INSIDE99

Any lawyer knows the judge (or jury) decision is gray, no black and white in the contracts. Benefit is another interpretation. Evaluation of losses is another. Company X can make $2 million in 2024. Yet the books legally show a loss of $100K. FSU isn't benefiting from the ACC in the least on many levels.

I'm no lawyer or even close. Been both a plaintiff and a defendant in business litigation disputes between partners. That's the extent of my legal expertise. In my defense, those litigations did cost me a bundle. A very large bundle. Lawyers will take my money to teach lessons. LOL. My intel is mostly from the network side and yes some from the FSU side (biased of course). Sources probably no more certain than Sankey or Phillips. I'm not sure anyone involved at the top is 100% certain of anything right now. That is why there are thousands of rumors always circulating. I have tried to convey this but it seems to get lost. This is also why I continually use the phrase "connecting the dots" in an attempt to make sense of it all. I truly believe FSU is ready to announce. However, they cannot join another conference without their media rights. Another reason why Clemson has declared in their lawsuit the GoR states a team's rights cannot be maintained once they leave the conference. But FSU can schedule other guaranteed non-conference games with those P2 schools much like ND does as a non-ACC member for football. If the legal issues are not settled it's going to absolutely get crazy for all sides, including either FSU owing half a billion dollars or the ACC imploding with no TV contract. Or both. I do read every realignment forum out there because it's interesting and college football has always been my first love. Reading the SMU board and reading the FSU board are night and day, as in worlds apart on this issue. Miami fans have started to get on board with the need to get out, but it was slow coming. They see the end result forest. One aspect I am 100% certain of as stated already...FSU has been approved full pro rata for the B1G. The networks have already made the decision on FSU, which is why I see a settlement getting announced soon. There is certainly high risk for both the FSU and ACC by playing out certain scenarios. That is why a better understanding of the ACC/ESPN contract is vital. FSU is gone. And it won't take long. I believe Clemson too. But after that the P2 schools may take two more and call it done at least until 2030. If your school does not bring football money increases to the table the P2 is not interested right now. There will be no massive realignment just yet.

Depends on the definition of benefitted. Courtrooms are always gray. Did FSU make money since the GoR was signed in 2016? Yes. Did FSU get the same return on investment that other ACC schools received? No. If FSU was benefitting from the GoR the past five years, they would not be suing to get out. For a school that invested $76 million into football for 2023 to get the same amount of revenue distribution that UVA received while only investing $30 million into football would be a deal breaker for most anyone. FSU attempted to adjust equal revenue sharing but was continually rebuked by the ACC. I personally am not investing three times more than my partner and asking for the same return. Which is the problem in the ACC - little investment into football, the money maker. FSU surely did not benefit from being in the ACC on December 3, quite the opposite in damages. It mattered big time. ** Edited by INSIDE99 at 5/24/2024, 10:47:48 AM

I enjoy sharing your views. Finding the highest number that FSU/Clemson will pay to get out and vice-versa the lowest number the ACC will accept is the prime reason for these lawsuits. From the FSU side, they absolutely are certain they have some upper hand in the lawsuit as does Clemson. They will use these tools to negotiate out. That is what a lawsuit does. In regards to disastrous, I'm certain you do realize that many high level people also believe that if FSU pulls out now that the ACC is at risk of losing the ESPN contract all together. No extension, no contract at the given rates when those teams leave. CONNECTING THE DOTS Much like SMU accepting a bid to a Power Conference (ACC) and not getting paid for nine years of television money - about $24 million per year ($216 million in total), SMU boosters raised $100 million the first week to offset the loss because they saw certain death not being in a Power Conference. Similarly, FSU is in full fundraising PE mode if that helps connect their P2 realignment dots to avoid certain ACC death in their eyes. The cost is irrelevant. I predicted here about a month ago that FSU will announce before August 15 they are leaving the ACC. That is the cut off date for being out for 2025. They will play 2024 as an ACC member for the last time and then play a P2 schedule in 2025 either as a P2 member or not as a P2 member. They are approved for B1G membership at full pro rata by the league and by the networks. That was a full year ago. Approval does not mean money has exchanged hands or that an offer has been given, they are approved. Anyone who doesn't believe this must also believe FSU has to be dumber than a box of Doak Campbell Stadium bricks to sue to get out without knowing where they can go. They will pay an exit fee, but no media rights fees. FSU will obtain AAU status possibly before the 2025 season, they are that close now. This realignment for FSU will not take two more years, of that I am certain. But that's the fun of predictions :)

Attempting to ascertain the background of an opposing view only validates that the GoR is open for interpretation depending on which side of the fence one sits. Hopefully (at least personally) I can step back and try to see the realignment forest and what's to come. Most here probably agree FSU and Clemson are gone, just a matter of when and how much. FSU is throwing a great deal of crap against the wall in hopes something sticks. I've seen my share of business lawsuits and that seems to be par for the course. Greed changed everything for everybody in college athletics. FSU/Clemson is guilty of that for certain. At the same time, if VT gets a P2 invite, everyone here will be dancing in the streets and will fight to get there.

Getting that ESPN contract verbatim was a major part of the discovery legal process seeing that the ACC has kept those top secret documents in Charlotte lockdown. I found it ironic that the 2027 ESPN extension has only been mentioned since FSU officials recently had the chance to get to Charlotte and read that contract. Maybe FSU is lying, guess we find out soon enough. The devil is in the details. Now ESPN has to cough them up, at least in South Carolina for now. The lawsuits were necessary regardless of intentions to leave already decided. The FSU BOT claims they never had the opportunity to vote in 2021 to extend the ESPN contract. They also claim Swofford unilaterally made that decision in 2021 the year he was leaving office. The same way Phillips unilaterally made the decision to sue FSU without a member vote only to take that vote weeks afterwards and declare it retroactive. It's called forum shopping and the Leon County Judge Cooper was correct in calling it what it was - a race to the courthouse. Of course it's material. I don't mind discussing the legal sides, it is interesting. I'm thankful to be able to discuss it with someone who is educated on the realignment subject. But FSU is gone asap. Their PE investments are not just to build new facilities. They knew there may be a cost to get out of the ACC. Negotiating that cost is what's happening. Getting $40-$50 million more annually in a P2 full pro rata membership quickly offsets just about any exit cost. Connect the dots. The networks have made the decisions already so I've been told for 11 months. Everything is still speculation, even from the sources. Anyone who cannot see this is blinded by love or hate of their institution. What a cray off-season this has been.

First question: The courtroom and lawsuits are most always necessary for any business to even reach a mediation process/settlement opportunity. The only issue for FSU is the cost they will have to pay to get out. They are attempting to solve that riddle before announcing. Not whether they get out. Either side winning in court will take another 2-5 years. FSU/Clemson isn't waiting. It's odd that Phillips recently insisted that February 2025 is just a "look-in" for ESPN. The ACC was foolish and agreed to extend the GoR attached to an old 2016 document. They extended the GoR to 2036 with a contract that can end in 2027. What is unclear (the courts are attempting to find out) is if the members knew about these details. If the ACC leadership did not tell the members about the extension - which actually gave ESPN the unilateral right to end the contract in 2027 - it put every member at risk. ESPN has full authority to end the contract in 2027. They don't need a composition clause. They don't have to wait until Feb 2025. You would think that every ACC member would want to know what ESPN intends to do - that is not a "look-in". The GoR is directly linked to the length of a TV contract. Changing the end date of the contract resets how each member maneuvers their future income and obligations. ** Edited by INSIDE99 at 5/23/2024, 12:58:32 PM

There might be 100 interpretations of the GoR depending on where interest lies. That is what lawyers do and what courts are for. It's obvious the small ball ACC teams are praying to keep the money makers in tow despite a hatred for those two teams. FSU/Clemson are praying to get out as fast as possible to make what their southern rivals are making while continuing to be relevant competing for national championships. The court cases with FSU are irrelevant to them leaving. The legal process exists only to determine an exit cost. This is a matter of how much, not if. I find it hard to conceive how some people firmly believe FSU/Clemson are going to be jailed into the the ACC against their will through 2036. Not going to happen barring a new media contract that pays what the P2 gets. An announcement from FSU stating when they are leaving will come before August 15. On the legal side, the ACC giving ESPN an extension back in 2021 to decide whether they want to keep the contract rolling through 2036 requires a new GoR that all members must sign. There is no contract past 2026 regardless of whether ESPN extends the deal. No one in business would sign a contract for 15 years that cannot define the financial terms past a certain date. ESPN either has a contract right now through 2036 or they do not. The state of North Carolina government has paid the ACC $15 million to keep conference championships in the state to boost outside revenues for hosting the events. Now that same BOG has implemented last second rules on preventing the UNC BOT from making decisions on leaving. Geezus, it's called collusion! The ACC sued FSU without a membership vote and then claimed they did not need a vote because the issue was not "material". Defending the GoR and a $500 million exit fee is not "material"? Now the ACC has settled on taking less from the CFP. I can't imagine why anyone would want out (sarc). ** Edited by INSIDE99 at 5/23/2024, 1:11:53 PM

Could not have said that any better. Waiting now on the NCAA settlement agreement to blow up as the G5 conferences oppose the fact they had no seat at the bargaining table. The digger you deep, the deeper the rabbit hole. ** Edited by INSIDE99 at 5/21/2024, 1:41:46 PM

Most NCAA legal experts believe it actually will be the courts that decide how Title IX is applied to the revenue sharing model for athletes. As much as the NCAA is trying to keep the courts out of their hair (they were successful at it for over 100 years but not so much now) it's never going to end. People sue, lawyers make obscene money, that is the America we live in.

Quote from the story: On the Title IX implications for a House settlement, Arthur Bryant, a leading Title IX lawyer, said there is no gray area when it comes to whether male and female athletes should receive the same amount of money in a revenue sharing model: “Title IX requires equal treatment of male and female athletes. How much money is involved, whether teams or programs are making money or losing money, doesn’t matter.” Ummmmm, yea.

Or join another G5 league. Maybe they desire paying a huge exit fee so they are free to travel to Arizona/Provo for games in the Big XII for less money. This would at least make UCF a partner. All while living in the glory that they showed the ACC who is boss. LOL If that's the case, FSU/Clemson have to be the dumbest business decision makers in the history of sports. Next week is quite possibly the biggest decision in the history of college sports. Revenue Sharing, NCAA settlements...once that axe falls you will see teams everywhere trying to work through a financial shock and awe campaign. The three M's - money matters most.

These graphic numbers are not fully accurate by any means. It was pointed out by others that some of this data will include capital expenses and some data does not, while NIL costs from Collectives are not available for example. I was surprised by Miami being that high in 2023 however, Hmmmmmm. Their NIL funding is big. Just no results on the field yet. But yes, the spending differences are significant between the top of the chain to the rest. Yet revenue sharing is equal. Not a good formula for business. The Duke football facilities are not far off from some high school levels. Worst locker room I have ever been in.

One of the main complaints from FSU/Clemson is how the other ACC schools invest very little back into the football program despite equal revenue sharing. This chart (although seeming askew) demonstrates that FSU/Clemson is spending more than double what other ACC programs invest into football. Not sure too many wise businessmen in this world would desire to be in an association where more than 3/4 of the other members are investing half of what they do while asking for the same returns. I see FSU/Clemson calling such a "free coat tail ride". They are somewhat correct like it or not. You get what you pay for.

The best thing the ACC could have done to keep the conference together would have been to renegotiate a new TV contract. Unfortunately, they signed an ESPN contract in 2016 that was supposed to run for 20 years and ESPN is not interested in paying more now. It's a big reason ESPN has not yet extended the contract yet past 2026. With that known, the ACC should have been shopping networks for any type of new deal. I believe they have to a degree but no network is biting. The only way to make ACC teams like FSU and Clemson get the money the P2 is offering is through another TV deal. Otherwise, everyone in the ACC is about to fall $30-$40 million behind the P2 annually. There is no fix at this point.

That is likely the answer to the question: ESPN will opt out of the ACC contract because __________ ESPN didn't just get full rights to the CFP without some horse trading with other networks. And none of us are privy to that info so it's always speculation.

Wonder how long before the Pac 2 and MWC make it happen? OREGON STATE 2024 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE 08/31 - Idaho State 09/07 - at San Diego State 09/14 - Oregon 09/21 - Purdue 10/05 - Colorado State 10/12 - at Nevada 10/19 - UNLV 10/26 - at California 11/09 - San Jose State 11/16 - at Air Force 11/23 - Washington State 11/30 - at Boise State WASHINGTON STATE 2024 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE 08/31 - Portland State 09/07 - Texas Tech 09/14 - vs Washington (in Seattle, WA) 09/21 - San Jose State 09/28 - at Boise State 10/12 - at Fresno State 10/19 - Hawaii 10/26 - at San Diego State 11/09 - Utah State 11/16 - at New Mexico 11/23 - at Oregon State 11/30 - Wyoming

After reading numerous football forums, it's obvious there are two different ACC camps. 1) FSU, Clemson and UNC - trying to get into the P2 now 2) The rest trying to do whatever is necessary to keep the ACC together Both camps exist based on survival at the highest level.

Their own thing would be letting the P2 take their threats and split for all sports. Go play with yourself (no pun intended). The ACC and Big XII either get equal CFP rights and distribution or get lost. Instead the ACC, Big XII settled for a smaller slice since they didn't have the stones to demand otherwise. In the long run the money well will go dry without inventive ways to create income. The P2 gap is about to be massive now that the best athletes continue to be paid. The ACC has already accepted their Minor League fait. FSU and Clemson leaving the ACC is simple, they need to make the same type of money their SEC rivals are getting if they consistently wish to continue competing at the highest level. The ACC accepting less CFP status was another nail in the coffin.

Where they either accept taking far less of the CFP pie or find the stones to tell the P2 to shove it and go do their own thing.

Holding posters to their predictions. As Coach Prime would say, "keeping receipts". Anyone else have a prediction?

FSU will officially announce they are leaving the ACC before August 15 (if not by June 30). FSU will play as a member of the ACC in 2024 and then play a full Big Ten schedule in 2025 regardless of where the courtroom battle resides. The deal to play in the Big Ten was offered a full year ago. The exit fee (3 times the operating budget) of roughly somewhere between $75-130 million will be paid but the rights fees will not. When FSU announces they are leaving, ESPN will not renew the ACC contract past 2026 and will have to renegotiate the current ACC contract. Those who believe the ACC can keep the courtroom process going for another 2+ years to stall FSU leaving, that's not going to happen. The only thing that will change the above mentioned predictions will be a settlement between ACC, Clemson and FSU. Expect a FSU and a Clemson announcement coming very soon. ** Edited by INSIDE99 at 5/12/2024, 10:48:16 PM

There is so much horse trading going on with the networks there is no way for anyone to make sense of where it all lands. I believe the ESPN/FOX/Warner merger to form a streaming package this summer is a sign the two sports giants absolutely wheel and deal. There are many rumors (and everything is a rumor) that for ESPN to get exclusive rights to the new CFP package through 2030 that FOX gave concessions for it to get signed and in return got concessions of their own. One of them was getting FSU/Clemson/UNC rights. Again - only typical speculation obviously. While this may not be true, there is absolute "horse trading" in the industry the public is never privy to. Nobody outside the network board knows the truth.

ESPN has had since 2021 to renew the ACC deal and to this point they have not.

The Big 10 and the SEC will NOT be dividing up their new found wealth with the guaranteed playoff money with anyone, unless it increases the conference payouts in the future. This ^^^^^ I'm not sure why so many are predicting all these schools to the P2. It only dilutes the payout when it's all about the Benjamins. If any more realignment moves are made past FSU, Clemson, Notre Dame and UNC they won't happen for another four years or so.

in American society concerning athletes getting paid was how expensive the world got. Power conference colleges are already spending at least $150K per student in the usual old-fashioned way. Send a child to college and find out. Tuition, room & board, medical expenses alone and athletes get far more including equipment, facilities, etc.

Possibly the biggest story in all of sports. Most people don't realize how much is already being spent on student-athletes, somewhere between $150K to $190K per student annually. That is $15.4 million per school, which is almost half of the yearly budget already. What I am curious to see is how Title IX fits in. Football and basketball players already demanding a larger portion of the revenue sharing pie. Crazy stuff going down. College sports as we knew it is long over. Think I'll buy me a football team. RECOMMENDED READ to grasp revenue sharing possibilities on the table. ** Edited by INSIDE99 at 5/8/2024, 12:36:24 PM

Mostly sarcasm related to posters claiming FSU made their success because the ACC is bad football. Is it or isn't it?

Outside of Clemson and FSU, no one else is capable of competing at the highest level. Hence the problem.

Thank you. That is a great reading link. Outside of what this article means regarding conference realignment, what I take from the read is that streaming subscriptions actually don't make sizeable money for the big networks. The simple reason (as Clay Travis explains) is that cable and satellite bundles charge upwards of $10 per month from each subscriber for just the ESPN package. Something you won't see broken down on your cable bill. Your grandmother or aunt, who never watches sports, pays for it. Which is a huge issue with bundles. In the subscription world, the money isn't there because that grandmother and aunt are not paying $10 a month anymore for the ESPN package that is hidden in their bundle bill. The subscriber base gets cut in half which then forces ESPN to charge $80 per month to less subscribers to keep up with profits so they can obtain all these expensive sports rights. The guy you rarely hear about making $50 million per year in the NBA gets such from TV rights. It drives the industry. This is a great article people should read if you watch TV frequently. It's not just about sports. But the ESPN giant is getting chopped down hard. Subscription streaming is not lucrative. Broadband providers are the mega giants now.

Absolutely. Networks control realignment, the playoffs, etc. That is why the ACC realignment will have little to do with court cases and GoR when it comes to networks settling these deals. If ESPN and FOX want Clemson and FSU somewhere else, there is not much the ACC can do about it. That is why ESPN did not extend the ACC contract past 2027 years ago. It's why they have look-in clauses to protect their interests.

Much of what you say makes great sense. I agree. The one aspect that has always befuddled me is that DMV market in regards to college football. I'll even expand that into Baltimore. The Terps have a stadium that seats just 51,000. There are an ungodly amount of Maryland grads living in DMV and for a lifetime of existence they fail to half fill that stadium with any consistency. I was a Terp season ticket holder for years. Nobody in DMV cares about college football (basketball is another story) from a fan standpoint. It's horribly askew. Rich folks driving a BMW that pull up at kickoff in prime parking Lot #1 and leave before the third quarter is over. The same seemed to have happened to the ACC when they are now finding out that the Boston market (BC) and the New York market (Syracuse), despite have large numbers of population and grads, do not offer anything in the way of TV revenue for college football. Which was the prime reason those were accepted into the ACC to begin with. Pro sports yes, much like DC/Baltimore. The old adage that population markets affect TV media payouts are antiquated to some degree. I think ESPN sees this. The biggest draws in college football come from towns like State College, Tuscaloosa, Baton Rouge, etc. The big city schools not so much outside of LA and Seattle. All one has to do is look at the empty aqua colored seats at a Miami game.

FSU joined the ACC as a football playing member in 1992, which at the time the conference payout was about 40% more per year than any other SEC school. The ACC payout in 1995 was $5.6 million. The top SEC school was just under $4 million. In 2001, the ACC payout was $9.5 million while the top SEC school (Kentucky) was just over $7 million. Until around 2002, the ACC payout was the most lucrative of all college conferences. Then Swofford took over and here we are. So if you are asking why a school like FSU would choose the ACC over the SEC the answer is in greed as always. Why someone would sign a GOR with extensions is based on past performance. There was trust initially between the ACC and FSU. But FSU was short sighted and they should have to pay a solid fee to get themselves out of a bad deal. On the flip side, the ACC has been mismanaged - where it went from one of the most lucrative conferences to now being almost double behind the SEC and B1G. Stuff happens, things change. Extending a media contract 20+ years in advance to 2036 for the same media payout was bad strategy for everyone since markets fluctuate. Realignment is based on money everywhere - Capt Obvious. The money game changed drastically when NIL took root unregulated. Paying top players, getting them to transfer all while continuing to fund new facilities is a new world order, which is why PE is inevitable to fund both. ** Edited by INSIDE99 at 4/29/2024, 3:34:40 PM

That's the SI link? hahahaha At least they have a SI Swimsuit link where you can find pics of Martha Stewart and Angel Reese ;)

Most fans of ACC schools acknowledge to some degree that the officials in Charlotte (starting with Swofford) have mismanaged the league. Taking lesser pay outs (like the new CFP contract), nepotism getting Swofford's son Chad to make out on the Raycom deals, lack of a voice in the sports world, etc. Everything is based on North Carolina - they don't care past those borders. The ACC just announced all the future championship game locations and every single one of them is in NC. Talk about nepotism (see link). Signing a deal with ESPN through 2036 with no ability for the payout to be renegotiated based on market growth was a bad investment. Which is the main reason the P2 is going to be making almost double or triple that money by 2036. There was a time when ACC basketball was king. Not anymore. It was actually awesome to see the ACC place three teams into this year's Elite Eight to prove naysayers wrong. Because no one saw that coming when the brackets were set - the ACC has been looked down upon from the people who measure hoops grades on a yearly basis now. Only four ACC teams made the dance and it took a ton of bickering to get UVA in. The ACC almost had three teams in the dance...HORRIBLE! When football Selection Sunday happened this season, you could see Greg Sankey on every sports network back campaigning along side Nick Saban as to why the SEC deserved a playoff spot. Phillips was no where to be found. Not a peep. It was the final straw for FSU and I can't blame them one bit. Very poor management and marketing by Phillips & Company. ** Edited by INSIDE99 at 4/28/2024, 12:49:09 AM

played in the Orange Bowl against Georgia among other starters and back ups. Not sure if the average fan grasps the insanity of that statistic. The players told the NCAA to stick it. Can't blame them really. Opening the transfer portal up on Dec 4 just as bowl season kicks off is a horrific decision. The bowl games have become glorified spring games. Their demise is imminent. The ACC administration has already admitted and accepted their Tier 2 status when their undefeated champion was left out without a peep from Phillips. It was further ratified at the signing of the new CFP agreement for far less money. Then people complain because they cannot understand why FSU/Clemson want to get out in order to compete financially against their SEC rivals on an equal ground. The difference is FSU/Clemson strive consistently to play for a national title. The look on ACC faces after the Dec 3 snub as if it wasn't going to affect any of them... ** Edited by INSIDE99 at 4/27/2024, 8:01:37 PM

Any renegotiation of a media deal requires a newly signed GOR. In the eyes of FSU and Clemson, in 2021 ESPN was given more time to extend the contract to 2036 without member notification, which ESPN still has not done. That was not in the original contract. Not sure why getting the contract is an issue. Trade secrets that involve FSU have to be revealed. And they will. No, the ACC cannot make a new TV deal for $1 a year and FSU has to abide by it. LOL

Is that too much to ask? Which is what the Florida AG is seeking. I don't think that's outside the box to ask for the details of the contract that claims to lock someone in for half a billion dollars.

FWIW - Coach Norvell and others are there now. Comments yesterday by FSU AD Michael Alford about the importance of Chicago to the FSU fan base moving forward: he "expects to be in the Windy City much more starting this summer." Seminole sources also saying FSU to the B1G is a done deal and they will officially announce they are out of the ACC before 2024 kicks off. Funny how different internet locations yield different outcomes. Interesting are the varying takes that exist. Depends on what side of the fence one resides. Sources = LOL.

the details of the ESPN/ACC contract has not been determined yet by the courts. Discovery may be the biggest hurdle for both parties in these preliminary court proceedings. The meat of the lawsuits hasn't even began to begun. The battle over venue, jurisdiction, ripeness, dismissal, stay, etc. are the small potatoes being hashed out right now.

The AG is trying to get the details of the ACC/ESPN contract. She sums it up best in her Twitter X account. It's a great point. I mean if the ACC is asking for that much money you better show me the full contract. Using ESPN "trade secrets" to hide the details isn't going to float in Florida. Half a billion is a chunk of change. The FSU lawyers have been given access to the contract on a read only basis in North Carolina. There apparently was enough in that looksee that led to FSU asking for the documents to be released. per AG Ashley Moody on X @theACC is asking a state entity— @FloridaState — to potentially pay and lose more than half a billion dollars but is refusing to produce the documents related to that outrageous price tag. We are taking legal action against the ACC for wrongfully withholding these important public records. ** Edited by INSIDE99 at 4/25/2024, 12:08:25 PM

The look on ACC member faces thinking December 3 had nothing to do with them.

the ACC money pool will shrink significantly after networks renegotiate a new contract. How schools deal with the financial hit will write the future of the league. The ACC leaders have already accepted Tier 2 status before any member left. The evidence is in the new CFP revenue distribution acceptance. Tier 2 status acceptance is the complete reason FSU and Clemson have sued to get out. They want to compete financially on the same level as their SEC rivals and that is not happening now or in the future for the ACC. The money gap is already there and is only going to get bigger.

The US Courts have ruled that the NCAA cannot restrict transfer portal access to any player. Immediately, the SEC implements a restriction that no SEC player can transfer to another SEC school in the spring portal. Isn't that the same restriction?

No SEC player in the spring portal can transfer to another SEC school to play in the fall. That includes new members Texas and Oklahoma this year. They can transfer to another SEC school in the winter portal and be eligible to play the next season. The SEC's rules restrict intraconference transfer movement in football to athletes who enter during the NCAA's winter transfer portal window, which ran from Dec. 4 to Jan. 2. SEC players who enter outside those dates – unless they did so via the NCAA's exemptions for postseason play or a head coaching change — would not be eligible for the upcoming season if they chose to transfer to another school within the league. Alabama took a beating when Saban left. They had a 30 day window where players transferred out with no ability to bring in their own transfers. I don't think anyone felt bad for Bama. The Tide will likely be getting revenge in this 2nd portal window.

The second portal window opens Tue, Apr 16. This is a realignment topic to some degree in that the money will obviously be a factor in buying players now and down the road. It's almost a farm system for the rich. Not a fan of the 2nd portal window, nor the window opening just prior to bowl games...bad timing. It's almost as if the NCAA can't get anything right. Here is a small clip from last night's Josh Pate Show recommended for those that don't understand what is about to happen. First, I didn't realize a considerable amount of players got cut off rosters during this time in addition to transferring. Sorry kid, you wanted to be treated like a pro athlete so here you go. Good luck. Second, the SEC cannot poach players from other SEC schools. What that means...Alabama, Ole Miss, Georgia, Florida, LSU, Texas, Oklahoma...they are all coming hard to buy players from other schools outside the SEC. Starting rosters are about to be altered at the very top and there is no recourse before August practice to replace those losses.

If Clemson and FSU announce they are leaving before June 30 (before Calford and SMU become fulltime ACC members), ESPN has the right to cancel their current contract rates for the 2024 season as the number of ACC members drops below the 15 team threshold. In other words, there is likely going to be a settlement before kickoff.

There are so many composition clauses in these network contracts that even the presidents and BOT don't know about. They are in there to protect the networks mostly, which is why they are all protected as trade secrets the networks don't wish to have revealed through courtroom Discovery. Rumors have been flying about this clause and that clause. Is the GoR good through 2036 in regards to media rights if ESPN does not renew past 2026? That is the biggest legal question out there with different interpretations by hundreds of online lawyers. If Clemson and FSU both leave this summer what are the ramifications now? We know the courtroom battle finish line is way down the road. If I am an ACC school I am already preparing for the departure of Clemson and FSU as if it happened already. When it happens, ESPN will without question pull the current media contract that included both those programs and renegotiate a new contract that will require a new GoR signing by all members. Some things we can't know, others are just logical deductions.

My prediction is that FSU will announce they are leaving the ACC before summer is over. They are not waiting on the courts to decide two years from now and will deal with the legal issues down the road if need be. But I think this saga gets settled rather quickly at this point with both ESPN and FOX involved in that settlement.