The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has initiated legal action against Florida State University (FSU) over a dispute concerning the terms of their agreement, which the ACC claims FSU has breached, threatening the ACC with "imminent and unavoidable injury." This legal battle, taking place in North Carolina, has led to a situation where the ACC's attorneys, having prepared for a year, are pushing for a settlement as the "only viable outcome" unless FSU retracts. The lawsuit has prompted discussions around the sealing of details from the ACC-ESPN contracts, with a judge agreeing to seal most details but siding with FSU on specific redactions. Furthermore, the complexity of the case has been likened to a football game requiring an injury timeout by a Tallahassee judge. A significant point of contention is the exit fee FSU must pay to leave the ACC, with discussions revealing that after paying an exit fee estimated between $130 million and $140 million, FSU would still need to negotiate the price for media rights separately. The ACC's argument includes a need for "one set of state laws to govern the whole conference" to avoid different interpretations for members like Clemson or FSU. Additionally, the "minutes of the ACC's special Jan. 12 meeting" that filed the amended suit against FSU have been a focal point of the hearing.
There's been plenty of talk in this FSU v ACC hearing on the minutes of the ACC's special Jan. 12 meeting that filed the amended suit against the Noles. Speaking of which... https://t.co/YrgD15yDo1
The ACC's argument now is, in part, that one set of state laws needs to govern the whole conference so things aren't interpreted differently for Clemson or FSU or someone else. https://t.co/YrgD15yDo1
Of note in the last hour: Judge Cooper asks about what #FSU needs to pay to leave the ACC. Cooper: After FSU pays 130/140 MM exit fee, "you (ACC) keep the media rights. But if they wanted to buy the media rights, then you'd have to negotiate that price?" ACC Lawyer: "Or, we…
Tallahassee judge in FSU v ACC: "This is like a football game, where we have to take an injury timeout.” https://t.co/YrgD15yDo1
In the ACC's suit vs. FSU in North Carolina, the judge largely agreed to seal details from the ACC-ESPN contracts. But he agreed with FSU on a few of the specific redactions. Thus concludes your Friday update (I hope).
“The parties did not simply race to the courthouse to resolve their dispute over the agreements’ terms. To the contrary, the ACC sued because the FSU Board’s alleged breach … was a practical certainty that threatened the ACC with imminent and unavoidable injury.” https://t.co/M1DW78StMm
The ACC's attorneys have been preparing for this for a year. They are ready for anything. Settlement is the only outcome, unless the schools back down. https://t.co/YbH29yHbkW