The News & Observer of Raleigh did a public records request on UNC-Chapel Hill’s reaction to Maryland leaving the Atlantic Coat Conference. The result — also available here via the Charlotte Observer — is a highly interesting read. An early highlight of the story:
Joe Frierson, a financial adviser from Athens, Ga., and a former UNC tennis player and assistant tennis coach, wrote [UNC-CH athletic director Bubba] Cunningham on Dec. 7, 2012, about a lunch meeting Frierson had with an SEC athletic director.
“He said the SEC pays out around $20 (million per) team right now,” Frierson wrote. “Thinks it will approach $35 (million per team) when TV contract is renegotiated in a couple of years.
“He said the SEC just signed a contract for the Sugar Bowl (between teams from the SEC and Big 12) for 2015 that will pay $40 (million) to each conference. … That is ridiculous money.”
Cunningham’s response was short and direct: “It really concerns me. If these trends continue I’m not sure how the ACC (can) compete financially.”
