FSU’s board has called a special meeting, presumably to talk about their unhappiness over being shafted by the playoffs committee, and more general grumbling about the ACC’s payout model.
This ESPN article suggests that there could be other ACC teams willing to vote to change the media rights grant that is probably the only thing holding the ACC together at this point.
The FSU Board voted unanimously to file suit against the ACC challenging the media rights grant and exit fee, a first step toward a possible exit from the conference.
It’ll be interesting to see if any other schools in the ACC (Clemson, Duke) express support for the lawsuit or just quietly wait for it to be resolved.
Jim Phillip’s job just got that much tougher.
Somewhat related, the Washington Supreme Court chose not to get involved in the lawsuit against the Pac-12, so the teams that are leaving have settled with Oregon State and Washington State, putting them in control of conference assets. The logical next step is to merge with another conference, most likely the Mountain West.
Whether that would still be considered a Power-5 conference is an interesting side issue, but maybe the 12 team playoff model resolves that. (I still think the 4 teams that get a bye will have a major advantage, and I predict that within a few years they’ll expand to a 16 team field.)
Usually making changes requires adjusting, rewriting, or nullifying the contract.
If you signed a contracted to build a 3 bedroom house and then wanted a 4th bedroom the builder wouldn’t just say “ok”. In reverse if the builder decided to remove a bedroom you wouldn’t say “ok”.
Adding 3 teams changes the terms of the contract. Not only does the network have to agree, but the conference and the teams in the conference. Florida State could’ve been dumb enough to sign away authority to the conference office, but that is on them.
I think all B1G decisions have been unanimous for that specific reason as one school can’t come back later and say “I never agreed to this”.
A question, would we have made the 4 team playoff in 1995 given the fact we lost our best player Fitz and our all-conference kicker? We were a defensive team and those field goals were VERY important – see Rose Bowl. I think FSU got screwed and I don’t like them as I think Bowden was a crook – long grudge.
Btw I can’t stand the Cowboys now as I liked Landry and Danny White(punter - quarterback) and replacing Landry was unacceptable.
My brother-in-law has barely forgiven Favre so I’m not alone holding grudges. Some people still hold it against Barnett, but I do not.
https://www.sfgate.com/collegesports/article/florida-state-stanford-cal-acc-lawsuit-18570971.php
FSU appears to be using the 3 teams addition as an argument for dissolution of the contract.
and separately NU shows up in NR again
(behind a paywall if you’ve already used your free reads)
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/northwestern-universitys-gaslighting-on-antisemitism/
https://www.on3.com/news/sec-big-ten-add-florida-state-chess-clemson-acc-leave-schools/
Also SEC and B1G circling like vultures