TV Network ESPN decided to opt into an extension of its current controversial TV media grant of rights deal with the ACC until 2036. This 20 year deal originated in 2016 and pays ACC schools well below market value compared to the media deals struck by the Big Ten and SEC. Because of this deal, schools like Florida State and Clemson filed separate lawsuits against the ACC in an effort to leave the conference.
Now it appears all parties are stuck together for the long haul. And it seems it will be more difficult for these teams to flea to the Big Ten or SEC if they wish to do so. However the ACC may have to make concessions to its marquee schools by giving them a larger cut of the money pie compared to less valuable schools in the conference. This may cause a Civil War among ACC teams.
ESPN GREED HARMING ACC
Schools like Duke and Virginia may certainly object to Florida State earning a bigger cut of ESPN revenue. FSU will argue that they are more marketable and get better TV ratings and deserve more money. The flip side is the less marketable schools may end up in a weak conference or no conference like Washington State and Oregon State if the premiere schools leave the ACC.
ESPN Greed Harming ACC Schools. Meanwhile while unhappy ACC schools make less money than their Big Ten and SEC counterparts until 2036, the rich will get richer. Those conference's current media deals will expire in a few years and they will negotiate even more lucrative deals before the ACC gets out of this ESPN trap.
In the end you cannot blame ESPN for extending their contract. From a business sense they get ACC football programming for pennies on the dollar compared to other networks. For the latest college football talk and analysis tune in each weekday to Craig Shemon and Company on ESPN Southwest Florida from 2-6pm.
