After ACC presidents met last night, the pursuit of Cal and Stanford for membership "hit significant roadblocks," according to sources. No vote was taken, but "conversations about expansion among the league presidents are expected to continue." SMU also had "been bandied about" as a potential addition to the ACC, and those conversations "aren't headed anywhere, either," sources said. Cal and Stanford "remain far more appealing to a faction of league presidents" because of their academic and brand value. Sources confirmed "one school that has been pushing for the addition of Cal and Stanford is Notre Dame," which is a member of the ACC in all sports except football. But multiple ADs have "questioned why anyone in the league would listen to Notre Dame" because the Irish "remain so steadfast in remaining independent" (ESPN.com, 8/9).
Tuesday’s closed meeting of the UC Regents talking with Cal Chancellor Carol Christ and UC President Michael Drake about the future of Cal "was a how-we-got-here and what-the-options-are-going-forward discussion," a source confirmed, but "no actions were taken" as Cal tries to find a conference home. The source confirmed that the "four main options discussed" in general terms for Cal are "joining the ACC, the Big Ten or the Mountain West or, as a distant last resort, becoming an independent" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 8/9).
