Florida State followed through on a long-standing rumor and filed a lawsuit against the Atlantic Coast Conference over the Grant of Rights (GOR) and the withdrawal fee. I have seen many in sports media on social media and other entities questioning why Florida State is doing this. I have even seen some Florida State fans questioning why are we going to this much trouble to file a lawsuit that may not go our way.
The people in sports media will claim that Florida State getting left out of the CFP was a one time deal, and that the problem will be fixed next season. They will say that the competition is easier in the ACC, and that the road to the CFP through the B1G and the SEC is harder.
On the surface, their claims appear to be correct. It is correct that the ACC is a whole is power- rated lower than the B1G and the SEC. There are football programs in the ACC that aren’t interested in playing “big-boy” football, and FSU will certainly have more guaranteed wins in the ACC.
It is also hard to imagine that under the future 12- team structure an undefeated FSU that is also an ACC champion gets left out. The problem with that argument is that what happened this year has opened the door to the CFP doing this in the future.
FSU’s accomplishments were completely diminished by the CFP selection committee this season. FSU won every game on their schedule, and three of them without their Heisman finalist starting quarterback. As we all saw, that didn’t matter to the selection committee.
They claimed that Florida State had a weak SOS and that they weren’t the same team without Travis as the quarterback. Who is to say they won’t make similar arguments in the future?
What the selection committee did on that fateful Sunday is completely diminish the credibility of the Atlantic Coast Conference as a Power 5 conference. That reason alone is enough for FSU to attempt to exit the ACC.
FSU’s conference affiliation is not just about competition. It is about having the resources to compete at the highest level. The SEC inked a massive extension with Disney/ABC. The B1G inked a deal in the billions with Fox, CBS, and NBC.
NVGT.Com Power 5 Payout Estimates
According to Navigate, both of those leagues are projected to distribute roughly $100 million or more to their members towards the end of these contracts. The ACC will have a revenue gap of $40 or $50 million when it is all said and done.
I have always loved that Florida State has managed to beat the odds and play big boy football despite the disadvantages they have had in the life of our beloved football program. Sadly, that type of disparity is too much to overcome even for Florida State.
If FSU stays in the ACC, they will be at a financial and a competitive disadvantage in the future. That is why every Florida State fan must hope for success in this lawsuit. I have every reason to be confident that FSU and their team of lawyers will resolve this matter, and secure our future.
The only failure would be to stay where we are, and watch our beloved program wither on the vine and eventually die out.