In a Mecklenburg County, N.C. courtroom, a judge promised Clemson and ACC representatives two findings in the ACC vs. Clemson lawsuit before the two parties meet off again in Pickens County, S.C. court next week. Judge Louis A. Bledsoe stated Tuesday that he will rule on both Clemson’s move to dismiss the ACC’s complaint and Clemon’s motion to stay the ACC’s lawsuit before the two sides meet again on July 12th. Tuesday’s case concerned the conference’s countersuit against Clemson, which was filed just one day after Clemson sued their own conference in March.
If Clemson leaves the ACC, it wants to retain control of its media rights. They are also suing the ACC for its “exorbitant exit fee” for schools who wish to quit the conference, which would cost the Tigers $140 million. That amount is three times the conference’s operating budget.
Clemson is currently bound to the conference through 2036. The ACC’s countersuit of Clemson states its Grant of Rights and exit fees are, “valid and enforceable.” The conference is also seeking damages from claims that Clemson violated the agreement, which the Tigers signed.
While Tuesday’s hearing concerned the ACC’s countersuit of Clemson, next Friday’s hearing in Pickens County, S.C. concerns the Tigers’ original lawsuit against the conference. Court documents filed Monday in Pickens County showed scheduling disagreements between Clemson and the ACC.
According to those documents, the conference and ESPN asked Clemson to move its football game against South Carolina one day earlier to play in primetime on Black Friday.
The Tigers declined and chose to keep the Palmetto Bowl on Saturday along with refusing to make several other requested schedule changes.
