Subpoenas "have been issued to at least 10 ACC schools -- plus various broadcast media partners -- seeking information" about the conference's $52M exit fee for the Univ. of Maryland and a number of other topics, according to Jeff Barker of the Baltimore SUN. Maryland "accuses the ACC of seeking to withhold information," along with more than $20M in shared conference revenue, after the school announced its move to the Big Ten. An affidavit filed on Friday by UM attorney J. Alexander Barrett shows that subpoenas "were issued in January and February to North Carolina, North Carolina State, Duke, Wake Forest, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Clemson and Georgia Tech." UM is "seeking documents related to everything from the exit fee to 'the formulation of the men's basketball schedule for the 2013-2014 ACC basketball season.'" The subpoenas also "seek information about 'the anticipated benefits to the ACC as the result of the ACC's addition of new member institutions.'" The affidavit shows that UM "subpoenaed 'various ESPN entities' and ACC consultants." UM has "alleged in previous filings" that the ACC's "desire to expand was driven 'in large part on counsel and direction that the conference received from ESPN'" (Baltimore SUN, 3/22).
