Big News!!! Clemmen, Florida State, and ACC finally reaches an agreement

The Atlantic Coast Conference, Clemson, and Florida State have finally resolved their dispute after nearly two years of litigation.

After over 17 months of litigation in three separate states, the parties finally settled their differences on Tuesday by filing to dismiss all claims against each other.

The terms of the settlement were approved by the conference and the two schools in March. The deal addressed when or if Florida State and Clemson, or any other member of the ACC, may leave the conference.

As part of the deal, the schools would retain ownership of their television rights rather than the league. In addition, as per a March presentation to the Clemson trustees, the yearly exit fees would decrease from $165 million in FY 2026 to around $75 million in 2030–31.

While considering leaving the Atlantic Coast Conference, Florida State was the first school to file a lawsuit against the organization in December 2023 (in Florida, naturally), and Clemson followed suit in February 2024 (in South Carolina). League revenues were lagging behind the SEC and Big Ten, and the ACC was also falling behind other conferences in terms of competitiveness, which was a major concern.
In response, the ACC, which is based in Charlotte, sought to enforce the “Grant of Rights” agreements and the league’s exit sanctions by suing Florida State and Clemson in North Carolina. About 60% of the conference payouts would be divided based on TV viewing of football and men’s basketball, as part of the new way the ACC could share revenue with its members as a result of the March settlement deal.

According to ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, “Today’s resolution begins the next chapter of this storied league and further solidifies the ACC as a premier conference” (ACC news release, 2016). I would want to take this opportunity to thank the ACC Board of Directors for their consistent guidance, understanding, and hard work as we plan for the future together.

The league has been competing at the highest level for more than 70 years. This new system shows that the ACC is open to new ideas and wants to reward its members even more based on how well they do in competition and in terms of viewership.
The settlements and the ACC’s continued relationship with ESPN allow us to focus on our shared future as an 18-team conference that showcases the best in college sports. This includes Clemson and Florida State.