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

decides whether the GOR is valid and enforceable or not. So many don't want to really look at the GOR for what it is and that is an inter school agreement to share and share alike until 2036 AND an agreement to pay heavy penalties if any do leave and break the agreement. That means that a school in Boston and one in Syracuse and in Louisville KY have identical standing to the ones in FLA and SC. No way those Boston, Syracuse and Louisville schools not any other in multiple states will let a state court judge in Fla, SC or NC rule on something that could hurt so many. Everyone needs to get over themselves and acknowledge whether it is good or bad, FSU and Clemson are no more that BC and Cuse under this agreement. And both FSU /Clemson happily signed it.

“With Clemson athletic director Graham Neff and ACC deputy commissioner Amy Yakola in attendance, judge Perry H. Gravely granted the university's case for specific jurisdiction in Pickens County, South Carolina. This means the school's case over its grant of rights will continue because the conference, in his opinion, has had more than minimal contact in South Carolina.”

and feed the troll.

And they will likely rule first

Their attorneys and probably AGs will step in, at least for the state schools. Way too many potential plaintiffs in too many states not to end up in federal court if pushed.

damaged the conference’s TV deal thereby lessening the value of their TV rights. That’s pretty tortured logic.

I was looking at the teams after FSU/Clemson that want to leave - i.e. possibly UNC, VT, etc. When it becomes their time, the pay-out would be a decent amount less.

ESPN continues the contract as is or only drops it the same amount the ACC would receive in GOR payments or revenue neutral to the ACC teams. I don't think ESPN would do this for say a $200 mil payout from departing teams unless they were in full control manipulating where the departing teams go. So the deal is ESPN renews with the amendment that they get the GOR payout from every departing team. After all that is net revenue neutral for the ACC. The departing fee is set at say $400 mil. FSU will do everything they can to pay it and leave. But I am not so sure Clemson would leave, especially if the Big 12 was the destination. And under those conditions I do not think any other team would leave. The ACC is the best option for any without a guaranteed landing spot in the P2. And, factor in that UNC/NCSU and VT/UVA will still be tied together politically so the idea that UNC and UVA have the power to just leave does not have high odds of happening.

to a P2 conference? UVA/UNC/VT/NCSU have no leverage to insist on tag along schools. Many posters insist it is all about football. None of these 4 schools move the needle for football alone. The P2 will select what schools they want and it will be up to each individual school to decide what is best for them alone, the politicians be damn. The Board of Visitors have a fiduciary responsibility to the school they represent, and the threat of losing a job that they don't need is an empty threat that will be ignored.

it isn't one person's job, it is the $$$$ the General Assembly holds over both in not sports but academics and research. VT football is way more valuable an economic entity in this state than any other team/sport. The negative impact of that diminishing was a moving force in 2003 and has not changed. The P2 is powerful in football and other college athletics but they cannot impose their will on state politics just like state politics can impose their wills on the SEC. Seems simple enough for me, all 4 to the SEC as a package, an agreement for one in each state to go to each of the B10 and SEC or all stay in the ACC and make it as good as they can.

Not getting full shares for sure.

The P2 aren't interested in those two ACC members. Both the SEC and B1G want new states, and the B1G has the AAU requirement. If the AAU somehow invites FSU, then they would be a B1G choice, but otherwise not.

state of Florida and the growing state of South Carolina. I would bet they want the states of Virginia and North Carolina also. One of my observations is that currently the B1G has the biggest universities, BUT - these universities are primarily in rust belt states with stagnant or even negative population growth. Most of the fastest growing states are in the Sun Belt, and the B1G has ZERO schools in those states. If they were interested in expanding I would expect they would try to expand into those states.

Miami and USF are AAU in Florida. There are also AAU members in Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia. Not in South Carolina. People say that this isn't a requirement, but they haven't added anything other than that since Nebraska. And I've seen reports that 6 of the B1G members have made statements that they are an automatic NO vote without AAU. That's 1/3 of the current league.

I do remember an interview with Jim Delany when he was asked about AAU one time, and he said, "That's who we are." He was referring the the Big Ten. And I haven't seen anyone invited since that wasn't AAU. I thought it might happen at one time with Notre Dame, but ND is now AAU.

doesn't like agriculture or ranching research money, so they were dismissed.

What I wasn't sure of is the timing of when they were in and then kicked out. Did that happen all while members of the B1G or before when they were still Big XII.

they joined the Big 10.