ACC expansion discussions to add Stanford and Cal to the FBS powerhouse resume today: Reports

As expected, the move to expand the ACC continues the week. The conference has been working on adding Stanford, Cal and SMU in the last few weeks. Despite the initial failure of the expansion plan, the three remain under the consideration of the conference.

According to CBS, the ACC leadership met on Monday night to continue the discussion on the proposed conference expansion. With no conclusion reached yet, further discussion could resume today as the conference continues to find a way to admit the three universities.

The expansion process is currently facing some noteworthy obstacles, with four teams in the league opposing the plan. With only 11 members voting in support, the expansion plan cannot proceed toward ratification until 75% of the members are in favor of the move.

ACC expansion is linked to its media rights

ACC is currently considering expansion not only to keep up with the competition in the Power Five but also to keep its existing media deal with ESPN. There are clauses that could hamper the league's revenue if some unforeseen cases occur.

The media contract offers ESPN the right to call for a renegotiation of the deal should the league drop to less than 15 members. With Florida State and Clemson working on a potential exit, adding Stanford, Cal and SMU helps mitigate the issue before it possibly happens.

The expansion will also mean more revenue for the conference, with an estimated $72 million to be paid by ESPN in added media money. The financial concession offered by the expansion candidates means a large portion of the fund will be redistributed among existing teams.

What is the fate of the expansion plan?

The leadership of the ACC wants to see the expansion happen very soon. The league's commissioner, Jim Phillips, is consistently speaking with presidents across the conference to ensure the successful addition of Stanford, Cal and SMU.

However, the opposition to the plan from some members of the conference remains an obstacle to the entire process. Florida State, Clemson, North Carolina and North Carolina State voted against expansion in the last conference session, and there are no signs that will change.

The expansion process continues to hang in the balance. It is unknown whether one of the opposing teams will eventually flip its vote in favor of the expansion. If the league expansion eventually becomes successful, it would join the rank of conferences that have expanded during the ongoing cycle of realignment.