Tough times ahead for the ACC conference. They’ve already landed in choppy waters, failing to compete with other power conferences in terms of program revenue. Now that they’ve settled their lawsuit with Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers and Mike Norvell’s Florida State Seminoles, they still can’t rest easy. Jeff Brohm’s Louisville Cardinals have entered the chat, haunting the ACC. However, it’s believed that as long as the Cardinals remain in the ACC, they’ll receive preferential treatment.
The ACC lawsuit began with their offering significantly less revenue compared to other conferences. When conferences like the SEC and the Big 10 offered $51.3 million and $60.3 million, the ACC could only afford $45 million. That’s where the legal showdown started. However, for the time being, the ACC could lock in Clemson and Florida State with an ESPN deal. This covers splitting 40% of the TV money evenly among the 14 long-standing ACC members. As of now, things appear to be under control; they must be looking for another way to keep Brohm’s Cardinals from leaving. Now, what does Louisville insider Jeremy Wahman have to say about it?
Sep 28, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Louisville Cardinals wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks (1) celebrates after a touchdown catch against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images
On the College Football Addiction podcast, the insider has full faith in their Director of Athletics, Josh Heird. After all, Louisville’s journey hasn’t been a straight line to the ACC. They’ve navigated the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), then Conference USA, before landing in the Big East, and briefly, the American. As Wahman noted, “We went to the Big East and we went to the American first season. Thank goodness that was only a one-season deal. And then we got to the ACC. So our leadership has shown constantly that they’re going to put us in the best position to succeed.” So, the question remains: if they were to leave the ACC, where would they prefer to land?
According to Wahman, even if the Cardinals want to join hands with the SEC, it’s not going to be an easy task. All thanks to the Kentucky Wildcats. As the insider revealed, “I would assume that if we were to leave, I know the SEC Kentucky will not let us in SEC. They’ve got vetoing rights.” Then is it the Big 10?
The insider didn’t sound very confident. He then confirmed, “I think it’s probably Big 12 if anywhere or stay in the ACC. Because I can see benefits of staying in a conference where, maybe the two top football teams left, but all the other top teams and all the other sports are still here.” Now even before Wahman, another insider did hint at the Cardinals’ impending move.
The Louisville Cardinals have the ultimate weapon
Back in 2023, in May, 247 Sports’ Jason Scheer, saw this coming. He had predicted back then that Florida State and Clemson are “likely to join the conference within the next year or so.” On that note, Scheer, in an interview with 93.9 The Ville, stated that Louisville and Miami are the “next two up” behind FSU and Clemson, who are likely to hit the ‘SWAP’ button to Big 12. However, unless and until we get a proper confirmation of the Louisville and ACC divorce, let’s just focus on the present.
Now that the legal hoopla has subsided, the Cardinals are the primary force driving talks. They are likely to make the most out of the ESPN deal. Yes, U of L football sputtered through Bobby Petrino’s last year and Scott Satterfield’s tenure. However, Brohm has the program on the right course. In his debut year, the HC led Louisville to their first ACC Championship game. Similarly, in his second year, the HC showed how his boys are not far off from being in the Natty.
After all, they defeated Clemson and lost by a touchdown to both Notre Dame and SMU. So, it’s likely they are reigning in terms of views. The Cards had a game in each of Brohm’s two seasons that surpassed the coveted 4 million viewers threshold. One was their win against Marcus Freeman’s boys, which bagged 5.12 million views in 2023. The other was against the Hurricanes; they brought in 4.07 million views in 2024. That’s how Louisville can make the most of the ESPN deal before making the final call and squeezing in some more money from the ACC.
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