CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jim Phillips is often as much politician as commissioner, carefully choosing his words in a prepared state of the league address that he delivered on Monday to media at the ACC Kickoff event.
But Phillips’ tone was forceful when he commented during his press conference about the FSU-ACC and Clemson-ACC lawsuits, and the existence of those in multiple states. Phillips said he has been consistent in his comments since December, but he closed one response from a writer with what could be viewed as quite the zinger: “This conference is bigger than any one school — or schools."
Phillips has previously called the lawsuits disruptive but said Monday the relationships between the ACC office to FSU president Richard McCullough and Clemson president Jim Clements have been preserved. He pledged again that athletes would not be impacted by the legal filings or the court room drama, although the pace has been sluggish since the initial filings in December.
In a 22-minute state of the ACC address as well as 28 minutes of Q&A with media, the lawsuits with FSU and Clemson were a frequent talking point.
"We will fight to protect the ACC and our members for as long as it takes,” Phillips said. “We are confident in this league and that it will remain a premier conference in college athletics for the long-term future. … "These disputes continue to be extremely damaging, disrupting and incredibly harmful to the league as well as overshadowing our student athletes."
On multiple occasions, Phillips stated that schools “willingly signed” the grant of rights twice on the agreement between the ACC and ESPN.
Phillips offered little of substance in the way of news, sticking with the theme of prior commissioner kickoff addresses that are often used to taut the ACC’s success in football, basketball and Olympics sports.
He stated in the 2022-23 athletics season the ACC surpassed $700 million in total revenue for the first time, with a 14 percent increase in distributable revenue from the prior year. This is still a far cry from keeping up with the SEC and Big Ten, a gap that will only get larger as TV contracts with those leagues go up for big and are renewed while the ESPN-ACC agreement remains through 2036.
A widely discussed ESPN option to renew is up in 2026, with the network needing to make its decision by February 2025. He reminded that the ACC and ESPN are 50-50 partners in the ACC Network and that “we have a great relationship ESPN, ACC Network.”
Expanded playoff and the ACC
College football has made a jump from four teams to a 12-team playoff and already there has been discussion of expanding the field to 14 or 16 teams. Phillips said there is a desire to see what a 12-team playoff looks like before making any decisions, a comment that’s in alignment with CFP director Rich Clark and other commissioners.
But a 12-team playoff ensures a seat at the table for the ACC. And perhaps more than one seat.
"The enhanced CFP provides opportunities for several ACC teams to annually earn a spot in the CFP field,” Phillips said “... What we do know is beginning 2024, the ACC champion will have an automatic entry into the playoff."
No details on success initiatives
Phillips reiterated that there was an additional $20 million to $25 million for success initiatives like finishing in the top 25 of the CFP rankings, taking part in bowl games and earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament in men’s basketball. But the specific revenue for each accomplishment has not been disclosed.
House vs. NCAA settlement
The ground-breaking House vs. NCAA settlement means each school will have to make a decision on how much to pay its athletes in revenue sharing to current and former athletes beginning. In a prior interview with Yahoo Sports, Florida coach Billy Napier estimated Florida could go to $12.5 million-$15 million, while LSU coach Brian Kelly put the number at $14 million - $17 million.
"There is going to be added, significant (financial) pressure for each of our schools,” Phillips said.
That financial pressure begins soon, with payments slated to begin in August 2025.
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