West Virginia Mountaineers Nicco Marchiol (8) gets sacked in the backfield by Pittsburgh Panthers Shayne Simon (32) during the first half at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, WV on September 16, 2023. Michael Longo/For USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Pat Forde Suggests Pitt, Louisville Look at the Big 12 Following the ACC's Settlement

Originally posted on West Virginia Mountaineers on SI
By Schuyler Callihan | Last updated Mar 7, 2025 12:06 PM ET

Earlier this week, the ACC reached a settlement with two of its members, Clemson and Florida State, which gives the two schools more of an incentive to remain with the league thanks to an unequal revenue distribution process that is in their favor.

The ACC's new model will distribute 40% of the television money evenly through the 14 longstanding members with the other 60% of the revenue being distributed based on ratings from the past five years.

Basically, this just means the rich get richer. However, this will almost certainly upset several members of the ACC who may not have the same resources, fan base size, etc. Some schools are already operating at a disadvantage and now that the revenue distribution is not equal, it could force some to look at leaving the conference.

Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde talked about this possibility in a recent video on Yahoo! Sports.

“I think you’re going to have schools, I would imagine, that are on the shorter end of this stick that are going to be looking at their options and saying, you know what? I’m Louisville, I’m Pittsburgh, how’s the Big 12 doing? Do we need to possibly look at going someplace else where we’re going to get a better revenue shake? I wouldn’t say it’s out of the question for schools that aren’t just steeped in loyalty to the ACC and maybe feel like they have been handed a bad deal here. I don’t say they are going to get up and leave now, but you watch in five years and see what the possible exit plans are.”

According to estimates in the lawsuit, the previous exit fee would have cost a staggering $572 million. That amount is now $165 million and cuts down to $75 million in 2030.

(For example, it cost West Virginia $20 million (Big 12 covered half the cost) to leave the Big East for the Big 12 over a decade ago. Naturally, that dollar amount is going to be significantly higher with more money being generated in college sports today, but the $75 million figure is still a pretty expensive exit fee, especially for those mid-tier-bottom of the barrel ACC athletic programs.

A lot can happen between now and 2030, but maybe, just maybe, West Virginia and Pitt could be conference foes once again.