ACC's Grant-of-Rights to Save, Not Sink Conference

What was once seen as a massive liability is now the ACC’s biggest trump card against an incursion on its membership.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers have been one of the many athletic departments left in limbo by the rumors of widespread conference realignment. Their home conference, the ACC appeared to be on the verge of imminent collapse as rumors that some of the league's most prominent and profitable schools were exploring ways to ditch the grant-of-rights agreement and join the SEC. 

They were somewhat dubious rumors to begin with, but at the opening of SEC Media Days on Monday, commissioner Greg Sankey put the rumors to bed. He said that his conference would not 'get in the middle' of anyone's grant-of-rights agreement, all but assuring that the ACC will not see any schools "poached", at least by the SEC. 

The ACC's grant-of-rights agreement ensures that the league owns the broadcasting rights to all of its members' home football games through the 2036 season. Even the richest schools cannot afford to forfeit that much television revenue on top of paying massive exit fees, which they'd have to do to leave their current conference. 

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