Clemson, Florida State, and other top brands in the ACC just got a huge win.
According to reports from ESPN, Clemson and Florida State are set to vote on an agreement that would settle their ongoing lawsuits against the ACC with a new revenue-distribution model.
Both Clemson and Florida State have long expressed concerns about falling behind the financial powerhouses of the SEC and Big Ten, particularly in the past few years with new TV agreements in place for the two conferences. Their main argument has been that the ACC’s media rights deal puts them at a disadvantage, limiting their ability to compete with programs bringing in significantly larger payouts.
Under the new model, a portion of the ACC’s television revenue will be divided based on TV ratings, with top-performing schools potentially earning an additional $15 million per year. The report indicates that 40% of the ACC’s money will be distributed evenly, while the remaining 60% will go towards brand and performance metrics.
While some lower-tier programs wil see a decrease in their payouts — reportedly around $7 million per year — administrators view this as an acceptable trade-off to keep the conference stable in the near term. This structure would allow Clemson and Florida State to make more money — reports share that some of the top programs could earn more than $15 million per year — and that’s huge for keeping them competitive with college football changing so much.
While the details of the agreement are still being finalized, it’s been reported that The ACC Board of Directors, along with the boards at both universities, are expected to meet on Tuesday.
