ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12 alliance: How it impacts college basketball

Exploring how the ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12 alliance will impact college basketball.

The ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 have formally announced an alliance during a news conference Tuesday.

The league’s respective commissioners — Jim Phillips (ACC), Kevin Warren (Big Ten) and George Kliavkoff (Pac-12) — met with the media to explain details of the alliance.

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From the Pac-12‘s news release:

The alliance – which was unanimously supported by the presidents, chancellors and athletics directors at all 41 institutions – will be guided in all cases by a commitment to, and prioritization of, supporting student-athlete well-being, academic and athletic opportunities, experiences and diverse educational programming. The three conferences are grounded in their support of broad-based athletic programs, the collegiate model and opportunities for student-athletes as part of the educational missions of the institutions.

The alliance will reportedly impact basketball scheduling.

ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg suggests that the basketball component of the alliance would feature additional nonconference games between the three leagues, including annual early and midseason matchups. The ACC and Big Ten have staged a basketball conference challenge since 1999.

Basketball component would feature early and midseason games between league members more often, as well as additional events (i.e. ACC/B1G Challenge). From 2022-2035, there are already 68 football games between the leagues scheduled, and 103 when Notre Dame is factored in.

— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) August 24, 2021

Rittenberg also reports that a working group of athletic directors between the three conferences will oversee scheduling components and strategy.

The commissioners involved in this matter, as reported by Rittenberg, are the following:

• Dan Radakovich (Clemson)
• Bubba Cunningham (North Carolina)
• John Wildhack (Syracuse)
• Carla Williams (Virginia)
• Gary Barta (Iowa)
• Gene Smith (Ohio State)
• Sandy Barbour (Penn State)
• Jim Knowlton (Cal)
• Rob Mullens (Oregon)
• Pat Chun (Washington State)
• Mike Bohn (USC)

Kliavkoff said that there will be no formal contract made on the alliance and that a written agreement would be unnecessary.

This story will be updated with more information as it becomes available.