College football’s all about the benjamins these days, and it’s turned into a high-stakes game. Conference changes are totally shaking things up—just look at the Pac-12, now the sad little Pac-2. The ACC? Teetering like a house of cards. Schools are dropping history and rivalries to chase that green. But here’s the kicker: while Dabo Swinney’s cool with the new ACC deal, Greg McElroy’s raising red flags. He thinks this so-called “solution” is a disaster waiting to happen if they don’t fix things properly.

The ACC has recently made a significant change to its revenue-sharing model following pressure from FSU and Clemson. In the new system, 40% of TV revenue will be distributed evenly, while the remaining 60% will be based on TV ratings. This shift means that top-performing schools could earn $15 million or more, but others may get $7 million or even less. To retain the conference’s top brands, Dabo Swinney’s and Mike Norvell’s teams have agreed to the new arrangement, ensuring that Clemson and Florida State remain part of the ACC.

When it comes to the current buzz about TV revenue sharing, Dabo Swinney’s stance is definitive. “Yeah, it’s just all part of it. That’s what all those lawyers get paid for. They meet and settle all that stuff. That’s why I guess it was called a settlement. You know, all those people had to figure out what they were going to agree on, so hey, it’s great. You know, my job is just to go see if we can win the competition,” Swinney said.  Well, it looks like with the agreement’s full implications still unfolding, Swinney is letting their game handle the rest of the business.

The battle between Clemson, Florida State, and the ACC has been brewing for months now. It all started when Clemson and Florida State challenged the ACC’s grant-of-rights agreement, arguing that it restricted their ability to compete financially with powerhouse conferences like the Big Ten and SEC. Both schools filed lawsuits against the ACC—Florida State in December 2023, followed by Clemson in March 2024. In response, the ACC fired back with countersuits, setting the stage for a legal showdown that could determine their future in the conference.

At the heart of the dispute was revenue. Clemson and Florida State believed they were falling behind in media rights earnings compared to their biggest competitors. They made it clear that staying competitive at the highest level required financial flexibility—something they felt the ACC’s structure didn’t provide.

Fast forward to today, and progress has finally been made. Even Clemson’s head coach, Dabo Swinney, is on board with the resolution, saying, “It’s definitely good for Clemson.” The settlement, combined with the ACC’s continued partnership with ESPN, has allowed the conference to move forward with all 18 member schools—including Clemson and Florida State—still in the fold, at least for now.

Once the ACC’s board approved the settlement, Clemson and Florida State’s boards of trustees quickly followed suit. Clemson Athletic Director Graham Neff assured everyone that the resolution aligned with the school’s original intentions, emphasizing, “The ACC is an excellent fit for Clemson.” While many assumed the lawsuit was a precursor to an exit, Neff clarified that it was always about financial fairness rather than outright departure.

To make leaving the ACC less of a simple decision, the conference adjusted its exit clause. However, ESPN analyst Greg McElroy isn’t convinced this is a long-term fix.

Greg McElroy’s critical take on ACC settlement

Greg McElroy believes this is just a temporary band-aid that quiets Clemson and Florida State for now, without truly solving the financial imbalance. “It’s great that we’ve solved today’s problem. But when we fast forward to 2030, we’re going to have more problems as a result,” McElroy warned.

McElroy also brought up a pretty interesting situation with North Carolina and Virginia. While Clemson and Florida State are leading the charge in this whole fight, UNC and Virginia actually hold a lot of cards in these conference shake-ups. They’re both really attractive to the SEC and Big Ten, given their academic prestige, geographic appeal, and cultural compatibility. If either program decides to leave, the ACC could be in serious jeopardy.

Then there’s the question of the now-infamous “$75 million check.” McElroy highlighted that if North Carolina starts feeling the pinch financially due to Clemson and Florida State’s larger revenue shares, things could get dicey. “If North Carolina starts taking a loss because Clemson and Florida State are getting more, that’s great, but guess what—when North Carolina writes that $75 million check in six years, everybody’s going to want them,” he said. That’s a warning shot that ACC leadership can’t afford to ignore.

As part of the settlement, the ACC adjusted its financial structure, significantly lowering the penalty for teams that want to leave. Originally, Florida State’s attorneys estimated an exit cost of up to $700 million. Now, that fee is capped at $165 million next year and will decrease by $18 million annually until it levels out at $75 million in 2030-31. Any school willing to pay up can take its media rights with them—removing a major roadblock to future departures.

Plus, the ACC revamped its revenue-sharing model. Instead of splitting money evenly, payouts are now tied to football and men’s basketball viewership. This gives Clemson an opportunity to bring in an extra $120 million over six years, along with additional revenue from the College Football Playoff. While this financial boost is a win in the short term, McElroy remains skeptical about its long-term impact on the conference’s overall stability.

Basically, the ACC patched things up for now, but who knows what’s next? With UNC and Virginia holding all the cards, and Clemson and FSU still wanting that SEC/Big Ten money, it’s not if things change, it’s when.