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Just when you thought we might have hit a lull in the "Maryland is switching conferences" news, something big (or B1G) happens.
The state has filed an $157 million counterclaim against the ACC after alleged misconduct by conference member schools, the Baltimore Sun's Jeff Barker and the Washington Post's Alex Prewitt are reporting.
In particular, Maryland is accusing Wake Forest and Pittsburgh officials of trying to recruit unnamed Big Ten schools to leave (and presumably join the ACC), and is accusing ESPN of telling them to do so. Penn State is likely the logical guess here (and ESPN says that was the case), but who knows who far those Demon Deacons were willing to go.
Some more info, via Prewitt:
This counterclaim was filed in North Carolina, because the Maryland issues have been stayed until the N.C. court resolves matters there.
— Alex Prewitt (@alex_prewitt) January 14, 2014
Alleges that b/c of "counsel and direction...received from ESPN," the ACC has tried to lure other schools "to extract more lucrative terms."
— Alex Prewitt (@alex_prewitt) January 14, 2014
From the Maryland AG office: "We allege the ACC is confiscating NCAA monies that belong to Maryland when it has no right to do so."
— Alex Prewitt (@alex_prewitt) January 14, 2014
The ACC is suing Maryland for $52 million following the school's departure to the Big Ten, and the state responded with a counter-suit after the conference withheld revenue from the university. Maryland attempted to get the ACC's law suit thrown out of court, but their bid for dismissal was rejected, allowing the case to continue.
