Despite going undefeated and winning the ACC Championship, the Florida State Seminoles were left out of the College Football Playoff in an unprecedented move by the committee.
Since the snub, the Seminoles have been weighing their options, including leaving the conference.
On Friday, Florida State’s Board of Trustees held a meeting where they announced they would be challenging the ACC’s Grant of Rights and explore leaving the conference.
It was FSU’s only option according to Board Chair Peter Collins, who said, via Yahoo’s Ross Dellinger “Today we’ve reached a crossroads in our relationship with the ACC. I believe this board is left with no choice but to challenge the Grant of Rights.”
FSU Board Chair Peter Collins: “Today we’ve reached a crossroads in our relationship with he ACC. … I believe this board is left with no choice but to challenge the Grant of Rights."
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 22, 2023
This has been a long time coming for FSU, and it seems like the CFP snub was the straw that broke the camel’s back, with conventional wisdom saying this wouldn’t have happened to an SEC or Big Ten team.
Leaving the ACC for one of those conferences won’t be an easy feat for the Seminoles, though, thanks largely to the ACC Grant of Rights.
FSU shared a chart, via ESPN’s Pete Thamel, outlining that it would cost $572 million to leave the conference, a price that has skyrocketed since Maryland and Rutgers left the conference for the Big Ten.
FSU is claiming it will cost more than a half-billion to leave the ACC with cost of both exit fees and unwinding from grant of rights. Here's the chart they are presenting with a $572 million estimate. pic.twitter.com/A7iTgU5KAq
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 22, 2023
Collins also confirmed that while the CFP snub was the last straw, this has been brewing for quite some time. “People outside of FSU might suggest that we are taking action now because of what happened in the College Football Playoff selection of the final four teams. They will say that we are bitter and just want retribution. First, I would say that leaving Florida State out of the playoff was absolutely wrong, a travesty on college football and an insult to FSU’s players and coaches, as well as the ACC. Second, I will say that our actions today are less about the events of the last two weeks and far more about the actions of the ACC leadership over the last 10 years, and what confronts the ACC over the next 13 years,” he said, via CBS Sports’ Barrett Sallee.
Florida State Board of Trustees Chair Peter Collins:
"People outside of FSU might suggest that we are taking action now because of what happened in the College Football Playoff selection of the final four teams. They will say that we are bitter and just want retribution. First,…
— Barrett Sallee 🇺🇸 (@BarrettSallee) December 22, 2023
The ACC’s TV deal runs until 2036, which has undoubtedly upset Florida State and possibly other schools who have seen the Big Ten and SEC sign massive TV deals leading to huge revenue boosts recently.
Thamel also shared a quote from FSU Outside Counsel David Ashburn, who said, “You can’t put in place a penalty that bears no relationship to the harm caused,” arguing that the exit fee may not be legally enforceable.
We're starting to see the base of FSU's legal case against the ACC/Grant of Rights. David Ashburn brings up anti-trust rules and mentions an unenforceable penalty. "You can’t put in place a penalty that bears no relationship to the harm caused."
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 22, 2023
This will undoubtedly be one of the biggest sports stories to follow as we head into the new year, as it could change the entire landscape of college football.
[Ross Dellinger] [Barrett Sallee] [Pete Thamel]
