John Swofford Talks Up The ACC Network At ACC Kickoff

ACC Kickoff is underway in Charlotte and not surprisingly, Commissioner John Swofford is focusing on the ACC Network.

He talked a bit about programming and also about distribution, saying at one point that if your carrier doesn’t have it you can always switch.

It might not matter as much in, say, Tennessee, but if you are used to watching ACC sports and a big game is coming and you can’t get it, odds are you’re not going to be happy. The theory that a lot of movement will happen late is probably accurate.

The network will kick off with a two hour All-ACC show. That’s what they’re calling the main show? Couldn’t they have called it something more clever?

One of the real challenges of the ACC Network is to break loose a bit from the stodginess of Greensboro. It’s a well-run conference but it’s fairly conservative. We’re not saying they need to hire Bill Walton or anything but in this article the word tentpole is used. The ACC Network could really break out if it had someone people couldn’t wait to see or hear from.

And we don’t mean a Paul Finebaum. He’s great for the SEC but he’s often tense and not really all that engaging. We mean outside the box a bit. At one point Monday Night Football went out on a limb and hired Dennis Miller. It didn't work out but there were some surreal moments. Why not hire a rising comedian and let him do the highlights? Why not do a talent search across ACC campuses?

There are Stuart Scotts out there waiting for their break. One would make an enormous difference, especially as the network tries to break out.

Finebaum has credibility but what’s the second SEC media figure do you think of? Who do you think of in the Big Ten?

Obviously sports is the main thing but if there were a really engaging personality that would make a huge difference. A dry studio show is just boring.