ACC commissioner Jim Phillips says league benefitting from recent ‘difficult’ conversations

The Atlantic Coast Conference has spent the past year facing questions about its financial picture, enough to raise uncertainty about the long-term future of the league itself.

Still, commissioner Jim Phillips figures recent blunt conversations among schools about what’s ahead have helped.

Earlier this year, Florida State athletic director Michael Alford went public in talking about revenue concerns when it comes to falling behind the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences. By May, the league held spring meetings with questions about whether schools might be looking for an exit to another league.

Speaking Tuesday to open the league’s “ACC Kickoff” preseason media days, Phillips said the league benefitted from increased trust rooted in the “honesty and candor” from those meetings. He also said league schools are now having scheduled weekly meetings in what has been a more frequent dialogue.

“It helps to have a moment like (spring meetings) that forces you to have maybe some more difficult conversations that you maybe haven’t had in the past,” Phillips said in an interview with The Associated Press. “We haven’t maybe avoided some of those conversations.

“But when you go through what we’ve gone through, it was time to fully disclose where folks felt they were, how they felt about the conference, what’s worrying them, what they think we can do to address some of those concerns. And to me, it was very healthy overall.”

According to tax documents, the ACC distributed an average of nearly $39.5 million per school for full members (Notre Dame receives a partial share as a football independent) in the 2021-22 season compared to $49.9 million for the SEC and $47.9 million for the Big Ten.

The grant-of-rights provision included in the current ESPN deal — signed in 2016 to ultimately launch the ACC Network — offers a significant obstacle to any movement with the league controlling media rights for all ACC schools for another 13 years. The ACC has since announced a change to its revenue-distribution model to allow teams to earn more money for postseason success. The specifics of that plan have not been released.

NORTHWESTERN CASE

During his annual commissioner’s forum, Phillips referenced Northwestern’s growing hazing scandal, which has led to multiple lawsuits and the firing of football coach Pat Fitzgerald. Phillips was athletics director there from 2008-21 and is a defendant in three lawsuits along with other university leaders in their oversight roles.

Phillips largely reiterated parts of his statement from last week denying that he “condoned or tolerated inappropriate conduct and didn’t comment further.

HANDLING THE ROCK

Syracuse’s Oronde Gadsden II showed the size, mobility and hands to became an all-ACC performer in his first season at tight end — even if he’d rather be known as a position-less hybrid player.

His coach sees something else: a callback to versatile NBA talents like retired legend Magic Johnson or recent No. 1 overall NBA draft pick Victor Wembanyama.

“Magic Johnson was a point guard, right?” coach Dino Babers said. “How tall was he? ... Get him the ball. If he can dribble the ball, dribble the ball down (court). They got (Wembanyama) that’s 7-foot-2 now that supposedly can dribble the ball down. They just picked him No. 1. Don’t make him a center, let him dribble the ball.

“Oronde’s like that. He’s different, so stop. He’ll do something. Let’s not make him be something, one thing, when he’s multiple things.”

Gadsden led all tight ends nationally with 969 yards receiving on 61 catches with six touchdowns.

PERSONAL CONNECTION

The creation of The Schnellenberger Trophy for the winner between Louisville and Miami has a personal connection for Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal.

The trophy, announced Monday, honors two programs where the late Howard Schnellenberger coached. Most notably, that included launching the Hurricanes toward national-power status in the 1980s. The trophy features bronzed cowboy boots worn by Schnellenberger, who died in March 2021.

Cristobal, a former Miami player, recalled “many days and nights” with Schnellenberger visiting to recruit him and his brother, though he pointed to memories of Schnellenberger’s pipe more than the boots.

“He made the game better, I think it’s a great way to honor him,” Cristobal . “I’m much more fond of the pipe because the pipe was the pipe, now. My dad did cigars, Howard Schnellenberger did the pipe. So they had a lot to talk about.”

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