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

[Cane6]

Although not super definitive, this is the best article I’ve found to bring context to the matter. It is not team specific and obviously leaves out the component that espn owns SECN and ACCN.

Staples: How would a school challenge a grant of rights? We asked a lawyer

There are four ways to challenge such a deal. Most of them involve a lot of money and patience.

theathletic.com

 

[brcane1]

What is the ACC’s ‘Grant of Rights’ and Why Does It Matter?

The ACC’s Grant of Rights (GOR) appears to be the only thing holding the conference together as the SEC and Big Ten look to poach its most valuable members.

swimswam.com

However, the GOR did not happen in a vacuum among just the ACC schools. The description of the original GOR agreement from 2013 notes that the contract is a condition of ESPN’s TV deal with the ACC. Schools looking to abandon the ACC could argue that the GOR is invalid if the TV deal no longer exists.

That could explain why ESPN might be trying to get out of a TV deal with the ACC that seems favorable on the surface. The Ringer’s Kevin Clark called it “one of the most network-favorable deals on the planet,” paying out about $36 million to its members last year compared to the $54 million that SEC schools earned or the $46 million given to each Big Ten member. It won’t be long before SEC and Big Ten schools are bringing home more than $100 million annually. Nevertheless, the profit margins from SEC expansion just might outweigh the cost of leaving behind the ACC Network. Plus ESPN has to think about protecting its most valuable assets from potential poaching by FOX and the Big Ten.

ESPN could be attempting to end its TV deal with the ACC, or maybe it just wants more bargaining leverage to negotiate the release of its preferred targets. Either way, ESPN and FOX are playing 3D chess while everyone else is stuck playing checkers.

 

[Cane Tankerous]

What is the ACC’s ‘Grant of Rights’ and Why Does It Matter?

The ACC’s Grant of Rights (GOR) appears to be the only thing holding the conference together as the SEC and Big Ten look to poach its most valuable members.

swimswam.com

an fsu buddy (a realistic one--- they do exist) sent me this...

hilarious that the writer imagined the one the SEC would want other than Clumsy is that clown college

 

[Cryptical Envelopment]

It's really too bad college football has come to this point and how selfish each program has become as they promote themselves as "non-profit" institutes. Imagine if instead of each conference negotiating its own TV deal, they negotiated a TV deal together. Like the Big10 and PAC 12 negotiating one TV deal for its members, the TV networks would get NYC, DC markets, the midwest, and the west coast (including LA, the Bay Area, and Seattle), plus Phoenix.

Yes, individual schools may not get the $100 million a year they are discussing now, but it would be close. It would also give stability to the conferences and keep traditions alive that are being threatened now. The ACC, SEC, and Big 12 could do something similar.

****, if the Power 5 all worked together, they could negotiate multiple TV deals that all members could partake in, like the NFL has done. It's not pure capitalism, but these are supposedly non-profits. When greed starts to take away from the traditions, competition, and history that all make college football arguably the best sport in the country, it just sucks.

And f ND, they put the ball in motion over 30 years ago when they went out and got their own deal. Make them join a conference or get their own deal which will be miniscule in comparison to the deals the conferences could negotiate together.

Why would the more valuable schools and conferences (B1G/SEC) ever want to pool with the less valuable schools and conferences?

The money these non-profit schools make go back into education, women's sports, capital projects, scholarships, and other things that help a university provide for its students. Of course they are going to want to maximize revenue, especially when the networks are making billions broadcasting the games.

"Non-profit" does not equal charity or communism. You say that the individual schools would make "close to $100M" each. But you're just making it up and being wishful. That's just not true.

And let me say, I wish what you wrote was correct.

 

[DamnLiesAndStatistics]

What is the ACC’s ‘Grant of Rights’ and Why Does It Matter?

The ACC’s Grant of Rights (GOR) appears to be the only thing holding the conference together as the SEC and Big Ten look to poach its most valuable members.

swimswam.com

That's what I don't get. The idea that ESPN would kill its own extremely favorable ACC deal to increase the value of the SEC deal by helping the SEC poach teams.

Maybe they plan to increase overall profitability by removing all the football juice from the ACC then killing the ACCN and cutting those costs, but my gut would normally say if you pay $30 for something that returns much more, don't touch it.

So any ESPN backroom involvement must be driven by economies of scale or a need to fight FOX/B1G

 

[Baba Yaga]

an fsu buddy (a realistic one--- they do exist) sent me this...

hilarious that the writer imagined the one the SEC would want other than Clumsy is that clown college





View attachment 196676View attachment 196678

 

[Cane6]

That's what I don't get. The idea that ESPN would kill its own extremely favorable ACC deal to increase the value of the SEC deal by helping the SEC poach teams.

Maybe they plan to increase overall profitability by removing all the football juice from the ACC then killing the ACCN and cutting those costs, but my gut would normally say if you pay $30 for something that returns much more, don't touch it.

So any ESPN backroom involvement must be driven by economies of scale or a need to fight FOX/B1G

If espn does nothing it risks Miami and Clemson going to bigten. That would be a kick to both nuts for espn

 

[brcane1]

 

[ArchersFury]

These fake itk’s are hilarious NCST over UNC? Not a chance

 

[305_separatist]

an fsu buddy (a realistic one--- they do exist) sent me this...

hilarious that the writer imagined the one the SEC would want other than Clumsy is that clown college





View attachment 196676View attachment 196678

Yes the SEC is desperate to get FSU first along with Clemson LOL

 

[Ispyin]

Although not super definitive, this is the best article I’ve found to bring context to the matter. It is not team specific and obviously leaves out the component that espn owns BTN and ACCN.

Staples: How would a school challenge a grant of rights? We asked a lawyer

There are four ways to challenge such a deal. Most of them involve a lot of money and patience.

theathletic.com

Espn does not own the Big Ten Network- fox does (51% - the remainder the conference owns). Espn owns SEC and ACC

 

[Cryptical Envelopment]

These fake itk’s are hilarious NCST over UNC? Not a chance

Agree its fake but if UNC decided to go to the B1G then it would line up. But yeah, fake. Cause everything is fake right now.

 

[Cane6]

Espn does not own the Big Ten Network- fox does (51% - the remainder the conference owns). Espn owns SEC and ACC

Typo on my part. Corrected it

 

[Negro-Wan Kanobi]

I'm pretty sure this thread title needs to be changed to "Some conferences to watch before it's deleted".

This is funny asf

 

[Ispyin]

This is funny asf

its the insiders inside

 

[Squid Bumciorek]

These fake itk’s are hilarious NCST over UNC? Not a chance

It's possible UNC might have decided on B1G already and SEC knows. 1000% chance B1G would extend an invite to UNC if they wanted in. I think it's an AAU school (if not, it almost certainly would qualify). Its actually a good match. If the money is basically the same, why wouldn't UNC opt for the B1G?

 

[Negro-Wan Kanobi]

Well the way contracts work is if you want to get out of it, you are going to have to pay this thing called a buyout. Idk if you have heard of it or not. Well it’s a 500 million buyout according to 247

You been here before

@RVACane
@JD08

 

[Canes2082]

It's possible UNC might have decided on B1G already and SEC knows. 1000% chance B1G would extend an invite to UNC if they wanted in. I think it's an AAU school (if not, it almost certainly would qualify). Its actually a good match. If the money is basically the same, why wouldn't UNC opt for the B1G?

Amazing to think any of the Carolina teams would leave Tobacco Road where they’re protected for the unknown. Guess $$$ matters

 

[Squid Bumciorek]

Well the way contracts work is if you want to get out of it, you are going to have to pay this thing called a buyout. Idk if you have heard of it or not. Well it’s a 500 million buyout according to 247

For sake of argument, let's say

Miami sec
FSU sec
Clemson sec
NC St sec
UNC B1G

I believe you only need 8 votes to terminate the GOR. If the above is where things stand now, that means they only need 3 more schools to get a P2 conference invite. I don't know if ND gets a vote, if they do they'd vote in favor. So then that would mean just two more schools need invites. Maybe Duke and UVA to B1G, and it's over for the acc.

 

[kryptonite]

100 percent true.

She still sucks though and looks like Chewbacca

Other than the height difference, this is accurate.