FSU vs The ACC

[HtownOrange]

If I'm the ACC, and it seems like momentum is swinging FSU's way in favor of breaking the GOR, if I'm the ACC, I go scorched earth an implead ESPN as a third party defendant. ESPN has already screwed the ACC, and actively continues to undermine the league.

The ACC does not need to do so, FSU will need to do so. ESPN holds FSU's TV rights. As FSU wants to join the SEC, FSU has to walk a fine line (Hint: It's a nearly impossible fine line to walk) so as not to offend ESPN.

 

[HtownOrange]

Whereas I'm convinced a settlement will be the final result, the ACC really needs to play hardball here. No quick settlements. There's no need to. That's why the original preemptive filing and this current filing were the smart plays. Lay the groundwork for settling, but on the league's terms, not FSU's.

FSU.

I respect your opinion but FSU has no money to pay the withdrawal fee let alone buy back their TV rights. Without money, FSU has no bargaining point to negotiate a settlement.

 

[HtownOrange]

It's irrational for the ACC not to keep an open mind on settlement since the GOR issue is existential for the league. Any deal would have to acknowledge the validity of the GOR and be for a very big $$ number, sufficient to dissuade any further challenges.
Letting FSU buy their way out for say $1B would be a "settlement " since the league documents don't allow for any buyout at all.

If the ACC negotiates a settlement now, the GOR is effectively destroyed. Further, FSU has basically placed themselves under the sword of Damocles, anything they do is going to kill them. If the GOR holds, FSU is stuck. If they get a deal, the GOR is worthless and everyone's GOR is worthless, there is no SEC or B1G to go to as their GOR is useless. FSU has attempted to go scorched earth while lacking a lighter, match, or a flint to start the fire.

Assume FSU gets out of the ACC. The flood gate will open and the ACC as we know it is no more.

FSU has no resources, negotiating a settlement is useless. Further, unless it benefits the ACC, there should be no settlement, even in 2033 or 2034. OU and UT only struck a deal when it was advantageous to the Big12 to allow OU and UT to leave early.

 

[HtownOrange]

Love this!

ACC filing accuses FSU of breach of contract

The ACC accused Florida State of breaking promises when the Seminoles legally challenged an agreement that binds the school to the league for the next dozen years.

www.espn.com

FSU's leadership on the ACC board will be a big issue for FSU to overcome. As will their agreement to maintain confidentiality.

FSU is making the mountain they must climb much higher and steeper.

With litigation expected to take years, don't be surprised if the ACC moves to hold back FSU's annual payouts against future damages and any possible settlement. For a school that cannot afford the withdrawal fee and TV rights buy back, this will hard doubly hard. Not to mention the lawsuits will cost FSU dearly, again, for a school without a lot of financial resources.

 

[SURules]

FSU's leadership on the ACC board will be a big issue for FSU to overcome. As will their agreement to maintain confidentiality.

FSU is making the mountain they must climb much higher and steeper.

With litigation expected to take years, don't be surprised if the ACC moves to hold back FSU's annual payouts against future damages and any possible settlement. For a school that cannot afford the withdrawal fee and TV rights buy back, this will hard doubly hard. Not to mention the lawsuits will cost FSU dearly, again, for a school without a lot of financial resources.

I’m not sure FSU has the intelectual knowledge to understand the storm they created and is about to come down on them. They created this massive mess and they will feel what will seem like the wrath of god coming down on them from everyone including ESPN/ABC as well as Fox etc. as they don’t want to happen to their contracts what FSU is trying to do. FSU is a dead man walking right now.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

FSU's leadership on the ACC board will be a big issue for FSU to overcome. As will their agreement to maintain confidentiality.

FSU is making the mountain they must climb much higher and steeper.

With litigation expected to take years, don't be surprised if the ACC moves to hold back FSU's annual payouts against future damages and any possible settlement. For a school that cannot afford the withdrawal fee and TV rights buy back, this will hard doubly hard. Not to mention the lawsuits will cost FSU dearly, again, for a school without a lot of financial resources.

The ACC should keep any FSU payouts into a separate account until this is settled. Don't give them a dime. If the ACC wins, they keep the money. If FSU wins, the money is released.

 

[SURules]

The ACC should keep any FSU payouts into a separate account until this is settled. Don't give them a dime. If the ACC wins, they keep the money. If FSU wins, the money is released.

I’m sure they are planning on this based upon the last filing. FSU is not a trust worthy partner now so what makes anyone believe that they would actually pay out $$ over time after the fact?

I predict pain for FSU shortly. Massive pain as they will be stuck in a conference where everyone hates them, they get limited to no monitory payments for the foreseeable future from the ACC, are not involved in any conference decisions as they will have no voting power, pulled from any leadership committees, and are stuck in purgatory for an extended period of time with no (or very limited) conference / tv $$ coming in. All in an attempt to get out of the ACC to try and jump to the P2 with no landing spot. SEC doesn’t want them and many B1G University Presidents have to be seriously questioning their inclusion right now.

FSU went all “scorched earth“ as someone said above which is very accurate without any foresight, leverage, position of strength, and very limited resources to back up their actions/behaviors. FSU better hope that the State of Florida comes to their rescue to bail them out financially as this could be a billion dollar plus error on their part including legal fees that they have to pay.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

I’m sure they are planning on this based upon the last filing. FSU is not a trust worthy partner now so what makes anyone believe that they would actually pay out $$ over time after the fact?

I predict pain for FSU shortly. Massive pain as they will be stuck in a conference where everyone hates them, they get limited to no monitory payments for the foreseeable future from the ACC, are not involved in any conference decisions as they will have no voting power, pulled from any leadership committees, and are stuck in purgatory for an extended period of time with no (or very limited) conference / tv $$ coming in. All in an attempt to get out of the ACC to try and jump to the P2 with no landing spot. SEC doesn’t want them and many B1G University Presidents have to be seriously questioning their inclusion right now.

FSU went all “scorched earth“ as someone said above which is very accurate without any foresight, leverage, position of strength, and very limited resources to back up their actions/behaviors. FSU better hope that the State of Florida comes to their rescue to bail them out financially as this could be a billion dollar plus error on their part including legal fees that they have to pay.

I just don't see a landing spot for them. There is no way the ACC/ESPN will settle for a small amount only to see FSU go to the B1G. I could see a reasonable settlement if FSU went to the SEC, but I don't see why the SEC or ESPN would even want them. I think best case for FSU they get out for a exit fee of 2 years instead of 3 years and then get no TV money for the next 10 years in the B1G. Which means they get AAC type payouts the next 12 years. How does that make sense?

 

[SURules]

I just don't see a landing spot for them. There is no way the ACC/ESPN will settle for a small amount only to see FSU go to the B1G. I could see a reasonable settlement if FSU went to the SEC, but I don't see why the SEC or ESPN would even want them. I think best case for FSU they get out for a exit fee of 2 years instead of 3 years and then get no TV money for the next 10 years in the B1G. Which means they get AAC type payouts the next 12 years. How does that make sense?

It doesn’t make any logical sense but then this is FSU.

 

[IthacaMatt]

How are they undermining the league, and why? They own half of the ACCN. That makes no financial sense.

They twice delayed the launch of the ACC Network, while other conferences had theirs up and running, making money. Then, after the 2 delays (I forget how many years), they exercised an option to extend the contract by 9 years, from 2026 to 2035, I believe, without any increase in revenue from the TV side. They didn't do this to the SEC or the Big 12.

 

[orange79]

I respect your opinion but FSU has no money to pay the withdrawal fee let alone buy back their TV rights. Without money, FSU has no bargaining point to negotiate a settlement.

That's kind of what I was saying. They have backed themselves into a corner, and if they can't break the GOR (their only hope at this point), they will need to settle or shut up.

I still think there will be some sort of settlement at some point.

 

[Cusefan0307]

What momentum?

The same momentum the experts here were posting about 5 years ago

 

[FrancoPizza]

If NY is stupid enough to give the bills $600M then I can see DeSantis paying their buyout… simply because it would make zero sense.

 

[TheCusian]

They twice delayed the launch of the ACC Network, while other conferences had theirs up and running, making money. Then, after the 2 delays (I forget how many years), they exercised an option to extend the contract by 9 years, from 2026 to 2035, I believe, without any increase in revenue from the TV side. They didn't do this to the SEC or the Big 12.

Big 12 doesn’t have a network

 

[kcsu]

I’m sure they are planning on this based upon the last filing. FSU is not a trust worthy partner now so what makes anyone believe that they would actually pay out $$ over time after the fact?

I predict pain for FSU shortly. Massive pain as they will be stuck in a conference where everyone hates them, they get limited to no monitory payments for the foreseeable future from the ACC, are not involved in any conference decisions as they will have no voting power, pulled from any leadership committees, and are stuck in purgatory for an extended period of time with no (or very limited) conference / tv $$ coming in. All in an attempt to get out of the ACC to try and jump to the P2 with no landing spot. SEC doesn’t want them and many B1G University Presidents have to be seriously questioning their inclusion right now.

FSU went all “scorched earth“ as someone said above which is very accurate without any foresight, leverage, position of strength, and very limited resources to back up their actions/behaviors. FSU better hope that the State of Florida comes to their rescue to bail them out financially as this could be a billion dollar plus error on their part including legal fees that they have to pay.

This is what happens when your boosters control too much including the BOT.
Old saying. " don't ask for what you might get"

 

[kcsu]

They twice delayed the launch of the ACC Network, while other conferences had theirs up and running, making money. Then, after the 2 delays (I forget how many years), they exercised an option to extend the contract by 9 years, from 2026 to 2035, I believe, without any increase in revenue from the TV side. They didn't do this to the SEC or the Big 12.

Everything done was agreed to by all parties. Everything was mutual.
No one party did anything outside of the agreement to the other until FSU decided to file a frivolous lawsuit to appease their bat Sh crazy boosters.
Fact.

 

[Toga]

This is what happens when your boosters control too much including the BOT.
Old saying. " don't ask for what you might get"

Dog catches car.

 

[Hoo's That]

Love this!

ACC filing accuses FSU of breach of contract

The ACC accused Florida State of breaking promises when the Seminoles legally challenged an agreement that binds the school to the league for the next dozen years.

www.espn.com

You know that TV money check you thought you were getting FSU? You had better think again.

 

[Hoo's That]

If the ACC negotiates a settlement now, the GOR is effectively destroyed. Further, FSU has basically placed themselves under the sword of Damocles, anything they do is going to kill them. If the GOR holds, FSU is stuck. If they get a deal, the GOR is worthless and everyone's GOR is worthless, there is no SEC or B1G to go to as their GOR is useless. FSU has attempted to go scorched earth while lacking a lighter, match, or a flint to start the fire.

Assume FSU gets out of the ACC. The flood gate will open and the ACC as we know it is no more.

FSU has no resources, negotiating a settlement is useless. Further, unless it benefits the ACC, there should be no settlement, even in 2033 or 2034. OU and UT only struck a deal when it was advantageous to the Big12 to allow OU and UT to leave early.

"Everybody" says, "Why would you leave the B1G or the SEC because of the big money they get?" The answer - "For even bigger money of a conference composed of just the football bluebloods."

If GoRs are killed by FSU's suit, the conference realignments of the past will be viewed as nothing when compared to the realignment that will take place. I can easily envision Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Oregon, Washington, USC, and UCLA leaving the B1G. Bama, Georgia, Florida, Auburn, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, and LSU leaving the SEC. Throw in ND because this will become the "Real National Championship", as the CFP gets shoved aside, and you've got one hellUVa conference for ESPN and Fox to show.

These are just examples of the schools that could leave for a super conference. Please don't turn this post into a discussion of schedules, matchups, and things like that.

 

[sutomcat]

"Everybody" says, "Why would you leave the B1G or the SEC because of the big money they get?" The answer - "For even bigger money of a conference composed of just the football bluebloods."

If GoRs are killed by FSU's suit, the conference realignments of the past will be viewed as nothing when compared to the realignment that will take place. I can easily envision Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Oregon, Washington, USC, and UCLA leaving the B1G. Bama, Georgia, Florida, Auburn, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, and LSU leaving the SEC. Throw in ND because this will become the "Real National Championship", as the CFP gets shoved aside, and you've got one hellUVa conference for ESPN and Fox to show.

These are just examples of the schools that could leave for a super conference. Please don't turn this post into t=a discussion of schedules, matchups, and things like that.

Do you always type the word helluva like that?

 

[Hoo's That]

Do you always type the word helluva like that?

In the 80s we had t-shirts that said "ONE HECKUVA SCHOOL"

 

[0.2 YNdeeR]

Do you always type the word helluva like that?

He has an intelligence background. This is his (subliminal) way of sneaking in "UVa".

 

[HtownOrange]

The ACC should keep any FSU payouts into a separate account until this is settled. Don't give them a dime. If the ACC wins, they keep the money. If FSU wins, the money is released.

My Guess is that is where the ACC is leading. If FSU cooler heads read into this and look at several years of litigation, they may decide to drop the lawsuit. Especially with as weak as FSU's claims are.

We will see.

 

[OrangePA]

FSU's leadership on the ACC board will be a big issue for FSU to overcome. As will their agreement to maintain confidentiality.

FSU is making the mountain they must climb much higher and steeper.

With litigation expected to take years, don't be surprised if the ACC moves to hold back FSU's annual payouts against future damages and any possible settlement. For a school that cannot afford the withdrawal fee and TV rights buy back, this will hard doubly hard. Not to mention the lawsuits will cost FSU dearly, again, for a school without a lot of financial resources.

Will FSU capitulate?

 

[Cusefan69]

My Guess is that is where the ACC is leading. If FSU cooler heads read into this and look at several years of litigation, they may decide to drop the lawsuit. Especially with as weak as FSU's claims are.

We will see.

ACC should still remove FSU from leadership positions if the above occurs. Saying sorry sometimes isn't enough. We can't have them impairing future decisions that would be of an over all benefit to the conference.