Florida State and the Atlantic Coast Conference have completed mediation mandated by a Florida judge in their ongoing legal battle. The mediation took place on August 13, but did not result in a resolution. The lawsuit, Florida State Board of Trustees v. the Atlantic Coast Conference, was filed in December and is one of four active cases involving the league and two of its member schools, including Clemson. Both schools are challenging what they view as exorbitant exit fees and contractual agreements binding them to the conference through media rights.
The ACC has countersued Florida State and Clemson, arguing that they do not have the right to sue and are breaching their contractual agreements. The conflict revolves around the high exit fees and the media rights contract that extends through 2036. ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips has stated that the conference intends to fight against the schools’ attempts to leave, emphasizing the importance of upholding the agreements willingly signed by all member schools. The ACC’s grant of rights also grants broadcast rights of football games to the conference through the length of the contract, putting Florida State and Clemson at a perceived disadvantage compared to other conferences.
Leon County Judge John Cooper ordered the parties into non-binding mediation in April to expedite the resolution of the case, which could otherwise take years to play out in court. Despite the mediation, neither the conference nor the school can disclose the details of the discussions. The schools must notify the conference at least a year in advance if they intend to withdraw, and as of August 15, neither Florida State nor Clemson had taken any action to leave the ACC for the 2025-26 school year. Both schools are engaged in legal battles in Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina as they argue over jurisdiction and attempt to secure a favorable outcome.
The ACC’s media rights contract with ESPN and the grant of rights agreement have emerged as key sticking points in the legal dispute. The schools argue that the terms of the contract put them at a competitive disadvantage compared to other conferences like the SEC and Big Ten. Appeals of motions to dismiss and stay the cases have been filed, but it is likely that all four cases will proceed. A hearing is scheduled for September 11 in Florida on the ACC’s motion to stay Florida State’s case, indicating that the legal battle is expected to continue as both sides maintain their positions. The outcome of the ongoing lawsuits could have significant implications for the future of Florida State and Clemson’s membership in the ACC and the college sports landscape as a whole.
