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MEGA Conference Realignment and lawsuits Megathread: Stories, Tales, Lies, and Exaggerations

SCarolina Ibis said:
I wonder if ESPN actually intends to renew. I know "its cheaper, so why wouldn't they?" is the go to answer for a lot of people. But if they exercise that option, they'd be tanking the value of their own product. All the teams in the ACC would be at a significant competitive disadvantage for the next decade, hurting ratings in the process. The fallout would last much longer. The financial gap would likely bleed into other sports too. Like basketball programs of the golden children Duke and UNC.

So in the end.. wouldn't ESPN be hurting themselves by exercising the option? Especially now that its under a microscope. There'd be a lot of backlash.
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One major issue is the validity of the extension option. The OPTION to extend the media agreement that ends on June 30, 2027 expired on January 1, 2021. Phillips unilaterally granted ESPN a new option to extend ... without the required 2/3 member approval ... on August 1, 2021, a full 7 months AFTER the original option expired. Both Clemson and FSU are taking the position that the unapproved option is invalid, and since the GOR is SPECIFICALLY TIED TO THE ESPN MEDIA AGREEMENT, it also ends on June 30, 2027. Any action to extend would require a). A new member approval and b). A new GOR.

Both Clemson and FSU are taking the position that "worst case" we are out with no media buyback and a drastically reduced exit fee for the 2027 season. That would also apply to any other member that wishes to leave the ACC.
 
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Angry Ibis said:
Special thanks to Rick D’s Weekly Top 40 summaries
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Wannabe to the og

Saved By The Bell 90S GIF by PeacockTV
 
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Siap as not reading back hundreds of pages

Has anything brought up, what if B1G & SEC stay with what they have now?

Does that **** ACC & Big 12?
 
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Cajuncane said:
Yea these goalposts are like the ones that go from one side of the field to the other and back in those QB passing contest…😜
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The goalposts are officially on all terrain tires and fully inflated.

The ACC conference, which is essentially a tourism division of the State of North Carolina, is desperately trying to hold onto a). FSU / Clemson b). The ACC Conference c). The huge staff salaries that ACC staffers would not command anywhere else c). The projected $400-500 million per year economic impact on the Charlotte metro area. The actual economic welfare of the conference members isn't even a consideration.

Seems like FSU / Clemson expected the ACC to come to some sort of settlement but so far they won't even come to the table and are still holding out hope that ... somehow ... they can convince ESPN to provide additional revenue to the conference and agree to extend the media agreement that ends on 6/30/27. Looks like neither school is going to risk "announcing" until a judge rules that their interpretation of the ESPN media agreement is correct (that being that when any school leaves the ACC they take THEIR FUTURE media rights with them). Absent a ruling in the near future it is likely that the critical date is Feb. 2, 2025 ... when the "option to extend" that was illegally granted to ESPN by Phillips expires.

FSU / ESPN are looking at what they believe as the "worst case scenario" being ... the media agreement (and hence the GOR that exists solely to support the ESPN agreement) both end on 6/30/27, so the commitment to play in the ACC runs 3 more seasons ...then everybody can leave with no Media Buyback pressure ... just pay a REDUCED exit fee.
 
I’m starting to believe the rumors of the Big 12 offering to help buy out FSU and Clemson but not ask them to sign an extended GOR. Miami Flo had mentioned this as a real option for Miami well before the national media reported it as an option for FSU and Clemson.
 
SEC commissioner after the "OU/UT to the SEC" announcement in July 2022 regarding further expansion:

“We’re attentive, we’re engaged in conversation," Greg Sankey said. "The great news for the Southeastern Conference is people call and say, 'Hey you’re doing something special.' They kind of hint around the edges. We’ll watch what happens around us. And be thoughtful, but be nimble.”

SEC commissioner in July 2024 regarding further expansion:

"I'm not a recruiter. My job is to make sure we meet the standard of excellence that we have for ourselves on a daily basis," Sankey said. "That attracts interest. It's done that with the two universities that we have added this year. They're not the only phone calls I've ever had, but I'm not involved in recruitment.

"Our presidents have been clear that I am not going to entangle us in litigation around expansion. So I pay attention, but I'm not engaged in those conversations. The broader implications, obviously if things change, then there's a new level of uncertainty.

Asked later in his news conference whether tomorrow means staying at 16 for the long term, Sankey said, "Our focus is on our 16 members. I have a responsibility to pay attention, and I'm certainly not going to fuel speculation on what happens next. We can certainly remain at 16 for a long, long time and be incredibly successful."

Do those comments in bold sound like anything other than someone keeping his hands clean while waiting for the all-clear sign to make a move?
 
hoops156 said:
do you see how much ND makes in the NBC deal? no network would give us that bc we dont draw what nD does nationally
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We DONT have to make ND money. We just have to make MORE MONEY than ACC money and blow UP this conference. Clearly B1G and SEC aren’t ready for expansion AGAIN, so why not think of our OTHER options.
 
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