As a method to keep away from a potential future snub from the faculty soccer playoffs, Florida State has reportedly renewed in-depth discussions about its long-term future as a member of the ACC, according to ESPN. In a letter to Florida Sen. Rick Scott, the School Soccer Playoff Committee cited accidents to key gamers — most notably quarterback Jordan Travis — and power of schedule as central causes as to why the 13-0 Seminoles have been on the skin wanting in.
Whereas the Seminoles wouldn’t go away the ACC within the close to time period, the state of affairs is “expected to come to a head in the near future,” per ESPN.
Florida State isn’t leaving the ACC anytime quickly as a result of, frankly, there may be nowhere for it to at present go. The Energy 5 conferences have shrunk to a Energy 4 within the final calendar yr, with the Pac-12 and components of the Massive 12 absconding for different conferences. The Massive Ten (18), SEC (16), Massive 12 (16), and ACC (17) have their groups locked in for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Furthermore, every of those leagues signed new media rights offers throughout the final six months. The ACC’s is each the longest-running – expiring in 2036 – and probably the most ironclad. When a bunch of seven ACC colleges led by Florida State and Clemson threatened to go away the convention, the convention quelled dissent by agreeing to shift to a performance-based income mannequin. Nonetheless, that extra favorable settlement for large colleges additionally comes with a massive $120 million buyout. This is able to be paid along with any authorized charges tied to negotiations. For reference, Texas and Oklahoma paid a mixed $100 million to go away the Massive 12 within the final yr of their media rights deal.
It’s not unparalleled for colleges to pay that to get into the precise state of affairs. SMU agreed to forgo any media rights share to affix the ACC, as a substitute gathering a group of boosters to chip in $200 million to entrance the misplaced income. Florida State collectively operates an endowment of $709 million and raises about $70 million in donations yearly.
Even when they have been to get out, although, the place might the Seminoles land? Their excellent convention associate would seemingly come from the SEC; their media deal isn’t up till 2034. The Massive 12’s will expire in 2031. The Massive Ten’s deal expires in 2030, however it’s arguably the convention least receptive to new members. The brand new-look Massive Eighteen’s most southern faculty east of the Mississippi River is Indiana College, over 750 miles away. That doesn’t embrace cross-country journeys to play USC, UCLA, Oregon, or Washington. In the event that they took their first alternative to leap ship, Florida State can be on an island.
None of those logistics even think about the truth that the issue Florida State is at present grappling with disappears subsequent season. The School Soccer Playoff is about to broaden to 12 groups in 2024. The Seminoles have been the primary staff out of playoff competition, making them a lock for subsequent yr’s bowl. If rankings revert from the newly adopted “best product” mannequin to their authentic “most deserving” choice course of, Florida State’s 13-0 schedule would additionally seemingly earn it a bye on this format.
The Seminoles have been undeniably screwed out of a spot on this yr’s school soccer playoff. That doesn’t imply the ACC isn’t the very best vacation spot for them. Florida State continues to wash up competitors, with constant success in different sports activities like softball and ladies’s soccer. There isn’t a path to a convention exit with out hemorrhaging cash, and the issue they’ve is about to be fully resolved. That is short-sighted squabbling that, hopefully, ought to cease quickly.
