Florida State athletic director Michael Alford told his board of trustees on Friday that “something has to change” when it comes to closing the growing revenue gap with other conferences — a sign that one of the biggest brands in the ACC is unhappy with the current structure.
In a phone interview with ESPN later Friday, Alford said he decided to make his comments after recent ACC winter meetings in which athletic directors and presidents discussed an uneven revenue sharing model at length without any consensus moving forward about what to do.
At issue: The ACC will fall behind both the SEC and Big Ten in revenue by about $30 million per year when their respective new television contracts kick in (Big Ten in 2023, SEC in 2024).
“Something has to change because we cannot compete nationally being $30 million behind every year,” Alford said. “It’s not one year. We’re talking about $30 million compounded year after year.”
The ACC is locked into its television deal with ESPN through 2036. The league also has all schools tied together with a grant of rights that lasts the length of the contract. In the most recent available financial filing, the ACC distributed a record $578 million to its members for 2020-21. The SEC distributed $721.8 million in 2021-22, but that is before its new deal kicks in.
Based on a market valuation that he had commissioned, Alford told board members on Friday that FSU contributes roughly 15% of the value in the ACC’s media rights deal but the school only gets 7% of the distributions as one of 14 full members of the conference.
Currently, the ACC distributes its revenues equally among all 14 full-time members. But the conference decided to look at different uneven revenue distribution models after recent conference realignment had Oklahoma and Texas leave for the SEC, and USC and UCLA join the Big Ten. There has been speculation that the bigger brands in the ACC could be next in line if there is another wave of expansion.
The grant of rights is currently keeping the league together because any school that leaves would have to forfeit its media payout and media rights. But at some point, that grant of rights could be challenged in court, especially if the revenue gap continues to grow with no relief in sight.
For the first time since the turn of the century, MLB’s All-Star Game will be held in Atlanta — the first ever at Truist Park since its opening in 2017.
All-Star festivities begin July 11 and culminate in the Midsummer Classic on July 15, as the National League looks to gain just its second win since 2013 while the American League aims to extend its dominance.
Following the first phase of All-Star voting, we know the top overall vote-getters in each league — Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani — automatically earned the starting spot at their positions, outfield and designated hitter, respectively. Now, the starting lineups have been revealed, with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers leading the way each with three starters, followed by the Chicago Cubs with two. Four players named as starters — Cal Raleigh, Jacob Wilson, Ryan O’Hearn and Pete Crow-Armstrong — are first-time All-Stars.
Stay tuned, as we’ll have everything you need to navigate All-Star Week — from event schedules and full rosters to All-Star Game analysis.
Braves ace Spencer Schwellenbach has a fractured pitching elbow, becoming the latest Atlanta starter sidelined with a long-term injury.
The Braves said on Wednesday that the right-hander was placed on the 15-day injured list as part of a series of roster moves.
Schwellenbach said he felt tightness while pitching against Philadelphia on Saturday, when he threw 90 pitches and had a career-high 12 strikeouts. He allowed one run and three hits over seven innings.
He felt sore the following day and imaging Monday revealed a small fracture at the top of the elbow. Schwellenbach said he was told this was a freak accident and said he hopes to be back this season.
MLB.com reported that the second-year player won’t throw for at least four weeks.
Schwellenbach is 7-4 with a 3.09 ERA in 17 starts this season for the Braves, who already are without reigning Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale (rib cage), 2024 All-Star right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder) and hard-throwing rookie AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow).
The Braves also announced Wednesday that outfielder Jurickson Profar, who was suspended 80 games without pay on March 31 for violating MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, has been activated after his reinstatement. Veteran outfielder Alex Verdugo, batting .239 with 12 RBIs in 56 games, was designated for assignment to create a roster spot.
Atlanta also optioned right-hander Kevin Herget to Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday, reinstated right-hander Daysbel Hernandez from the IL and recalled left-hander Austin Cox from Gwinnett.
The Associated Press and Field Level Media contributed to this report.
Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com.
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, MLB’s home run leader, and American League Rookie of the Year candidate Jacob Wilson of the Athletics will be in the starting lineup for the All-Star Game on July 15 at Truist Park in Atlanta, it was announced Wednesday.
Raleigh, nicknamed “The Big Dumper,” earned his first All-Star selection and starting spot on the back of his 33 first-half home runs and MLB-leading 71 RBIs (through Tuesday). Wilson, the Athletics’ shortstop, was voted in after a dynamic first half in which he has hit .339, second in all of MLB, through Tuesday’s games.
“Just trying to stay as consistent as I can — my work, preparation going into games and my approach at the plate,” Raleigh told ESPN on Wednesday. “It’s been working out so far, and I just got to keep it rolling and keep my head down.
“… This is all I’ve ever known — this city, Seattle. They’ve taken me in with open arms and I’m very blessed and very lucky to have them in my corner. They’ve been awesome and they’ve always been there for me in this organization. It’s great that I’m going to get to represent them, like I said, in the [Home Run] Derby and the All-Star Game. Hopefully I can make them proud.”
The 23-year-old Wilson, whose father, Jack, was an All-Star for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2004, is the lone rookie in either league to be voted into the starting lineup after edging the Royals‘ Bobby Witt Jr. 52% to 48%. He is the first rookie shortstop to win an All-Star fan election and just the second to start an All-Star Game after Baltimore’s Ron Hansen, who started both games in 1960.
Despite missing the first seven weeks of the season, Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. also earned a starting nod after getting the most votes at the position during Phase 2 voting.
There are nine first-time starters for the second time in three years.
“I am overly grateful right now,” Crow-Armstrong, who has 21 home runs and 62 RBIs so far this season, told ESPN. “It’s pretty cool. … That’s definitely the highlight of the year so far.
“… I think what I kind of surprised myself with is obviously the power production, but in this specific time span. You know, pulling the ball in the air is something I’ve worked on for my whole pro career, and we’re really starting to make some good improvements here. But I think inherently I’ve always had enough confidence to produce a year like this.”
The Tigers had three fan-elected starters for the fourth time in history, matching a franchise best also accomplished in 1984, 1985 and 2007. Meanwhile, the three fan elections for the Dodgers marks their most in a single season since the team had four fan-elected starters for the 1980 Midsummer Classic: Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell and Reggie Smith.
Freeman, 35, was picked for the ninth time — fifth as a starter — and is the oldest player on either team. He will return to Atlanta, where he starred from 2010 to 2021.
For Torres and Baez, it marks the first time since 2019 that they are All-Stars. Baez, meanwhile, will be making his third All-Star start at his third different position, having started for the NL at second base (2018) and shortstop (2019) while with the Cubs.
Overall, 13 MLB teams are represented among the 18 positional starters, including seven clubs in the AL and six in the NL.
Judge, Ramirez and Machado each earned their seventh All-Star selection.
Under rules that began in 2022, voting was split into two stages, and the second phase ran from Monday to Thursday.
Pitchers and reserves for both teams — totaling 23 for each side — will be determined through a combination of player ballot choices and selections made by the MLB commissioner’s office. They’ll be announced Sunday (5 p.m. ET, ESPN).