It has been widely anticipated that the ongoing legal battle between the ACC and Florida State would play a crucial role in the next wave of conference realignment. However, recent court filings suggest that this shakeup may happen sooner than expected. The ACC has consistently maintained that the “Grant of Rights” agreement signed by all conference schools in 2016 would effectively protect their television rights. Nevertheless, schools within the ACC, particularly Florida State, have argued that there may be a way to escape this agreement. Lawyers at the ACC have been searching for loopholes in the agreement for years. When Florida State allowed the ACC to negotiate its broadcast rights, a deal was struck with ESPN granting the network first rights to broadcast Seminoles athletics. The “Grant of Rights” agreement, which seemed to bind the ACC for the foreseeable future, was put into question when both Florida State and the ACC filed lawsuits against each other, alleging potential violations of anti-trust laws. This legal dispute was expected to prolong any potential departure by Florida State from the conference. However, a recent motion filed by the ACC in its lawsuit against the Seminoles has opened up the possibility of a resolution. The motion stated that if Florida State wished to regain control of its rights before the end of the agreement, it could repurchase them. This unexpected development may pave the way for Florida State to leave the ACC sooner than anticipated. Florida State has argued that the current agreement has hindered its ability to secure fair market deals in the competitive television rights landscape. Unfortunately, the Seminoles signed the agreement before the significant increase in television rights deals seen in conferences like the Big Ten and SEC. As a result, Florida State has been unable to take advantage of the lucrative contracts that schools like Florida have benefited from. Since Florida State expressed its desire to terminate the agreement with the ACC, speculation has been rife regarding potential landing spots for the Seminoles. While the Big Ten and SEC are the most obvious choices, the timing of their respective expansions adds an intriguing element to the situation. The Big Ten will welcome four new teams in 2024, including UCLA, USC, Oregon, and Washington. Meanwhile, the SEC has been awaiting the arrival of Texas and Oklahoma for nearly four years, with both schools set to join in just five months. Following the recent realignment in the Big 12, there are conferences that would eagerly accept Florida State, even if they do not publicly express it. However, the challenge lies in what may follow once the Seminoles decide to join a new conference. If schools like Miami, North Carolina, Clemson, or Virginia Tech see an opportunity to leave a potentially struggling conference, they will explore financial avenues to facilitate a move. The addition of SMU and Cal to the ACC did little to enhance the conference’s competitiveness and may have weakened its overall strength. If Florida State were to make an early exit, it would likely prompt other ACC schools to seek potential exit strategies as well. Both the SEC and Big Ten, in search of balance, would likely look for additional partners to accompany Florida State. While the ACC-Florida State dispute was expected to be acrimonious, the recent court filings suggest that the conference may be willing to accept a settlement ranging from $150 to $500 million. This indicates that the divorce may not be as contentious as initially anticipated. Both parties are likely motivated to avoid a protracted legal battle, making a substantial payment by Florida State the probable outcome. Ultimately, money will be the deciding factor, and the extent of Florida State’s determination to leave will determine the final outcome.
According to the Source outkick.com