Committed? Utah Says YES! DENIES rumors about interest in the ACC!

Utah Denies Report on Potential Move to ACC, Confirms Commitment to Big 12

By Mountaineer Paul, wvinsiders.com

Over the weekend, veteran New York Daily News sportswriter Dick Weiss reignited the college sports realignment debate by suggesting a potential move by the University of Utah to the ACC, despite their recent commitment to the Big 12.

“Speculation is circulating about potential shifts in college sports conferences. There is discussion about Utah possibly moving to the ACC despite its recent move to the Big 12, with some suggesting the ACC might be a better fit due to its ESPN network agreement and potential for increased TV value. However, skepticism exists regarding the stability and attractiveness of the ACC compared to the Big 12,” Weiss wrote.

The idea that the Utes would abandon their commitment to the Big 12 for the ACC always seemed far-fetched, especially given the current state of both leagues. The ACC is embroiled in internal strife, with Florida State and Clemson suing the conference over its media rights deal, which runs through 2036, and the hefty exit fee required to leave. Conversely, the Big 12 boasts a stable and comparable media rights deal, meaning Utah would not see a financial gain by switching to the ACC.

On Tuesday afternoon, Utah responded to the speculation with a firm statement to reporter Brett McMurphy, dismissing any notion that the university is considering leaving the Big 12.

“We are proud to be entering into membership in the Big 12 Conference in the coming months & excited to join our new colleagues and member institutions. A report over the weekend that suggested otherwise is completely fabricated & irresponsible,” the statement from Utah Athletics read.

Amid the collapse of the Pac-12 Conference last year, the ACC did have serious discussions with Utah, alongside Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, and Stanford, according to Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports. However, Utah ultimately decided to join the Big 12, along with Arizona State and Arizona. Colorado had already announced its move from the Pac-12 to the Big 12 weeks prior to the three schools’ decision.

The ACC recently recorded its highest revenue year ever, up nearly $100 million in 2023. With new members SMU, Cal, and Stanford agreeing to unequal revenue sharing, additional revenue will be distributed among existing ACC members. Cal and Stanford will receive a gradually increasing share of revenue over several years, while SMU will receive no revenue share for the first nine years. This revenue model has allowed the ACC to distribute $50-60 million to its full-time members and Notre Dame.

Steve Berkowitz of USA Today reported that the ACC brought in $707 million in revenue last year, the third most among Power Five conferences, driven in part by increased TV revenue from the ACC Network’s full distribution. The conference also saw a significant increase in bowl revenue.

The Big 12, on the other hand, will compete as a 16-team conference for the first time in 2024 following the departures of Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC. The addition of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah will bolster the conference, joining existing members Baylor, BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, and West Virginia.

Utah will officially join the Big 12 Conference on July 1, 2024, and despite recent rumors, their commitment to the conference remains unwavering.

For more updates on Utah and college sports realignment, stay tuned to wvinsiders.com.