FSU's new exit fee: How much will Seminoles owe ACC if they leave?

Following months of legal battles with the ACC, FSU has finally found a way out of the conference. The Seminoles filed a lawsuit against the league in December 2023, just after its controversial exclusion from the College Football Playoff despite ending the season undefeated.

FSU, alongside Clemson, reached an agreement with the ACC on the dispute that has caused chaos in the conference. The settlement ensures the modification of the league's revenue distribution model while lowering the conference exit fee significantly.

To leave the ACC, the Seminoles will now have to pay $165 million if they decide to depart in 2026. It will decrease by $18 million annually, eventually stabilizing at $75 million for the 2030-31 season. This is a big reduction from the rumored $572 million or $700 million an exit could have cost them.

"We started this path on what was best for not only FSU but for the conference and this really incentivizes everyone in our conference to have the opportunity to go out and choose a path," Florida State athletic director Michael Alford said about the agreement reached with the ACC.

“That's all we ever asked for, was for the opportunity for us to compete nationally amongst our peers, and it's also going to make the league better.”

The breakdown of the ACC exit fee:

2026 - $165 million

2027 - $147 million

2028 - $129 million

2029 - $111 million

2030 - $93 million

2031 - $75 million

What's next for FSU after the agreement?

The agreement reached on Tuesday now offers FSU the opportunity to leave the ACC at any time it wishes. The Seminoles have held the strong ambition to depart the conference for a more lucrative league, with the Big Ten or Southeastern Conference their likely destination.

However, the new revenue distribution model of the ACC could see the Seminoles decide to remain in the league for the next couple of years. With more weight given to television viewership in the new model, Florida State stands to gain a lot by staying in the league.

FSU could also explore its options outside the ACC in the next couple of months to decide its plans. Should the Seminoles find a more lucrative offer from either the Big Ten or the SEC, it's safe to say they'll be leaving. However, it's unknown when it will be financially worthwhile for the school to leave with the yearly reduction in the exit fee.