[Giants]

Those four teams want the ACC to fail so that they can move to the B1G or SEC.  They aren't going to change their minds over a few million dollars of incremental revenue.

I think you are correct that there are four schools that want "out" and it appears the only practical way "out" would be the dissolution of the league. Even that would NOT at first brush get rid of the GOR agreement. The empty shell of the ACC would still own them and still be able to collect the money. The hope would be the TV folks wouldn't consider it a "fair" situation. They wouldn't be getting the expected value for the money and something would be negotiated giving those who want to leave a path to do so.

Stanford's best hope is that at least one of those who want out will evaluate the expected value of the extra cash as greater than the expected value of trying to "tank" the ACC itself. The danger to those schools who want to do that is that they will fail, in which case they gave up a lot of cash for no gain. The argument can be made that accepting Stanford, Cal, and SMU does not make the ACC any more likely to stick together, so it would not impede the attempt to "tank" the ACC. Might as well take the money. Let's hope somebody sees it that way.

I also just don't understand where NC State thinks it could land that's better. Neither the SEC nor B1G would have any interest in it, and even UNC is not a net benefit for those conferences. Per Nate Silver's (now decade old) analysis of TV fans per school, NC State ranks worse than every B1G program and every SEC program save Vandy. Even Florida State and UNC would be middling TV fanbases for those conferences. So while I understand they don't like making less money in the ACC, it's never been clear to me what they think their viable alternative is...

I suspect that it is a political issue.  I think UNC and NC St. are in lockstep for reasons that have nothing to do with TV viewership, etc.

[Giants]

Those four teams want the ACC to fail so that they can move to the B1G or SEC.  They aren't going to change their minds over a few million dollars of incremental revenue.

I think you are correct that there are four schools that want "out" and it appears the only practical way "out" would be the dissolution of the league. Even that would NOT at first brush get rid of the GOR agreement. The empty shell of the ACC would still own them and still be able to collect the money. The hope would be the TV folks wouldn't consider it a "fair" situation. They wouldn't be getting the expected value for the money and something would be negotiated giving those who want to leave a path to do so.

Stanford's best hope is that at least one of those who want out will evaluate the expected value of the extra cash as greater than the expected value of trying to "tank" the ACC itself. The danger to those schools who want to do that is that they will fail, in which case they gave up a lot of cash for no gain. The argument can be made that accepting Stanford, Cal, and SMU does not make the ACC any more likely to stick together, so it would not impede the attempt to "tank" the ACC. Might as well take the money. Let's hope somebody sees it that way.

I also just don't understand where NC State thinks it could land that's better. Neither the SEC nor B1G would have any interest in it, and even UNC is not a net benefit for those conferences. Per Nate Silver's (now decade old) analysis of TV fans per school, NC State ranks worse than every B1G program and every SEC program save Vandy. Even Florida State and UNC would be middling TV fanbases for those conferences. So while I understand they don't like making less money in the ACC, it's never been clear to me what they think their viable alternative is...

I suspect that it is a political issue.  I think UNC and NC St. are in lockstep for reasons that have nothing to do with TV viewership, etc.