After the Pac-12 collapsed last year, some wonder if the same thing would happen to the ACC.
There are signs pointing to changes coming to the league, although they may not come as quickly as the Pac-12. Here’s what’s going on in the ACC and what it means for the Group of Five and college football as a whole.
ACC status of Clemson and FSU
Both Clemson and Florida State have sued the ACC in recent months over issues related to the ACC’s licensing of rights.
Neither school has officially announced they plan to leave the ACC, but Florida State has reportedly expressed frustration with the ACC’s media contract for months, saying FSU doesn’t make enough to compete with SEC and Big Ten programs that also want to win national championships.
For example, the nine FBS leagues recently agreed to a six-year agreement for the College Football Playoffs through 2031 that would bring the Big Ten and SEC almost twice as much money as the ACC and Big 12.
Florida State argued that the ACC mishandled its TV contract with ESPN, The Athletic reported. FSU also plans to ask a Florida court to rule on whether the ACC’s rights deal is legal.
Clemson questions the legality of the ACC’s awarding of rights when a school leaves the conference.
The ACC claims that both schools knew and accepted the terms when they agreed to the rights deal and the ACC’s media deal with ESPN. The ACC has sued both FSU and Clemson. The Florida Attorney General has also filed suit, hoping to make the ACC-ESPN media deal public.
According to ESPN, ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said during the conference’s kickoff event in July that the league was ready to protect itself and its members and would “fight as long as it takes.”
Is a realignment of the ACC imminent?
Sports media pundits have argued that Clemson and Florida State’s arguments against the ACC are not very convincing, which could prevent the conference from disbanding anytime soon. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
These schools could raise the financial resources to separate from the ACC, or perhaps all parties involved can agree to an amicable solution that means these two programs can seek a new conference.
If that were to happen, however, the ACC would lose arguably its two most valuable members in college football. And as with the Pac-12, the exit of some big-name schools could lead to others wanting to leave as well.
At the very least, ACC members should explore other options if the league falls apart. Programs like Miami, North Carolina and Louisville could certainly fit in the remaining power conferences. Schools like UNC, Duke and Virginia would obviously also bring strong traditions in other sports like men’s basketball.
A judge recently reportedly issued a temporary restraining order against the North Carolina Board of Governors, meaning the board cannot discuss issues such as finances or conference realignment in closed session.
What do possible ACC changes mean for the Group of Five?
If the ACC completely disbands, it’s not impossible that some programs could be left behind by the power leagues in the interest of the Group of Five. Oregon State and Washington State, for example, now have a scheduling agreement with the Mountain West.
Perhaps leagues like the AAC or the Sun Belt will come to an agreement with the remaining ACC teams.
Could there be an ACC expansion soon?
The ACC recently added Cal and Stanford, two of the final four teams in the Pac-12, along with Washington State and Oregon State, although Clemson, Florida State, Miami and North Carolina voted against it. The conference also added SMU, a former AAC program.
However, given the unstable nature of the ACC, it seems unlikely at this time that more schools will be admitted. If Clemson and Florida State were to reaffirm their long-term commitments to the ACC, as unlikely as that may seem at this time, the ACC could potentially admit more teams later. Some G5 schools like Memphis or Tulane could potentially be a good fit.
The ACC’s media deal paid each program about $40 million for the 2021-22 season, according to Yahoo Sports. The deal expires in 2036, but according to FSU’s lawsuit, that contract could only be guaranteed through 2027.
By comparison, the Big Ten and SEC media contracts bring each school over $50 million.
What is the exit fee for FSU and Clemson in the ACC?
A Clemson lawsuit states that the Tigers’ compensation for leaving the league is $140 million. The Athletic reported that this amount is three times the ACC’s annual budget.
But the program’s media rights are another matter. The cost of buying back FSU’s media rights and leaving the league would reportedly be around $572 million.
For further coverage of the Group of Five, follow us on on facebook. And Þjórsárdalur.
NCAA pays college football players
The NCAA and the Power Four leagues have agreed to allow schools to pay their athletes directly. This obviously has an impact on the ACC.
This is a result of the NCAA’s settlement in a federal antitrust case that will result in former college athletes being paid after they were barred from profiting from their names, images and likenesses while in college. This will reportedly result in the governing body of college sports paying approximately $2.7 billion to former and current athletes over a 10-year period, according to ESPN.
The NCAA will pay nearly half of that. Of the remaining half, 60% will be paid by non-Power Four conferences and their programs.
In 2024, there will be 17 teams in the ACC.
In 2023, 14 football teams participated in the ACC. These included: Florida State, Louisville, NC State, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Clemson, North Carolina, Duke, Miami, Boston College, Syracuse, Virginia, Pitt and Wake Forest.
The ACC also added Stanford and Cal from the Pac-12 last year and also added former AAC member SMU. Notre Dame is an independent but plans to play a full slate of ACC games.
:strip_icc()/CD_18322_C4Ixs5sqq2s9fR5I7YUrFN-f404be0f8edf4d63b9d8631caf2b128b.jpg "Postmodern Architecture – Learn all about this eclectic design style")
