The Big Ten will not pursue Florida State if the Seminoles elect to leave the ACC and the conference remains intact, according to a recent report from the Action Network’s Brett McMurphy.
His article included several statements from Big Ten presidents, conference personnel, athletic directors, network executives and consultants surrounding Florida State’s potential ACC escape effort and search for a new conference home.
That escape effort comes after the Big Ten and SEC both expanded entering the 2024-25 athletic calendar. Each conference’s expansion led to substantial new television contracts, leading to higher revenue for all of the member institutions. Big brands including Florida State and Clemson are at risk of being left behind, tied to the ACC’s outdated model and television contract.
Despite the Big Ten and SEC having benefited from expanding with more big brands, McMurphy cites a large number of sources that do not endorse the Big Ten poaching Florida State from the ACC — that if the conference does not fold entirely.
“There is no appetite among the presidents unless there is some catastrophic development with the ACC and it forces [the Big Ten] into a decision,” one person told McMurphy.
Another also pointed to the recent additions of Oregon, Washington, UCLA and USC to the Big Ten as the rationale for denying Florida State.
“What’s the upside of Florida State?” a source told McMurphy. “We got what we needed by adding USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington — and Oregon and Washington were added at 50 cents on the dollar to help USC and UCLA. Who would Florida State help? And at what cost? And, most importantly, who’s going to pay for it?”
Big Ten, SEC unlikely to add Florida State if it leaves ACC & ACC survives, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. Big Ten & SEC don’t want FSU because adding FSU doesn’t make financial sense, no desire to expand & “they’ve been a disruptive partner,” sources said https://t.co/YhOPDC3O1k
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 16, 2024
Others alluded to Florida State’s erratic behavior in December and their inability to fully trust the university as a partner in their conference.
“Look what they did: getting the attorney general involved, accusing [former ACC commissioner] John Swofford of rigging the television rights,” another said. “They’re not a good partner. There’s no congeniality. No one wants that.”
In December, Florida State sued the ACC to get out of the conference’s media bind with ESPN. Since that point, the Seminoles have been attempting to leave its media rights contract — a move that would be catastrophic to the conference’s viability.
These thoughts would obviously change if the ACC folds and top brands including Florida State and Clemson enter the open market without a home.