Florida State and Clemson, two of the top-tier teams in the ACC, are rumored to be considering a move to either the Big Ten or SEC in the upcoming conference realignment. The speculation arises as these teams have expressed dissatisfaction with the ACC’s revenue distribution model and are seeking to compete with other college football powerhouses.
Last week, the Florida State Board of Trustees scheduled a meeting, which will take place on Wednesday. While the agenda does not explicitly mention anything about leaving the ACC, the timing has sparked curiosity. Any team aiming to depart within the next year would need to submit a written notification to the league office by August 15th.
One of the main issues raised by Florida State leaders is the ACC’s TV contract with ESPN, which extends until 2036. Meanwhile, the Big Ten and SEC have secured lucrative broadcasting deals, with the former signing a seven-year, $8 billion agreement and the latter embarking on a 10-year, $3 billion deal. These contracts promise significant financial gains for the schools involved, which has caught the attention of Florida State and Clemson.
For instance, Florida State currently receives $42 million from the ACC, while Big Ten schools stand to receive around $80 million per year from their TV contract. Similarly, projections suggest that each SEC school could receive millions more from their new deal, with individual payouts potentially exceeding $70 million.
Although the published agenda for the upcoming Board of Trustees meeting does not mention athletics or conference realignment explicitly, rumors about the potential moves of Florida State and Clemson have been swirling. The Big Ten is speculated to be eyeing Florida State and Clemson, along with Washington and Oregon from the Pac-12. However, no official announcements have been made thus far.
It is worth noting that conference expansion is not unprecedented. Last year, Southern California and UCLA revealed their plans to leave the Pac-12 for the Big Ten starting in 2024, thereby expanding the conference to 16 teams stretching from coast to coast. Additionally, the SEC is reportedly satisfied with its current lineup of 16 teams once Texas and Oklahoma join next season.
As for Florida State, their leadership has been vocal about the necessary changes required for the university to remain within the ACC. FSU President Richard McCullough mentioned conference realignment and the desire to remain competitive. Similarly, FSU Director of Athletics Michael Alford highlighted the need for change in conference revenue sharing and the Seminoles’ future within the ACC during a Board of Trustees meeting earlier this year.
Florida State joined the ACC as the ninth school in 1990, transitioning from being an independent team. Under the guidance of coach Bobby Bowden, the Seminoles quickly established themselves as the class of the ACC, a conference that had predominantly focused on basketball until then. Florida State’s early success included finishing as the AP poll’s number two team in their first season as official members and winning the national championship the following year. They also embarked on an impressive 29-game winning streak in conference play.
Before joining the ACC, Florida State had long aspired to join the Southeastern Conference (SEC) to cement its status as a college football powerhouse. However, when the opportunity arose for major conference realignment in 1990, Florida State decided to join the ACC due to academic reasons. In-state rival Miami joined the Big East before eventually joining Florida State in the ACC for the 2004 season.
While the rumors surrounding Florida State and Clemson potentially joining either the Big Ten or SEC continue to circulate, it remains to be seen if any official moves will materialize. As of now, the upcoming Board of Trustees meeting does not explicitly discuss athletics or conference realignment. Fans are eagerly observing the developments, eagerly awaiting any official announcements regarding the future conference alignments of these powerhouse football programs.
