ESPN, ABC Sports Close to ACC Football Deal

ESPN, ABC Sports and the Atlantic Coast Conference are said to be close to a new TV deal for the conference’s college football games.

The ACC recently invited three new schools into the conference -- University of Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College -- and plans to have a championship game beginning in 2005. The new deal, which includes the title game, is believed to be in the $32 million to $40 million range and would run seven years.

An ESPN spokesman would not talk specifics, but did say, "The deal is not done, but we are optimistic."