ACC Sues Maryland For $52M Fee

To ensure the Terps will pay their $50 million exit fee when they leave the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in two years to join the Big Ten conference, the ACC sued the University of Maryland Monday in a North Carolina court, according to media reports.

"We continue to extend our best wishes to the University of Maryland; however, there is the expectation that Maryland will fulfill its exit fee obligation," Commissioner John Swofford said in a statement, according to USA Today. "On Friday, the ACC Council of Presidents made the unanimous decision to file legal action to ensure the enforcement of this obligation."

President Wallace Loh said he didn't think the exit fee would hold up in court, USA Today reported.

Maryland announced it would join the Big Ten in the 2014 school year on Nov. 19.

According to The Washington Times, the lawsuit is for $52,266,342— three times the conference's annual operating budget.

The ACC stated in court documents that Loh "has made it clear the defendant Maryland does not intend to pay the amount provided by the ACC’s constitution,” according to the Times.