The ACC and ESPN make news, but Clemson keeps forging ahead

The ACC is a good spot for the Tigers right now with the champion set up to earn an automatic bid and the path to that bid is easier in the ACC. Could something happen before then? Of course. Everything is fluid these days.

David Hood - Senior Writer - Monday, February 03 2025

The Atlantic Coast Conference and ESPN are making long-term financial decisions, and Clemson simply keeps forging ahead.

The ACC and ESPN announced last week what the conference called “the renewed commitment of their long-term media partnership.” ESPN exercised its option to extend the league’s base rights agreement, and ESPN will continue as the ACC’s media partner through the 2035-36 academic year.

ESPN had a deadline of Feb. 1 to decide whether to pick up the option for the base rights for 2027-36, a wrinkle that emerged during Florida State's lawsuit against the league regarding exit fees for a potential departure to another conference.

That base-rights deal covers events broadcast on primary properties like ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ABC, and generally involves financial payouts laid out in contracts.

The extension comes with both FSU and Clemson both embroiled in legal battles with the league tied to the grant-of-rights agreement in 2016. ACC member schools, like universities in every conference around the country, must sign deals transferring their media rights to their respective leagues for set periods of time. The ACC's original grant of rights ran through June 30, 2027. It was amended in 2016, when the conference extended its media rights deal with ESPN and Disney in conjunction with the launch of the ACC Network.

The Grant of Rights exit fees make it difficult for schools to look for homes in other conferences, but both Clemson and Florida State took the league to court for a few reasons, one of which was to get a better look at the Grant of Rights, which was held under lock and key in the league offices.

From Clemson’s point of view, the lawsuit wasn’t intended as a vehicle for the school to jump conferences – it was used as a means to determine exactly what rights the schools have under the agreements. What is possible? What isn’t?

Last week’s decision by the league had no bearing on Clemson’s lawsuit. The schools (Clemson and FSU) are still working with the league on a proposal that would allot a greater share of revenue to schools based on brand valuation and television ratings in exchange for the Tigers and Seminoles dropping their lawsuits against the conference.

So what does all this mean for Clemson? I’ve spent the last several days talking to people with the conference, at Clemson, and a few friends at Florida St. If Clemson works out a deal to gain a larger piece of the revenue sharing pie, that’s great. I was told a year ago that Clemson could survive until 2026 under the current model, but then something would have to be done.

If Clemson agrees to a revenue-sharing plan, that means the school is convinced the new numbers will cover the new way of doing business. It won’t be the projected $80 million-plus that the SEC and Big Ten are going to get, but it will be competitive and get the program to that 2029-31 timeframe. That is when the next round of conference realignment/College Football Playoff/expansion is expected.

And that’s not a bad thing for Clemson – the ACC is a good spot for the Tigers right now with the champion set up to earn an automatic bid and the path to that bid is easier in the ACC. Could something happen before then? Of course. Everything is fluid these days.

And Clemson keeps plunging ahead.