FSU football: Michael Alford pulls no punches with ACC Conference
By Kelvin Hunt
FSU football and FSU sports, in general, have carried the ACC Conference since joining in the early 90s. Despite the worst stretch of years in our lifetime, FSU football remained the most-watched product in the conference.
Amid all of the conference expansion in the past few years, FSU has not had a real athletic director to bring the fight to the ACC about closing the revenue gap between them and other major conferences like the SEC and B1G.
That’s no longer the case.
FSU Athletic Director Michael Alford got hired in January 2022 and has done more in one year than anyone FSU had in the position over the past decade.
He’s hired great coaches, helped with fundraising, and completed major facility upgrades across multiple FSU sports programs.
The next thing on his list appears to be finding a way for FSU to get more money out of the ACC or to leave the ACC entirely.
FSU fans that have paid attention knew that was the case, but everything went public Friday via a report from the Tampa Bay Times.
#FSU AD Michael Alford having an interesting talk to the BoT. He says the #Noles contribute roughly 15% of ACC media rights value but get 7% of the distributions
— Matt Baker (@MBakerTBTimes) February 24, 2023
Alford: “At the end of the day, if something’s not done, we cannot be $30 million behind every year compared to our peers.”
— Matt Baker (@MBakerTBTimes) February 24, 2023
#FSU BoT asks about a buyout to leave the ACC. Legal counsel says roughly $120 million.
— Matt Baker (@MBakerTBTimes) February 24, 2023
Q (I'm very roughly paraphrasing): So if we make up the $30M we're behind from our peers...we'd break even in roughly four years?
Alford: "Hypothetically"
Alford (before being asked about a possible buyout to leave the ACC): “At the end of the day for Florida State to compete nationally, something has to change going forward.”
— Matt Baker (@MBakerTBTimes) February 24, 2023
The key thing being discussed today: a new revenue distribution model for the ACC
When #FSU AD Michael Alford says the "brand is very strong," this chart he is showing to the BOT this afternoon shows some specific numbers: pic.twitter.com/NGPvEYxnmk
— Bob Ferrante (@BobFerrante) February 24, 2023
The numbers don’t lie. This is the first time I can recall a school openly discussing intention of ways to leave the ACC. Discussions have been going on about change the revenue model shared among the ACC teams.
However, Alford has provided numbers to support why FSU should receive more revenue instead of equal sharing.
Alford getting the ACC to change its revenue distribution model could help FSU weather the storm until they can figure a way to skirt the Grant of Rights Bill all the ACC teams signed that holds them captive until 2036.
The Noles have shown they are fully committed to competing at a high level in football again. They’ll have to figure something out over the next few years if they want to be in a position to keep doing it. It looks like Alford has convinced the FSU Board of Trustees and its President of what must happen.
All signs point to having to leave the ACC to do it, and it looks like Michael Alford is firing the first shot in the battle.
Impact of Michael Alford AD Hire After First 6 Months. dark. Next