The ACC has filed an amended lawsuit against Florida State, alleging that they have broken their contract and revealed confidential information that is considered proprietary.
The Atlantic Coast Conference has accused Florida State of violating the terms of their contract on Wednesday. The league claims that the Seminoles went back on their word by legally contesting an agreement that binds them to the conference for the next twelve years.
The ACC filed a lawsuit against the Florida State Board of Trustees in North Carolina at the end of December, requesting that the court uphold the grant of rights as a legally binding contract. The conference maintains that FSU is not allowed to contest the terms of the document they signed and that any related matters should be resolved in the state where the ACC is headquartered.
The league officially changed its accusation on Wednesday, claiming that FSU broke the agreed upon terms by deciding to contest the exclusive rights. The conference also claimed that the school shared confidential information, referred to as “trade secrets,” between the league and its television partner ESPN in its legal documents filed in Florida.
The ACC has filed a 55-page document requesting a trial and monetary compensation that it believes will be significant. The league has also requested a permanent court order to prevent FSU from being involved in making decisions for the league while it is in direct conflict with the ACC’s goals and objectives. Additionally, the ACC is seeking a permanent injunction to prevent the Seminoles from sharing confidential information about the TV agreement.
Both parties have reached a consensus to address the grievances by the middle of February. This may lead to an increase in the number of legal actions being taken.
It is unlikely that there will be a combination of the two grievances as they are being handled in two different state courts. One court may choose to wait for the other, or both may continue on their own. Both parties have asked for a trial.
Florida State took legal action against the ACC in Leon County Circuit Court after months of giving warnings and issuing threats. The university alleged that the conference had mishandled the media rights of its members and enforced excessively high exit fees. The lawsuit stated that breaking the grant-of-rights agreement and departing from the ACC would result in a hefty penalty of $572 million for Florida State.
Florida State is seeking to leave the conference it joined in 1992. While in the ACC, Florida State achieved three national titles in football, with the most recent being in 2013, and was also part of the inaugural College Football Playoff in 2014.
Despite having a perfect record, the Seminoles were not included in this season’s playoffs. Florida State’s President, Richard McCullough, stated that the decision to file a lawsuit was not influenced by their exclusion from the playoffs.
The initial statement from Florida State asserts that the ACC’s undefeated football champion was unjustly left out of the 2023-2024 College Football Playoff in favor of two one-loss teams from other Power Four conferences, highlighting the ACC’s repeated failures to uphold its key obligations to both Florida State and its members.
According to Florida State officials, the ACC’s contract with ESPN is undervalued and lengthy, putting the Seminoles at a significant disadvantage compared to schools in the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference. These schools have TV deals that pay more in a shorter time frame.
Source: wralsportsfan.com