Florida State board wants to explore Big 12 options

Email

Print

Florida State Board of Trustees Chairman Andy Haggard is among those displeased with the ACC’s new TV contract.

In an interview with Warchant.com, Haggard blasted the agreement that the ACC signed that would have netted the school around $17 million a year for 15 years.

“It’s mind-boggling and shocking,” said Haggard. “How can the ACC give up third tier rights for football but keep them for basketball?”

This will net the bigger schools like North Carolina and Duke more money in basketball, but the schools like Florida State and Virginia Tech won’t make much.

The ACC’s TV decisions and FSU’s projected 2012-2013 2.4 million dollar deficit only add to the fire that is under the Board right now to look for new revenue for the school.

“How do you not look into that option,” asked Haggard. “On behalf of the Board of Trustees I can say that unanimously we would be in favor of seeing what the Big 12 might have to offer. We have to do what is in Florida State’s best interest.”

“With the SEC making the kind of money it does it’s time to act,” said Haggard. “You can’t sit back and be content in the ACC. This is a different time financially. This isn’t 10-15 years ago when money was rolling in.”

The Big 12′s TV deal with ESPN/ABC will net about $20 million per school and adding FSU will only drive that number up.

To those who are supporting FSU staying in the ACC, Haggard had the following to say

“No FSU graduate puts on his resume or interviews for a job saying they are in the same conference as Duke and Virginia,” he said. “Conference affiliation really has no impact on academics.”

Florida State and their Board should follow Haggard’s lead and head over to the Big 12 and join the revenue monster that is Texas.