Conference realignment in college sports is entering a new phase, one that could be determined in a courtroom. Florida State and Clemson have both expressed their desire to leave the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and have filed legal challenges against the ACC in an attempt to nullify the grant of rights agreement that binds them to the league until 2036. If successful, this could open the door for the schools to pursue membership in the more lucrative Big Ten or SEC conferences. The ACC has responded by filing its own legal challenges against both schools.
The lawsuits filed by Florida State and Clemson have different focuses. Florida State’s filing asks the court to determine whether the ACC’s grant of rights and exit fee are legally enforceable. The school argues that the ACC mishandled and misrepresented its contract extension with ESPN in 2016, which should be grounds for nullifying the grant of rights. Clemson’s case revolves around the idea that the grant of rights should only be enforceable while a school is a member of the conference, and that the exit fee is not representative of actual damages.
The outcome of these cases is uncertain, but if either school is successful in court, it could have far-reaching consequences. It could lead to a paradigm shift in conference dynamics, potentially tearing apart the ACC and accelerating conference realignment. This could even result in the creation of a true Super League where schools have more freedom to choose their conference affiliations.
As of now, there are five ongoing lawsuits related to conference realignment: Florida State vs. ACC in Florida, Clemson vs. ACC in South Carolina, ACC vs. FSU in North Carolina, ACC vs. Clemson in North Carolina, and a lawsuit by Florida’s attorney general to make the ACC’s ESPN deal a public record. The outcomes of these cases are uncertain, and it is unclear how they will impact each other.
Possible scenarios include one court not issuing a ruling and waiting for the resolution of a similar case in another state, or one court ruling before the other and the ruling being accepted by the other court. Another possibility is a settlement between the ACC and Florida State or Clemson, where a dollar figure is agreed upon to allow the schools to leave the conference with their TV rights. Settlements are often preferred in contract disputes to avoid airing dirty laundry in public courtrooms.
The consequences of Florida State and Clemson leaving the ACC would be significant. It could potentially lead to other schools leaving the conference as well, based on the price set by their departures. However, there are doubts about the value of these schools to other conferences, as the market for media rights is becoming increasingly unstable. Networks may not be willing to pay for additional games or conferences.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding these legal battles, Florida State and Clemson are determined to try and leave the ACC. They believe that they cannot fall too far behind financially compared to the SEC and Big Ten conferences and still hope to contend at a national championship level. They also face the impending era of paying athletes, which could further complicate their financial situations.
In conclusion, the outcome of these legal battles will have far-reaching consequences for conference realignment in college sports. The resolution of these cases will determine whether Florida State and Clemson can leave the ACC and pursue membership in more lucrative conferences. However, the road ahead is uncertain, and it remains to be seen how these cases will unfold and what impact they will have on the landscape of college athletics.