On Wednesday, September 12, 2012 the University of Notre Dame officially became a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. All of Notre Dame’s athletic programs, except for football, will fully compete in the ACC. Starting in 2013, all other ACC football programs will play 9 conference games each year, while Notre Dame’s football program will compete in only 5. This special arrangement allows the Fighting Irish to keep their football independence, while initiating a severely impactful culture change in the ACC. A culture of concessions and special treatment for Notre Dame will negatively impact many future situations the conference will encounter. This type of culture will weaken the ACC in the long run.