Clemson News

Autonomy.

It’s a word that has become popular in college athletics, and as a Power 5 conference, the ACC is among the leagues on board with the new movement. While many view the autonomy model as a positive step, it doesn’t come without a cost. As a result, ACC schools are tasked with finding ways to increase revenue so that they can afford to compete at the highest level.

Throughout our “Where will the money come from?” series, the ACC Sports Journal has been investigating the different ways that member schools could raise money to pay for full cost of living stipends for student-athletes, as well as the other costs that come with autonomy. So far, we’ve taken a look at ticket sales, donations, raising student fees and the possibility of a TV network. In this edition, we’ll go in-depth on another strategy.

In some cases, you have to spend money to make money, and that’s just what many ACC schools are doing in the form of facility renovations. In recent years, multiple athletic departments have pumped tens of millions of dollars into upgrades, building state of the art facilities that attract recruits and fans alike.

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