Arrr, Florida State's blarney be a plague upon the ACC, cries the North Carolina AD. Avast, me hearties!
2023-08-04
Avast, me hearties! Bubba Cunningham, the athletic director of North Carolina, be sayin' that Florida State's incessant yapping 'bout abandonin' the ACC be causin' trouble fer the conference. Arrr, methinks they be needin' to keep their jaws shut!
North Carolina athletic director, Bubba Cunningham, responded to comments made by Florida State President Richard McCullough regarding their future in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). McCullough had expressed that staying in the ACC would be difficult unless there was a radical change to the revenue distribution. Cunningham, in a humorous tone, stated that while FSU was free to leave, they would have certain obligations such as paying an exit fee and abiding by the grant of rights. He believed that the ACC was a great league and expressed his frustration with FSU's complaints about money, stating that everyone wants more money and more wins. He further stated that it was not good for the league for FSU to be making such remarks and urged them to be a good member of the league. McCullough had raised the issue of conference realignment during a board of trustees meeting, expressing the need for a change in revenue distribution to remain competitive. The ACC is expected to fall behind the SEC and Big Ten in TV revenue once Oklahoma, Texas, USC, and UCLA make their moves. Leaving the ACC early would require a school to pay three times its annual revenue and negotiate media rights with the conference. The college athletics landscape is undergoing potential changes, with rumors of Arizona and Arizona State joining the Big 12 and the Big Ten considering expansion. Cunningham believed that having multiple conferences was good for college athletics and emphasized the need for opportunities for student-athletes.