BREAKING: Clemson to Exit ACC After New Lawsuit, Big 12 Will Expand for CFP Revenue by Poaching ACC

Locked On Big 12 | Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast

Per ESPN's Pete Thamel, Clemson has initiated legal action against the ACC, signaling its intent to depart from the conference.

Filed in the court of common pleas in Pickens County, South Carolina, Clemson's lawsuit challenges the ACC's authority over media rights and exit penalties, denouncing the withdrawal fee as "unconscionable" and "unenforceable."

The lawsuit disputes the ACC's interpretation that the conference would retain Clemson's media rights post-departure, labeling it as "nonsensical" and contrary to the agreement's plain language.

Seeking clarity, Clemson demands a declaration that the ACC relinquishes rights to its games upon Clemson's exit and deems the exit fee—amounting to three times the ACC's operating budget, approximately $140 million—as a "penalty in violation of public policy."

This legal action follows a similar move by Florida State in December, emphasizing discontent within the conference's football elite regarding its structure.

While the ACC has responded with confidence in the validity of its agreements, citing Clemson's voluntary participation in the 2013 and 2016 Grant of Rights, tensions persist amid the backdrop of a new multi-billion-dollar contract between the College Football Playoff and ESPN, further highlighting financial disparities among conferences.

Thamel writes, "Tuesday's lawsuit comes on the same day that the College Football Playoff and ESPN announced a new six-year, $7.8 billion contract that further amplifies the financial gap between the Big Ten and the SEC and the rest of college sports. Annually, each Big Ten and SEC team will earn more than $21 million under the new agreement, which starts in 2026. ACC teams will earn more than $13 million."

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