Florida State expected to discuss future with ACC in special trustees meeting Friday

Florida State is expected to discuss its long-term athletics future during a special board of trustees meeting scheduled for Friday at 10 a.m. ET.

The university announced the meeting Thursday morning.

No official reason was given or was an agenda included, but the Seminoles have voiced their frustrations with the Atlantic Coast Conference for the past year.

And conversations about the school’s future in the league have heated up the past few weeks after the Seminoles were the first undefeated Power Five team to get left out of the College Football Playoff.

POSTSEASON LINEUP: Schedule and results for the entire bowl lineup

How much could Florida State owe if it leaves the ACC?

If Florida State leaves the ACC, it would have to challenge the league’s grant of rights and estimated $120 million exit fee.

ACC member schools, like universities in every conference around the country, must sign deals transferring their media rights to their respective leagues for set periods of time.

In return for their media rights, schools receive shares of the conference's revenue.

The ACC’s deal runs through 2036.

Why is Florida State frustrated with the ACC?

The school's concerns and anger with the league have been three-fold: The ACC’s widening revenue gap with the SEC and Big Ten, its approach to revenue distribution and its place in the collegiate landscape as another wave of realignment rattles conference affiliations.

Florida State’s omission from the College Football Playoff also appeared to reflect the conference’s second-tier standing nationally.

While the No. 4 Seminoles beat Louisville in the ACC championship game, they were passed over by one-loss SEC champion Alabama for the final spot in the four-team playoff due to a season-ending injury to Jordan Travis.

One-loss Big 12 champions Texas also was added to the final field at No. 3. No. 1 Michigan beat Ohio State in the Big Ten title game, while No. 2 Washington won the Pac-12 crown.

Conference realignment reshapes the college landscape

Conference realignment has dominated headlines the past year.

The ACC announced the addition of SMU, California and Stanford in September. The three schools enter the league next summer.

Also growing is the Big Ten, which will add Southern California, UCLA, Oregon and Washington.

The SEC brings in Texas and Oklahoma for the next academic year in move announced in 2022.