https://www.big12insider.com/articles/acc_fraud.html

The author implies that the ACC committed fraud when they (Swofford and media consultant) presented to the FSU Board of Directors prior to the original 2013 GOR.

Yet FSU agreed to the media rights extension and a new GOR in 2016.

with all the complaints about contract going thru Raycom & Swofford & son
I always wondered why nobody questioned that as fraud

Interesting. The case sounds flimsy to me.

I guess the key question is did Swofford knowingly lie and intentionally use false data when making those inaccurate revenue and cost estimates for years 10+ years in the future?

Or was Swofford just honestly overly optimistic and simply bad in making revenue and cost estimates and just honestly bad at predicting the future?
I

I think the real lesson here is don't enter into long term contracts in a constantly changing and unpredictable environment if you expect to be one of the eventual big winners in all that chaos.

Yet the main goal of the GOR was to bring predictability and stability to that constantly changing environment. This is why the GOR was beneficial to the majority of the ACC members. Why FSU ever agreed to it is a good question.

FSU had to know in 2013 and 2016 it might not be in their long term financial interests to sign a GOR with the ACC. FSU probably knew there was a chance that Swofford's numbers were overly optimistic but they signed the GOR anyway.

Maybe FSU did it for the good of the ACC over their own self interests, but whatever the reason, at the time they willingly signed the GOR knowing the estimates could turn out to be low.

I thought it good tactical judgment not to go after ESPN, but rather a past commissioner with some dubious family baggage. So, no burned bridges with ESPN, Phillips, or other schools, just Swofford. There are some things which were not mentioned in that article which might prove interesting as well.

Well now we know the angle and line of argumentation which will be taken. It will be interesting to see what ESPN does. BTW: Last Friday Finebaum cautioned to watch the ACC for some major news developments. Foreshadowing I think, and since he hasn't been clued in on much I wonder if the network gave him the go ahead to toss that nugget.

Didn’t copy the link but I saw on one of my Google feeds the B1G will announce the addition of Oregon,Washington, FSU, Clemson not sure if some back room haggling is in play . Not sure where ESPN fits https://athlonsports.com/college-footbal...washington

(07-31-2023 04:34 AM)CardFan1 Wrote:  Didn’t copy the link but I saw on one of my Google feeds the B1G will announce the addition of Oregon,Washington, FSU, Clemson not sure if some back room haggling is in play . Not sure where ESPN fits https://athlonsports.com/college-footbal...washington

it's already posted and is bs.

"My contact alleges the revenue projections presented to Florida State's Board of Trustees on March 7, 2013, by ACC Commissioner John Swofford and TV consultant Dean Jordan, were grossly inaccurate and misleading.

FSU's Board acted on the bad-faith representations of the ACC. Swofford and Jordan knew the revenue projections were unrealistic yet assured the Board profits from a conference network would put the Seminoles on par with their SEC peers."

Well they couldn't go after Swofford without going after Dean Jordan and the Wasserman Group.

https://www.uncsesummit.com/past-speakers/Dean-Jordan

That's a lot of lawyers and a very lengthy trial where FSU will have to prove that the ACC and the Wasserman group colluded to defraud not only FSU but all of the schools in the ACC, or that the data presented to FSU was different from the other schools.
Generally consulting groups submit mountains of data in published reports to support their recommendations.
Lots of lawyers in a lengthy trial..................

(07-31-2023 04:53 AM)XLance Wrote:  "My contact alleges the revenue projections presented to Florida State's Board of Trustees on March 7, 2013, by ACC Commissioner John Swofford and TV consultant Dean Jordan, were grossly inaccurate and misleading.

FSU's Board acted on the bad-faith representations of the ACC. Swofford and Jordan knew the revenue projections were unrealistic yet assured the Board profits from a conference network would put the Seminoles on par with their SEC peers."

Well they couldn't go after Swofford without going after Dean Jordan and the Wasserman Group.

https://www.uncsesummit.com/past-speakers/Dean-Jordan

That's a lot of lawyers and a very lengthy trial where FSU will have to prove that the ACC and the Wasserman group colluded to defraud not only FSU but all of the schools in the ACC, or that the data presented to FSU was different from the other schools.
Generally consulting groups submit mountains of data in published reports to support their recommendations.
Lots of lawyers in a lengthy trial..................

It might also serve as a useful tool should ESPN find a reason to use it. We'll see.

(07-31-2023 04:57 AM)JRsec Wrote:  

(07-31-2023 04:53 AM)XLance Wrote:  "My contact alleges the revenue projections presented to Florida State's Board of Trustees on March 7, 2013, by ACC Commissioner John Swofford and TV consultant Dean Jordan, were grossly inaccurate and misleading.

FSU's Board acted on the bad-faith representations of the ACC. Swofford and Jordan knew the revenue projections were unrealistic yet assured the Board profits from a conference network would put the Seminoles on par with their SEC peers."

Well they couldn't go after Swofford without going after Dean Jordan and the Wasserman Group.

https://www.uncsesummit.com/past-speakers/Dean-Jordan

That's a lot of lawyers and a very lengthy trial where FSU will have to prove that the ACC and the Wasserman group colluded to defraud not only FSU but all of the schools in the ACC, or that the data presented to FSU was different from the other schools.
Generally consulting groups submit mountains of data in published reports to support their recommendations.
Lots of lawyers in a lengthy trial..................

It might also serve as a useful tool should ESPN find a reason to use it. We'll see.

Wasserman would probably bring suit against ESPN, in that I would presume that much of the broadcast data was collected from ESPN.
I doubt that ESPN would want that type of discovery, especially when Wasserman's lawyers had John Skipper directing them as to where to look.


Maybe FSU's true goal is to put ESPN in such a bind that they would be willing to provide the $600 Million for the Noles to exit the ACC.

(07-31-2023 05:06 AM)XLance Wrote:  

(07-31-2023 04:57 AM)JRsec Wrote:  

(07-31-2023 04:53 AM)XLance Wrote:  "My contact alleges the revenue projections presented to Florida State's Board of Trustees on March 7, 2013, by ACC Commissioner John Swofford and TV consultant Dean Jordan, were grossly inaccurate and misleading.

FSU's Board acted on the bad-faith representations of the ACC. Swofford and Jordan knew the revenue projections were unrealistic yet assured the Board profits from a conference network would put the Seminoles on par with their SEC peers."

Well they couldn't go after Swofford without going after Dean Jordan and the Wasserman Group.

https://www.uncsesummit.com/past-speakers/Dean-Jordan

That's a lot of lawyers and a very lengthy trial where FSU will have to prove that the ACC and the Wasserman group colluded to defraud not only FSU but all of the schools in the ACC, or that the data presented to FSU was different from the other schools.
Generally consulting groups submit mountains of data in published reports to support their recommendations.
Lots of lawyers in a lengthy trial..................

It might also serve as a useful tool should ESPN find a reason to use it. We'll see.

Wasserman would probably bring suit against ESPN, in that I would presume that much of the broadcast data was collected from ESPN.
I doubt that ESPN would want that type of discovery, especially when Wasserman's lawyers had John Skipper directing them as to where to look.


Maybe FSU's true goal is to put ESPN in such a bind that they would be willing to provide the $600 Million for the Noles to exit the ACC.

The peculiar thing here X is that the same network owns the SEC's rights and the ACC's rights. Florida State ceded their rights to the conference, then the conference bundled those rights and sold them to ESPN until 2036. Now if FSU cost the other ACC schools a loss on those rights by leaving yes they will owe. But if ESPN chooses to pay the remaining schools as if FSU never left and do so through 2036 the FSU can leave for an exit fee. Damages in a GOR case cannot be claimed unless actual monetary damages have been incurred.

Let's say hypothetically that Clemson and Florida State leave. If ESPN pays the ACC as if they haven't left there are no GOR damages. As FSU has not cost the ACC anything through the duration of the GOR at the end of which they are free to go. IF the ACC is paid then ESPN can show those games anywhere.

If two networks were involved the options wouldn't be there and FSU would be stuck, but there is much ESPN can do to mitigate the damages.

I think this will get interesting in that regard.

(07-31-2023 02:35 AM)JRsec Wrote:  https://www.big12insider.com/articles/acc_fraud.html

It's an interesting blog post if you like watching someone parade around downtown wearing a blinking neon hat that says PLEASE SUE ME, yes.

In that respect it's fascinating.

Exhibit A: 'The ACC Defrauded FSU'

Exhibit B: 'The ACC's Fraud Opens the Door'

Exhibit C: 'There's no doubt fraud was involved... There's no doubt the intentional fraud breached..'

Professional journalists use words like alleged and may have and the possibility of and witnesses assert and sources say. Our B12 blog author is apparently unacquainted with the reason why.

libel (noun)
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/libel

If a case is to be made regarding rollback of the ACC grant of rights, we'll hear about it in time from qualified people.

(07-31-2023 02:35 AM)JRsec Wrote:  https://www.big12insider.com/articles/acc_fraud.html

Wow.

The Dude of West Virginia’s credibility has come a long way.

Rumors have emerged that the Big Ten should announce this week expansion with Oregon, Washington, Florida State, and Clemson.

If true, I wonder kind of deal the Big Ten is offering or can offer the two ACC schools, especially if the ACC schools withdraw and lose their GOR battle and rights for the remaining 13 years or so?

(07-31-2023 03:35 AM)templefootballfan Wrote:  with all the complaints about contract going thru Raycom & Swofford & son
I always wondered why nobody questioned that as fraud

Patience grasshopper

(07-31-2023 04:03 AM)goofus Wrote:  ....
Why FSU ever agreed to it is a good question.

I don't know why this is a mystery to people.

Would you say 'no' to establishing a no-risk, potentially-lucrative conference network that a dozen of your partner schools want? Doing without millions in income every year when you're already playing catchup as is? Letting yourself in for years of bad will from your conference partners--just to retain a lottery ticket for a conference that you already know isn't inviting you now?

Here's what you would do. You'd call that other conference one more time, say 'Going once, going twice...' and if nothing changes you'd sign.

You'd go with the bird in hand, and make the best of it. Much as Colorado just did.

This is aside from questions of conference procedure. If Clemson and Florida State are outvoted on the subject of whether to sign a grant of rights and still withhold their signatures, what are the ramifications of that?

(07-31-2023 03:50 AM)goofus Wrote:  Interesting. The case sounds flimsy to me.

I guess the key question is did Swofford knowingly lie and intentionally use false data when making those inaccurate revenue and cost estimates for years 10+ years in the future?

Or was Swofford just honestly overly optimistic and simply bad in making revenue and cost estimates and just honestly bad at predicting the future?
I

Looking forward to Swofford explaining ESPN's carve-out for Raycom and its long-time executive Chad Swofford

(07-31-2023 02:35 AM)JRsec Wrote:  https://www.big12insider.com/articles/acc_fraud.html

Very interesting!