The Debut of ACC Network

Note: The following appears in the June 2019 issue of Orange: The Experience and the Georgia Tech gameday football program.

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A culmination of a handful of years of detailed planning and innumerable preparatory changes, the launching of ESPN’s ACC Network last week serves as a significant milestone for Tiger athletics. And tonight’s game between Clemson and Georgia Tech marks a landmark in the network’s history with the first live football game on the network.

Carrying over 1,300 live sporting events from around the ACC each year, the network brings about some welcomed attention to the prosperity currently being experienced by all sectors of Clemson athletics.

“We’re excited to partner with ESPN and ACC Network in the launch, which features several new ways for our fans to engage more with Clemson and our conference, including original series, programming and a wide array of live sports,” said Director of Athletics Dan Radakovich. “It’s critical that our fans make their voices heard to their TV providers and demand the network.”

It is more important than ever to make sure that your television provider is carrying the network. As of early August, several carriers had yet to pick up the network. If you are not subscribed to one of the providers that carry ACC Network, you will not be able to view or record tonight’s game on television or via web stream.

ESPN is in negotiations with additional providers, but it is important to contact your company and demand the network.

“ACCN provides unprecedented coverage of all the sports that Clemson fans, and ACC fans alike, want to see,” said Stacie McCollum, senior director, programming & acquisitions at ESPN. “In addition to football and basketball games, ACCN showcases the depth of the ACC’s Olympic sports programs highlighting soccer, volleyball, softball, baseball and more.

“If you don’t have access to ACCN, call your cable, satellite or streaming provider and demand ACCN now. You don’t want to miss out on all of the great programming.”

Building off the platforms currently and previously presented by other ACC broadcasting stations, ACC Network provides ample coverage to all ACC programs, with each member school playing a major role in facilitating the broadcast efforts.

Considering that the video services department within Clemson athletics is already a leading force in college athletics in terms of in-house productions, the addition of hyper-intensive ACC Network enables Rick Bagby, Clemson’s assistant athletic director for video & technology, and his colleagues to showcase their skills to a national audience.

Since the official announcement of the impending launch of ACC Network, which came in 2016, Clemson has been busy preparing for the network’s arrival. Increasing the staff in the video services department and renovating Jervey Athletic Center, the hub of Tiger athletics broadcasts, has allowed Clemson to better suit the needs required of streaming the variety of athletic events set to be included in ACC Network programming.

From additional audio rooms, control rooms and studios, the renovations to the centrally-housed hub of Jervey Athletic Center have ensured that Clemson’s athletic productions remain top-notch following the implementation of the linear output offered by ACC Network.

The Clemson legacy should continue to flourish with the rise of ACC Network, and the ever-growing impact the Tigers have should be intensified due to the incredible reach offered by the television channel, which is the first of its kind for the ACC.

More than simply a platform for broadcasting sports, ACC Network enables Clemson to showcase itself in all facets. With the launch last week marking yet another key milestone in the longtime commitment of Clemson athletics, the goal is to be the very best of the best and continue making the most out of the power of the Paw.