Are Cal and Stanford a boon or bane for the ACC? CFB insider details hindrances around the potential realignment move

The Pac-12 has four teams remaining, and the duo of California and Stanford could be on the move soon. It seems as if the two are a lock to join the Atlantic Coast Conference, but there is still some way to go.

College football insider Jim Williams tweeted the following about the prospect of adding the two schools.

This is going to be a huge talking point going forward, as adding Cal and Stanford to the ACC would be a big move in conference realignment. However, on the field, they are not really going to help the conference. Off the field, these programs offer a lot to the conference.

Does adding Cal and Stanford to the ACC make the conference competitive in the Power Five?

As we just touched upon, adding Cal and Stanford does not do much from a football standpoint. Adding a major market in San Jose, California, to the conference would definitely be a plus. Cal and Stanford would help in terms of prestige, with their premier academics and Olympic sports prowess.

One thing that is not being spoken of though, is making the ACC more of a national conference. Right now, the ACC is considered the weakest Power Five conference if the Pac-12 dies out. They are in direct competition proximity-wise with the Southeastern Conference, and as many as eight programs could be looking to leave the ACC.

Adding these two programs would generate some more interest and could be a good fit, but it would not make the conference any better with respect to revenue-generating sports. We must also consider the fact that the addition of these two programs does not make logistical sense.

Not every conference is going to be expanding across the continental United States, and the ACC does not have the money to do so. They have a media rights deal with the CW Network until 2036 which will ensure that they do not die out, but they are not attractive to elite players. Instead, expect some Group of Five schools, such as the UAB Blazers, to join or even potentially merge with the ACC and create a superconference.

The addition of Stanford and California does not feel like a realistic fit, and the four ACC schools that voted against their inclusion are not going to budge.