Miami and Virginia Tech join ACC officially

[DJRamFan]

Associated Press
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The addition of Miami and Virginia Tech to the Atlantic Coast Conference becomes official tomorrow.




It represents a seismic shift in the college sports landscape.


After a lot of angry debate, the conference eventually announced that Boston College would join as the ACC's 12th member in 2005 -- allowing the league the ACC to divide into divisions for football. That means a lucrative championship game, which is projected to produce $6 million in extra revenue.


ACC commissioner John Swofford disputes the idea that the league acted like a corporate raider in swiping Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College from the Big East.


But the rippling consequences of that push have been felt in conferences across the country. Over the next two seasons, about 20 percent of the 117 Division I-A football schools will be changing leagues. The domino effects of ACC expansion will be felt as far west as New Mexico, where New Mexico State is shifting from the Sun Belt Conference to the Western Athletic Conference.