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Florida State sues to get out of ACC, marking beginning of end of ACC conference

Nobody in this thread knows enough about contract law or the terms of the contract to know FSUs chances to win/settle this lawsuit. I’ve practiced law for 20 years and zi have no idea. There will be factors involved none of us has a clue about.
 
16 is not where this stops. Not sure what the number is. Big 10 is at 18 and will certainly be looking to add more. I don’t think the SEC will have panic additions, although I feel like Missouri was that a bit, even if I thought they were a good addition. UNC and VA Tech seem like the obvious additions. Will the SEC fall behind if they aren’t willing to move outside of the regional footprint or add schools that may be in the same market as ones already there? Duke doesn’t make any sense. But beyond UNC and VA Tech, the additions that make the most sense are Notre Dame, Arizona, and as bad as I hate to say it, maybe Kansas. All assuming Clemson and FSU are off the table.
YES THIS. The SEC will have to move outside the south eventually.
 
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I think FSU is making a big mistake. Let's say they somehow win this suit. I don't think the SEC is interested. But, I couldn't imagine they would be doing this if they don't have a gentlemans agreement.
 
the movement of schools like Virginia Tech or FSU to the SEC will make it more difficult for the football program. it already has. For the next two years six of the twelve will be the six highest ranked conference champs and one selection from Group of five. Notre Dame remains independen. I’ll bet that the SEC receives no more than two slots due to beating each other up. There was no undefeated team this year and will get more difficult if we keep bringing in football powers. Not only does it make it more difficult for SEC teams but makes it easier for the others. The powers that be have been looking for reasons to diminish the SEC.

Bs. 3 minimum every season.

This year it would have been 4.
 
Nothing illegal about breaking a contract. You just have to pay damages if it is found to be legally enforceable.
 
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I think the SEC and the Big 10 eventually go to 24 or 28 teams each. Then you have 48 or 56 teams in big boy football. Everyone else gets left behind. I do wonder if Vandy or Rutgers, maybe others get kicked out?
 
I think the SEC and the Big 10 eventually go to 24 or 28 teams each. Then you have 48 or 56 teams in big boy football. Everyone else gets left behind. I do wonder if Vandy or Rutgers, maybe others get kicked out?
Why would Rutgers get kicked out when they were just picked up?
 
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YES THIS. The SEC will have to move outside the south eventually.
The SEC has avoided “expansion just for expansion’s sake” so to speak. They have only added teams that truly add something to the conference. They have added arguably two of the top 10 all-time great football programs with their last move. Everyone else is playing catch up while the SEC is cherry picking their additions.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the SEC just stands pat until the right fits come along.

The SEC won’t panic and add crappy programs just to get to a certain number of members. The teams the SEC add have to really add something. Right now those programs are few and far between.
 
The SEC has avoided “expansion just for expansion’s sake” so to speak. They have only added teams that truly add something to the conference. They have added arguably two of the top 10 all-time great football programs with their last move. Everyone else is playing catch up while the SEC is cherry picking their additions.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the SEC just stands pat until the right fits come along.

The SEC won’t panic and add crappy programs just to get to a certain number of members. The teams the SEC add have to really add something. Right now those programs are few and far between.
TV and payments will ultimately decide what the SEC does. Don’t let anything else fool you. If the BIG teams start raking in more money, the SEC admins will demand something is done.
 
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FSU isn't disputing they signed the deal. Their Hail Mary is that the ACC has mismanaged their duties since the schools signed the media rights over. To the tune of approx. $30M less per school than SEC & B1G schools are getting. And that gap is getting bigger every year.

I guess a lawyer would have to tell us, if you can prove poor performance or even malfeasance, can you void a contract? Or just get better terms out?

Of course, the ACC is in the same boat as the PAC was. First chair or two empty, and the rest of the room clears quick.

If the ACC folds, maybe a few of these bigger private schools wanna strap their dinghies together. ND, Duke, UVA, Stanford, SMU, WF, Cal., etc. They could maybe save themselves and let ND keep most of their own money somehow. I dunno. Its late, or its the brown water.
 
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FSU isn't disputing they signed the deal. Their Hail Mary is that the ACC has mismanaged their duties since the schools signed the media rights over. To the tune of approx. $30M less per school than SEC & B1G schools are getting. And that gap is getting bigger every year.

I guess a lawyer would have to tell us, if you can prove poor performance or even malfeasance, can you void a contract? Or just get better terms out?

Of course, the ACC is in the same boat as the PAC was. First chair or two empty, and the rest of the room clears quick.

If the ACC folds, maybe a few of these bigger private schools wanna strap their dinghies together. ND, Duke, UVA, Stanford, SMU, WF, Cal., etc. They could maybe save themselves and let ND keep most of their own money somehow. I dunno. Its late, or its the brown water.
Add Vanderbilt, Northwestern and one more and you would have a pretty nice 10 team league.
 
TV and payments will ultimately decide what the SEC does. Don’t let anything else fool you. If the BIG teams start raking in more money, the SEC admins will demand something is done.
The SEC isn’t just adding teams because the Big 10 is. That is my point. Every team the SEC adds must be a “plus” to the conference. They aren’t trying to keep up with the Big 10 numerically. The SEC won’t feel pressured to get to 20 or 24 teams just because the Big 10 has more teams. The Big 10 can have more money and the SEC won’t care, as long as each schools individual share doesn’t start lagging behind. Divide X amount of dollars by 20 or 24, or divide it by 16. Doesn’t matter if the pie is bigger, what matters is the size of my slice. 1/16th is a bigger slice than 1/20th. The Big 10 pie needs to be much bigger to make that 1/20th a lot bigger than 1/16th. And if the new schools they add don’t bring enough revenue to justify going from a 1/16th share to a 1/20th share, why bring them in? The SEC aren’t expanding just to expand.
 
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The SEC isn’t just adding teams because the Big 10 is. That is my point. Every team the SEC adds must be a “plus” to the conference. They aren’t trying to keep up with the Big 10 numerically. The SEC won’t feel pressured to get to 20 or 24 teams just because the Big 10 has more teams. The Big 10 can have more money and the SEC won’t care, as long as each schools individual share doesn’t start lagging behind. Divide X amount of dollars by 20 or 24, or divide it by 16. Doesn’t matter if the pie is bigger, what matters is the size of my slice. 1/16th is a bigger slice than 1/20th. The Big 10 pie needs to be much bigger to make that 1/20th a lot bigger than 1/16th.
I THINK they would have to fear a scenario where the BIG has more playoff teams and better chances at titles would ultimately affect $$$$.
 
The SEC isn’t just adding teams because the Big 10 is. That is my point. Every team the SEC adds must be a “plus” to the conference. They aren’t trying to keep up with the Big 10 numerically. The SEC won’t feel pressured to get to 20 or 24 teams just because the Big 10 has more teams. The Big 10 can have more money and the SEC won’t care, as long as each schools individual share doesn’t start lagging behind. Divide X amount of dollars by 20 or 24, or divide it by 16. Doesn’t matter if the pie is bigger, what matters is the size of my slice. 1/16th is a bigger slice than 1/20th. The Big 10 pie needs to be much bigger to make that 1/20th a lot bigger than 1/16th. And if the new schools they add don’t bring enough revenue to justify going from a 1/16th share to a 1/20th share, why bring them in? The SEC aren’t expanding just to expand.
Point taken. But by taking schools in the south the B10 has a hand here to recruit, while SEC has no counter to in the rest of the country
 
FSU is a serious football school with multiple national championships, which means deep, deep pockets.

People keep saying this lawsuit is only meaningful if they win it. Sure, that's totally true. But I don't see FSU hiring anything but the very best top-dollar lawyers. And I don't see those lawyers advising FSU to bring suit unless they all agree they have a real strong chance to win this thing in court. Yes, we will have to wait and see if they really win. But I don't think this is a hail-Mary desperation attempt or a shot in the dark.
 
Adding an Arizona or a program of that level isn’t going to help the SEC get more teams into the playoffs. It’s got to be a Notre Dame type to be worth expanding outside of the South.
I would still think a school like Arizona would provide value. Maybe I’m wrong.
 
I would still think a school like Arizona would provide value. Maybe I’m wrong.
The only way the SEC adds them is if they add more revenue per school. They have to make the pie big enough to make everyone else’s slice get bigger.

But it’s a moot point, the SEC could have had Zona as soon as the PAC-12 collapsed, but never made a move. That tells me Zon does not have what the SEC is looking for in expansion. None of the former PAC-12 schools do. None of the Big 12 teams do.

The SEC and Big 10 are going to take the ACC schools they want once that conference comes apart. It’s starting to happen with this law suit.
 
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FSU is a serious football school with multiple national championships, which means deep, deep pockets.

People keep saying this lawsuit is only meaningful if they win it. Sure, that's totally true. But I don't see FSU hiring anything but the very best top-dollar lawyers. And I don't see those lawyers advising FSU to bring suit unless they all agree they have a real strong chance to win this thing in court. Yes, we will have to wait and see if they really win. But I don't think this is a hail-Mary desperation attempt or a shot in the dark.
and we lead the series
 
Point taken. But by taking schools in the south the B10 has a hand here to recruit, while SEC has no counter to in the rest of the country
Why would we need to recruit the rest of the country. All the talent is in the South, particularly the Deep South. This heat map shows where recruits hail from:
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Every conference Louisville has joined has been destroyed or significantly damaged. I'm not saying that Louisville is the cause of the ACC's death spiral, but it is interesting to note the correlation between Louisville joining a conference and the conference imploding.
 
Id surely take UVa over VT.

1. Elevates education levels of Conference
2. Provides a strong(er) basketball program
3. Captures TV market in the Richmond/DC area
4. Provides a middle of the road football team

Ultimately, UVa, Duke, UNC, and FSU/Miami would be the best 4 to add IMHO. That would really elevate the SEC in educational standards. Provide a stronger Basketball conference. Add football programs in the "middle of the pack".
 
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Id surely take UVa over VT.

1. Elevates education levels of Conference
2. Provides a strong(er) basketball program
3. Captures TV market in the Richmond/DC area
4. Provides a middle of the road football team

Ultimately, UVa, Duke, UNC, and FSU/Miami would be the best 4 to add IMHO. That would really elevate the SEC in educational standards. Provide a stronger Basketball conference. Add football programs in the "middle of the pack".
Nope
 
One North Carolina school and one Virginia school would add to the TV market footprint. Duke does not fit. Antiquated facilities. North Carolina as a state thinks of Dukies as a bunch of Yankee interlopers. NC State or UNC bring a lot more to the table. UVA thinks they are too special to join SEC. They care nothing about football. Va Tech who is terrible in football right now would crawl on their knees to get in the SEC is a more likely option. Virginia is the good looking girl in high school who does not realize she is 50 and fat. Va Tech has been choked financially by the ACC media package.
 
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One North Carolina school and one Virginia school would add to the TV market footprint. Duke does not fit. Antiquated facilities. North Carolina as a state thinks of Dukies as a bunch of Yankee interlopers. NC State or UNC bring a lot more to the table. UVA thinks they are too special to join SEC. They care nothing about football. Va Tech who is terrible in football right now would crawl on their knees to get in the SEC is a more likely option. Virginia is the good looking girl in high school who does not realize she is 50 and fat. Va Tech has been choked financially by the ACC media package.
I think SEC’s first choices are UNC and UVA, assuming Notre Dame is out of the question.

The SEC wants the flagship school of each state.

I think the Big 10 is waiting and hoping to get Notre Dame. I am not sure if they add anymore until ND decides to join.

The big question mark is this: if F$U is available and the SEC doesn’t want them, will the Big 10 take them?

I think F$U to the Big 10 is a good move for them. Big name program and adds the state of Florida.
 
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