CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner Jim Phillips is clear that not only does he want his league to stay, he wants it to continue to grow.
During Wednesday's ACC Kickoff event at The Westin Charlotte, Phillips took repeated jabs at the Big Ten and the Southeastern Conference without mentioning them by name, suggesting the crux of what the ACC is trying to accomplish is just the opposite of what the future landscape of college football suggests.
"I will continue to do what's in the best interest of the ACC, but will also strongly advocate for college athletics to be a healthy neighborhood, not two or three gated communities," Phillips said.
Conference realignment and growth was the largest of many topics addressed in the forum, which kicked off the two-day media event. The ACC is in a precarious position with regards to conference realignment, but Phillips was strong in his commitment to strengthening the league.
The 14-member football league has a Grant of Rights that expires in 2036, which coincides with the exact expiration of the ACC's partnership with media network partner ESPN. Phillips suggested that, despite Texas, Oklahoma, Southern California and UCLA soon to bolt from their respective conferences after their respective Grant of Rights expire, the length of the ACC's deal could help buy time to fortify the league.
"Everything is on the table," Phillips said. "We understand what that means. We understand what that revenue means moving forward, but I will also say, as I look at the next few years, I like where we're going. But, again, the window is through '36, so we're going to have to address it, no question."
Should the ACC begin to add football programs, he mentioned the relationship with Notre Dame as a strong candidate. But, the ball would have to get rolling by the Fighting Irish and a desire to go away from their independent status.
"I know that if there comes a time that Notre Dame would consider moving to a conference and away from independence, I feel really good about it being the ACC," Phillips said.
That doesn't come without paying for it.
Phillips touted that the ACC is the Power Five's leader in many facets, including being tied for the most collective NCAA championships with seven this past academic year.
But, the ACC is also dead last in the most important category.
Revenue projections from data firm Navigate currently have the ACC fifth among Power Five conferences in 2022. According to the model, the ACC's payout estimate is set at $30.9 million, which sits firmly behind fourth-place Pac-12 at $34.4 million. The Big Ten is projected to rake in the most revenue among Power Five programs at $57.2 million.
Phillips said the conference is seeking ways to bridge the gap.
"We are really aligned to try to find some solutions to that revenue gap, but it can't be at the expense of all the other things that we're doing," Phillips said. "So there's, I think, a really good plan for us as we move ahead. Again, considering all of are our options. In these kinds of times you have to do that. This is unique what's happened over the last 12 months."
Phillips mentioned ad nauseam with respect to name, image, and likeness parameters that there needs to be a formal regulation. He called upon Congress to step in and be the enforcer of NIL practices.
"We are not the professional ranks," Phillips said. "This is not the NFL- or NBA-Lite. We all remain competitive with one another, but this is not and should not be a winner-take-all or a zero-sum structure.
"College athletics has never been elitist or singularly commercial. It's provided countless individuals with a path to higher education and, therefore, life-changing possibilities, access, opportunity at a modern rules-based structure, should all remain a priority as we continue to evolve."
He said the ACC has made progress in contacting Congress.
"I feel like we're creating at least a little bit of momentum here," he said. "We all hope that something can occur over the next six, eight, 10 months where there is something adopted that we could all abide by across the college athletics universe."
The format of the ACC's football schedule is set to move to a 3-5-5 format beginning in 2023 and running through 2026. The new format would allow for each team to play three set opponents every year, and face the league's other 10 teams twice each through the four-year cycle. The format will eliminate divisions, and the two best teams in terms of winning percentage will clash in the ACC Championship Game. Pitt's three primary scheduling partners are Boston College, Syracuse and Virginia Tech.
Phillips said the potential expansion of the College Football Playoff played a role in deciding the new format.
"It had an awful lot," he said. "When you talk about an expanded playoff, you'd like to crown your champion in a way that you have the two best teams in your conference playing for that championship game. Prior to the passing of the recent legislation, you had to go into divisions in order to have a championship game."
