AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. -- Commissioner John Swofford said the league plans on revamping the league's ticket allotment policy for the ACC championship game and bowl games, in the wake of Florida State losing money off its title game appearance this past season.
Florida State lost about $440,000 in ticket expenses because it could not sell out its 10,000-ticket allotment for the game against Georgia Tech, a 6-6 team that made it into the contest because North Carolina and Miami were ineligible.
Schools are required to take a specific ticket allotment for both the ACC title game and bowl games, something that has drawn widespread scrutiny across college football during the postseason. Swofford said a subcommittee has been created to address the best way to move forward, so schools do not lose money in the future.
"We’ve got several meetings that are ahead of those games and as we look down the road with the future bowl cycle, the ticket arrangements and commitment with bowls will look a little different than it does in the current cycle," Swofford said. "Just philosophically and looking forward, a team participating in the championship game shouldn’t be put in a position where they lose money.
"We want to protect the schools better going forward on the ticketing side of things. There’s going to be plenty of revenue. The net effect of postseason football is going to be very much on the high side from a financial standpoint."
Other notes:
The ACC will begin having discussions about future sites for the ACC championship game in the near future. This is the final year of the league's contract to play in Charlotte. Swofford noted the league has been pleased with playing in Charlotte, as two of the three games have sold out there.
There's been no discussion at all about divisional realignment, and Swofford says there are no plans to change the way the divisions look.
Swofford said the conference will not issue a league-mandate forcing schools to only play FBS programs to help boost strength of schedule for the future playoff. "Our coaches feel our schedules can be strong enough with an FCS opponent," Swofford said. "We’ll have to see as it goes forward."