You might’ve noticed something different coming out of Clemson on Thursday: a detailed injury report. With the No. 12 Tigers playing their first ACC game of the season at Georgia Tech, they are mandated by the league for the first time in 2025 to release availability information.
Here’s a look at what this report is, how it came about, and the purpose of the information:
Why did the ACC mandate this?
ACC commissioner Jim Phillips announced during the conference’s media days in July that the league would join the Big Ten, SEC, and MAC by making teams release injury-related info in response to the proliferation of sports betting.
“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 in Charlotte, N.C.
What sports have to participate?
The ACC is requiring availability reports for football, basketball, and baseball. Those are three sports that typically have betting markets offered at U.S. sportsbooks.
How often will these come out?
ACC football teams must release their reports two days before a conference game. Updates will be provided the day before a game and two hours before kickoff.
During conference basketball and baseball season, teams are required to post availability reports the day before the game, with updates two hours before the start time.
What happens if teams don’t release the information?
Schools that don’t adhere to the availability policy will be fined an unreleased amount.
What does this report mean?
If you follow the NFL or play fantasy football, you’re likely already familiar with injury info and the jargon that comes with it. The pro football league has been using these reports for decades.
Players are listed as “available,” “probable,” “questionable,” and “doubtful” in the pre-gameday reports. On gamedays, players are available, game-time decision, or out.
What does this have to do with gambling?
The theory is that by being more transparent with injuries, players, coaches, and staff members won’t be asked for “inside information” from people who want to use that info to place bets. The NCAA has become more active in trying to protect college players from harassment and harmful social media messages.
There are currently 38 U.S. states operating legal sports betting, including eight states inside the ACC footprint.
Didn’t Clemson use to provide something like this?
Yes, Dabo Swinney used to release an injury-type report on Thursday nights. However, things changed during COVID-19, and then with other schools becoming less transparent about injuries, Swinney opted not to provide information for opponents that wasn’t being given in return.