Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Sets Aside $1 Million For FSU's Legal Battles Against CFP
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Over the last 48 hours, Florida State has drawn support from within the state and across the country after being spurned from the College Football Playoff despite being an undefeated Power Five Conference Champion. The outrage in Tallahassee isn't limited to just supporters and fans of the program.
Governor Ron DeSantis's Focus on Florida's Future budget proposal on Tuesday morning included a sizable amount of funds to be set aside for the Seminoles. He wants to pledge $1 million to the program to offset any legal fees if Florida State decides to take action against the College Football Playoff Committee in court.
DeSantis, a candidate for the upcoming presidential election, noted that he's unsure of what could come from a potential legal battle but that the money will be in place to provide support for the Seminoles. This move still needs to be passed by the state legislature in 2024.
“We had one of our schools, Florida State, go undefeated this year and win the conference championship," DeSantis said. "They earned a spot in the college football playoffs, and they were excluded from that.”
“We are going to put aside $1 million and let the chips fall where they may on that," DeSantis added.
Florida State lost out on millions of dollars for being denied a spot in the College Football Playoff despite being ranked in the top four of the AP Top 25 Poll, Coaches Poll, and BCS Rankings. The move calls into question the integrity of the spot after Texas and Alabama both moved up by four spots to hop Florida State. 12 of the top 13 teams in the CFP Rankings will be in the SEC or Big Ten next season.
This is another opportunity for DeSantis to grind his gears with Disney, which owns ESPN, ABC, and various other television networks. Earlier this year, The Walt Disney Company sued DeSantis, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity acting secretary Meredith Ivey, and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board while accusing the former of violating First Amendment rights by using political power for "government retaliation" purposes.
The full language of DeSantis's proposal to provide Florida State with $1 million is regarded below.
“SECTION 55. There is hereby appropriated for Fiscal Year 2023-2024, $1,000,000 in nonrecurring funds from the General Revenue Fund to the State University System Board of Governors for expenses related to litigation initiated by the Board of Governors or Florida State University, related to actions taken by the College Football Playoff Selection Committee on December 3, 2023, resulting in the Florida State University football team to be ranked fifth in the nation and, consequently, ineligible to participate in the College Football Playoff games for the 2023-2024 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 Football Bowl Championship series. The Board of Governors may expend funds appropriated in this section on such litigation related expenses incurred prior to the effective date of this section. The unexpended balance of funds remaining on June 30, 2024, shall revert and is appropriated to the Board of Governors for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 for the same purpose. This section is effective upon becoming law.”
READ MORE: Former Florida State Wide Receiver Officially Enters NCAA Transfer Portal
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