“I didn’t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I’m happy to start the conversation,” Collins wrote. “I wish I wasn’t the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, ‘I’m different.’ If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I’m raising my hand.”

NBA commissioner David Stern commended Collins for his announcement.

“As Adam Silver and I said to Jason, we have known the Collins family since Jason and Jarron joined the NBA in 2001 and they have been exemplary members of the NBA family. Jason has been a widely respected player and teammate throughout his career and we are proud he has assumed the leadership mantle on this very important issue,” Stern said in a statement.

Jason’s twin brother, Jarron Collins, played for 10 seasons in the NBA, last with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2010-11.

The NBA Players Association also said in a statement that it supported Collins.

“As Jason wrote, pro basketball is a family, and he has and always will be our brother. The NBPA is dedicated to fighting for the best interests of and uniting all players regardless of race, creed, color, age, national origin, or sexual orientation. Today is another example that we are intent on continuing that work.

“We congratulate Jason for having the courage to ‘raise his hand,’ as he wrote in his story, and start the conversation.”

The reaction of other active players has always been a question when it comes to an athlete in a major sport coming out. Other players don’t get any bigger than Kobe Bryant, who tweeted his support Monday.

“Proud of @jasoncollins34,” the tweet read. “Don’t suffocate who u r because of the ignorance of others #courage #support #mambaarmystandup #BYOU”

While Bryant was accepting of Collins, NFL players Mike Wallace and Alphonso Smith, along with former Knick Larry Johnson, were among athletes to take a dissenting tone on Twitter.

Wallace deleted two tweets about the subject, then later wrote, “never said anything was right or wrong I just said I don’t understand!! Deeply sorry for anyone that I offended.”

Smith, meanwhile, wrote in a series of tweets that, “it’s a shame I have to apologize for my TRUE feelings.”

Johnson, the current basketball and business operations representative for the Knicks, tweeted: “I don’t Jason Collins personally but he seems like a great guy. Me personally gay men in the locked room would make me uncomfortable.”

White House spokesman Jay Carney called Collins courageous and said the White House supports Collins and views his decision as another example of progress and evolution in the U.S. as Americans grow more accepting of gay rights and same-sex marriage. Last year, during his re-election campaign, President Barack Obama announced his support for gay marriage.

Hours after Collins disclosed his sexuality, Obama reached out by phone, expressing his support and telling Collins he was impressed by his courage, the White House said.

Former President Bill Clinton, whose daughter Chelsea attended Stanford with Collins, also applauded Collins’ announcement.

“All the support I have received today is truly inspirational. I knew that I was choosing the road less traveled but I’m not walking it alone.” – NBA player Jason Collins on Twitter

“Jason’s announcement today is an important moment for professional sports and in the history of the LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender] community,” he said in a statement. “It is also the straightforward statement of a good man who wants no more than what so many of us seek: to be able to be who we are; to do our work; to build families and to contribute to our communities.

“For so many members of the LGBT community, these simple goals remain elusive. I hope that everyone, particularly Jason’s colleagues in the NBA, the media and his many fans extend to him their support and the respect he has earned.”

The 34-year-old Collins, who is a free agent, ended last season with the Washington Wizards after being traded by the Boston Celtics.

“Now I’m a free agent, literally and figuratively. I’ve reached that enviable state in life in which I can do pretty much what I want. And what I want is to continue to play basketball,” he wrote. “I still love the game, and I still have something to offer. My coaches and teammates recognize that. At the same time, I want to be genuine and authentic and truthful.”

Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld issued a statement on behalf of the team:

“We are extremely proud of Jason and support his decision to live his life proudly and openly. He has been a leader on and off the court and an outstanding teammate throughout his NBA career. Those qualities will continue to serve him both as a player and as a positive role model for others of all sexual orientation.”

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said in a statement that he was “extremely happy and proud” of Collins.

“He is the consummate professional and he is one of my favorite ‘team’ players I have ever coached. If you have learned anything from Jackie Robinson, it is that teammates are always the first to accept. It will be society who has to learn tolerance. One of my favorite sayings is, ‘I am who I am, are whom we are, can be what I want to be, its not up to you, it’s just me being me,’ ” Rivers said.

Collins has an endorsement deal with Nike, which issued a statement of support.

“We admire Jason’s courage and are proud that he is a Nike athlete. Nike believes in a level playing field where an athlete’s sexual orientation is not a consideration,” it read.

Collins wrote that he first considered coming out during the 2011 NBA lockout, which interrupted his routine and “forced me to confront who I really am and what I really want.”

He said the first relative he told he was gay was his aunt Teri, who is a superior court judge in San Francisco. He said she told him, “I’ve known you were gay for years,” which made him “comfortable in my own skin.”

Collins said he realized he needed to make his sexual orientation public when his former roommate at Stanford, Massachusetts congressman Joe Kennedy, who is straight, marched in Boston’s Gay Pride Parade last year.

The Boston Marathon bombings earlier this month then reinforced to him “that I shouldn’t wait for the circumstances of my coming out to be perfect. Things can change in an instant, so why not live truthfully?

“When I told Joe a few weeks ago that I was gay, he was grateful that I trusted him. He asked me to join him in 2013. We’ll be marching on June 8,” Collins wrote.

Collins said that he told his brother during a breakfast meeting last summer.

“He never suspected. So much for twin telepathy,” Collins wrote. “But by dinner that night, he was full of brotherly love. For the first time in our lives, he wanted to step in and protect me.”

Jarron Collins said he admires his brother’s strength.

“I wanted to THANK EVERYONE that sent messages of support 2day 4 @jasoncollins34 He is my twin. I love, support, and admire his strength!” he said in a post on Twitter.

Collins says he quietly made a statement for gay rights even while keeping his sexual orientation a secret. He wore No. 98 with the Celtics and Wizards — 1998 was the year that Matthew Shepard, a gay college student in Wyoming, was killed, and the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention organization, was founded.

Collins was blown away by the support he received.

“All the support I have received today is truly inspirational,” he wrote on Twitter. “I knew that I was choosing the road less traveled but I’m not walking it alone.”

In 713 career games with the New Jersey Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Celtics and Wizards, Collins has averaged 3.6 points and 3.8 rebounds.

Philadelphia 76ers president Rod Thorn, who acquired Collins in a draft-day trade when he was in the Nets’ front office, told ESPNNewYork.com’s Ian O’Connor that he doesn’t believe teams will discriminate against Collins in the free-agent market.

“It’s so hard to get good players, and tough enough keep them once you get them, that I think virtually everybody looks at players now and asks, ‘Can he help us?’ I just don’t think his sexual orientation matters in today’s world,” he said.

Collins’ agent, Arn Tellem, agrees, saying there’s “no doubt” his client “will be on a team next season.”

“He’s a pro’s pro, sets the picks, takes the hard fouls and is respected by teammates because he does what it take to win,” Tellem told ESPN’s Darren Rovell. “Teams will do what is in their best interest to assemble the best basketball team they can, but I think it will be in a team’s best interest to have Jason Collins on its roster.”

Tellem added: “Initially, I wanted to wait [to go public] until after he signed.”

Collins’ statement is quickly showing signs of resonating.

He picked up more followers on Twitter in the hour after his story than in his previous 430 days on the social networking site, going from 3,700 to over 9,000. A short time later @jasoncollins34 had over 13,000 followers.

Several male athletes have previously come out after they retired, including the NBA’s John Amaechi, the NFL’s Esera Tuaolo and Major League Baseball’s Billy Bean. But Collins is the first to do so while planning to continue playing.

Professional soccer player Robbie Rogers, who publicly came out early this year, tweeted, “I feel a movement coming,” in reaction to Collins’ announcement.

Wade Davis, a former NFL cornerback, came out after his playing days and told The Associated Press on Monday that he wished he could have revealed his sexuality sooner.

“I would have loved to have the opportunity to live in my true lot when I was playing. … But it wasn’t right for me,” Davis said. “It was so taboo that I thought I was the only one.

“When I was playing, I had never had conversations around what it meant to be gay. I wasn’t ready to have taken on the mantle as Jason Collins has now. The world is very, very different.”

Advocacy organization GLAAD released a statement from Aaron McQuade, the head of its sports program.

“‘Courage’ and ‘inspiration’ are words that get thrown around a lot in sports, but Jason Collins has given both ideas a brand new context,” he said. “We hope that his future team will welcome him, and that fans of the NBA and sports in general will applaud him. We know that the NBA will proudly support him, and that countless young LGBT athletes now have a new hero.”

The co-founders of You Can Play, a Denver-based non-profit organization advocating for equal treatment for LGBT athletes, coaches and fans, also saluted Collins.

“A man with a big heart, speaking a couple of small words, has helped change the course of sports,” co-founder Brian Kitts said. “Saying ‘I’m gay’ sets a new standard of honesty, openness and teamwork that will positively affect athletes and fans at every level of sports.”

Co-founders Patrick Burke and Glenn Witman, meanwhile, hailed Collins as a “role model.”

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

NFL Defensive Tackle Amobi Okoye hosted his sixth annual Kickoff 4 Kids Sports Mentoring camp at the University of Houston Campus Recreation Sports Club Field , and it was more than a success.

Driven by his ever-growing heart and commitment to molding and empowering the youth, Okoye invited over 100 boys and girls from the Boys and Girls Club and Houston area, ages 7-17, to join him on the field for a day of fun, empowerment, and of course, football.

As the kids participated in running, catching, receiving, and other physical football drills, Okoye made his rounds and visited with each group of kids as they were being instructed by a professional coaching staff. He coached the kids on fundamentals of each individual drill and trained them on how to improve their skill, correct posture, and all need-to-know fundamentals of each individual activity.

After participating in an hour of drills, Okoye, who partnered with Play 60, brought the kids together to stress the importance of exercise and physical activity at least 60 minutes a day, and shared the secrets to his success. After asking the kids how many of them wished to become a professional athlete, Okoye informed them that physicality is important, but it is not the most aspect to attain that dream. He informed the kids that above all, education is most important, and that it has played the number 1 role in his success. Although he is the youngest player to ever be drafted to the National Football League, Okoye informed the kids that education had always been a priority of his, as he graduated High School and continued on to graduate from University of Louisville. He repeatedly had the kids reiterate his “Top 3” priorities, those being education, exercise, and then fun and social network pastimes.

Baltimore Ravens James Ihedigbo and former Houston Texans offensive guard Chester Pitts also stopped by to educate the kids on the importance of education, being proactive, and integrity. After announcing Ihedigbo as the recent “Super Bowl champ,” the kids offered a huge round of applause and were all ears as he gave life skills advice. As the kids sat quietly and listened intently, one could tell that the message was received.

The camp concluded with skills competitions for prizes, a full lunch, and many autographs and pictures with Okoye, Ihedigbo, and Pitts. When asked “what did you enjoy the most about the Kickoff 4 Kids Camp today?” one of children informed me that his favorite aspect was meeting his “hero Amobi, listening to him talk, and knowing that he has a new friend that cares.” As stated before, Okoye’s mission has always been to mold a variety of youth, empower, and instill character, and so far it has been a job well done.

By Shardanna Jones
@Shaygotit

It will be the second poignant Super Bowl pregame performance from Hudson, who performed the National Anthem before Super Bowl XLIII in what was her first public appearance after her estranged brother-in-law murdered her mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew.

The NFL invited the students to sing a little more than a month after 26 children and faculty members were killed in the tragic mass shooting in Newtown, Conn.

The league is flying the students and their families to New Orleans later this week in advance of the performance, which will be broadcast live on CBS shortly before Alicia Keys performs the National Anthem.

The gesture will cap a season in which the league lent its support to the Newtown community via “S.H.E.S.” stickers on helmets, personal messages on cleats and gloves, moments of silence before games and charitable donations for relief causes, as well other means of emotional support.

The New York Giants welcomed students and families onto the field during their pregame introductions before their Week 17 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. That came a little less than two weeks after Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz paid an emotional visit to the family of 6-year-old Jack Pinto, a Cruz fan who was buried in a No. 80 Giants jersey.

“It was a time where I just wanted to be a positive voice, a positive light in a time where it can be very negative. It was a good time,” Cruz said of his visit with the Pinto family. “They’re a great family and they are really united right now at this time. It was good to see.”

Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson auctioned off his game-worn cleats on which he wrote all of the victims’ names and gave the proceeds to the United Way’s Sandy Hook School Support Fund.

The Houston Texans were one of the teams that raised money for the victims. Defensive end J.J. Watt tweeted a picture of him and a handful of students on the field the Friday before Houston’s Week 16 game against the Indianapolis Colts.

“I just kind of wanted to give them as normal a day as possible, just running around, having fun, going out on the field,” Watt told USA TODAY Sports. “We were kicking field goals. They were trying to put it through the uprights. Just be kids. And to see them in a normal setting, having fun and big smiles on their faces was awesome.”

A group of Sandy Hook students recently recorded a version of Over the Rainbow with pop singer Ingrid Michaelson at the home of Connecticut residents Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, with the proceeds going to Newtown Youth Academy and the United Way of Western Connecticut.

Moore, a four-time medalist at the Winter X Games, died Thursday morning from injuries he suffered in a horrific crash during finals of the snowmobile freestyle at X Games Aspen last Thursday, making him the first fatality in the 18-year history of the X Games, winter and summer.

Details on cause of death were not revealed, but he was reported to have suffered a brain complication after heart surgery. Moore, who was from Krum, Texas, was 25.

Moore’s family issued this statement: “He will be truly missed and never forgotten. The family wishes to express their deep gratitude for all the prayers and support they have received from all the fans, friends and family around the world that Caleb has inspired.”

ESPN, which hosts the X Games, also issued a statement, one that deals with future safety issues of the sport.

“We are deeply saddened by Caleb Moore’s passing and our thoughts and prayers go out to his parents, Wade and Michelle, his brother, Colten, and the entire Moore family. He will be remembered for his natural passion for life and his deep love for his family and friends, and he will always be an inspiration to everyone he touched in the action sports community.

“As a result of this accident we will conduct a thorough review of this discipline and adopt any appropriate changes to future X Games.

“For 18 years we have worked closely on safety issues with athletes, course designers and other experts. Still, when the world’s best compete at the highest level in any sport, risks remain. Caleb was a four-time X Games medalist attempting a move he has landed several times previously.”

The crash occurred near the end of Moore’s first run. He failed to fly far enough on a backflip and the front sleds dug into the landing ramp, catapulting him over the handlebars and into a face-first landing, after which the snowmobile landed on him.

Moore was knocked unconscious. After regaining consciousness, Moore began feeling worse and was transported to a local hospital where he was diagnosed with a concussion. During the night, doctors discovered internal bleeding around his heart, so he was airlifted to Grand Junction, Colorado, where he underwent emergency surgery Friday morning.

Moore had sustained a heart contusion. He remained in intensive care. The heart injury led to a secondary complication involving his brain, according to a family spokeswoman. No specifics were given. Moore’s grandfather Charles Moore had told The Denver Post on Monday afternoon that “it’s almost certain he’s not going to make it.”

Moore competed in his first Winter X Games in 2010, winning a bronze in freestyle. He added two more bronze medals in the same event in 2011 and 2012, adding a silver in snowmobile best trick in 2011. His brother, Colten, was defending champion in this year’s freestyle event.

Ironically, about 30 minutes after Caleb’s crash, Colten also crashed, sending him to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a separated pelvis. By Saturday morning, he had been released.

For the Winter X Games, Caleb’s passing opens a fresh wound. It was just over year ago that the Winter X and freestyle skiing communities were mourning the death of Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke at age 29. Burke, a four-time Winter X Games champion, crashed during a training run in Park City, Utah, on Jan. 10, 2012. She passed away from her injuries nine days later, less than two weeks before the Winter X Games.

Before that, moto X rider Jeremy Lusk, who won gold medals in best trick and freestyle motocross at X Games ’08, died three days after suffering head injuries in a crash at a non-X Games event in Costa Rica on Feb.7, 2009.

Caleb has had his share of snowmobile and ATV accidents in the past. He told the New York Times the day of the crash that among his injuries were a broken ankle, pelvis, back, tailbone, collarbone, and wrist, along with 10 concussions.

“You try not to get hurt,” he told the Times, “but in this sport it’s kind of the price you pay for not having to work 9 to 5.”

Sadly, this time Caleb paid the ultimate price.

The family said a celebration of life is being planned and an announcement will be made in coming days.

Photos courtesy of ESPN Winter X Games and Denver Post.

The 26-year-old Banks, a linebacker, is signing with the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League.

The team confirmed the news in a statement Wednesday.

Banks served more than five years in prison following a conviction a decade ago on rape and kidnapping charges. The woman later recanted her claim and offered to help Banks clear his name.

Once he was cleared, Banks received tryout invitations from the Washington Redskins, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks, whose coach, Pete Carroll, recruited Banks while he was still the head coach at USC.

Banks and the Locomotives will announce the signing at a news conference Thursday.

“As I pursue the #NFL, the #UFL will be a vessel to gain experience, and perpare me for a possible mid season pick up or next NFL season!” Banks wrote on Twitter.

Locomotives coach Jim Fassel says the team is pleased to give Banks “an opportunity in football that was denied him years ago.”

The league opens play next Wednesday with Fassell’s Locomotives taking on the Virginia Destroyers, coached by former NFL head coach Marty Schottenheimer.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

“Growing up, my name was a gift and a curse…”

The name John Lucas is one that is synonymous with basketball, however most fans may think of retired NBA star and former head coach, rather than recognizing John Lucas III when hearing it. Now signed with the Toronto Raptors, Lucas has emerged from his father’s shadow, and is carving out his own niche in the NBA.

“Ever since I was four years old, I knew exactly what I wanted to do in life,” said Lucas. “I wanted to be a professional basketball player in the NBA, and make my own mark in the league… It’s been a long time coming.”

Lucas III has always known that his time would come, as he says he’s very sure of himself and knows what he’s capable of doing, despite others who may say that this his father is the reason that he made it to his position.

“My dad isn’t playing for me, and my dad didn’t get me where I’m at now,” he said. “He helped me throughout the way, and what I mean is, he made me get up every morning at 4:30 in the morning, and made me shoot 1,000 jump-shots before I went to school, and I started that in middle school.”

With a competitive mentality, Lucas pays the doubters no mind. He plays with an edge and a chip on his shoulder, and says that he prefers to do his talking on the court.

“When they step on the court with me, I shut them up.” He continues, “I’m humble, but I’m also cocky and arrogant at the same time when it comes to this basketball, because this is something that I love, and it’s something that I love to do.”

Even with the years that it has taken to reach his goal of playing in the NBA, he has never once doubted himself. He understands that there are going to be bumps in the road, as there are in any profession, and that the NBA is not just a game, it is a business.

“Sometimes players who have the chance to play might not be in the league now because of the numbers, and trying to save money for the team. I learned that part of the game being around my dad. It doesn’t always come down to if you’re the better person or not, it also comes down to salary caps, the luxury tax, and that part of the game.”

With that being said, Lucas is appreciative of the journey that he’s taken, and appreciates getting into the NBA even more.

“I’ve been through the journey; from the D- League, playing overseas, getting in the NBA then going back overseas. Now finally I’m back in.” He adds, “I always tell people that I’ve talked to who are younger, that you think the hardest thing is getting into the league, but once you’re there, the hardest thing is staying in the league.” “You have to stay hungry, stay on top of your game, and do everything right so that you can have a long career.”

Lucas is taking advantage of all opportunities. Instead of giving up, he chose to stick with his passion and play overseas, which he considers to be the most difficult part.

“When you’re overseas, you’re away from your family, you’re away from your friends… its just you. That’s the difficult thing. You miss Christmas and Thanksgiving. You miss all of the holidays that you’re supposed to be around your family, and going to McDonald’s for Thanksgiving dinner.”

One thing about John Lucas III is he is never pessimistic. Although being overseas was difficult, he says it was an eye opener because he was able to learn about a new culture, survive in a different country, and he also made new friends along the way.

He’s embraced his entire journey, maintained confidence and integrity along the way, believing that everything will pan out, as long as you compete and give one hundred percent.

“When you go out there, you’re playing for yourself and your name. That’s all you have. You always want to be the best, and in order to do that, you have to go to work everyday and give everything that you have, so at the end of the night when you lay your head down on your pillow, you will have a peaceful sleep because you know that you’ve given it all you have today, and tomorrow is a new day.”

With a new NBA season right around the corner, and hours upon hours spent inside what he calls “the lab”, John Lucas is excited to join the Toronto Raptors, saying, “it’s a young team, and it’s time for us to grow and accomplish a lot.”

Ready to unite his team and bring the energy and spark that everyone saw during his time with the Chicago Bulls, Lucas is eager to show the world the game that he continuously works on ten hours a day.

He takes no days off because that’s the way his father raised him.

“I look at players who take weeks and months off, and when they come back, they’re out of shape. One thing about me is I’m never out of shape. I will run all day, I can play all day, and I think that’s where my edge comes from.”

He says you always want to keep your edge.

“When I’m out there on the court during preseason, regular season, and playoffs, I’m in tip-top shape because I never get out of shape. I’m always looking to see the weakness of my opponent, and when I see them put their hands on their knees, I know that I got them.”

John Lucas III has emerged from the shadows of his father, and is building a success story. He’s unknowingly become an inspiration to those coming behind him, and has shown that success stories are a result of hard work and dedication. His story is one of perseverance.

“People are going to tell you what you can’t do, or what you aren’t going to do to get you from going to where you want to go. At the end of the day, it’s all on you. Always bet on yourself, don’t let anyone else bet on you…. just stay on your knees and pray.”

By Shardanna Jones

The school’s president, the Rev. John I. Jenkins, and athletic director Jack Swarbrick joined ACC commissioner John Swofford and three ACC presidents for a news conference Wednesday announcing the Irish’s move from the Big East.

“I don’t think there’s out there a better situation than the situation we have,” Jenkins said. “The ACC has allowed us to retain a tradition (of football independence) that’s so central to our identity in football while we’re joining a conference that athletically as well as academically fits Notre Dame perfectly.”

The move, which was first reported by ESPN’s Brett McMurphy, means the ACC is making an exception to its all-or-nothing requirement for schools to be full members. Although they will remain independent in football, the Fighting Irish will play five games annually against ACC schools.

Notre Dame is not expected to leave the Big East for the ACC until at least 2014, a source told ESPN’s Joe Schad.

Big East associate commissioner John Paquette told ESPN.com that Notre Dame must pay the conference a $5 million exit fee and provide 27 months’ notice before leaving. The fee would be significantly lower than those paid by Pittsburgh and Syracuse, which both negotiated $7.5 million settlements to leave the Big East ahead of schedule and join the ACC in July 2013.

The source told Schad that Notre Dame hopes to expedite its exit from the Big East and join the ACC earlier than the 27-month notification period, due to the precedent established by Pittsburgh and Syracuse.

“This is a resilient conference,” Big East Commissioner Mike Aresco told The Associated Press. “Our football conference is stronger than ever. We lose Notre Dame in basketball, but we remain top to bottom the strongest basketball conference in the country.”

The ACC in turn cements a relationship with one of the nation’s most storied football programs, adding to a group that already includes Florida State, Miami, Virginia Tech and Clemson. That would also seem to position the ACC as the easy choice if Notre Dame ever decides to give up its football independence.

“I think it just came through in our internal discussions that now’s the time,” Swofford said. “This is a partnership that is a win-win and good for both parties. The time had come to cross that threshold.”

Notre Dame also will have access to the Orange Bowl and the ACC’s non-BCS bowl tie-ins. The Fighting Irish have played in the Sun Bowl and Champs Sports Bowl over the last two seasons under coach Brian Kelly.

“Today is a great day for the University of Notre Dame and our athletics department, including the football program,” Kelly said in a statement. “Speaking strictly from a football standpoint, we have further solidified our future as an independent in college football, maintained our unique ability to schedule nationally and greatly improved our postseason bowl game options.

“I applaud Father Jenkins and Jack Swarbrick for this move. They have set our entire athletics department up for great success in the future.”

Notre Dame considered giving up its football independence in 1999 to join the Big Ten, but alumni were staunchly opposed and the deal never got done. Throughout the dizzying conference realignment of the past few years, Notre Dame officials have been adamant about maintaining football independence.

Revenues from the ACC television deal with ESPN are likely to increase to as much as $18 million per school, just behind the $20 million deal per school the Big 12 recently signed. Sources told ESPN.com’s Darren Rovell that the Notre Dame football TV deal with NBC is worth around $15 million per year.

Swarbrick said the deal was “financially neutral” for Notre Dame.

The commitment to five ACC games in football likely will mean some changes for the Irish’s football schedule.

Notre Dame expects to continue to play USC, Stanford and Navy, but its traditional games against Big Ten opponents Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue are in jeopardy, a source told Schad. The source said that the Fighting Irish’s planned series with Texas still likely will be played.

Pittsburgh would be the only ACC team on Notre Dame’s 2013 schedule, which includes games against Temple, BYU, Arizona State and Air Force.

Notre Dame basketball coach Mike Brey texted ESPN.com’s Andy Katz, saying “we’re going,” and adding that while no timetable has been established for the move, he is excited about the challenge.

In February, the ACC announced divisions for a 14-team basketball league, but it will now have to accommodate a 15th team. However, the league does not plan to expand to include a 16th school, multiple sources told McMurphy.

Aresco said the loss of Notre Dame does not change the Big East’s plans.

“Our television reach remains the same,” he said. “Our television situation remains the same. We valued Notre Dame as a member in basketball and Olympic sports. “But we’re not looking backward, we’re looking forward.”

Swarbrick said he informed the Notre Dame coaches of the move Wednesday morning. One of them, Brey, attended the news conference. He spent eight years as an assistant to Duke Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski.

“I think it’s great and it comes as a great shot in the arm, I think, for me and our program,” Brey said. “I’m looking forward to it. I still know a couple of the barbecue places around here. I know where to find stuff.”

The ACC does not offer hockey, so it is presumed that Notre Dame will go through with its planned move to Hockey East in that sport.

Along with inviting Notre Dame, the ACC also says it has increased its exit fees for the conference’s schools to three times the annual operation budget — which would currently come to more than $50 million.

ESPN’s Brett McMurphy, Joe Schad, Andy Katz, Mark Schlabach and Darren Rovell and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Casey plans to withdraw from the school and likely will miss the 2012-13 season, SI.com reported Tuesday. If charged, he could face a one-year suspension.

By withdrawing from registration, Casey keeps his final year of eligibility and could return to Harvard and rejoin the team once the case is settled.

Curry’s father told SI.com that the point guard is weighing his options. However, the Boston Herald reported that Curry also is expected to withdraw from classes.

Harvard announced Aug. 30 it was investigating allegations that 125 undergraduates “may have committed acts of academic dishonesty, ranging from inappropriate collaboration to outright plagiarism, on a take-home final exam” for an introductory government course on Congress.

Casey, Curry and another men’s basketball player are among a group of students — both athletes and non-athletes — facing charges of academic dishonesty whose cases still are under review, according to SI.com.

Harvard coach Tommy Amaker and spokesman Tim Williamson have not publicly commented on the reports.

The Harvard Crimson, the school’s student newspaper, reported that other athletes, including football players, are also among those implicated.

Casey and Curry helped lead Harvard to the program’s first Ivy League title and to its first NCAA tournament appearance since 1946. The Crimson went 26-5 last season and are the favorites to win the Ivy League in 2012-13.

The 6-foot-7 Casey led the Crimson in scoring last season, averaging 11.4 points per game, and was a first-team All-Ivy League selection.

Curry served as Harvard’s primary ballhandler last season, averaging 4.9 assists and 1.6 steals — both team highs.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.