by Fitzgerald Cecilio

South Bend, IN

The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) will open its door for Notre Dame this summer if the Fighting Irish leave the Big East Conference, according to sources.

Sources told ESPN.com that Notre Dame intended to stay in the Big East through the 2013-14 season as long as the league's seven Catholic basketball schools remained.

However, DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall and Villanova are expected to announce in the coming days they are leaving the Big East to begin their own league on July 1.

Notre Dame has indicated that the Irish would seek an earlier exit from the Big East if the Catholic 7 schools departed before 2014.

Last year, Notre Dame announced it was joining the ACC in all sports, except football.

Earlier, ACC commissioner John Swofford and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick both said there wasn't a firm deadline in which the Fighting Irish would have to inform the ACC of its intention to join in 2013.

However, Swarbrick told ESPN.com that each day that goes by makes it more difficult for the Fighting Irish to change leagues.

According to Big East by-laws, schools must provide 27 months' notice before leaving, so Notre Dame couldn't bolt from the league until 2015, unless the school negotiated an earlier exit.

The Big East previously offered Notre Dame the chance for an earlier exit if the Fighting Irish would schedule future football games against Big East opponents.

With five annual games against ACC opponents starting in 2014, Notre Dame told the Big East it didn't have any future openings and was unable to accommodate the request.

Now, Notre Dame and the Big East must come to an agreement if the Fighting Irish want to join the ACC this summer.

"Nobody's going to let Notre Dame just leave," a Big East source said. "It needs to be negotiated."

If Notre Dame does join the ACC this fall, the ACC would have 15 basketball members for the 2013-14 season.

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ACC to Open Doors for Notre Dame this Summer