A UNC Board of Trustees Chairman expressed frustration with the ACC, saying the conference is not acting in the best interests of its most prominent schools and athletic programs.
ALSO SAY THEY'LL SHARE THEIR VISION FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET PRIORITIES. >> NOT EVEN THE START OF THE NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT CAN STOP THE BIG BUSINESS OF COLLEGE SPORTS. MORE AND MORE. THAT MEANS LAWSUITS. CLEMSON JOIN FLORIDA STATES SUING THE ACC THIS WEEK. THE ACC COUNTER WITH A LAWSUIT AGAINST CLEMSON AND THE MAYOR SUPPORTS INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER BRIAN MURPHY. HERE TO BREAK DOWN THE SPOKE WITH THE TOP OFFICIALS AT UNC RIGHT TO GAUGE THEIR FEELINGS ABOUT STATE OF THE LEAGUE. NOW THAT THOSE CLEMSON AND FLORIDA STATE OF TRYING TO LEAD THE LEAGUE ALL EYES TURN TO THE TRIANGLE HERE WITH UNC AS WELL. WHAT WHAT ARE THEY TELLING YOU WHAT? THEY'RE WATCHING THE SITUATION CLOSELY. AT LEAST ONE OFFICIAL, JOHN PRIOR, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE UNC BOARD OF TRUSTEES. >> IS NOT HAPPY WITH THE LEAGUE. HE TOLD WRAL THAT THE LEAGUE IS NOT ACTING IN THE INTERESTS OF TOP SCHOOLS LIKE UNC AND IS INSTEAD PROPPING UP THE BOTTOM OF THE LEAGUE. HE CALLED THIS A GROSS ABDICATION OF RESPONSIBILITY. YOU CAN SEE HASN'T FILED A LAWSUIT SO FAR YET OR SAID THAT IT WANTS TO LEAVE THE ACC. BUT WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS? UNC HAS BEEN VERY CAREFUL NOT TO CRITICIZE THE LEAGUE. UNLIKE FLORIDA STATE, THE SCHOOL IS STUDYING ITS OWN OPTIONS, THOUGH, DOWN WITH LAWYERS GOING THROUGH THE U.S. THE FIND OUT IF THERE IS A WAY OUT. THE TAR HEELS ARE ONE OF THE BIGGEST PRIZES LEFT FOR THE SEC AND THE BIG 10 UNC ATHLETICS DIRECTOR BUBBA CUNNINGHAM TOLD ME UNC WILL NOT BE LEFT BEHIND YET. KNOW FALL IN LINE AT A CERTAIN POINT RIGHT TO THE ACC MIGHT BE LEFT BEHIND AT ALL THIS. HOW LONG CAN THIS KEEP GOING WITH THE LAWSUITS AND TEAMS WANT TO LEAVE THINGS LIKE THAT? AND IT'S GOING TO BE A LENGTHY PROCESS. THESE LAWSUITS WILL BE SETTLED ANY TIME SOON, BUT IT CERTAINLY FEELS LIKE THAT THE LEAGUE IS FALLING APART. IN MANY WAYS. THERE'S A DEFINITELY A STRONG PULL TO THE ACC FROM NORTH CAROLINA. UNC COACH HUBERT DAVIS SAID, YOU KNOW, MY HOPE IS THAT THE CONFERENCE NOT ONLY WILL STAY TOGETHER BUT WILL GET EVEN STRONGER. THE KIND OF FEELS LIKE WISHFUL THINKING AT THIS POINT. YEAH. WHEN WILL THE DOMINOES FALL? THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY OUT THERE, OF COURSE. AND A COUPLE YEARS PROBABLY COMES DOWN TO ALL RIGHT.
