In a move that could have far-reaching implications for broadcast agreements across college sports, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has filed a lawsuit against the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) regarding the release of the ESPN-ACC television contract. The lawsuit, if successful, could lead to the disclosure of similar contracts between other major conferences and networks.

Moody's legal action comes after the ACC denied her public records request for the contract, which remains inaccessible to the public and is only available for viewing at ACC headquarters. The attorney general argues that the ACC's refusal to produce the confidential documents is particularly concerning given that Florida State University (FSU) potentially stands to lose over half a billion dollars due to the contract.

"The ACC is asking FSU to potentially pay a staggering amount while withholding the documents related to that outrageous price tag," Moody stated. "We sent a public records request to the ACC in January, but they have failed to fully comply. We are now taking legal action against the ACC for wrongfully withholding these important public records."

This lawsuit is part of the ongoing legal battles surrounding FSU's attempts to terminate the ACC's grant of rights contract. The university has filed a case against the ACC in Florida, while the ACC has responded with a case against FSU in North Carolina. Earlier this month, a North Carolina business court judge allowed certain parts of the TV contract to be filed under seal and kept out of the public record.

The ACC cited trade secrets and the private nature of their agreement with ESPN in denying Moody's public records request. They argue that, as a member of the conference and not a public entity, FSU does not have the right to access this information. The conference contends that disclosing the contract would harm their ability to negotiate future rights agreements and is therefore protected by confidentiality obligations.

In response to Moody's lawsuit, the ACC declined to comment, maintaining their stance on the issue. However, legal experts believe that if the attorney general's lawsuit is successful, it could open up the possibility of making other conference television agreements involving public universities in Florida public records. This would impact the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the Big 12, the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, and potentially others.

Kevin Paule, an attorney familiar with the case, highlighted the broader ramifications, stating that the release of conference TV contracts could extend beyond Florida's borders, depending on each state's public records laws.

As the legal battle continues, the sports world awaits further developments, with the potential for increased transparency in collegiate sports broadcasting agreements hanging in the balance.