Florida State AD Michael Alford Shows Full Support in Lawsuit Against ACC

"As I sit here, this isn't a relationship issue or decision at all. This is a simple math problem."

Florida State University administration has come to a crossroads with the Atlantic Coast Conference regarding an ever-aging Grant of Rights, which handcuffs the university financially until 2036. The university stands to be at a roughly $40 million deficit compared to other Power 5 conferences until the GOR ends. Currently, the ACC holds all media rights and revenue generated by "home" games in the conference and has put FSU in a financial bind to compete nationally, jeopardizing their 30-year relationship.

Florida State's Board of Trustees had a public meeting on Friday (required by Florida law) to explain and vote on a decision to challenge the GOR, which ended in a unanimous yes. 

"It really points to the mismanagement to previous conference administration in stewarding future finances for our best interests. It became very clear. The future of college athletics is really at a crossroads," Florida State Athletic Director Michael Alford said at the meeting. "I think chairman [Peter Collins] and I talk about that a lot, the president [Richard McCullough] and I talk about that a lot."

Florida State's Board of Trustees Unanimously Approves Legal Complaint Against ACC In Circuit Court

The ACC has enacted and, according to the board, in one of many points causing their seven-point complaint, an unreasonable $572 million exit fee despite a snowballing revenue gap between the conferences. It has seemingly forced the hand of Florida State either at the negotiating table or to leave the conference altogether.

"Whether it is known media contracts that present financial challenges or proposed recent changes by the NCAA that is going to impact everyone in this industry's operations budgets," Alford said. "Here at Florida State, we have to evaluate all of our options and make decisions here that are going to have a 10-20-year impact on us, and some of those we don't even see or feel the immediate effects of it."

With the college athletic landscape changing disproportionality to outdated revenue contracts, Alford assured the public that the decision wasn't a relationship issue but purely a math problem and that the decision to move forward on the multi-year process was supported.

"As I sit here, this isn't a relationship issue or decision at all. This is a simple math problem, a very clear math problem, and it is an extremely difficult institutional decision, but I completely support the board's vote."

This is the first step of many on the path for Florida State and a calculated move in a push to leave the ACC.

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