Why? Because staying in the ACC means getting left behind.
Financial: Think of it like the game Risk. If someone is getting 10 resources each turn and you're only getting 4, it’s only a matter of time before you're out of the game. That’s the financial reality FSU faces right now. We’re leaving the ACC to have the means to compete, not just to give ourselves a better optics schedule. Without the financial resources that come with moving to a more lucrative conference, FSU simply won’t be able to keep up in the long term.
Prestige: If you think battling the SEC narrative was tough before, wait until it’s universally accepted that there are only two conferences that truly matter. Everything else will be seen as the minor leagues. Once that mindset takes hold, recruiting becomes a nightmare. No top talent is going to want to come to FSU if they believe we're playing in a second-tier conference.
And remember, if the school brings in more money through TV revenue, boosters can focus their funds on NIL, giving us a real shot at landing top recruits. Eventually, it’s likely that schools will pay athletes directly as employees, not through third-party collectives. FSU needs to position itself financially to be ready for that shift.
So, no, we’re not sabotaging ourselves—we're making sure we can keep competing at the highest level.