Most of us are familiar with the ACC lawsuit against Maryland for leaving the ACC. As you you many legal eagles have maintained the lawsuit goes way to far in calling for 3 times the annual operating budget of the ACC. Some attorneys call this very punitive and I must agree. A prominent law firm has given some opinion on this as you will see in the linked article by the Washington Post if you are interested.

It seems that John Swofford has already punched a hole in his theory by admitting that Louisville does not affect the value of the television deal. How can there be a problem then. I don't think many people have ever accused Swofford of being a genius especially after the contract he just signed with ESPN. The Louisville basketball team has been consistently better than Maryland's program and the football team will play in a BCS birth this year. Taking this into consideration it may be that on papaer anyway, Maryland has improved the ACC!

This is what Swofford had to say about it.

"In a news conference introducing Louisville as the newest ACC member, Commissioner John Swofford said that bringing in the Cardinals does not affect the value of the ACC’s television deal with ESPN, a curious admission given that his conference’s case rests on proving that Maryland’s exit will cause “substantial harm.” The ACC’s “hook,” Dorkey said, is proving liquidated damages. Maryland’s will be proving that paying more than $52 million is punitive."

Read more:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/terrapins-insider/wp/2012/11/30/attorney-says-acc-may-be-overreaching-in-exit-fee-dispute-with-maryland/

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