All of this seems contrived to me. Can't believe that ESPN would be dumb enough to openly manipulate FSU, Clemson to leave the ACC. Then, further manipulate the SEC to accept those two.
Among other things, ESPN would expose itself to intentionally interfering with contract relations (the ACC Constitution). In brief, a third party that acts to destroy an existing contractual relationship, is liable to the contractual party (the ACC) victimized, by the "breach of the contract".
For example, a homeowner and painting contractor have a contract for a house painting job. Nosy neighbor learns of the written agreement, steps in and asserts a bunch of lies about the painting contractor to convince the home-owner to hire the neighbor's brother-in-law's painting company to do the job. Home-owner terminates that painting contract and hires nosy neighbors brother-in-law. In such a case, the initial painting contractor would have a cause of action against the nosy neighbor for interfering with the first home-owner/painting contractor contract. The damages would be the profit that the painting contractor would have made on the job.
The ACC has demonstrated its willingness to sue to protect itself, and if all of this is true, I would like the ACC's chances of winning such a case against ESPN, particularly in an NC Court. The damages would be ridiculously high, but ESPN/Disney is a deep pocket (even these days).
Obviously, ESPN has back-channelled to fuck the ACC for years, but from the string of twitter posts above, this isn't back-channelling, this is direct interference to either destroy or cause severe damage to the ACC. Naturally, the ACC can agree to settle and forgive its claim rights, but if ESPN (and Clemson and FSU have been led to try to leave the conference as a result of ESPN's efforts) has acted this openly to get two members to leave the ACC, have no idea why the ACC would settle. Further, have no idea why ESPN would risk such liability to do this.
