ACC athletic directors show a unified front Tuesday after a Manic Monday

After expressing concerns about the league to boosters earlier this year, FSU AD Michael Alford said they are "very thrilled" to be in the ACC this week. (Photo: Alicia Devine / USATODAY)

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Wed May 17 07:00:17 GMT-04:00 2023

Atlantic Coast Conference athletic directors took on a unified stance coming out of the second day of the ACC spring meetings in Amelia Island, but Virginia Tech’s Whit Babcock admitted that the Hokies have looked at options outside of the conference.

The first day of the spring meetings Monday began with the news that seven teams have joined together to look at the ACC’s Grant of Rights and to try and figure a way out of the deal that runs through 2036. None of the athletic directors spoke to the media after the tumultuous first day, but that changed Tuesday despite reports that an eighth school (Louisville) has joined what some called the “Magnificent Seven” that includes Clemson, Miami, Florida State, UNC, NC State, Virginia Tech, and Virginia.

The SEC and Big Ten continue to separate themselves from the rest of college sports. What was once the Power 5 [ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 & PAC-12] is quickly becoming the Power 2 [SEC & Big Ten].

Much of the ACC’s issues are due to its TV rights deal. While the SEC and Big Ten have television deals that have the chance to double what ACC schools will make in the next three or four years, and that gap will only widen.

Babcock admitted that a certain number of schools have discussed alternatives to the ACC.

“I would classify it as a number of conversations,” Babcock told the Richmond Times-Disptatch., “usually in small groups, on interpretations of grant of rights, of bylaws of the league, of options that may be out there. But as you know, the grant of rights has been looked at a lot of times by a lot of people.”

Babcock went on to say that there were several tough conversations Monday.

“There was probably a number of things said yesterday that needed to be said. I think the commissioner did a great job with it,” he said. “You’ve got 15 schools and 15 different approaches. After the initial shock of some of the news reported, I think it was productive after that.

“I think it was less than ideal that it came out, but it’s been a catalyst for some real conversation and maybe getting to things a little faster that we’ve been working on as the ACC.”

Babcock declined to answer if Virginia Tech had spoken directly to another conference.

“The tough thing about being an AD in times of conference realignment, real or perceived, is there’s nothing you can really say that’s the perfect answer,” he said. “If you are undyingly loyal to your conference, which the ACC’s been great to us, then your fan base thinks (you’re ignoring reality). If you come out and say you want to keep your options open, you’re not exactly making friends in the room and with the commissioner.”

Weighted revenue sharing – where the top programs take a bigger cut of the TV dollars – was discussed Tuesday. According to reports, it could add as much as $10 million to the expected $41 million ACC schools will receive in a few years.

FSU athletic director Michael Alford told the media that the Seminoles want to stay in the ACC.

“We thoroughly enjoy being in this league,” Alford told reporters on Tuesday. “We’re very thrilled about being in this league and we want to stay.”

Alford was asked if the $10 million would be enough to convince the Seminoles to stay in the ACC.

"There’s not a magic number right now," Alford said. "Really what we’re looking for is to be competitive. You look at the revenue shares of other leagues and what they’re going to have and how they’re going to invest it, you need to be able to make sure that you can stay up to par with some of the changes that they’re going to do and how they are going to use that revenue.

“We just need to be in the competitive look. We’re the third-best media agreement right now. We want to stay the third best. We’ve been able to compete with them being the third-best media agreement. A lot of it comes down to choices that we make on funding. As long as we’re there and competitive, that’s what the number is."

Can the league put a plan in place by the time the meetings conclude later today?

"That’s a good question. I don’t know the answer to that right now because I think there’s some other people that would have to vet it out amongst the board of directors and some others when you’re talking about success initiatives," Alford said. "It’s going to take a while, but I don’t think it’s going to take that long. We understand the urgency, our CEOs understand the urgency to take a look at this. I’m very thrilled the CEOs are engaged in this and really examining how we can move this forward."