The ACC says it is confident that its agreements will be held up in court, despite Clemson's challenge on Tuesday.

by TigerNet Staff - Tue Mar 19 15:35:14 GMT-04:00 2024

The Atlantic Coast Conference issued a statement in response to Clemson's lawsuit with the league filed on Tuesday in Pickens County.

"The ACC remains confident that its agreements with all its members will be affirmed by the courts. Clemson, along with all ACC members, voluntarily signed and re-signed the 2013 and 2016 Grant of Rights, which is binding through 2036. In addition, Clemson agreed to the process and procedures for withdrawal. The Conference's legal counsel will vigorously enforce the agreement and bylaws in the best interest of the ACC's current and incoming members," said the statement signed by ACC Board of Directors chair Jim Ryan and conference commissioner Jim Phillips.

Clemson said this on the lawsuit earlier:

"Today, Clemson University filed a lawsuit in Pickens County, South Carolina, against the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). In this litigation, Clemson seeks confirmation of the plain language found in the Grant of Rights agreements and the related media agreements between the ACC and ESPN – that these agreements, when read together, plainly state that Clemson controls its media rights for games played if it is no longer a member of the ACC. Clemson also seeks a ruling regarding the unenforceability of the severe penalty the ACC is seeking to impose upon exiting members and confirmation that it does not owe a fiduciary duty to the conference as alleged by the ACC.

"The ACC’s position regarding the Grant of Rights, the exit penalty, and obligations owed by members to the conference, as detailed in its public statements and other court filings, leaves Clemson with no choice but to move forward with this lawsuit.

"Clemson has not given notice that it is exiting the ACC and remains a member of the conference."

The full text of the suit, with some redactions, is attached below.

The ACC sued Florida State in December ahead of the program suing the league, and each lawsuit has a hearing coming up, starting with the ACC's lawsuit on Friday in the state of North Carolina and then an April 9 hearing in the state of Florida for FSU's case.