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ACC commissioner Jim Phillips goes on lengthy rant about NCAA, NIL, playoff expansion

Nikki Chavanelleby: Nikki Chavanelle07/20/22NikkiChavanelle
ACC commissioner Jim Phillips goes on lengthy rant about NCAA conference realignment NIL playoff expansion
Courtesy of the ACC

Despite the latest rumors of ACC teams exploring other conference options, commissioner Jim Phillips spent only a short time during his lengthy opening statement at media days discussing realignment. He maintains that the league’s programs are solid, before chastising leaders who “serve few” instead of many.

“I love our 15 schools and I’m confident in us staying together,” Phillips said, via Pete Thamel. “That’s all I’ve heard in all the calls we’ve had.”

The ACC commissioner believes the NCAA should be like a “healthy neighborhood, not two or three gated communities,” seemingly referencing the SEC and Big Ten.

“All neighborhoods need to be healthy,” Phillips said. “It’s not good for college athletics if they’re not… We understand where those two leagues are. No one is ignoring that. We’re all trying to find ways to close that gap.”

Coaches at media days in conferences across the NCAA have discussed maintaining competition and tradition in the face of more realignment and NIL disparities. Phillips echoed those feelings on Wednesday.

“We are not the professional ranks,” Phillips said. “This is not NFL or NBA-lite. We all remain competitive with one another. This is not and should not be a winner take all or a zero-sum structure.”

Phillips in favor of playoff expansion

Jim Phillips struck a more positive tune about College Football Playoff expansion at ACC Media Day than earlier this year. However, he reiterated that the ACC’s coaches aren’t in favor of the proposed eight-team format.

“The ACC continues to be supportive of an expanded College Football Playoff,” Phillips said. “I’m confident our concerns will be addressed and a new model with greater access will ultimately come to pass.”

Phillips said at the beginning of the year that the conference was previously in support of an eight-team format, but they changed their position around November 2021. He noted that all coaches in the ACC are in support of pausing the conversation, including Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi. Pittsburgh won the ACC this year but finished 12th in the College Football Playoff rankings released in December.