Florida State is on the verge of initiating the process to sever ties with the ACC, a decision that is anticipated to be discussed at a forthcoming meeting of the FSU Board of Trustees. The outcome of this meeting may result in the initiation of formal legal proceedings, marking the initial step toward breaking free from the ACC's binding grant-of-rights agreement.
The announcement of the Board of Trustees meeting was made in compliance with state open-meetings laws, mandating a 24-hour notice to the public. Sources with insight into FSU's potential plans spoke anonymously to Yahoo Sports for this report.
While the specifics of the legal actions contemplated by FSU remain unclear, legal experts suggest the possibility of a "declaratory judgment action" to seek a court ruling asserting that the school is not obligated to adhere to its contract with the ACC.
The focus of this legal maneuver is the grant of rights, a contractual document binding the ACC, its member institutions, and TV partner ESPN until the academic year 2035-36. The potential filing would likely be lodged in a local court sympathetic to FSU's interests.
This development follows FSU's recent exclusion from the College Football Playoff, despite being the first undefeated major conference champion, intensifying the school's planned departure from the ACC.
It's important to note that any formal notice of departure from the ACC is not expected to be served immediately, with the actual exit potentially more than a year away. Nevertheless, this legal move could pave the way for other ACC programs to challenge the league and its grant of rights.
At the heart of these discussions is the ACC's grant of rights, a common measure employed by conferences to legally bind member schools in long-term commitments, securing lucrative media rights deals. The ACC's current agreement with ESPN, established in 2016 for a 20-year term, has become a source of contention as other major conferences, such as the Big Ten and SEC, have secured more lucrative media rights contracts, leading to discontent among ACC members, particularly Florida State.
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