Peter Collins, FSU Board of Trustees Chair, making big implications of the Grant of Rights

So here's Collins, who says that he and the university have a, they understand what the document is all about. So when I say we have a handle on the grant of rights, we understand the documents very well. We understand our position on those documents. We understand the legal arguments on those, in that document. We understand who the actual parties are, would be under those documents. And we believe we have, you know, I think that I said it best. I mean, we have a very good handle on what our risks are under that document. What our opportunities are under that document.

And that's the least of my worries. And that's based on what we know. So when I say we have a good handle on it, I mean, we understand it. We have gotten a lot of counsel on that document. And that will not be the document that keeps us from taking action. And that I'll leave it at that. That keeps us from taking action. Don't know what that means, but it does sound like Florida State feels like they might be able to get out of it. So my question would be, what are you waiting for? Seriously, what are you waiting for?

If you believe you can get out of it, then have at it. Because there is no mechanism currently which is going to bridge the gap from where the ACC is financially and where the Big Ten and SEC will be in two years. There's no bridge. Have you seen the bridge between the tip of Florida and the Keys? Yes. That bridge is way too short.

You would need a bridge basically all the way to Cuba. Yeah, right. From the Richmond Times, he joins us on the Adam Gold Show. I am sure you have at least sampled the Peter Collins Florida State Board of Trustees chair session with WarChant, among other people, Irish O'Fell, who's covered the Florida State for a long, long time. What was your takeaway from Collins saying basically, we know our options and we're not afraid to take action?

Adam, I watched all 50 minutes of it this morning and took copious notes and even recorded it. I was struck though, when I repressed him on options, right? If you're not in the ACC, how would you describe your options? And here's what he said. Complicated. Yeah.

There is no risk free decision. Do you think they would do you think they would go independent? Where's revenue coming from? Well, if you listened to Peter Collins talk about, he talked about how valuable a television property they are because the ACC wanted to put them on the first night of the season in prime time, even when they were bad. I would point out that Duke's plan Monday night, Labor Day night.

So I don't even understand his point on on any of that, but he intimated that they could get out of the grant of rights. I know Bubba Cunningham a couple of weeks ago said that, you know, we don't know what the cost would be, but I think he understands that the cost would be substantial. But what do you think that cost would be? Upwards of half a billion dollars. Yeah.

Probably. And I don't know that Florida State has that kind of exchange around. Don't know what kind of installment plan the ACC might agree to. My suspicion, Adam, is the ACC would play hardball here. And the conference just hired a new, created a new position of in-house general counsel.

And it seems to be a rather well-timed hire. David Teal is joining us here on the Adam Gold Show. Richmond Times is joining us at by David Teal on Twitter.

I'm sorry, on X. It's not Twitter anymore. I'm trying to get that right. Here's the thing about this. These schools, whether it's Florida State or any of the Magnificent Seven, think that because, and I'll just use Florida State's chief rival, Florida. Because Florida's about to be bringing in $80 million a year or $90 million a year in media revenue.

That Florida State also has to do that. And I don't see those two things being the same. Like, all right, so if a friend of mine in radio suddenly makes, you know, twice what I make and we were both the same, that doesn't mean I have to make that. I would like to, but I don't feel like I have to. It's not up to my employer to make me equal to that guy.

It's up to me to either do better and better my own situation or just deal with it. I don't understand why that can't be the case with universities and the ACC. Florida State is obsessed with comparing itself to Florida, just as Clemson is obsessed with comparing itself to South Carolina. And it becomes a game of ego.

I have a bigger media contract than you have. And the minute that the results don't go your way, let's remember Florida State has beaten Florida in football eight of their last 12 meetings. Until this past season, Clemson owned South Carolina in football. So ACC membership hasn't kept them from competing against their in-state SEC rivals yet. I think a very legitimate concern at those schools is when does the revenue gap become so large that it has a competitive impact?

I think it's a fair question. Oh, I think it's a fair question too, but I'm just not sure that because your athletic department pulls in so much money that it automatically makes you significantly better than anybody else. Because the SEC didn't just start bringing in all this money. The Big Ten suddenly didn't just start bringing in all this money. And I would submit that on the football field, Penn State ain't that much better than the better teams in the ACC or Wisconsin or Iowa or any of those schools in the Big Ten. And I would argue that it's pretty similar for the middle of the pack in the SEC. It's not making anybody that much better. So I think all of these things are false narratives.

Well, and here's the thing, Adam. What is Florida State and Clemson's best path to football prominence and relevance? The college football player. What is their best path to the playoffs? Winning the ACC because it will guarantee you not only a bit, but likely a first round by end of the quarterfinals. You think you have a better shot at that if you're in the SEC or the Big Ten just because you're cashing a larger television check?

No, I'm 100% with you. Here's the thing. We're going to find out starting next year, not this year, starting next year, just how much Texas and Oklahoma enjoy competitive football life in the Southeastern Conference. And to an extent, we'll find out how USC and UCLA, this is a bigger problem for UCLA than it is for USC, enjoy life in the Big Ten.

So let me go west because I've now read too many silly things. Could the ACC have a Pacific division? I think it's very unlikely. Could it be some kind of scheduling partnership?

I think that's more likely. But in terms of actual conference membership, say, from South Stanford, Washington, and Oregon, that is borderline unworkable. Makes me laugh. Makes me laugh just to think about it. But maybe the bridge to the Pacific is if Notre Dame doesn't hear what they want to hear from NBC when they go in to renegotiate.

And if the number doesn't go up significantly and half of their home games won't be on NBC but they'll be on USA or Peacock, maybe Notre Dame realizes that competitively speaking, financially speaking, they might need a league. That also strikes me as unlikely. I agree. But at this point, who knows what the landscape is going to look like, especially when Peter Collins says we're not afraid to take risks.

I can't wait for that. No, you're 100% right. Anyone who claims to know what the result of all this, what the end game is, is blowing smoke.

Nobody knows. But I think here is one thing that at least to me seems certain, that when one of your football cornerstones is actively and publicly looking for the fastest escape hatch, that is not a healthy look for your confidence. And that's where the ACC is with Washington. Yeah, and it's just because they're like, just go win football games. We have to go, but this is hypothetical and actually it's more rhetorical than hypothetical. Where do you think the ACC's TV deal would be if at the time of renegotiation Florida State, Miami and Virginia Tech were worth anything? Point well taken and considerably more than it is.

Yeah, because it's all about inventory. So the reason why the Big Ten, well Big Ten has just massive universities, but part of the reason that the SEC's deal is so big is because there's a lot of quality football being played throughout the league. And the ACC has not been able to do that on top of the fact that we have tiny universities here in Atlantic Coast Conference Country until we add the entire Pacific time zone and Hawaii. David Teel, Richmond Times, I appreciate your time my friend. I'll talk to you very soon. Sounds good, Adam. Thanks.