but the original ACC/BE negotiations included 4 negotiating schools, and 1 just there to watch (WVU)

the 4 negotiating schools were Miami, BC, Syracuse and VT. VT was the safety valve in case one of the other 3 balked. Had 2 balked, then WVU would have been in too.

When Syracuse backed out, it was down to Miami, BC and VT.

Any school coming in needed 7 votes. Duke was refusing to vote for anyone, and UNC would only vote for Miami, meaning to expand past 10, the rest of the conference had to be together.

Virginia refused to vote for anyone until Tech was in (I believe political pressure from Richmond).

That meant that Miami got 8 votes (Duke was nay)

then they had to go with VT which got 7 votes (Duke UNC Nay)

and then BC but suprise, the Dean at NC State knew her school, Notre Dame was talking to the ACC, so she voted nay to keep a slot open for ND.

The re-voted on BC a few months later and then they got in.

this was the major blow to the BE. VT had the highest TV ratings. Had the ACC gotten Miami, BC and Syracuse, they would have left behind #1 VT, #3 WVU and #5 Pitt. I think the conference could have remained viable. However they suddenly were loosing no 2,4, and 6, but 1,2, and 4.