ESPN and the ACC were rejected by Clemson.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Clemson had engaged in contractual discussions with the ACC before initiating legal action against them. The details of these discussions emerged during discovery and a court hearing in Mecklenburg County. The extent of these talks is a matter of debate, but one notable topic was Clemson’s refusal of ESPN and the ACC’s request to reschedule a game.

In January, the conference and ESPN asked Clemson to move their annual game against South Carolina from Saturday, November 30th to Friday, the 29th, aiming for prime time in the schools’ local time zone. Clemson declined the request, and as of now, the game on Saturday the 30th remains unscheduled.

Discovery in the legal case revealed that Clemson and ACC representatives, along with their legal teams, discussed various contractual issues in early 2024. ACC attorneys noted in court that Clemson abruptly stopped responding to communications in mid to late February, coinciding with changes in the school’s legal representation. Clemson subsequently filed a lawsuit against the ACC on March 19th in Pickens County, South Carolina, followed shortly by a countersuit from the conference in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

In response to Clemson’s decision regarding the game rescheduling, ACC Senior Associate Commissioner Michael Strickland expressed disappointment in an email to Clemson Athletic Director Graham Neff. The email, submitted as evidence in court by the ACC, emphasized the importance of cooperation between ACC institutions and ESPN for scheduling football games to enhance their media partnership.

Historically, the Clemson-South Carolina game has been in prime time three times out of the last six years, including two occasions when South Carolina hosted the game. The game did not take place in 2020 due to Covid-related schedule changes.

For Clemson’s 2024 season, only two game times have been designated so far: the season opener against Georgia at noon local time and the week two home game against Appalachian State at 8 pm.

ESPN has become involved in parts of the litigation between the ACC and Clemson, alongside Florida State. The network has filed briefs supporting the ACC’s efforts to maintain confidentiality in their contract details, citing industry negotiations. Florida State has opposed these motions, while Clemson has largely complied with them.