Miami accepts ACC's invitation to join league

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The University of Miami accepted an invitation to leave the Big East and join the Atlantic Coast Conference today, ending a seven-week courtship that will dramatically affect the balance of power in college football.

University president Donna Shalala and athletic director Paul Dee formally announced the decision in a statement released moments before a scheduled news conference.

Miami spurned a flurry of last-minute offers from Big East officials to remain in their league. Big East members had guaranteed the Hurricanes $45 million over five years to stay in their league.

Miami's decision to join Virginia Tech in defecting from the Big East gives the ACC three of the nation's strongest football programs. The ACC already includes football powerhouse Florida State.

The ACC originally sought to expand to 12 schools so it could offer a lucrative conference title game in football. While the league plans to seek another school to meet the requirement, it also could ask the NCAA to change the rule.

The presidents and chancellors of the six remaining Big East football schools — Boston College, Syracuse, Connecticut, Rutgers, Temple and West Virginia — vowed their conference would become "even stronger."

A lawsuit contends four of the members have spent millions on their football programs based on presumed loyalty from schools it had been aligned with, including Miami.

Miami and Virginia Tech will begin playing in the ACC as soon as the 2004-05 season. Both remain Big East members for 2003-04, since schedules for the upcoming academic year have already been made.

Miami and Virginia Tech will pay the Big East a $1 million exit fee and the ACC a $3 million entrance fee.