CW Network and ESPN Reach Sublicense Broadcast Agreement for ACC Football and Basketball Games Through 2030-31 Season

BURBANK, Calif. and CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The CW Network and ESPN today announced a new sublicense broadcast agreement for The CW to televise ACC football and men’s and women’s college basketball games through the 2030-31 season. As part of this long-term relationship, The CW will air 14 regular season football games, 30 men’s basketball games, and 10 women’s basketball games each season. All games will be available to watch nationwide live on The CW’s linear broadcast network, and for the first time, stream live on the ESPN App with the ESPN Unlimited plan.

“The ACC has been a transformative partner at the forefront of The CW’s expansion into live sports,” said Brad Schwartz, President, The CW Network. “The conference was an early believer in our vision to become a broadcast destination for sports. We are thrilled to continue our relationship for another four seasons and provide the widest reach possible for all their games. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the schools and student-athletes, whose stories have resonated deeply with our viewers and helped make ACC matchups some of the most-watched live events on the network.”

The CW first began broadcasting ACC games during the 2023-24 season, with the ACC serving as the network’s entry into live college sports. Four out of the top five highest-viewed college football games on The CW have been ACC matchups, including 2023’s North Alabama at Florida State game, which ranks as the most-watched college football game on The CW to date. Last season, CW broadcasts of ACC football generated 26% year-over-year growth in total viewers and saw significant double-digit increases in adults 18-49 (+32%) and adults 25-54 (+25%). The CW also saw its highest viewership yet for ACC men’s and women’s basketball during the 2025-26 season, with total viewers up 6% and 26%, respectively.

ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D., said, “We’re grateful for the continued partnership and support of Disney and ESPN, whose longstanding commitment to the ACC remains integral to the success and visibility of our programs. Building on that strong foundation, our extension with The CW reflects the strong momentum in our shared commitment to delivering ACC football and basketball to more fans in new and innovative ways. The CW has been an outstanding partner, and we’re excited to expand our collaboration and further showcase the depth and quality of ACC competition.”

“Extending The CW as a broadcaster of ACC sports via this sublicense agreement is a win for ACC fans across the country,” said Nick Dawson, ESPN senior vice president, programming & acquisitions. “The combination of these games being widely available via CW linear network stations while simultaneously streaming within the ESPN App via the ESPN Unlimited plan provide ACC schools terrific exposure and ACC fans maximum flexibility and accessibility however and wherever they choose to watch their favorite ACC teams.”

The ACC and its 18 member institutions have enjoyed incredible success including:

• No other conference has won more NCAA national championships in the last four and a half years than the ACC. The league has won 34 national teams titles in league sponsored sports over that span, including a league-record nine in 2022-23.
• The ACC has won seven national championships in football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball and baseball since 2015. The ACC is one of only two conferences to win each of those four titles over that stretch.
• The ACC has had a team in either the College Football Playoff or the BCS National Championship Game in 10 of the last 13 years, including two teams in the CFP in both 2020 and 2024.
• The ACC placed 11 teams in football postseason play in 2025. That marked the third straight year with 11 teams or more in postseason play, the longest streak in all of FBS. Not including the pandemic-affected 2020 season, the ACC has sent at least nine teams to a bowl every year since 2013.
• ACC Men’s Basketball teams have combined to win eight NCAA titles since 2001 – most of any league. ACC teams have combined for the most NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament wins in history, and six different programs have advanced to the Men’s Final Four since 2015, the most of any league.
• ACC member institutions have won three NCAA Women’s Basketball national championships and made 24 trips to the Final Four. Nine different institutions have represented the ACC in the Women’s Final Four, while 10 current ACC members have earned a spot in the national semifinals. The ACC has made 24 straight Elite Eight appearances, the longest active streak among all conferences. Since 2018, the ACC has earned 65 bids to the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, the most among all conferences.