The ACC is "thoroughly investigating" playing its men's basketball tournament at Madison Square Garden, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. One source was adamant that the ACC tournament eventually would be held in famous New York City landmark, which would take it out of traditional ACC country for the first time.
"We'll be playing there," a source said. "It's just a matter of getting all the legal ramifications worked out."
That's because in March, the new Big East Conference and Madison Square Garden announced a 12-year deal through 2026. However, MSG executive vice president Joel Fisher was noncommittal about the ACC playing there.
"I don't want to speculate about (the ACC)," Fisher said in March.
Sources told ESPN that MSG can get out of its deal before 2026 if the new Big East doesn't reach certain benchmarks. That would open the door for the ACC, which is currently holding its spring meetings in Amelia Island.
The ACC is also said to have had discussions with the Barclays Center about holding its tournament in Brooklyn, a source said.
"There is real momentum to play the tournament at Madison Square Garden," a source said. "Why shouldn't the premier basketball conference play in the world's premier arena?"
Sources attending the meetings said the ACC should always look at ways to improve its product.
"No matter what business model you're in, if you're the best -- and our league is the best -- you should take it to New York," a source said.
The 2014 and '15 ACC men's basketball tournaments will be held in Greensboro, N.C., but no decision has been reached for the upcoming future. The tournament has been played every year since 1954, but only 11 times has it moved outside the state of North Carolina, and it hasn't been beyond any region north of Maryland and Washington, D.C. The ACC tournament has also been held in Georgia and Florida previously.
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