After a season in which only four ACC teams made the NCAA Tournament and most exited early, programs appear to be investing significant money in the transfer portal to be competitive in 2026.
How much money? Matt Norlander at CBS Sports reported that Duke, UNC, and Louisville are among 10 programs that may be operating with a $10 million or more basketball budget. He also reported that Virginia and Miami were able to get to $8 million just below that. Just those listed teams make up roughly a third of the conference expected to be spending big bucks. In other words, it certainly seems like the ACC is battling back for basketball, the conference's premier sport for much of its long history.
In this episode, presented by Joe Reed with Alcova Mortgage, the hosts discuss how the conference is responding to the ever-changing college sports landscape, how the ambiguity about eligibility rules is shaping the offseason, and more.
- The Savannah Bananas game at Clemson (0:00-8:36)
- How ACC basketball programs are faring in the transfer portal (8:36-18:24)
- Whether the NCAA should change eligibility rules for its athletes (18:24-34:18)
- Bill Belichick's awkward interview and its impact on UNC football (34:18-44:32)
TheSabre.com presents The Preferred Walk-Ons Podcast, a college sports podcast through the lens of the ACC. Michael McGraw, a University of Virginia graduate and fan, and Michael Shutt, a life-long NC State fan, both grew up watching the ACC and have insights on the history and present of the conference.
You can always email the show at [email protected]. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!
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