ACCN Debuts This Week. But Can You Get It?
The wait is finally over.
Years in the making, ACC Network (ACCN) makes its much-anticipated debut tonight (Aug. 22) at 7 o’clock ET.
But can you get it?
ACCN is the new, 24/7 national platform dedicated to ACC sports from ESPN. The network will debut its flagship news and information show “All ACC” with special guests and coverage from across the league. Notable head coaches (including UVA’s Tony Bennett and Lars Tiffany), on-air personalities and ACC alums will be showcased in the two-hour special sharing the passion, history, innovation and excellence of the ACC.
The kickoff show will be followed by the first of several in-depth documentary-style features produced for the network, and then the night’s programming will wrap when a 30-minute edition of the football-centric “The Huddle” airs for the first time.
But can you get it?
Tonight, at least for the first 10 minutes, the answer is yes. The start of the network’s launch will air on the ESPN network of channels (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNEWS).
Friday (Aug. 23) morning, regular programming begins at 7 o’clock with the Packer and Durham Show. It’s a three-hour simulcast of the tremendously successful SiriusXM (Channel 371) radio show (formerly known by its followers as ACC Central). Mark Packer (son of Billy) and Wes Durham (son of Woody) are old-school ACC. Don’t expect “hot talk” from this duo. Their roots are deep in the ACC and they know its history, stories, traditions and characters better than anyone.
But can you get it?
That depends on your cable or satellite television carrier.
Carriage agreements are also in place with the following video providers: DIRECTV, Google Fiber, Hulu Live TV, Optimum, PlayStation Vue, Suddenlink, Spectrum TV, TVision, Verizon Fios, members of the NCTC, NRTC, Vivicast and YouTube TV, among others. All ACCN games will also be available on the ESPN app to authenticated cable subscribers. Fans interested in learning more about ACCN can visit www.GetACCN.com or this UVA FAQ web page.
What if your carrier is Comcast/Xfinity, Cox or Dish? As of the launch date, they have not elected to carry the channel.
That does not mean you are completely shut out. Thanks to the abundance of streaming options that have emerged in the past few years, you now have other viewing options.
Many fans are switching to or adding YouTube TV, Hulu Live, PlayStation Vue or DirectTV to their home viewing options so as not to miss any of the action – including UVA’s first three football games of the 2019 season, which are all designated for ACCN.
Keep in mind, these channels are subscription-based and not the regular YouTube or Hulu, which are free. Several offer free trials and you can compare their services with an easy search on your favorite browser. They may also require the purchase of a streaming player such as Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick or Google Chromecast.
What kind of programming can you expect?
Approximately 450 live contests, including 40 regular-season football games, 150 men’s and women’s basketball games, and 200 other regular-season competitions and tournament games from across the conference’s 27 sponsored sports, will be televised annually, plus a complement of news and information shows and original programming.
On Sept. 3 (time TBA), ACCN will air “Champions: Coaching Conversations,” which features Bennett and a host of other highly-successful ACC coaches who have won national titles. They will discuss the common characteristics of a championship team.
Expect to see the “Unbelievable: Virginia’s Improbable Path to a Title” in late October or early November. Here’s a link to the teaser trailer for the documentary on UVA’s run to the men’s basketball national championship.
Together, ACCN and its digital platform, ACC Network Extra (ACCNX), will feature 1,350 ACC events in its first year. ESPN has been televising ACC content since 1979 and has exclusive rights to every conference-controlled game across all sports and championships.
Wait, ACC Network Extra? What’s that?
ACCNX is the digital-only distribution of content. Think phone, laptop or any other mobile device. If you watched ACC events on ESPN+ in the past, this is a similar experience. It is important to note that ESPN+ will no longer carry ACC Network content. If you expect to watch online, you will only have the experience if your cable or satellite carrier has picked up distribution.
What if you don’t want to switch or add a new provider?
Call your carrier and DEMAND they carry the channel. Fans across the ACC have united to stress this and it has helped ESPN in its negotiations to gain clearances for the network.
If you are fortunate enough to already have the network, here is some updated information regarding channel assignments from carriers:
The ACC Network will be on Channel 612 on DirecTV, right next door to the SEC Network (611) and the Big Ten Network (610). On Spectrum Cable, the ACC Network will be on Channel 388. On Verizon Fios, the network will be Channel 329 for standard definition and Channel 829 for high definition.
If you want to learn more about ACCN, here are some great links and references:
David Teel with great insight into the birth of ACCN
USA Today takes a look at the women who helped build the network
Fall Sports Coverage on ACCN
A Look at the ACCN Studio
ACC Talent and Announcers