Quote:TONY BARNHART
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer


ACC commissioner John Swofford said Sunday that the league is moving forward with its plans for expansion despite a lawsuit filed Friday against the conference. A vote by the ACC's presidents to add Boston College, Miami and Syracuse from the Big East Conference could come as early as Tuesday.

On Friday, the Big East's five other football-playing members -- Connecticut, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Virginia Tech and Rutgers -- filed suit against the ACC, Boston College and Miami, claiming the three engaged in a "deliberate scheme . . . to destroy the Big East." Syracuse was not named in the suit because the plaintiffs did not believe that school actively pursued expansion. The plaintiffs also claim that if the Big East loses those three members to the ACC, their respective schools would suffer irreparable financial harm.

The ACC was reserved in its comments Friday, but Swofford came out swinging on Sunday. Among other things, Swofford pointed out that in early May, top Virginia Tech officials were in his office looking for a way to join the ACC, whose officials believe it is hypocritical for that same school now to try to stop expansion through the courts.

"Regardless, the ACC and its nine member institutions will continue to be proactive in the evaluation of opportunities that best serve the interest of the league, our member institutions and our student-athletes," Swofford said.

Swofford pointed out that the Big East, like every conference, has bylaws that allow its members to leave if they meet certain requirements. If the three schools want to leave the Big East, they must notify the league by June 30 and pay a $1 million exit fee. After June 30 that fee goes to $2 million.

Swofford rejected the suit's claim that the ACC and the two schools had acted improperly.

"NCAA institutions are free to associate with other institutions that they deem most in harmony with their academic and athletic mission," Swofford said.

"The ACC has acted properly and legally throughout this process."

The nine ACC presidents are scheduled to meet by teleconference Tuesday. With the required site visits to the three schools completed, that call would likely include a vote to authorize the formal invitations. What effect Friday's lawsuit will have on the process remains to be seen. The presidents could elect to postpone the vote until after the legal issue is resolved.

"The process is not complete," Swofford said, "but we do plan to continue, and ultimately four member institutions will decide whether or not expanding is a viable option."

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