The two most common reasons to walk away from a proposed business deal are that a) you no longer want to be in that business/deal or b) when negotiations inevitably resume, you believe you can get more favorable terms.
Last week, the ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 — or “The Alliance” as they call themselves — bailed on a proposed expansion of the College Football Playoff from four teams to 12. Seven conferences — most notably the SEC — and Notre Dame were in favor of the proposal.
Since expansion currently requires unanimity, the 8-3 vote assures that the four-team playoff will remain intact for the next four seasons — through fall 2025.