Inside The Panthers

Report: Second ACC Team Sues Conference

The home conference of the Pitt Panthers is facing more legal challenges.

Stephen Thompson

Report: Second ACC Team Sues Conference
Report: Second ACC Team Sues Conference /
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PITTBSURGH -- The ACC is facing a second lawsuit from one of it's biggest names, threatening more destabilization to the home conference of the Pitt Panthers. 

According to a report from ESPN's Pete Thamel, Clemson has filed a lawsuit against the ACC, of which Pitt has been a member since 2013, in Pickens County, South Carolina. The conference is now facing two pending lawsuits from member institutions - the other coming from Florida State, which was filed in Florida - while also having filed its own suit against the Seminoles in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

The lawsuit filed by Clemson argues that the ACC's grant of rights agreement, which was amended in 2016, includes a withdrawl penalty that is "unconsionable" and "unenforcable." When Florida State filed its suit, their total cost of exiting the ACC was tabbed at $572 million. 

Clemson's suit also asserts that the ACC's view of the grant of media right - that the conference would own the rights to broadcast the Tigers' games even after they leave the league - is a "nonsensical reading," "wrong" and "inconsistent with the plain language of that agreement."

Clemson is looking for two things in this suit - a declaration that the ACC would not own the rights to Clemson's games "after Clemson ceases to be a member of the ACC," and for the ACC's stated exit fees, which is estimated to be set at around $130 million - to be ruled "an unenforceable penalty in violation of public policy."

"The suit comes on the same day that the College Football Playoff is expected to announce a deal with ESPN that further amplifies the financial gap between the Big Ten and the SEC and the rest of college sports," Thamel wrote. "Annually, each Big Ten and SEC team is expected to earn more than $21 million under the new CFP agreement, which starts in 2026. ACC teams are expected to earn more than $13 million."

Clemson and Florida State represent two of the stronger overall brands and football programs in the ACC and as the SEC and Big 10 consolidate money and power in college athletics, the Tigers are looking for legal passage to join college athletics' elite in one of the "Power 2" conferences. 

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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