Miami prez denies ACC interest

Posted: Tuesday November 02, 1999 08:52 PM

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -- Despite rumors that the Miami Hurricanes are seeking to move to the Atlantic Coast Conference, University of Miami president Tad Foote said Tuesday that the school remains committed to the Big East Conference.

"We have great respect for our friends in the ACC, but we have been, and remain, happy with our Big East affiliation," Foote said in a statement released following Tuesday's Big East Conference presidents meeting in Philadelphia. "We have no plans to change conferences. No one has offered us membership in another conference. We are proud partners with the fine institutions that comprise the Big East Conference."

Foote said the rumors apparently began as a result of casual conversations among athletic directors.

But Miami school officials previously confirmed informal discussions with the ACC. In his statement, Foote did not rule out having future discussions with another conference.

The ACC presidents concluded their annual fall meeting in Tallahassee, Fla., in September, but did not vote on expansion. The presidents will meet again in March at the ACC basketball tournament in Charlotte, N.C.

Seven of the nine ACC schools would have to approve expansion.

Miami's addition to the ACC would add a major television market to the conference and would help bolster the ACC's football reputation, possibly garnering more lucrative television contracts.

Miami would benefit by having conference teams that are geographically closer. It also could gain financially because the ACC shares all its revenues with the league schools; the Big East does not.

Fifty percent of the Big East's revenues are shared equally. The other half is incentive based, awarding more money to the participants that command more TV appearances and play in more bowls.

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