Syracuse and Pittsburgh apply to join ACC

The ACC might be getting a whole lot stronger. ESPN.com reported that both Pittsburgh and Syracuse have applies to join the Atlantic Coast Conference.

There has been a lot of talk of conference realignment lately and the ACC has been looked at as one of the BCS conference that is going to turn into a 16-team Super Conference.

A few weeks ago Clemson and Florida State were both rumored to be interested in leaving the ACC to join the SEC but this could not only be a move that would strengthen the conference overall, but it might be something that could keep those two teams around.

While this is a football move, as were the team’s additions of Miami, Virginia Tech, and Boston College in 2004 and 2005, which caused major conference realignment then, the additions of Syracuse and Pittsburgh could make the ACC a true basketball powerhouse, adding them to Duke, Maryland, and North Carolina.

For the schools to move to the Big East they must pay $5 million each, give 27 months notice, and get approval from all the current ACC school presidents.

The additions of Pittsburgh and Syracuse would give the ACC a market in both Pennsylvania and New York. Connecticut has been linked to joining the ACC but has not applied to join.

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