When ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips kicks off the ACC Football event on Monday in Charlotte, North Carolina, he will not only be celebrating the inclusion of the California Golden Bears, SMU Mustangs, and Stanford Cardinal but also the expected retention of two key conference members.
Recently, Phillips has been dealing with lawsuits from the Florida State Seminoles and Clemson Tigers and public criticisms from Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yorkman, who expressed interest in expanding the Big 12’s membership.
The lawsuits from Florida State and Clemson challenge the ACC’s Grant of Rights agreement, which the schools believe should not prevent them from leaving the ACC without penalties, despite their 2013 commitment.
The Grant of Rights agreement allows the conference to broadcast all member schools’ home games for the duration of the media rights deal, which for the ACC, binds them until the ESPN deal expires in 2036. However, the current TV contract with ESPN includes an option in 2027 to extend the deal to 2036, which must be exercised by February 2025.
Sources indicate that Florida State and Clemson are not expected to announce their departure by the August 15 deadline after the upcoming year, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
With this development, the ACC is set to have all 17 football programs competing in the upcoming athletic season. While the current situation seems stable, the ever-changing landscape of college sports could bring future challenges.
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