ESPN has officially extended its contract with the ACC to televise games through 2036. In 2016, ESPN signed a 20-year contract that granted them exclusive broadcasting rights to ACC sporting events, leading to the creation of the ACC Network in 2019. This contract also stipulated that if Notre Dame decided to join a conference between 2016 and 2036, it would have to be the ACC. According to the original agreement, ESPN was to annually provide approximately $300 million in revenue sharing to the ACC.
Initially, the $300 million was to be distributed equally among all conference members. However, this equal revenue sharing model caused dissatisfaction within the conference, as some schools believed it was unfair.