First, I so appreciate being able to come to this forum to discuss realignment respectively. Sometimes it seems my posts, which seem to go against the VT opinion grain, come across as assured. They are not. I have connections, sources, insiders like everyone else. But even those people don't know for certain and they will say the same. Yes, like any podcaster or X tweet I share what I get told but don't wish to be the person who just throws out malarkey to see what sticks. Connecting the dots to see what is valid or not is an important aspect and actually quite entertaining for a college football lover. The suspense is addictive. So please allow me to share what I get and take it with a grain of salt, agree or not. Most of my friends are on the network side, government officials in Raleigh and some longtime ACC connections. I AM SPECULATING with the info I get and from reading. Please keep this in mind. The ACC realignment aspect is about to ramp up times 10. Now that the key components of CFP agreements, NCAA court settlements, Revenue Sharing and a dissolved PAC 12 are complete, the focus will be on the ACC realignment and legal battles. Between now and July 4 the fireworks are going to pop, the rumors will triple because every entity is trying to protect their own interests from networks, to conferences, to schools. I have stated before that the ACC/Clemson/ FSU court cases will be settled. They were a means to an end and that is all. The ACC is not going to delay a court process for another 4-5 years to keep the league together. They can't because the networks won't go that route. There has been/is some very crazy network horse trading going on for a year now. But as the finish line is near things really heat up and the twists and turns start to happen before leaders sign on a dotted line. The rumors that FSU has been approved for the B1G were never false. That happened a year ago. It's why FSU sued to get out because knowing you have a landing spot was the only way their BOT could approve a course of action to get out of the ACC. Then came Clemson. They too have a P2 landing spot, I don't know which. Likely both at this juncture. Following up, when FSU/Clemson finally depart, Notre Dame is right behind them, not UNC. The Irish have to wait for someone else to move before they can enact their own exit due to Critical Composition Clauses in their own ACC contract that was redesigned during the COVID season. Now the SEC is fully involved. ESPN giving up FSU, Clemson and Notre Dame to FOX isn't on their to do list. Although I am not a fan of podcasts, the latest intel out there is starting to merge. Not a fan of Lambert, but what he said today is pretty much correct to some degree. This is the first time I have heard him say something that added up. The biggest being that the ACC is absolutely in huge discussions with ESPN about getting that 7 year contract extension. There are so many aspects that go into this including that term serious "horse trading". The thought process behind the ACC/ESPN contract is that ESPN will renew it, but not at the same rates without FSU/Clemson. The cost for FSU/Clemson to exit is hoped to fill that financial void for the length of the contract for other member schools. I also feel secure that FSU/Clemson leaving will be tied into the new ACC/ESPN contract once finalized to extend to 2036. There is also talk of ESPN keeping the rights to FSU/Clemson if they go B1G. That requires a massive agreement with FOX. The two biggest networks in football are in obvious discussions. I don't see this as viable (ESPN getting a B1G concession to broadcast games), but ESPN is not getting zero out of FSU/Clemson. That is where the SEC comes in. When you listen to the Florida AD yesterday talk about agreeing to expand, this is a heads up. ESPN wants FSU/Clemson in the SEC. Their viewership rates will almost double in the SEC and so they are very valuable and both ESPN and the SEC are going to make more money with those two in - guaranteed. The money talks if you are not familiar with the P2 chess game. Here is where more twists come in...if FSU/Clemson does go B1G, the SEC will make a move to expand. UNC is at the top of the list (not breaking news) and so is UVA. Here is the big kicker: Given the government stipulations - for UNC and UVA to go SEC that will have to involve both NC State and VT. There I said it. Just relaying another discussion that has taken place. I mentioned back in the winter that both UNC and NC State were already approved for SEC membership. That is what triggered the North Carolina BOG mutiny. That SEC approval came straight from Raleigh back in January. However, if ESPN extends the ACC contract through 2036, those exit deals for remaining ACC teams get slim. So you can see how every flap of the wing effects each other. The stuff I have heard is mind boggling when it comes to network trading. Understand, it will be the networks deciding the ACC fate, not the courts. And it's all about to go down. I said before August 15. Now is when this really heats up though. The next month for the ACC is going to be nuts as ever. Also know there is a composition clause in the ESPN contract that if two or more ACC teams leave then ESPN has the right to nullify the contract. ESPN and other P4 schools will do just about all they can to prevent the ESPN/ACC contract from being made public. This is now available to see through the latest responses to the Florida AG asking for these documents to be made public. The SEC is saying NO and is joining the lawsuit that this info not be released. There is some serious stuff in there that are absolutely trade secret. Enough so that alone can be the reason for settlement. From the FSU standpoint, they are leaving the ACC with or without a legal settlement. I have said this many times here. They may be forced to pay big time down the line, but the ACC is in seriouis trouble with TV contracts if they do. It's in everyone's best interest to settle this. The SEC and B1G and FOX and ESPN want this resolved (see how CFP unfolded). That's all that needs said. The P2 is going to get what they want. If you haven't figured this out by now, shame on you. Going to be a very interesting summer. ** Edited by INSIDE99 at 5/30/2024, 3:32:50 PM