Does Dabo Swinney want Clemson to stay in the ACC?

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney made some interesting comments on a radio show Saturday morning. FSU football has made it clear they wish and need to leave the ACC sooner than later based on future revenue distribution model projections from the ACC, the SEC, and B1G.

We’re talking about a 30-40 million dollar gap between the ACC and these two leagues in the next few years, with them starting new TV deals.

The ACC won’t be in line for a new TV deal until their media rights deal with ESPN ends in 2036. There’s already a significant gap between ACC teams and teams in the SEC and B1G, but that gap will only continue growing between now and 2036.

It’s why the comments Dabo Swinney made Saturday morning on the College Sports Saturday Show were borderline idiotic:

I mean, we’ve never mistaken Swinney to be a rocket scientist by the number of times he’s had to put his foot in his mouth to stop saying dumb stuff. However, to continue with the mindset and ask, “what has changed?”

A revenue gap that will continue growing if you don’t get out of the ACC, Dabo?

Let’s not forget FSU is a much younger program than Clemson and the teams in the SEC and B1G, and they were consistently competing and beating those programs at an elite level well before Clemson.

FSU carried the ACC for many years on a shoe-string budget, so let’s not act like the Noles haven’t. Does Dabo Swinney want to stay in the ACC or something? It makes no sense to want to stay in a conference where the revenue gap will be so big that you can’t compete at the elite levels anymore.

That is, unless you’re not serious about football or considering retirement in the next few years. Clemson has a strong booster base, but that money is a drop in the bucket, compared to the revenue gap they’ll face if they remain in the ACC.

I’ve started wondering if Clemson would have the same value if Swinney were to leave. After all, he’s the only coach to have won there at a high level in the last 40 years. I suppose we’ll see if they’re serious about football in the near future.

However, don’t expect FSU to wait around for them to find out.