Florida State University has scored a victory in its ongoing legal battle with the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) over media rights and the university’s potential departure from the conference.
A Florida appeals court has ruled that FSU’s lawsuit against the ACC can proceed, rejecting the conference’s attempt to halt the case. This decision comes after a series of legal maneuvers by both sides, including dueling lawsuits filed in Florida and North Carolina.
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The heart of the dispute lies in a “grant of rights” agreement that transferred ACC schools’ media rights to the conference in exchange for a lucrative media contract with ESPN. FSU is challenging this agreement, which runs until 2036, as it explores options to join a different athletic conference.
The ACC argued that its lawsuit, filed in North Carolina just one day before FSU filed its lawsuit in Florida, should take precedence. However, the appeals court disagreed, stating that the ACC had not demonstrated a “miscarriage of justice” that would warrant halting the Florida case.
The court also rejected the ACC’s claim that FSU breached its contract by challenging the grant-of-rights agreement.
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This ruling allows FSU’s lawsuit to move forward in Florida, potentially paving the way for the university to leave the ACC without facing significant financial penalties. The ACC has vowed to continue its legal fight, with another appeal pending and a hearing scheduled in the Florida case later this week.
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