Makes sense for all involved. Both sides have some control in a settlement. Once it gets to court you lose ALL control. Maybe it's just my bias in not wanting to see ANOTHER conference go by the wayside, but I can see FSU doing this just to see what cards the ACC is holding, then deciding to drop the case. I just can't imagine paying out that kind of money when in a few years you'll be able to get out for free or significantly less. Just feels like a lot of posturing on both sides at this point.
1) FSU is not going to drop the case
1. Nobody knows how this is going to end up. I wouldn't be surprised by anything at this point.
I'm positing that, if the ACC has to deal, the final settlement will be much less than the $215 million you posit. Anyway, I want to get a chance to find out.
Believe this, FSU is not dropping this case, and has no interest in staying as a member of the ACC.
I think that number is very low, and no way the ACC takes a 50% discount. But yeah, going 5 years with no TV revenue would be tough. They just took $104M in bond debt to start construction on football only facilities. Their facilities have lagged for a long time. Jimbo cited it as a reason for him leaving. It's one of the big things they agreed to in order to get Norvelle to stay. So, do you go AT LEAST 5 years with nothing, or keep trying to build until you get close to the end of the GOR when the ACC is more motivated to make a deal? Also, ESPN has an option to look in on that contract next year I believe. Wouldn't be shocked to see them sweeten the pot.
Whatever happens, the chaos is great. What a predicament they find themselves in. Just a few short years ago the GOR was the best thing since sliced bread. lol.
There is a reason the ACC is now willing to negotiate a buy back of those rights with FSU.
Any contractual dispute is better settled before it goes to court. Once it goes to court, you lose all control and could be left with nothing. I think both sides know that, and both would like to settle. Can they agree to terms? Who knows. FSU holds the upper hand. They haven't notified the ACC that they intend to leave. I guess they could probably hold out, go to court and see how it turns out. If it is ironclad, they just stay.
Nothing about one situation precluded action on the other. There are plenty of hands not occupied with this.
Different times, different decision-makers, different landscapes, different finances, different objectives, different perceived and actual needs. Sadly, marriages break up every day that were running smoothly 11 years ago. And those were both legal and spiritual covenants.Check out this article from 2013. Goes into great detail about the attention and effort Swofford made to make sure FSU felt comfortable with the deal. A couple of quotes that stood out to me from Trustees. I said it before...this deal is EXACTLY what they all wanted. It accomplished their objectives; to make more money and make it damn near impossible to leave.
"What is on the minds of a lot of people is, is the ACC the conference that gives us the best opportunity to compete over the long term?" Gruters, FSU's youngest trustee, said. "At the end of the day, I think the ACC negotiated a good deal with ESPN and levels the playing field with the rest of the conferences."
"I was in concert with President Barron that this was the best thing that could happen," Hillis said. "It ensures that we don't lose any members. Nobody can afford to leave now."
Anatomy of one school's role in ACC media rights deal
Swofford's individual sessions with FSU trustees legally circumvented open government lawswww.usatoday.com
So true, this outdated article has absolutely no bearing on the current situation.
So they’re trying to claim they were hoodwinked into a bad deal, while it’s been reported that Swofford was doing everything in his power to appease them, and trustees at the time were applauding it. Yeah, no bearing on it at all. Lol
Precisely.
You have already stated that you want the ACC to stay intact, and now you are pulling 11 year old articles to somehow solidify your position. Well you go ahead and stay on your course, but inevitably you are going to be disappointed.
It will have major relevance, particularly as to who benefitted from the Raycom deal. The information is out there, you have to be willing to do your research.
You’re right, I will be disappointed. Just disappointed in what the sport has become. It’s fine, some new structure will take its place and will inevitably have some positive aspects.
Hint: ESPN hasn't joined the ACC in an attempt to keep the media rights deal sealed. That alone should tell you something about ESPNs strategy in all this.
Why would they get involved? It’s not their quarrel. The GOR is a completely separate document than the TV deal. ESPN hasn’t been named, and I’m sure they’d like to keep it that way.
Because they are a party to the TV deal....and the NC Court asked for ESsPN input on the ACCs request to keep the information regarding the TV sealed. Sounds as though both parties don't request the TV deal information be kept sealed, the courts aren't likely to do it The TV deal was clearly used to entice the ACC members to signing the GOR agreement.
Per FSU, the ACC isn’t looking to have actual details of the deal sealed, but rather generalizations and characterizations. They allege that there are embarrassing comparisons to the SEC and B10 deals in the communications. Again, not really anything ESPN would care about.
They are also requesting email conversations and other documents regarding the negotiations between Swofford, ESPN and Jefferson-Pilot.....it all goes to what the ACC knew and what they failed to disclose to the members. If FSU can prove fraud in the inducement, the GOR is dust in the wind.
This thing is a rock rolling downhill, just now gathering a little speed. I'm reading stuff on On3 speculating about whether FSU winds up in the Big 10 or the SEC. There's an air of inevitability.
