ACC releases statement following Clemson's lawsuit, plans to leave conference

The ACC is now in an intense legal battle with both Florida State and Clemson

On Tuesday, the ball on another wave of conference realignment budged a bit when it was revealed that Clemson has filed a lawsuit against the ACC.

The goal for Clemson is to essentially leave the ACC and join the Big Ten or SEC, while also avoiding the hefty exit fee that they would be required to pay. While it may seem simple, the ACC will certainly not be going down without a fight, and they also are making sure that everyone in and around college athletics realizes that every member of the conference signed a contract.

The conference chair Jim Ryan, and commissioner Jim Phillips, released a statement to provide clarity on where the conference stands, and to no one's surprise, they are looking to preserve the conference as it is.  

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— The ACC (@theACC) March 19, 2024

The conference is confident that they will be able to win in the courtroom, and unless Florida State or Clemson is able to do that, they appear to not have a way out. That is of course unless they write a very large check.

Even with them very clearly wanting out, it is also important to remember that both the SEC and Big Ten, at least publicly, haven't pushed for further expansion.