ACC schools eye scheduling, TV viewership as way to bump up the bottom line in new revenue model

Mike Norvell got everything he wanted with his Florida State team opening against tradition-rich Alabama — and winning — on network television.

“We’re going to play an aggressive schedule,” the coach said. “We want those showcase games.”

They pay off more than ever in the Atlantic Coast Conference, too.

The league now incorporates TV viewership into its revenue-distribution plan for member schools . That means teams playing in high-ratings matchups profit beyond the typical payouts from the ACC’s media rights deal — a departure from decades of equal distribution — as schools seek additional revenue streams now that they can pay athletes directly .

That is forcing coaches and administrators to rethink scheduling. Chase better nonconference matchups? Play Friday nights with less