As Division I conferences across the country scrambled this summer to make sense of their futures, the Atlantic Coast Conference stood unified, instead looking for improvements from within.

Last week, in a move that will bolster the league’s stability and coffers, ACC Commissioner John Swofford announced the completion of the largest television contract in conference history.

Swofford and the conference announced a 12-year agreement with ESPN on July 8, giving the network exclusive rights to football and men’s basketball contests, along with every other ACC sport.

The contract is worth $1.86 billion over the 12 years, according to the Associated Press. The report indicates that if split evenly, conference schools — including the Terps — can expect nearly $12.9 million per year in payouts, more than twice that of the previous deal.

The Terps, who had been rumored to join the Big Ten along with several other schools for a bigger payday, now have added financial security in the contract, which begins in 2011.

“This agreement allows our schools to reach significantly new financial heights while also showcasing more ACC content and coverage than ever before across traditional and new media platforms,” Swofford said.

Revenue from the contract will be distributed evenly, while more conference games will receive television treatment than ever before.

For the first time, the conference bundled football and men’s basketball into the same agreement. The previous contract brought in an average of $72 million in television money per year, giving the Terps and fellow ACC programs roughly $6 million per season.

Fans can expect many more conference games to go on national television, while also enjoying the luxury of being able to watch. ESPN will no longer black out any ACC games even if they will be televised regionally. Raycom Sports can still carry regional games and maintain its long relationship with the conference despite the contract.

The deal, which affords the conference’s non-revenue sports greater exposure on the network, could also impact recruiting.

“Anywhere in the country you can watch the game. … The kids actually get to see us play,” interim Athletics Director Randy Eaton said.  “The ACC has more opportunities in general.”

ceckard@umdbk.com