Will the ACC suffer the Pac-12 fate? A look at the conference's future in collegiate athletics amid legal battle with Florida State

The ACC is currently fighting for its future in collegiate athletics as the conference is locked in a legal battle with one of its members. Florida State is seeking to leave the conference and has filed a lawsuit that seeks to invalidate the league's grant of rights.

The Seminoles have been vocal about their intention to leave the league over the past few years and have finally taken action this offseason. This is believed to have been ignited by the controversial exclusion of the school from the playoffs after an undefeated season.

Let's examine what actions Florida State could potentially bring to the conference’s future.

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Will the ACC suffer the Pac-12 fate?

Safe for its watertight grant of rights agreement, the ACC would have followed in the footsteps of the Pac-12. The Pac-12 imploded in the previous offseason following the conference's failure to secure a lucrative media deal, with 10 of its members making their way out of the league.

With many members holding the intention to leave the ACC, the league is bound for something like that if the Pac-12. However, the solid grant of rights agreement, which runs until 2036, continues to remain the saving grace for conferences in the world of college sports.

Nonetheless, the lawsuit filed by Florida State places the league on the brink of danger. Should the Seminoles come out successful in the ongoing legal battle and have an easy route out of the conference, this could create a pathway for many other members out of the league.

Notably, more than half of the conference’s members are already exploring the opportunity to leave. A host of them, including Clemson, North Carolina and Virginia, reportedly met last summer to explore the possibilities of navigating the grant of rights agreement.

The teams are notably not comfortable with the prospect of earning $30 million for the next 13 years remaining on the deal. Without a doubt, this could see the ACC suffer the Pac-12’s fate, provided the Seminoles come out victorious in the lawsuit they filed in December.

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The danger around the ACC media deal

The ACC has a long-term media deal with ESPN that runs up to 2036. However, the deal might be in some sort of danger if Florida State eventually secures a victory in the ongoing legal battle.

The contract between the conference and ESPN makes a provision for the network to call for renegotiation of the terms of the deal if the league membership falls below 15.

Should Florida State end up victorious in its lawsuit and create a pathway out of the league for other teams, ESPN is likely to call for renegotiation or call off the deal.