Syracuse, Pittsburgh apply for admission to ACC
UPDATED: Sept. 18, 1:11 a.m.
Syracuse and Pittsburgh have initiated the process of leaving the Big East by applying to join the Atlantic Coast Conference, according to reports from The New York Times and ESPN.
Both reports quote an anonymous ACC official, who said 10 other schools have reached out to the conference as well.
As of late Saturday night, USA Today is reporting that the ACC has approved the addition of both schools.
SU Athletic Director Daryl Gross declined to comment on Friday and Saturday.
Big East Director of Communications Chuck Sullivan said the conference and the commissioner, John Marinatto, had no comment.
Calls to Pittsburgh Athletic Director Steve Pederson and Mike Finn, the ACC associate commissioner for football communications, were not immediately returned.
This news comes one week after the ACC presidents voted to unanimously increase the fee to leave the conference. The fee was raised to $20 million.
It’s also just one week after the Southeastern Conference voted to accept Texas A&M as its 13th member.
If the Orange and the Panthers leave the Big East, it won’t be the first time the ACC has absorbed members of the conference. Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College all left the Big East for the ACC in 2003.
Pittsburgh joined the Big East in 1982. Syracuse is a founding member of the conference.
Published on September 16, 2011 at 12:00 pm
Contact Michael: mjcohe02@syr.edu | @Michael_Cohen13
