TV ratings fuel Syracuse's ACC revenue with a catch

Earlier this year, the ACC announced a revised revenue-distribution plan over the next five years, tied into a TV viewership model of game broadcasts involving members schools.

It was all part of settling previous lawsuits from the likes of Clemson and Florida State, designed as a more competitive way to take the majority (60%) of the annual conference TV dollars, and disburse it based on each school's ratings of its game broadcasts.

An evolving formula tied into TV viewership = percentage of payout to each school

As part of settling its previous lawsuits with the likes of Clemson and Florida State, the ACC came up with the 60 / 40 model for distributing its TV revenues. Beginning this academic year, 60% of TV revenue is going to be divided separately from the other 40%, which remains for equal distribution.

The TV revenue dollars will be paid out based on a revolving criteria of game viewership over the next five years.

In theory, win games and get prime broadcasts slots on Saturdays, mixed in with games long scheduled for the less competitive marketplace such as Friday nights (although that's changing-see below), and ratings and revenue will grow.

SU-UT from Atlanta was given an early 12:00 p.m. ET ABC slot on the first major (Week 1) Saturday of the season. The only problem is FOX also has a noon window with the Big Ten, and that's where they placed the marquee Texas-Ohio State affair that shattered the opening Saturday ratings record.

Other ACC schools Florida State, Clemson, and Miami, all drew over 10M viewers in their games also against SEC schools plus Notre Dame.

If both the 'Cuse and Clemson (host Troy) take care of business this week, it will be interesting to see where the Sept. 20 game is placed this coming Monday in the first 12-day TV window of the season.

Friday night football is not so exclusive anymore

We wholeheartedly agree that if Syracuse can find a game or two against attractive opponents each season, it should take the opportunity to schedule them on a Friday night in a climate-controlled homefield. Sounds good when FCS schools like Colgate still appear on the schedule, and the UNC Halloween Night Friday conference meeting will likely be bonkers in the Dome and produce Bill Belichick-inspired TV ratings.

The contest against 'gate Sept. 12 gets the game on ACC Network as opposed to streaming on ACCNX and ESPN+ like Saturday v. UConn. While that's good news for getting as many viewers as possible for what figures to be a lopsided result, don't look now because seven other Power 4 conference teams will also be playing their game's during various portions of the Syracuse-Colgate telecast.

Competition from four other games and seven P4 schools. is far from an exclusive Friday night window.

TV games on Friday, September 12, 2025 (all times ET):

Indiana State at Indiana 6:30 p.m. BTN

Colgate at Syracuse 7:00 p.m. ACCN

Colorado at Houston 7:30 p.m. ESPN

Kansas State at Arizona 9:00 p.m. FOX

New Mexico at UCLA 10:00 p.m. BTN

Even if Syracuse was playing against an FBS opponent, if it was not paired in an ACC game or against a program with cache to its name, ratings would likely be diluted.

Colorado, for example, gets good TV ratings because of Deion Sanders and the game is on mammoth ESPN, while the Big 12 game is on FOX network, millions more viewers than ACCN.

The one element Syracuse can control to its TV placement is winning. Sports fans, specifically college football fans, will tune in to watch winning teams no matter the day and time.

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