 | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Worldwide |
| Headquarters | Bristol, Connecticut Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Picture format | 720pHDTV |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | The Walt Disney Company (80%) Hearst Communications (20%) |
| Parent | ESPN Inc. |
| Sister channels | |
| History | |
| Launched | August 22, 2019; 6 years ago (2019-08-22) |
| Links | |
| Webcast | www (U.S. cable internet subscribers only; requires login from pay television provider to access content) |
| Website | getaccn |
| Availability | |
| Streaming media | |
| Service(s) | Sling TV,fuboTV,YouTube TV,Hulu + Live TV,Vidgo |
ACC Network (ACCN) is an American multinationalsubscription-televisionchannel owned and operated byESPN Inc. Dedicated to coverage of theAtlantic Coast Conference, it was announced in July 2016 and launched on August 22, 2019. The channel operates from ESPN's headquarters inBristol, Connecticut, though some programming and staff is inCharlotte, North Carolina.
The network's digital platform,ACC Network Extra (ACCNX), carries ACC events not broadcast on television. It streams onESPN+, as well asESPN.com and the ESPN app for ACC Network subscribers.
There had been repeated calls for the ACC to establish its own cable channel, similar to those that had or were being established by otherPower Five conferences.[1] From July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2013 (in the midst ofrealignment that sawPittsburgh,Syracuse andLouisville announce that they would join the ACC,Maryland leave for theBig Ten, andNotre Dame join the ACC outside of football), the ACC took in less television revenue than thePac-12,SEC and Big Ten conferences. TheBig Ten andPac-12 had already launched their own channels, while ESPN and the SEC had announced theSEC Network would launch in 2014.[1][2] SEC Network's first year of operation increased the conference's television revenue by around $100 million.[1]
In discussions with ESPN management, there were uncertainties over whether an ACC channel would be economically viable, due tocord cutting and changing television viewing habits.[1] The stability of the ACC itself was also questioned, but was addressed in 2013 by requiring the conference's current teams to grant the ACC control of media rights to all home games 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 requirement.[1][3]Eric J. Barron, president ofFlorida 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."[3]
On July 21, 2016, at a media event inCharlotte,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 then-ESPN presidentJohn Skipper and ACC commissionerJohn Swofford. Ahead of the television network's launch, ESPN announced that it would begin to stream ACC events beginning in the upcoming 2016 season.[4][5] Following the announcement, Skipper defended the decision to go on with launching alinear television network, arguing that sports were the most valuable property on television because they are "the only thing you have to watch live".[1]
Each ACC school constructed production facilities so they can contribute programming to the channel. Its operations are based out of ESPN's main studios in Bristol, but some programming originates from Charlotte, North Carolina (where SEC Network, and formerly ESPNU, also operate).[6][7]
In November 2018, it was officially announced that ACCN would launch on August 22, 2019.[8] Opening night programming included theESPN Films documentaryThe Class That Saved Coach K, which chronicledMike Krzyzewski's turnaround of theDuke Blue Devils basketball team in the 1980s.[9] It aired its first football game on August 29, with the defending national championClemson Tigers hosting theGeorgia Tech Yellow Jackets.[10] In 2022, the ACC brought back old rivalries like theBackyard Brawl between theUniversity of PittsburghPanthers and theWest Virginia UniversityMountaineers.[11] A friendly rivalry betweenUniversity of PittsburghPanthers andGeorgia Tech Yellow Jackets in memory of the1956 Sugar Bowl andBobby Grier, during the last game, actorAnthony Mackie appeared on field to honor Grier and the game.[12][13]
ACC Network is expected to carry 1,300 events per year.[1] To provide more content for the channel, the ACC agreed to expand its conference schedule in college basketball to 20 games by the 2019–20 season. ESPN also acquired the secondary ACC rights previously sub-licensed toRaycom Sports for its syndicatedACC Network (the company will continue to be involved as a sub-contractee for events that can be carried by the new channel).[1][14]
Mark Packer andWes Durham host the morning showPacker and Durham, simulcast on ACCN andSiriusXM.[9]All ACC will serve as the network's general news program, whileThe Huddle airs on Friday nights and Saturday mornings during football season.[15]
As a prelude to thelinear channel, and as part of ESPN's new rights package, ESPN's digital platformWatchESPN began to carry broadcasts of ACC sporting events not on television under the brandingACC Network Extra. ESPN promoted that it would carry over 600 live telecasts per season.[7][16] ACCNX has continued its operations following the launch of the channel, becoming available exclusively to ACC Network subscribers.[17][18]
ESPN stated in June 2017 that it had reached carriage deals for the ACC Network with unknown providers.[19] In October 2017,Altice USA committed to offering the channel as part of in its latest round of carriage negotiations with Disney.[20] On December 30, 2018, Disney reached a new carriage agreement withVerizon Fios, which included carriage of the ACC Network.[21] On March 12, 2019, agreement was reached withAT&T to carry the ACC Network onDirecTV at launch.[22] Live television streaming servicesHulu,PlayStation Vue,YouTube TV andTVision Home also signed agreements to carry the channel at launch.[23][24]
On August 14,CharterSpectrum, the largest cable provider in the ACC's heartland of North Carolina, agreed to carry ACCN as part of a new carriage agreement covering all Disney networks (including those acquired from21st Century Fox).[25] On August 29,Dish Network agreed to carry the network on both Dish satellite TV service andSling TV streaming service just in time to broadcast the Clemson/Georgia Tech football game.[26] On September 4,Cox Communications agreed to carry the network.[27] On September 25, AT&T agreed to carry the network on bothAT&T U-Verse andAT&T TV Now.[28] Deals were also made with the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC), National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC) and Vivicast to carry the channel at launch on various smaller cable TV systems across the country.[29]
In the ACC Network's first athletic year, ESPN successfully negotiated the network's carriage to 70 million households on all major cable and satellite TV providers, with the sole exception ofComcast.[30] The holdout, Comcast, which provides cable television to 19 million households as of Q3 2020,[31] claimed in September 2019 that ESPN was not allowing them to carry the network at a "fair and reasonable cost" to their customers.[32] Following a two-year holdout, ESPN and Comcast eventually came to a deal to carry ACC Network onXfinity in November 2021.[33]
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