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

CaneinBroward said:
If FSU and Clemson are able to negotiate a buyout from the ACC with ESPN's backing, you don't think Miami or NC or any other school with brand recognition, wouldn't get the same buyout offer? Would they sign onto a new GOR to tie themselves to the ACC for a new media agreement? I don't, but if they did, Rad and the admin need to be sued for dereliction of duty.
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Relax. Rad and the admin have everything under control to make strong decisions.

- JD Arteaga
 
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Rickd said:
Right now the ISSUES being clarified via access to the ESPN media agreement are:

-According TO the media agreement the termination date is 6/30/27 and the option to extend, as per that agreement
was "within two years of the launch date of ACCN" ... so the extension option expired in August 2021.

-The "amendment" that was signed by Phillips in an attempt to grant ESPN an extension on the option to 2/25 ... was
an amendment ... and ANY amendment to a media agreement requires 2/3rds approval. There is NO actionable extension option.

-The GOR states it is explicitly tied to the ESPN media agreement, and therefore the GOR expires on 6/30/27.

These FACTS apply to all ACC member programs and will apply to any program wanting to leave. The major issues at this time is conference and network driven. The conferences are limited in how many new teams they can add due to their current contract limitations, and that limits WHERE any teams exiting the ACC can go. The SEC is considering adding a 9th conference game ... that is undoubtedly tied TO the ACC losing members. At this point having a law suit vs the ACC isn't the big issue ... the big issue is the back channeling successes in landing a P2 home ... with network approval. Miami needs to get out of the ACC when FSU / Clemson make their move. If FSU ends up heading to the SEC Miami is in good shape with a shot at the B10. If FSU ends up in the B10 it gets more complicated. There is no GOR past 2027 and if ESPN offers a new deal to the "leftover" ACC teams, with a new GOR, Miami doesn't need to sign, if they have a landing spot.
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I need MORE energy here with the capitalization.
 
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Rickd said:
Right now the ISSUES being clarified via access to the ESPN media agreement are:

-According TO the media agreement the termination date is 6/30/27 and the option to extend, as per that agreement
was "within two years of the launch date of ACCN" ... so the extension option expired in August 2021.

-The "amendment" that was signed by Phillips in an attempt to grant ESPN an extension on the option to 2/25 ... was
an amendment ... and ANY amendment to a media agreement requires 2/3rds approval. There is NO actionable extension option.

-The GOR states it is explicitly tied to the ESPN media agreement, and therefore the GOR expires on 6/30/27.

These FACTS apply to all ACC member programs and will apply to any program wanting to leave. The major issues at this time is conference and network driven. The conferences are limited in how many new teams they can add due to their current contract limitations, and that limits WHERE any teams exiting the ACC can go. The SEC is considering adding a 9th conference game ... that is undoubtedly tied TO the ACC losing members. At this point having a law suit vs the ACC isn't the big issue ... the big issue is the back channeling successes in landing a P2 home ... with network approval. Miami needs to get out of the ACC when FSU / Clemson make their move. If FSU ends up heading to the SEC Miami is in good shape with a shot at the B10. If FSU ends up in the B10 it gets more complicated. There is no GOR past 2027 and if ESPN offers a new deal to the "leftover" ACC teams, with a new GOR, Miami doesn't need to sign, if they have a landing spot.
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I thought the B1G has already come out and said they would not take any school without an AAU accreditation…..
 
Rickd said:
Right now the ISSUES being clarified via access to the ESPN media agreement are:

-According TO the media agreement the termination date is 6/30/27 and the option to extend, as per that agreement
was "within two years of the launch date of ACCN" ... so the extension option expired in August 2021.

-The "amendment" that was signed by Phillips in an attempt to grant ESPN an extension on the option to 2/25 ... was
an amendment ... and ANY amendment to a media agreement requires 2/3rds approval. There is NO actionable extension option.

-The GOR states it is explicitly tied to the ESPN media agreement, and therefore the GOR expires on 6/30/27.

These FACTS apply to all ACC member programs and will apply to any program wanting to leave. The major issues at this time is conference and network driven. The conferences are limited in how many new teams they can add due to their current contract limitations, and that limits WHERE any teams exiting the ACC can go. The SEC is considering adding a 9th conference game ... that is undoubtedly tied TO the ACC losing members. At this point having a law suit vs the ACC isn't the big issue ... the big issue is the back channeling successes in landing a P2 home ... with network approval. Miami needs to get out of the ACC when FSU / Clemson make their move. If FSU ends up heading to the SEC Miami is in good shape with a shot at the B10. If FSU ends up in the B10 it gets more complicated. There is no GOR past 2027 and if ESPN offers a new deal to the "leftover" ACC teams, with a new GOR, Miami doesn't need to sign, if they have a landing spot.
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The biggest "FACT" you listed is an assumption awaiting resolution by the court. ESPN signed the amendment in good faith. We don't know if the court will rule the amendment is not actionable or not. Will the court decide ESPN has lost its option to continue the agreement due to the Phillips' signing without approval? Perhaps, and if so, will ESPN immediately terminate the existing agreement as of the date of that judgment?

I would if I was in their shoes and immediately renegotiate a new deal for pennies on the dollar with the ACC - both because FSU and Clemson will be gone at that point AND realizing the ACC is such a poorly run organization that its commissioner is signing deals he doesn't have authority to sign.
 
CaneinBroward said:
The biggest "FACT" you listed is an assumption awaiting resolution by the court. ESPN signed the amendment in good faith. We don't know if the court will rule the amendment is not actionable or not. Will the court decide ESPN has lost its option to continue the agreement due to the Phillips' signing without approval? Perhaps, and if so, will ESPN immediately terminate the existing agreement as of the date of that judgment?

I would if I was in their shoes and immediately renegotiate a new deal for pennies on the dollar with the ACC - both because FSU and Clemson will be gone at that point AND realizing the ACC is such a poorly run organization that its commissioner is signing deals he doesn't have authority to sign.
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How about "precedent" in ESPN media agreements? The 2016 agreement stated "This agreement shall not become effective and binding until it has been approved as specified by the ACC Constitution and bylaws". Why would AN AMENDMENT to that same agreement be treated any different? Seems logical that any judge would rule the SAME ACC Constitution and bylaws apply.
 
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Rickd said:
How about "precedent" in ESPN media agreements? The 2016 agreement stated "This agreement shall not become effective and binding until it has been approved as specified by the ACC Constitution and bylaws". Why would AN AMENDMENT to that same agreement be treated any different? Seems logical that any judge would rule the SAME ACC Constitution and bylaws apply.
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Again, to be determined by the court. It is in question.
 
CaneinBroward said:
Again, to be determined by the court. It is in question.
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Everybody understands a confirmation is needed ... but every day the case for FSU / Clemson (and all others wanting out) is made significantly clearer as clauses in the media agreement are made public. When the actual 2016 MEDIA AGREEMENT states "This agreement shall not become effective and binding until it has been approved as specified by the ACC constitution and bylaws"then it is not a stretch to speculate that any attempted AMENDMENT to that same agreement should be held to the same approval standard. Not approved = "not effective and binding" (media agreement wording).
 
423Hurricane said:

Interesting coming from Whittingham.
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Looming Written In The Stars GIF by Jackson
 
Rickd said:
Everybody understands a confirmation is needed ... but every day the case for FSU / Clemson (and all others wanting out) is made significantly clearer as clauses in the media agreement are made public. When the actual 2016 MEDIA AGREEMENT states "This agreement shall not become effective and binding until it has been approved as specified by the ACC constitution and bylaws"then it is not a stretch to speculate that any attempted AMENDMENT to that same agreement should be held to the same approval standard. Not approved = "not effective and binding" (media agreement wording).
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You had stated it was a fact. Just pointing out it was speculation on your part and requires confirmation by the court. Glad we agree.
 
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CaneinBroward said:
You had stated it was a fact. Just pointing out it was speculation on your part and requires confirmation by the court. Glad we agree.
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It isn't "speculation" by me ... it is a FACT that that IS the wording in the media agreement. It is going to be virtually impossible for any judge to rule that the approval process detailed IN the media agreement applies to the 2016 Media Agreement but does not apply to a FORMAL AMENDMENT of that agreement that is titled as an amendment, and is subject to the very same "ACC Constitution and Bylaws".
 
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It is inevitable that we will have a Premiere league of CFB consisting of 45 to 60 teams with majority of streaming and TV rights controlled by the individual teams...

There could be shared residual income among teams and their opponents based on their traditional or in-state rivalry draws etc..

Conferences and NCAA will be relegated to obscurity of non-revenue sports as should be.
 
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Felonious Monk said:
I'm starting to think maybe nothing happens this year.
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There is a lot "happening" but you might very well be spot on that nobody makes any announcement due to the fact that so much is happening (NCAA law suit ... schools financial obligations resulting from that; conference uncertainty regarding adding more games ... combined with expansion and how media agreements will be impacted) that no decisions will be made yet. Good for Miami that the conference might remain in tact at least through the 2025 season ... gives UM two seasons to potentially represent the ACC in the CFP before the next realignment action.
 
Rickd said:
There is a lot "happening" but you might very well be spot on that nobody makes any announcement due to the fact that so much is happening (NCAA law suit ... schools financial obligations resulting from that; conference uncertainty regarding adding more games ... combined with expansion and how media agreements will be impacted) that no decisions will be made yet. Good for Miami that the conference might remain in tact at least through the 2025 season ... gives UM two seasons to potentially represent the ACC in the CFP before the next realignment action.
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I was really hoping for pro wrestling style break up from FSU.
 
Felonious Monk said:
I was really hoping for pro wrestling style break up from FSU.
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I was hoping for the ACC to implode with Miami heading to the Big 10. The ACC has literally been managed with "0" focus on the member schools and it is fundamentally a division of the North Carolina State tourism board. The annual ACC conference economic impact on the Charlotte metro area ... estimated to be in excess of $400M annually ... is what the ACC is all about and the schools are simply the pawns necessary to make it happen.
 
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