Clemson Football is one of the Magnificent Seven programs (or eight, depending on who you are talking to) that was serious about taking action about the television revenue gap between the ACC and their peers in the SEC and Big Ten.
Now that Colorado has decided to leave the PAC-12 and rejoin the Big 12, many are speculating about the next moves (if there are any) imminent in conference realignment.
While there haven’t been any rumors that directly involve Clemson, there are some that involve the ACC.
Jim Williams, who is a podcast host and columnist, tweeted that the ACC was having conversations with the PAC-12.
I can confirm that @pac12 have spoken with officials from @theACC ahead of a very important CEO and ad meeting set for later today. More to come as i get additional information.
— Jim Williams (@JWMediaDC) July 27, 2023
Several people ran away with this believing they were talking about a merger. A March 2023 interview with former ESPN president John Skipper in which he suggested an ACC & PAC-12 merger began making the rounds. Williams addressed that with a follow-up.
Gang I did not report that the ACC and the Pac spoke about a MERGER. I said they held conversations. I am sure they didn't exchange ways to make better-fried chicken- but it was likely more what a partnership would look like. Even that is a heavy lift. But it never hurts to… https://t.co/HhT6eenOhs
— Jim Williams (@JWMediaDC) July 27, 2023
Right now it is safe to assume the conferences are considering every possibility to find additional revenues, especially the PAC-12, who is still negotiating their next television contract. Alliances have existed before and didn’t always last, but it is not outside the realm of possibility that a “coastal challenge” could create some buzz in the television world.
No rumors on Clemson Football, but there are some on Florida State
Perhaps the most vocal ACC member regarding their current situation is Florida State. Chris Nee from 247Sports covering the Seminoles reports that Florida State is actively trying to leave the ACC.
https://twitter.com/JWPSports/status/1684612480658440231?s=20
This may be a rumor, but it’s safe to say that FSU has been and will continue looking into options. The question is whether the Buffaloes’ move to the Big 12 has created more motivation to find a way to exit the ACC, or if this has been the case for some time. This might be more about the reactions of their fanbase than anything new within their administration.
It is important to remember these are just rumors. There might be substance, or they might be strategically released information for a conference or school to gauge the reaction from the fans. They also might be completely off base. Since sources are usually confidential and not disclosed, we do not know where the rumors come from.