Fasten your seatbelts, we could be witnessing the end of Clemson’s time in the ACC.
On Tuesday, Clemson University filed a lawsuit against the ACC in Pickens County. This is essentially the first step towards leaving the conference.
“Clemson has explored leaving the ACC just as diligently as others,” ESPN’s Pete Thamel said. “They took a quieter tact, in part thanks to sunshine laws. But a significant moment today for the future of ACC and college sports.”
In the 28-page complaint from Clemson, it points out how the conference is inhibiting its ability to explore its options.
“The ACC has publicly asserted that the ACC irrevocably owns the media rights of member institutions to home games played through 2036, even if the institution ceases to be a member of the Conference,” Clemson’s lawsuit reads, via On3. “The ACC has also claimed that member institutions must pay an exorbitant $140 million penalty to leave the Conference, and that members owe the Conference fiduciary duties, specifically with respect to obligations created by their grant of media rights to the Conference.”
The ACC is already facing a lawsuit from Florida State. Now, it’ll also have to worry about Clemson potentially leaving.
If Clemson and Florida State leave the ACC at some point in the future, that could potentially spell the end of the conference as a whole.