Hopes have been high for a burgeoning ACC network, after the college conference’s 15 schools all agreed to grant it their media rights. This week, however, was a reminder that the road to an ACC network is far from smooth.

For the ACC to launch its channel, ESPN must control its syndicated rights, which are currently signed over to Raycom and Fox Sports Net. According to “The SportsBusiness Journal,” the ACC network’s existence is contingent on getting those rights back, an acquisition that ESPN seems nowhere near committing to. Those rights are currently valued at $260 million per year through 2027.

Industry insiders don’t expect an ACC network to materialize until at least 2016. Read the full story at The SportsBusiness Journal.

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