The SEC and ACC on Monday morning announced the formation of a new college basketball event between the two conferences that will begin as part of the 2023-24 season. The event, the ACC/SEC Challenge, will involve both men's and women's basketball and feature 28 games annually. When Texas and Oklahoma join the SEC in 2025-26 the event will feature 30 games annually in the challenge.
Monday's announcement came as an introduction to a new challenge and a farewell to old ones, as the SEC bid adieu to its longstanding Big 12/SEC Challenge and the ACC officially announced its ACC/Big Ten Challenge will come to an end.
The Big 12/SEC Challenge began in 2013-14 and will end in January after a 10-year run in men's basketball; women's basketball conducted a challenge with the Big 12 from 2014 to 2021. The ACC/SEC Challenge began in 1999 and has been held every year since in men's college basketball. It will end this week after 23 years in men's basketball and 15 events in women's hoops.
"We are excited women's and men's basketball student-athletes will have the opportunity to compete with their colleagues from the ACC as we initiate a new Basketball Challenge experience," SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said. "I appreciate the collaboration of Jim Phillips and the ACC members, along with our broadcast partner ESPN, to make possible the SEC/ACC Basketball Challenge which will provide our fans with exciting basketball early in the 2023-24 season."
The ACC/Big Ten Challenge begins Monday and will run through Wednesday night with 14 games between the two leagues taking place in between. The SEC/Big 12 Challenge will take place beginning January 28, 2023.
