The settlement of the lawsuits between Florida State and Clemson against the Atlantic Coast Conference is interpreted as a “Get Out This Conference Card” for the Seminoles. It dramatically reduces the exit fee FSU would have to pay and is seen by many as a smashing victory for FSU.
That may well be true.
Florida State, Clemson, and the ACC announce that they have resolved all ongoing legal disputes.
— FSU Seminoles (@Seminoles) March 4, 2025
📰 https://t.co/pMPifvWf3L pic.twitter.com/vG837YaawH
But it won’t happen for at least another five years, and – this is key – FSU will need a better place to go. That’s not guaranteed by any stretch, and if they find the other three power conferences aren't interested in having them, the Seminoles might just stay put.
Since this site is about USF athletics, our big question is what it means for the Bulls. If FSU and Clemson find new homes, it seems logical that the ACC would want a second team in Florida, which would probably mean USF.
More details emerging from settlement between ACC, FSU and Clemson via sources. Exit fee is expected to drop by $18 million each year through 2029-30. After that, exit fee drops to $75 million and any exiting team will retain is media rights.
— Andrea Adelson (@aadelsonESPN) March 4, 2025
However, can anyone be sure what the ACC will look like by 2030? Will the Big Ten snatch North Carolina and maybe Virginia, Georgia Tech, or Miami?
ESPN appears to be driving conference realignment, which is another wildcard. USF reportedly makes about $9 million from the American Athletic Conference’s media rights deal with ESPN.
AAC Commissioner Tim Pernetti has also aggressively pursued non-traditional revenue streams such as private equity to bolster teams’ bottom lines.
Still, that’s pocket change for the Big Ten and SEC, and they’ll likely get even more when, along with the Big 12, they get new TV deals about the time FSU will be looking to leave.
Take a step back for a minute: Would the ACC minus Florida State, Clemson, North Carolina, Virginia, and maybe Miami and Georgia Tech be any better than the American? Would it even be as good?
Will conferences not named the Big Ten and SEC even matter by then?
I’ve been bullish about USF’s athletic growth, especially the on-campus football stadium and the addition of women’s lacrosse. The program football coach Alex Golesh is building will enter its third season with more depth and higher hopes than USF has since the halcyon days of Quinton Flowers.
With the support of university leadership, Athletics Director Michael Kelly has USF positioned to be a conference expansion target.
That may still be a good thing. But if anyone has a time machine that can tell us what the landscape will be in 2030, it would be appreciated.