than the Pac-12, SEC and Big Ten conferences. The Big Ten and Pac-12 had already launched their own channels, while ESPN and the SEC had announced the SEC Network would launch in 2014.[3][4] SEC Network's first year of operation ultimately increased the conference's television revenue by around $100 million.[3]

In discussions with ESPN management, there were uncertainties over whether an ACC channel would be economically viable, due to cord cutting and changing television viewing habits.[3] The stability of the ACC itself was also questioned, but was addressed in 2013 by requiring its teams to perform a grant of media rights, which gives the ACC media rights to all home games involving its current teams through the 2026–2027 season, even if they leave the conference. This policy effectively discourages schools from leaving the ACC, and left the SEC as the only Power Five conference to not have a similar grant.[5][3] Eric J. Barron, president of Florida State University, stated that the grant would "ensure that the conference will strengthen its position of leadership among Division I athletics", and stated that "we are also very pleased that we will be moving forward on the next phase of developing an ACC network."[5]

On July 21, 2016 at a media event in Charlotte, North Carolina, ESPN announced a 20-year extension of its contract with the ACC, and that it would launch a cable channel dedicated to the ACC in 2019 known as the ACC Network. The announcement was attended by ESPN president John Skipper and ACC commissioner John Swofford. Ahead of the linear channel, ESPN announced that it would begin to stream ACC events beginning in the upcoming 2016 season.[6][7] Following the announcement, Skipper defended the decision to go on with launching a linear ACC channel, arguing that sports were the most valuable property on television because they are "the only thing you have to watch live".[3]

Programming

The ACC Network is expected to carry 1,300 events per-year.[3] As part of the deal, the ACC agreed to expand its conference schedule in college basketball to 20 games by the 2019-20 season, to provide additional content for ESPN and the ACC Network. ESPN also acquired the secondary ACC rights previously held by Raycom Sports for its syndicated ACC Network broadcasts. There is currently no information on any planned studio programming for the ACC Network.[3] It is currently unknown if the new network will acquire rights to ACC football and basketball telecasts currently aired on Fox Sports Networks.

As a prelude to the linear service, ESPN launched the network's digital service, ACC Network Extra, for the 2016-17 season. ESPN promoted that ACC Network Extra would carry over 600 live telecasts per-season. ACC Network Extra is a service of WatchESPN and requires TV Everywhere authentication as a subscriber to ESPN on a pay television provider.[8][2]

Carriage

ESPN stated in June 2017 that it had reached carriage deals for the ACC Network with unknown providers.[9] In October 2017, Altice USA committed to offering the channel as part of in its latest round of carriage negotiations with Disney.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "ACC Network Will Be Based Out Of Bristol Instead Of Charlotte As Widely Thought". Sports Business Daily. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  2. 1 2 Teel, David. "U.Va., Virginia Tech investing millions in ACC Network preparations". dailypress.com. Retrieved 2017-09-18.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Art of the deal: How Swofford, ACC, ESPN reached agreement to launch the ACC Network". The News & Observer. Retrieved 2017-09-18.
  4. ↑ "ESPN packs SEC Network launch with training camp inside looks". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  5. 1 2 "ACC presidents OK deal to lock in schools". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-09-19.
  6. ↑ "ACC, ESPN announce new television deal, including launch of ACC Network". syracuse.com. Retrieved 2017-09-18.
  7. ↑ "ESPN-backed ACC Network launches in 2019". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-09-18.
  8. ↑ "Here's how to watch college football games on ACC Network Extra". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2017-09-18.
  9. ↑ "ACC, ESPN still bullish on conference network". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved 2017-10-16.
  10. ↑ Steinberg, Brian (2017-10-05). "Disney, Altice Strike New Carriage Deal". Variety. Retrieved 2017-10-16.
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