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ACC officially closes all pending lawsuits with Clemson and Florida State, per release
By Paul Harvey
Published:
The ACC has officially closed the pending lawsuits with Florida State and Clemson, the conference confirmed on Tuesday.
Reports regarding a resolution surfaced on Monday with the formation of a new revenue-distribution model and a reduced fee structure for exit fees to leave the ACC. That is now official with the ACC revealing the resolution keeps Clemson and Florida State as full members and all pending lawsuits in the states of Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina will be dismissed.
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Commissioner Jim Phillips hailed the move as solidifying the ACC as one of the premier conferences in the entire country:
“Today’s resolution begins the next chapter of this storied league and further solidifies the ACC as a premier conference,” said Phillips via a statement. “As we look ahead to our collective long-term future, I want to express my deepest appreciation to the ACC Board of Directors for its ongoing leadership, patience and dedication throughout this process. The league has competed at the highest level for more than 70 years and this new structure demonstrates the ACC embracing innovation and further incentivizing our membership based on competition and viewership results. The settlements, coupled with the ACC’s continued partnership with ESPN, allow us to focus on our collective future – including Clemson and Florida State – united in an 18-member conference demonstrating the best in intercollegiate athletics.”
The presidents from Clemson and Florida State also hailed the move as one that makes the league stronger. Of course, the fact the new settlement also makes it easier to leave the ACC in 2030 and beyond is a major aspect of the deal.
“This settlement allows Clemson to remain nationally competitive at the highest levels and also makes our conference stronger,” said Clemson University President Jim Clements, Ph.D. “I appreciate the efforts of the ACC members and Commissioner Phillips in the creation of this innovative conference model. We remain proud members of the ACC, one of the strongest conferences in the country and where our students, the other 17 ACC schools, and the league are committed to accomplishing greatness both on the field and in the classroom.”
“We’re very pleased to have reached a settlement that benefits not only Florida State, but the Atlantic Coast Conference as a whole,” said Florida State University President Richard McCullough, Ph.D. “From the start, we’ve held firm to the belief that the best solution would be one that enables FSU and every ACC institution to earn enhanced revenue through performance. I want to thank Commissioner Jim Phillips and my colleagues on the ACC Board of Directors for their leadership, and we look forward to continuing our membership in the ACC.”
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
