The rise in sports betting pressures have led the ACC to institute an injury report policy.
Key Takeaways
- Football, men’s and women’s basketball, and baseball will begin releasing injury updates this season
- ACC commissioner Jim Phillips says the mandate is directly related to sports betting, which operates in seven states with conference schools
- Despite a lack of transparency since COVID-19, coaches didn’t oppose the requirement
League commissioner Jim Phillips announced on Tuesday at the ACC Kickoff media event that football, men’s and women’s basketball, and baseball teams will be required to release player availability reports beginning this season.
ACC commissioner Jim Phillips announces player availability reports will be required in football, men's and women's basketball and baseball in conference games. In football, reports will be issued two days before games, with updates one day before and game day.
— Andrea Adelson (@aadelsonESPN) July 22, 2025
“This decision is directly connected to our ongoing commitment to best protect our student-athletes and our multi-faceted approach to addressing the effects of sports wagering,” Phillips said during his annual address in Charlotte, N.C.
ACC football teams’ reports will be issued two days before conference games, with additional updates provided the day prior to the game and two hours before kickoff. Basketball and baseball reports will be released the day before games, with updates coming two hours before the start time.
Much like the NFL model, players will be listed as available, questionable, doubtful, or out. The information will be posted on the ACC’s website. Schools that do not adhere to the injury announcement policy will be subjected to fines, although the amount has not been determined.
Alleviating pressure
Among the 39 U.S. states with legal sports betting, there are seven operating in jurisdictions with ACC schools.
The conference joins a shortlist that requires NFL-like injury reports. The SEC and MAC began releasing availability reports last year, joining the Big Ten from the previous season, to help protect the integrity of the game.
Sports bettors and oddsmakers have always looked for information to gain advantages, which can shift lines and change betting markets. Phillips said there are “stresses on our student-athletes from individuals who are trying to garner information” for sports betting purposes at times. By providing clearer information on injuries, the hope is that it takes pressure off of people associated with teams who could be compromised.
“It would alleviate pressure from entities or individuals who are involved in sports wagering that attempt to obtain inside information about availability from players, coaches, and other staff,” Phillips said. “Safety has always been taken seriously by this league, and I applaud our schools for further enhancing and formalizing these important measures.”
The ACC’s decision comes during a time when the NCAA is battling harassment issues directed at players from sports bettors.
No pushback
Several schools in the ACC used to release a more formal availability report prior to COVID-19, but since the pandemic, the league has had less consistent transparency. Many schools were waiting on the NCAA to create an injury report model across all leagues, but that has yet to transpire.
Phillips told ESPN that the ACC’s coaches didn’t oppose the availability requirement.
“Every coach has to do what they have to do to get their team ready, and there's always gamesmanship,” Phillips said. “That’s been around 100 years, and it’s going to continue. But this is the right thing to do.”
