ACC and ESPN/ACCN Introduce Enhanced Replay Access for 2025 Football Season

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference, ESPN and ACC Network are partnering this season on a groundbreaking collaboration to bring unprecedented transparency to instant replay reviews during select broadcasts of ACC football games.
 
For the 2025 season, audiences watching ACC officiated matchups on Friday night on either ESPN/ESPN2 and ACC Network’s primetime Saturday games will hear the real-time discussions among the Referee, instant replay official in the stadium, and the ACC’s Collaborative Instant Replay Official located in the ACC’s Game Day Operations Center in Uptown Charlotte.
 
While the ACC began sharing Game Day Operations Center video with ESPN in 2023, sharing audio of the replay discussions represents a significant next step in transparency. Last season, the ACC conducted a limited trial, allowing ESPN officiating analyst Matt Austin to listen to replay conversations for the first time during a November 21 Thursday night game between NC State and Georgia Tech.
 
“We are proud to build upon our efforts to bring additional transparency surrounding ACC Football officiating to fans throughout the entire season,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “We appreciate the partnership with ESPN and ACC Network to elevate the viewer experience and implement what’s never been done before in college football.”
 
This first-of-its-kind initiative is designed to modernize and elevate the college football viewing experience and aims to enhance transparency and fan engagement and interest.