that (1) the ACC does not, in fact, control its members broadcasting rights if any member leaves the conference, and (2) the ACC cannot enforce a $140 million exit fee if/when any member leaves the conference. Another possibility is that ESPN decides not to extend the ACC contract which would enable VT or any other school to leave in 2027 for only the exit fee. Those exit fees have historically been negotiated down to about 60% to avoid litigation and the chance that the fees would be deemed by the courts as unenforceable. So that number would be about $85 million. And then there is the dissolution option if the media rights contract isn’t extended and 10 ACC schools find new homes in other conferences and then vote to dissolve the ACC. Exiting the conference under that scenario would cost VT nothing. Even though most people at this point believe that FSU & Clemson are leaving the ACC, few believe that they will pay hundreds of millions of dollars to do so. Phillips had the perfect opportunity to announce that ESPN had chosen to extend the ACC media rights contract until 2036 this week. He once again failed to do so. The deadline for ESPN to make that decision is next February and is fast approaching. ** Edited by WBGV at 7/26/2024, 9:29:50 AM