Attorney General Ashley Moody has successfully obtained an agreement from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) to release previously undisclosed media rights contracts that are central to the ongoing legal battle between Florida State University (FSU) and the conference.
The ACC‘s decision to provide the documents follows legal action initiated by Attorney General Moody, who argued that the contracts should be made public under Florida’s Public Records Act.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Our office’s legal action has resulted in an agreement from the ACC to produce secret media contracts that are at the heart of the legal wrangling between FSU and the ACC. The conference refused to provide media contracts that detail the impact to FSU if it departs the conference, but now they are rightfully handing over these public records. We will continue to fight for transparency.”
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These contracts are crucial to understanding the financial implications of FSU’s potential departure from the ACC, including potential fines or penalties.
Previously, the ACC had demanded that FSU representatives travel to their North Carolina headquarters to review the documents under supervision, a move deemed unreasonable and costly by the state.
The released contracts include the 2010 ACC Multi-Media Agreement, several subsequent amendments, and the ACC-ESPN Network Agreement. These documents are expected to shed light on the financial terms that could potentially cost FSU hundreds of millions of dollars if they leave the conference.
The ACC has agreed to provide all documents to the Florida Attorney General’s Office by August 1st. The release of these contracts marks a significant victory for transparency in the ongoing legal dispute between FSU and the ACC.
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