Maryland Files Suit Countersues ACC

[Goose85]

I wonder if this is Maryland's way of saying to the ACC "If you plan to hold us to the exit fee, we are going to air all of the ACC / ESPN dirty laundry."

At some point does ESPN convince the ACC to back off a bit? If not I look forward to all of the crap about breaking up the Big East coming out and ESPN's involvement.



http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/eye-on-college-football/24409012/maryland-files-157-million-countersuit-against-acc

[warriorfan4life]

Personally, I am very happy to be away from all of the greedy football schools and their conferences and aligned with peer institutions that have at least a semblance of collegial feelings towards each other.

[DCwarrior]

This is a Hail Mary pass by Maryland. There is virtually no chance of them winning. They should have been negotiating a smaller payout the day after they announced they were leaving. Now the ACC is going to make them pay every last penny of the $52M exit fee.

Maryland's athletic department is in shambles. They're broke and this fee will hamstring them for years even with the new BIG money coming soon. They've had to cut 7 scholarship programs in the last 2 years and they'll probably have to cut a few more. Their only hope is if the Under Armor owner cuts the program a very large check.

Their basketball program is solid and well supported, but their football program is a joke. They're going to be a lot of BIG school's homecoming game for the next decade.

[TheSultan]

My guess is that the B10 negotiates some sort of loan on their rights deal.

[TulsaWarrior]

Maybe a 30-30 investigative piece on the collusion that destroyed the old Big East?

[TheSultan]

Maybe a 30-30 investigative piece on the collusion that destroyed the old Big East?


The problem is that's yesterday's news and no one is really going to care or be all that surprised.

[The Reptile]

Nobody held a gun to Maryland's head when they signed the ACC contract or when they signed with the big 10. Maybe they should put on their big boy pants, admit that they owe the money and move one.

[IWB]

Yes, they did sign, but isn't it an ACC rule that all new rules go into effect one year from the date it is approved? If that is the case, than the $50 mil exit fee should not yet have kicked in.

[Goose85]

Yes, they did sign, but isn't it an ACC rule that all new rules go into effect one year from the date it is approved? If that is the case, than the $50 mil exit fee should not yet have kicked in.

I think that was the original issue. They didn't vote for the exit fee increase, and despite it being passed they argued the ACC bylaws indicate no new rule can be in effect until the next year begins.

Either way, I'd love to have the Maryland folks serve up the dish on the breakup of Big East / expansion of ACC as I think such a behind the scene look would be interesting.