Judge orders Florida State, ACC to mediation to settle suit

NT80 · April 23

A Tallahassee judge has ordered Florida State and the Atlantic Coast Conference to enter mediation in hopes of settling a high-profile lawsuit that could dramatically impact the future of the league.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/40000227/judge-orders-florida-state-acc-mediation-settle-suit

untjim1995 · April 23

It's all about how this gets settled now. FSU, Clemson, Georgia Tech, UNC, Miami, Duke, UVa, Va Tech, NC State, Louisville, Pitt, and Syracuse will find homes in the Big Three Conferences that will be left. My guess is that the B1G gets UVa, UNC, Duke, and Georgia Tech, the SEC gets Va Tech, NC State, FSU, Clemson, Pitt, and Miami. Louisville and Syracuse will go to the Big 12, probably with UConn and Stanford.

Cal gets WSU and OSU to join their new far flung setup with BC, SMU, and Wake Forest, while they add in Memphis, Temple, Tulane, USF, ECU, and FAU to join their league.

emmitt01 · April 23

1 hour ago, untjim1995 said:

It's all about how this gets settled now. FSU, Clemson, Georgia Tech, UNC, Miami, Duke, UVa, Va Tech, NC State, Louisville, Pitt, and Syracuse will find homes in the Big Three Conferences that will be left. My guess is that the B1G gets UVa, UNC, Duke, and Georgia Tech, the SEC gets Va Tech, NC State, FSU, Clemson, Pitt, and Miami. Louisville and Syracuse will go to the Big 12, probably with UConn and Stanford.

Cal gets WSU and OSU to join their new far flung setup with BC, SMU, and Wake Forest, while they add in Memphis, Temple, Tulane, USF, ECU, and FAU to join their league.

Given the news that was just given to WSU and OSU about their loss of "autonomy conference" status, what makes you think they or Cal would have anything to offer once the ACC is no more? I don't see the ACC being allowed to remain a "P4" once the best of that conference has been taken in by the SEC, Big XII and Big 10

untjim1995 · April 23

Just now, emmitt01 said:

Given the news that was just given to WSU and OSU about their loss of "autonomy conference" status, what makes you think they or Cal would have anything to offer once the ACC is no more? I don't see the ACC being allowed to remain a "P4" once the best of that conference has been taken in by the SEC, Big XII and Big 10

Oh, I don't think they will be a power. But these schools will have some stupid setup that means avoiding being in a conference with teams that they consider beneath them.

SMU2006 · April 23

Best possible outcome for the ACC. This now gives the ACC 120 days to get the matter resolved in a North Carolina court. ACC is headquartered in Charlotte and has four member institutions in the state.

FSU needed this judge to fast track their case and he just put a nail in the coffin.

NT80 · April 23

2 hours ago, SMU2006 said:

Best possible outcome for the ACC. This now gives the ACC 120 days to get the matter resolved in a North Carolina court. ACC is headquartered in Charlotte and has four member institutions in the state.

FSU needed this judge to fast track their case and he just put a nail in the coffin.

The case hasn't been moved to North Carolina. It's only been sent to mediation.

SMU2006 · April 24

6 hours ago, NT80 said:

The case hasn't been moved to North Carolina. It's only been sent to mediation.

Correct, however the ACC filed suit against FSU in North Carolina just prior to the FSU suit in Tallahassee. Now the ACC has 120 days to mediate (which they won't) and allow the court in North Carolina to proceed which is a friendly venue.

Only worse outcome for FSU would've been for the Florida judge to completely toss the FSU suit.

NT80 · April 24

10 minutes ago, SMU2006 said:

Correct, however the ACC filed suit against FSU in North Carolina just prior to the FSU suit in Tallahassee. Now the ACC has 120 days to mediate (which they won't) and allow the court in North Carolina to proceed which is a friendly venue.

Only worse outcome for FSU would've been for the Florida judge to completely toss the FSU suit.

"Clemson, another ACC school, has joined FSU in challenging the ACC's right to charge hundreds of millions of dollars to leave the conference."

SMU2006 · April 24

1 minute ago, NT80 said:

"Clemson, another ACC school, has joined FSU in challenging the ACC's right to charge hundreds of millions of dollars to leave the conference."

Clemson's suit is even flimsier than FSU's. This all about throwing red meat to their fans who desperately want into the SEC/Big 10. Too bad contracts have consequences and both FSU/Clemson signed their rights over to the ACC not once but twice (most recently in 2017).

In all likelihood both will eventually work their way into the SEC/Big 10 but it'll be several years and hundreds of millions of dollars later. Nothing happening until 2029-2030 at the earliest.

LongJim · April 24

10 hours ago, SMU2006 said:

In all likelihood both will eventually work their way into the SEC/Big 10 but it'll be several years and hundreds of millions of dollars later.

I think you're right about them getting into those conferences. I think it will be sooner than later though.

SMU2006 · April 24

2 hours ago, LongJim said:

I think you're right about them getting into those conferences. I think it will be sooner than later though.

Might be a year or two sooner but its going to cost them a FORTUNE. ACC will then use that war chest to raid the Big 12.

NM Green · April 24

Ain’t nobody leaving the Big 12 for a bizarrely configured ACC. You’ll get American squads but not Big 12 peeps.

GMG

SMU2006 · April 25

4 hours ago, NM Green said:

Ain’t nobody leaving the Big 12 for a bizarrely configured ACC. You’ll get American squads but not Big 12 peeps.

GMG

Yeah b/c Arizona, Colorado, and Utah are not already in a bizarrely configured Big 12 where they'll be roundtripping to such lovely destinations like Lubbock TX, Manhattan KS, Morgantown WV, Cincinnati OH, and Orlando FL.

Edited April 25 by SMU2006

NT80 · April 25

11 hours ago, SMU2006 said:

Might be a year or two sooner but its going to cost them a FORTUNE. ACC will then use that war chest to raid the Big 12.

The ACC will be picked apart just like the PAC was. Big12 will help in the raiding, just as they did with the PAC.

SMU2006 · April 25

4 minutes ago, NT80 said:

The ACC will be picked apart just like the PAC was. Big12 will help in the raiding, just as they did with the PAC.

The ACC has a media rights deal that runs through 2036 with massive financial penalties to leave. ACC schools make more money per school than the Big 12. The PAC had no media deal and zero financial penalty to leave the conference. The two situations couldn't be more different.

ACC schools do not want to associate themselves with the likes of WVU, Cincy, UCF, Texas Tech, OK State and the other Truck Stoppers.

NT80 · April 25

14 minutes ago, SMU2006 said:

The ACC has a media rights deal that runs through 2036 with massive financial penalties to leave. ACC schools make more money per school than the Big 12. The PAC had no media deal and zero financial penalty to leave the conference. The two situations couldn't be more different.

ACC schools do not want to associate themselves with the likes of WVU, Cincy, UCF, Texas Tech, OK State and the other Truck Stoppers.

A majority of schools could just vote to dissolve the ACC. There would be a court fight, but eventually schools that want out will be released with some greatly reduced financial penalty. It's like a divorce, you can't keep someone in an unhappy relationship, even with a contract. It will happen probably before the end of next year at the pace things are moving.

SMU2006 · April 25

9 hours ago, NT80 said:

A majority of schools could just vote to dissolve the ACC. There would be a court fight, but eventually schools that want out will be released with some greatly reduced financial penalty. It's like a divorce, you can't keep someone in an unhappy relationship, even with a contract. It will happen probably before the end of next year at the pace things are moving.

Sigh. I don't want you to take this the wrong way but this might be most ill-informed and ignorant take on the current ACC situation I've seen yet. And that's saying something.

FACTS: You need a majority of schools to vote to dissolve the conference. Well, you just added three sure-fire "NO" votes in CAL, SMU, and Stanford. Now tell me. Where are you going to find the other votes needed to dissolve the conference? Duke? Nope. WF? Nope. Miami? Nope. PITT? Nope. Louisville? Nope. Georgia Tech? Nope. Syracuse? Nope. Boston College? Nope. Notre Dame? Nope. Virginia Tech? Nope.

I realize you hate SMU and that the G5 split that's coming sucks but c'mon man.

wardly · April 25

The ACC contract appears to be iron clad. It's difficult to find a sympathetic judge when your case is basically that the contract you agreed to years ago was unfair. It appears to me that the ACC is here to stay until their present agreement runs out. I just don't think you add 3 programs if you plan to dissolve the conference as soon as possible but that's just me. In addition, besides being a UNT fan I enjoy college sports, and having the opportunity to see ACC teams play in Dallas and Big 12 in Ft. Worth works for me.

NT80 · April 25

1 hour ago, SMU2006 said:

Sigh. I don't want you to take this the wrong way but this might be most ill-informed and ignorant take on the current ACC situation I've seen yet. And that's saying something.

FACTS: You need a majority of schools to vote to dissolve the conference. Well, you just added three sure-fire "NO" votes in CAL, SMU, and Stanford. Now tell me. Where are you going to find the other votes needed to dissolve the conference? Duke? Nope. WF? Nope. Miami? Nope. PITT? Nope. Louisville? Nope. Georgia Tech? Nope. Syracuse? Nope. Boston College? Nope. Notre Dame? Nope. Virginia Tech? Nope.

I realize you hate SMU and that the G5 split that's coming sucks but c'mon man.

I know you're in denial that any ACC school wouldn't want to stay with Smu in the conference, but there are more $$ for them elsewhere. That's what it is all about today. You bought your way into the ACC. Schools will buy their way out of the ACC> From another article:

ACC would lose schools to SEC, Big Ten, and Big 12

If/when FSU leaves, the Seminoles and Clemson would likely be SEC-bound. UNC and UVA, which both have AAU accreditation, would join the Big Ten as basketball and academic fits. The Big 12 would likely try to poach Louisville, NC State, VA Tech, Pitt, and/or GA Tech.

SMU2006 · April 25

1 minute ago, wardly said:

The ACC contract appears to be iron clad. It's difficult to find a sympathetic judge when your case is basically that the contract you agreed to years ago was unfair. It appears to me that the ACC is here to stay until their present agreement runs out. I just don't think you add 3 programs if you plan to dissolve the conference as soon as possible but that's just me. In addition, besides being a UNT fan I enjoy college sports, and having the opportunity to see ACC teams play in Dallas and Big 12 in Ft. Worth works for me.

Finally. Someone here gets it.

The FSU/Clemson lawsuits are hilariously bad as proven out by a sitting judge in Tallahassee telling FSU to mediate with the ACC, in large part due to the fact that the grounds for the suit are beyond frivolous. FSU willingly entered into an agreement with the ACC/ESPN in 2014. They again, re-signed the deal with an extension through 2036 in 2017. Its tough to argue in contract law that you signed a deal twice and now you are suing b/c you don't like the outcome. its the equivalent of selling your house in 2008 during the financial crisis and then wanting to get all the accretive value increase in the subsequent years after selling. Its beyond stupid.

SMU2006 · April 25

1 minute ago, NT80 said:

I know you're in denial that any ACC school wouldn't want to stay with Smu in the conference, but there are more $$ for them elsewhere. That's what it is all about today. You bought your way into the ACC. Schools will buy their way out of the ACC> From another article:

ACC would lose schools to SEC, Big Ten, and Big 12

If/when FSU leaves, the Seminoles and Clemson would likely be SEC-bound. UNC and UVA, which both have AAU accreditation, would join the Big Ten as basketball and academic fits. The Big 12 would likely try to poach Louisville, NC State, VA Tech, Pitt, and/or GA Tech.

If you actually think that Louisville, NC State, VT, PITT, and GT are going to willingly commit financial seppuku to join an inferior Big 12 then there is no reasoning with you.

The ACC isn't going anywhere b/c (thankfully) the commissioner isn't a total idiot. Sorry champ but them's the breaks.

NT80 · April 25

3 minutes ago, SMU2006 said:

If you actually think that Louisville, NC State, VT, PITT, and GT are going to willingly commit financial seppuku to join an inferior Big 12 then there is no reasoning with you.

The ACC isn't going anywhere b/c (thankfully) the commissioner isn't a total idiot. Sorry champ but them's the breaks.

The Big 12 is a superior basketball conference to the ACC. I know you're hurt they don't want you back, but them's the breaks!

SMU2006 · April 25

1 minute ago, NT80 said:

The Big 12 is a superior basketball conference to the ACC. I know you're hurt they don't want you back, but them's the breaks!

Basketball matters about as much as a popcorn fart with respect to realignment. Also, last I checked the ACC has won 7 of the last 16 men's NCAA tournaments and had 3 teams in the Elite 8 last year. Truck Stop 12 had nada.

Cougar King · April 25

On 4/24/2024 at 10:22 AM, SMU2006 said:

Might be a year or two sooner but its going to cost them a FORTUNE. ACC will then use that war chest to raid the Big 12.

Just because SMU got blocked from joining the Big 12 doesn't mean that anybody wants to voluntarily join the ACC.

Cougar King · April 25

16 hours ago, SMU2006 said:

Yeah b/c Arizona, Colorado, and Utah are not already in a bizarrely configured Big 12 where they'll be roundtripping to such lovely destinations like Lubbock TX, Manhattan KS, Morgantown WV, Cincinnati OH, and Orlando FL.

If they wanted to join the ACC, they would have joined with Cal and Stanford.

We already tore the Pac 12 apart, the ACC is next.