will be in effect past 2027, and thus there is no guaranteed payments from ESPN to the conference beyond June 30, 2027. If ESPN decides not to exercise their unilateral option of a 9 year extension then the ACC could be toast. It is my understanding that a decision must be made by February 2025. After watching the PAC-12 try to secure a media rights deal in this environment for over a year without success, it is not a given that if ESPN drops the ACC that another acceptable media partner would even come forth. I believe that there is a lot going on behind the scene out of the public’s view (Mag7 on steroids) preparing for the “what if” scenario surrounding the ESPN contract. Waiting to explore options until after February of next year would be a huge mistake for any school IMO. FSU is simply doing their due diligence.