So you think ESPN wants to pay more just to have the SEC name on a few of them? Rather than keep them at a discount?
Thats exactly what they tried to do with OuT - pay them more in the SEC and shunt the hateful 8 to the American for much less. Net net it was a savings. Unfortunately for ESPN the hateful 8 played their cards well, didnt **** their pants, and stayed together.
4 x 65 plus some peanuts is less than 14 x 30. (Or whatever the exact numbers are).
More importantly, the long term (medium term?) strategy is to considate the big brands so they can be easier split off to themselves. Having the top 20 brands in 2 conferences is easier to control than having them spread out.
On top of all that, the big brands FSU, Clemson want out of the ACC in the worst way. So they may take a partial SEC share for a while, reducing the pressure on a bigger SEC total price, and reducing the cost to ESPN. it may not be 4 x 65, it might be 4 x 40. Which isnt much different than status quo.
Also, who is going to bid them up for the ACC leftovers in a new contract? Fox? Maybe. But maybe not. If the good ACC teams go to the Big12, then youre paying roughly the same, or maybe less (like the M4 when they joined).
As long as they think the money is break even-ish (and based on my thoughts above, i think it is) they strongly prefer the ACC to breakup.
And ALL this isnt to say its a sure thing, but just dont kid yourself about "paying more" making it impossible.