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NewsWPLG Local 10 – Main FeedAugust 27, 2026Miami-Dade

ACC joins major athletic conferences in banning professional athletes from returning to college rosters

The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has unanimously adopted a resolution prohibiting athletes who have signed professional contracts or appeared on professional rosters from returning to play college football or basketball. This action aligns the ACC with the Big 12, Big Ten, and Southeastern Conference in establishing conference-level bans to prevent players from moving between professional leagues and college teams.

college sportsNCAAprofessional sportseligibility rulesathletic conferences
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Why It Matters

This policy change prevents student-athletes who have pursued professional careers in the NFL, NBA, or WNBA from returning to compete in ACC-sponsored football or basketball, regardless of their NCAA eligibility status.

Key Facts

  • The ACC board of directors unanimously voted to ban professional athletes from returning to college football, men's basketball, and women's basketball.
  • The ban applies to athletes who declared for a professional draft without properly withdrawing, signed a professional contract, or appeared on a professional roster.
  • The ACC joins the Big 12, Big Ten, and SEC in implementing these conference-level restrictions.
  • The Big 12's rule applies to all conference-sponsored sports, while the Big Ten's current rule is limited to football.
  • The SEC ban specifically targets players drafted or listed on rosters in the NFL, NBA, or WNBA.
  • The NFL has stated that players who leave the league to return to college will not be permitted to return to the NFL during the current season.
  • The policy is a response to NCAA rule changes granting five years of eligibility, which led to legal challenges and players attempting to return to college after professional stints.
  • Legal experts suggest conference-level rules may be more resistant to antitrust challenges than NCAA-wide rules because individual conferences lack market power.

Who's Mentioned

organizationBig Ten“Athletic conference that implemented a similar ban on Tuesday.”organizationAtlantic Coast Conference“The athletic conference that adopted the new eligibility ban.”organizationNCAA“The national governing body for college athletics.”personRick Karcher“Faculty athletics representative at Eastern Michigan.”organizationLSU“University whose football team was targeted by players hoping to return from pro”personBrendan Sorsby“Transfer quarterback involved in a previous eligibility dispute.”personDave Doeren“N.C. State football coach who supports the amateurism rule.”organizationSoutheastern Conference“Athletic conference that implemented a similar ban on Tuesday.”organizationBig 12“Athletic conference that implemented a similar ban on Wednesday.”personMit Winter“Sports law attorney.”other11“Ranking of LSU football team.”other12“Reference to Big 12 conference.”