The ACC, Clemson University, and Florida State University inform today that they have settled all ongoing legal conflicts.
With this agreement, Clemson and Florida State will continue as full members of the ACC, and the involved parties will retract all active lawsuits in Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
As part of the agreement, the members of the ACC have consented to enhance the previously declared success initiatives by establishing an additional revenue distribution framework focused on viewership. This fresh and innovative model will persist in aiding the entire membership while incorporating a component specifically aimed at annual football and men’s basketball viewership. Similar to the success initiatives, ACC member institutions will have the chance to earn increased viewership distributions from the ACC’s media revenues and will be motivated to implement measures to boost viewership across the ACC’s 18 member institutions.
“Today’s agreement marks the beginning of the next chapter for this historic league and further reinforces the ACC as a leading conference,” stated ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “As we envision our collective long-term future, I want to convey my sincere gratitude to the ACC Board of Directors for its consistent leadership, patience, and commitment throughout this journey. The league has competed at the pinnacle level for over 70 years, and this new structure signifies the ACC’s embrace of innovation and its further encouragement of our membership based on competition and viewership outcomes. The settlements, in conjunction with the ACC’s ongoing partnership with ESPN, empower us to concentrate on our communal future – including Clemson and Florida State – unified in an 18-member conference showcasing excellence in intercollegiate athletics.”
“This agreement allows Clemson to maintain national competitiveness at the highest levels and also strengthens our conference,” commented Clemson University President Jim Clements, Ph.D. “I am grateful for the efforts of the ACC members and Commissioner Phillips in the development of this innovative conference model. We take pride in being members of the ACC, one of the most formidable conferences in the nation, where our students, the other 17 ACC institutions, and the league strive for excellence both on the field and in the classroom.”
“We are very happy to have reached a resolution that is advantageous not only for Florida State but for the Atlantic Coast Conference overall,” remarked Florida State University President Richard McCullough, Ph.D. “From the outset, we firmly believed that the optimal solution would be one that allows FSU and every ACC institution to gain increased revenue through performance. I appreciate the leadership of Commissioner Jim Phillips and my colleagues on the ACC Board of Directors, and we look forward to continuing our involvement with the ACC.”
About the ACC
Entering its 72nd year, and comprising 18 members, the ACC is recognized as one of the most competitive and esteemed intercollegiate conferences in the country. ACC members such as Boston College, Cal, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, Pitt, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest are dedicated to upholding the league’s founding principles of academic excellence, top-tier athletic competition, and integrity. The ACC supports 28 NCAA sports, with 15 for women and 13 for men, and its member institutions span across 12 states. In August 2019, the ACC partnered with ESPN to launch ACC Network (ACCN), a 24/7 national network exclusively dedicated to ACC sports and original programming. For more details, visit theACC.com and follow the ACC on Instagram (@accsports), Twitter/X (@theACC), and Facebook (facebook.com/theACC).
STATEMENT FROM FSU BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIRMAN PETER COLLINS
“When this process commenced, we were explicit about our motivations for pursuing litigation while remaining a cooperative partner with the ACC and our fellow institutions. I am very pleased that today’s agreement effectively addresses every concern we fervently advocated for. It is an innovative, considerate resolution that enables FSU and the ACC to emerge stronger and better equipped to navigate the ever-evolving environment we face.”
STATEMENT FROM FSU VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS MICHAEL ALFORD
“This is an excellent path forward that offers every team in the conference the chance to achieve benchmarks for additional financial distribution. FSU and the ACC have benefited from over 30 years of collaboration. This solution, collaboratively developed by FSU, Clemson, and the ACC, is a testament to our ability to work together in proactively addressing necessary measures for future success.”
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