manner this guy, FSU and others are talking about is way overstated. It could go more like this: 1- ACC was negotiating a deal which the launch of the ACC Network was a central part. That was going to take a lot of money and for sure ESPN was going to be sure they were covered. So the ACC agreed to a lower per team payout to get the network. It is possible/probable that if ESPN has not been willing to do the launch of the network, the ACC, with the separate GOR in their pockets, could have gone to Fox or someone else. We do not know that the ACC didn't try that and ESPN offered the best deal. No doubt we can Monday morning QBing on whether it was worth it to do the ACC network but at the time, it was. 2- The ACC was also not able to negotiate a better team payout because of on field performance. If the deal was completed in 2016 (which I am not sure of), then looking at the final rankings from 2012-2015 shows FSU with final rankings of 10, 1st, 5th and 14th. Clemson went 11th, 8th, 15th and 2nd. No other teams were in the final top 25 all 4 years and only 3 other teams made a single appearance, (Duke, 23rd in 2013; Georgia Tech,8th in 2014; and UNC 15th in 2015.) No Miami and no VT. With equal TV opportunities for all teams, that translates to very few top 25 matchups. Seriously, how would any of you liked to have tried to sell that? How many top 25 matchups would have even been possible? Simply with the Network on the table, the ACC just was not worth all that at that point in time. I think an over inflated value of the ACC is a big factor in people determining this was such a bad deal. 3- With the (separate) GOR extending past the term of the ESPN deal, the ACC held for itself the ability to go back out on the market if ESPN did not want to extend. And hardly anybody at that time thought ESPN just walking out or paying less was a possibility. 4- FSU and anybody else that joins them will have to sell the point that the ESPN deal and the GOR were the same thing. I think FSU won't get much if they can't win on that point. No doubt the ACC was not a sterling negotiator but if the GOR holds up as an independent agreement to give the ACC essentially collective bargaining power until 2036, they win IMHO. 5- The PAC (supposedly) did much better in negotiating a deal both getting their network launched and getting payouts. But where are they now? And their Commissioner was sure they were in the best position to "sell" their product because their deal came up when it did. As of right now, the 2036 GOR IS the only reason the ACC did not got the same way as the PAC at the same time as the PAC and all of the ACC other than FSU, Clemson, Miami and maybe UNC would be in the same place as Wash St and Ore St.