Up next in 10
Jim Phillips at the Commissioner Forum on the first day of ACC Kickoff in Charlotte
Jul 15, 2026
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0:04
Good morning and welcome to the 2026 ACC
0:08
football kickoff. It's a wonderful to
0:10
see so many familiar faces here in
0:12
Charlotte from our schools, media,
0:15
television, and corporate partners, bowl
0:18
partners, and the many friends and
0:20
stakeholders who support the ACC
0:22
throughout the year. We deeply value
0:25
each of you and recognize there are many
0:27
demands on your time. So, please know
0:30
that I do not take your attendance for
0:32
granted. It's my hope you've enjoyed a
0:35
great summer and I'm glad we once again
0:37
are together to celebrate the ACC and
0:41
ACC football.
0:43
I have to share a personal note. This
0:45
has been a really special summer for
0:47
Laura and I and our family. We had the
0:50
joy of celebrating the first wedding of
0:52
our five children.
0:54
Son Luke married Katie Rose Blackowitz
0:57
on June 27th. Why is that important?
1:01
Well, I have the microphone this
1:02
morning, but it's important because Luke
1:04
and Katie Rose are both former ACC
1:07
student athletes, and for any of those
1:10
that have experienced a child's uh
1:12
wedding know it was truly an amazing
1:16
milestone.
1:18
Before I get into uh a little bit deeper
1:21
into the thoughts about the ACC, I want
1:23
to begin and take a moment to recognize
1:26
two individuals whose recent passings
1:30
have been deeply felt across the college
1:32
athletics community. Kenny Klene was a
1:35
trusted friend and colleague whose
1:38
service and influence extended far
1:39
beyond his time at Louisville. He was
1:42
loved and respected throughout the
1:45
industry and his unwavering commitment
1:47
and genuine kindness earned the respect
1:50
and admiration of everyone who knew him.
1:54
We also honor Dr. Terry Donde Phillips
1:57
whose visionary leadership as Clemson's
2:00
director of athletics helped shape one
2:03
of the most successful eras in the
2:05
university's history. and he left a
2:08
lasting legacy across the ACC and
2:11
beyond. Please join me in a moment of
2:14
silence in memory of Kenny and Terry
2:17
Don.
2:21
Thank you.
2:24
One of the greatest privileges of
2:25
serving as ACC commissioner is spending
2:27
time with our incredible student
2:30
athletes. I'm thrilled our student
2:32
athlete advisory committee is here again
2:33
for its annual summer meetings and I
2:36
look forward to visiting with them later
2:37
today. Members of our ACC sack, please
2:41
stand so we can recognize you. You're
2:43
back over here to my left.
2:45
[applause]
2:52
Speaking of our student athletes, we're
2:54
coming off another outstanding ACC Unity
2:56
tour in Washington DC. Now in its fifth
3:00
year, the Unity Tour provides student
3:02
athletes and administrators with unique
3:04
leadership experiences beyond
3:06
competition. This year's program
3:08
explored the intersection of sport,
3:11
leadership, and diplomacy, including
3:13
opportunities to engage with our elected
3:16
officials. Our annual kickoff is always
3:20
filled with excitement for the football
3:22
season, but it's also an opportunity to
3:25
reflect on the past year, celebrate our
3:27
accomplishments, share our vision for
3:30
the future, and answer your questions.
3:34
This past February marked my fifth year
3:36
as ACC commissioner and has truly been
3:38
the opportunity of a lifetime.
3:42
I remain incredibly grateful for the
3:44
trust and confidence of our presidents
3:46
and chancellors have placed in me and
3:48
I'm humbled to serve our 18 worldclass
3:50
institutions who make the ACC unlike any
3:54
other conference.
3:56
As I prepared for today, I found myself
3:58
reflecting not only on the
3:59
accomplishments of the past year, but on
4:02
what we've achieved as a league over the
4:04
last five years. I'm proud of how the
4:08
ACC has navigated one of the industry's
4:10
most transformative
4:12
eras.
4:14
Staying true to our values, embracing
4:16
change, positioning our conference for
4:18
continued success, and strengthening our
4:21
position as a national leader.
4:24
Today, I can confidently say the
4:26
Atlantic Coast Conference enters the
4:28
2026 27 academic year from a position of
4:32
tremendous strength.
4:35
Our conference is thriving athletically.
4:38
We're thriving academically. We're
4:40
thriving financially. And we are leading
4:42
nationally during one of the most
4:44
consequential periods in the history of
4:46
college sports.
4:49
During the past academic year, 14
4:51
different ACC institutions captured
4:54
conference championships. Our teams won
4:57
seven national championships while eight
4:59
additional ACC programs finished as the
5:02
national runners up, including Miami's
5:04
run to the CFP national championship
5:07
game. Over the last 5 years, ACC
5:10
programs have captured 36 NCA team
5:14
championships in conference sponsored
5:16
sports, the highest five-year total in
5:19
our 73-year history.
5:22
Across football, basketball, and our
5:24
Olympic sports, the ACC sets the
5:26
standard for competitive excellence.
5:29
The success is most recently reflected
5:31
in the final Larfield Director's Cup
5:33
standings where three of the top five,
5:35
six of the top 25, and every one of our
5:39
18 schools ranked among the nation's top
5:42
90. It's a testament to the depth and
5:45
consistency that defines the ACC.
5:49
And with the world's attention focused
5:51
on a different kind of football this
5:52
summer, FIFA's World Cup, it's it's
5:56
worth recognizing another example of
5:58
ACC's excellence on the global stage.
6:00
Six campuses are located in FIFA World
6:03
Cup host cities and eight former ACC
6:06
student athletes, more than double from
6:08
any other conference, are representing
6:09
their countries. It's a fitting
6:12
reflection of the conferences whose
6:14
current programs have combined to win 12
6:16
national championships in the last 10
6:18
years. Seven on the women's side, five
6:20
on the men's.
6:23
While our competitive achievements
6:25
reinforce the ACC's place among nation's
6:27
elite, academics remain a clear point of
6:32
differentiation.
6:34
For the 19th consecutive year, ACC leads
6:38
all conferences with the best average
6:40
ranking in the US News and World Report
6:42
best colleges. Our student athletes are
6:45
graduating at an extraordinary pace with
6:48
a graduation success rate of 94% and
6:51
setting the standard nationally for
6:53
academic achievement.
6:56
You've heard me talk about these
6:58
accomplishments before, but behind these
7:00
numbers, there are young people earning
7:02
lifechanging
7:03
degrees. Many are first generation
7:06
college students. Still more would not
7:08
have the opportunity to earn a degree
7:10
without the tremendous support provided
7:13
by college athletics.
7:15
As our industry continues to evolve, we
7:17
must never lose sight of the student and
7:20
student athlete. That commitment to
7:23
excellence in both academics and
7:24
athletics, it's what is what makes the
7:27
collegiate model so special.
7:31
Beyond our success in competition in the
7:33
classroom, our strength is equally
7:34
reflected in our business portfolio. The
7:37
ACC is projected to generate more than
7:39
900 million in gross revenue in 2025 26,
7:44
our seventh consecutive record year.
7:47
Over the past five years, conference
7:49
revenue has grown by more than 56%.
7:52
and has doubled since 2019,
7:55
even without a new television deal.
7:58
Average member distributions continue to
8:00
reach new heights, and the ACC remains
8:02
one of the top three highest revenue
8:04
generating conferences in the country.
8:07
These results didn't happen by accident.
8:10
The successes reflect thoughtful
8:11
leadership, strategic decisions, and a
8:14
willingness to innovate by our
8:16
membership.
8:17
Together, we welcome three outstanding
8:20
new institutions to the ACC, extended
8:23
our long-term ESPN partnership through
8:26
203536,
8:29
and implemented industry-leading success
8:31
and viewership-based revenue
8:33
initiatives.
8:35
We've also expanded our corporate
8:37
sponsorships, more than double our
8:39
doubling our portfolio over the last
8:41
five years. To build for the future,
8:43
we've added the conference's first chief
8:45
revenue officer, chief marketing and
8:48
brand officer, and vice president of
8:50
sport technology and innovation.
8:52
Investments that strengthen our business
8:54
and better serve our institutions.
8:58
Innovation remains a hallmark of the
9:00
ACC.
9:01
from enhanced replay transparency,
9:04
availability reporting, or expanding our
9:06
sport technology efforts. Our goal is to
9:09
not simply keep pace with change,
9:12
but to help lead it. From how our teams
9:15
operate, how games are officiated and
9:18
administered, how conferences serve
9:20
their member institutions and engage
9:22
with fans and partners.
9:25
We'll continue investing in technology
9:27
and solutions that strengthen
9:29
competitive integrity, improve
9:31
operations, and enhance the student
9:33
athlete and fan experience.
9:37
Most importantly, we we've achieved all
9:38
of this without compromising what has
9:40
always made the ACC exceptional. This is
9:44
a direct reflection of the steady
9:46
leadership from our presidents and
9:48
chancellors, athletic directors,
9:49
administrators, coaches, and most
9:51
importantly, our student athletes.
9:54
Together, we've positioned the ACC to
9:56
enter this year with tremendous momentum
9:58
and strength.
10:01
Speaking of investment and sponsorship
10:02
and innovation, I'm excited to announce
10:05
together with Disney and ESPN, the ACC
10:07
has entered into a new multi-year
10:09
partnership with Reliquest as the ACC's
10:13
official cyber security sponsor.
10:16
As the global leader in agentic AIdriven
10:19
cyber security, Reliquest has built its
10:22
reputation on preparation, innovation,
10:25
and performance. This partnership
10:27
reflects our commitment to aligning with
10:29
innovative organizations that strengthen
10:31
the ACC and help shape the future. We
10:35
are proud to welcome founder and CEO
10:37
Brian Murphy, not to be confused with
10:40
our favorite media member from Raleigh,
10:42
Brian Murphy, who is also an FSU alum
10:45
and a member of the university's board
10:47
of trustees and the entire Reliquest
10:49
team to the ACC family.
10:52
As the ACC continues its upward
10:54
trajectory, we also have a
10:56
responsibility to remain industry
10:59
leaders during this period of
11:00
unprecedented change.
11:03
as current chair of the NCA board of
11:05
governors, president of the collegiate
11:06
commissioners association, and through
11:09
our leadership within the college sports
11:11
commission, college football playoff
11:13
governance structure, and national
11:15
legislative discussions, the ACC is
11:18
helping shape the future
11:21
on federal legislation,
11:23
the Protect College Sports Act,
11:25
sponsored by Senator Cruz and Canwell
11:27
along with Senator Schmidt and Coons and
11:30
passed by the Commerce Committee last
11:32
month represents the best chance for
11:35
Congress to assist college sports and
11:38
address some of the major issues that
11:39
plague it in the near term. I along with
11:43
the leadership on our campuses are
11:45
engaged daily with members of Congress
11:48
as this time has come for action.
11:52
A great deal of negotiation has led us
11:54
to this point and it's notable to have
11:55
bipartisan bill that provides for
11:58
continued protections and benefits for
12:00
student athletes, liability protection
12:02
on a new eligibility and transfer model,
12:05
state preeemption and enhance federal
12:07
regulation of agents.
12:09
I look forward to continuing the
12:11
collaboration with members of Congress
12:13
to stabilize and modernize
12:16
sports for the future.
12:20
The College Sports Commission has also
12:22
made meaningful progress under Brian
12:24
Cely's steady leadership. Brian and his
12:26
team were asked to build a fair,
12:28
consistent, and credible framework to
12:31
help implement the House settlement and
12:33
bring greater stability and
12:35
accountability.
12:37
While there's certainly more work ahead,
12:39
we've already seen validation that the
12:40
commission is working. The ACC remains
12:43
fully committed and will continue
12:45
providing leadership as this is an
12:48
important structure for all of us. still
12:50
in its infancy, but it is evolving.
12:55
The ACC will also play a leading role in
12:57
shaping the future of the college
12:58
football playoff. As I shared during our
13:01
spring meetings, we strongly support a
13:04
model that provides greater access and
13:06
ensures every program willing to invest,
13:09
compete, and earn its way into the
13:12
playoff has a legitimate path to play
13:14
for a national championship.
13:16
We look forward to the ongoing and
13:18
thoughtful discussions with our
13:20
colleagues.
13:23
Finally, I want to recognize NCA
13:24
President Charlie Baker and his
13:26
leadership. Following extensive
13:28
collaboration and thoughtful
13:29
deliberation across the Division One
13:31
membership, the NCA's modernization of
13:34
its eligibility framework is a important
13:37
step towards a greater clarity,
13:40
consistency, fairness, and long-term
13:42
stability of college sports. While the
13:45
immediate lawsuits challenging the new
13:47
eligibility rules are incredibly
13:50
disheartening, the changes create a
13:52
sustainable model. A model that more
13:55
closely aligns with the traditional
13:57
educational timeline after high school,
13:59
provides a meaningful participation
14:01
opportunity for student athletes,
14:03
protects competitive equity, and
14:05
preserves opportunities for future
14:08
generations of college student athletes.
14:12
We will remain working alongside the
14:14
NCAA and our colleagues to build a fair
14:17
and sustainable future.
14:20
Now, let's talk about why we are all
14:22
gathered here in Charlotte. ACC
14:25
football. The 2025 season was one of the
14:29
strongest in our history.
14:31
For the third straight year, the ACC
14:33
produced at least 11 bowl eligible
14:35
teams, the longest streak in the
14:37
country. We set conference records with
14:40
seven teams winning at least nine games
14:42
and nine teams reaching eight wins,
14:45
which also led all leagues. And our
14:48
seven postseason victories against
14:50
fellow powerful opponents were the most
14:52
by any conference.
14:54
With Miami's run to the national
14:56
championship game last season following
14:58
Clemson and SMU earning CFP bursts the
15:01
year before, the ACC has firmly
15:04
established itself in the national
15:06
championship conversation.
15:10
And our country has noticed regular
15:12
season ACC football viewership increased
15:15
68% yearover-year, leading all power
15:19
four conferences in audience growth.
15:22
Three of the nine most watched regular
15:24
season games featured ACC teams, all of
15:28
which were in ACC stadiums, and Miami
15:31
CFP National Championship appearance
15:33
drew more than 30 million viewers, the
15:36
decade's most watched CFP game.
15:41
ACC football has always embraced
15:43
challenging ourselves, and that
15:44
tradition continues. In 2026,
15:48
our teams will once again play the
15:49
nation's strongest non-conference
15:52
schedule, including 25 games against
15:55
power four opponents in Notre Dame,
15:57
which leads all conferences. Every ACC
16:00
program will at least play 10 games
16:02
against power four opponents. And three
16:05
of the five FBS teams scheduled to play
16:08
11 such games are from the ACC.
16:12
Those numbers don't happen by by
16:14
accident. It's a reflection of the
16:16
confidence of our coaches, the
16:17
commitment of our institutions,
16:20
and our belief that championship teams
16:23
should play championship schedules.
16:27
The ACC will help launch college
16:29
football season in week zero with three
16:31
marquee non-conference games and the
16:34
year's first conference matchup. The
16:36
spotlight will shine on North Carolina
16:38
as it faces TCU in the Heirlingus
16:41
College Football Classic in Dublin with
16:44
the ACC again opening the season
16:46
internationally.
16:48
From there, the ACC will own Labor Day
16:50
weekend with five consecutive days of
16:52
football featuring 12 games highlighted
16:55
by SMU's first ever trip to Florida
16:57
State on Monday night.
17:01
The weekend also features five power
17:03
four non-conference matchups which leads
17:06
the country and provides a showcase of
17:08
what is once again the nation nation's
17:10
strongest non-conference schedule.
17:14
Another measure of ACC football's
17:16
momentum is the ongoing commitment from
17:19
ESPN and ABC to showcase our programs on
17:22
the national stage. Following
17:24
significant viewership growth last
17:26
season, including an increase in games
17:28
carried on ABC, we expect another
17:30
outstanding television lineup in 2026.
17:34
That exposure extends well beyond
17:37
Saturdays with a conference record 15
17:39
Friday games, providing more
17:42
opportunities than ever for our programs
17:43
to shine in standalone national windows.
17:47
From Thursday night through Saturday,
17:49
fans across the country will have
17:51
unprecedented access to ACC football.
17:56
After 13 weeks of outstanding
17:58
competition, the road to Charlotte will
18:00
once again culminate with one of college
18:02
football's premier championship events.
18:05
On Saturday, December 5th, our top two
18:08
teams will meet at Bank of America
18:10
Stadium for the ACC Football
18:12
Championship airing at noon on ABC. It
18:16
will be the only power four championship
18:18
game in that window, giving our student
18:19
athletes and programs the national
18:22
spotlight.
18:23
This year also marks the introduction of
18:25
a new championship tiebreaking procedure
18:29
following a thoughtful data-driven
18:31
review by our athletic directors,
18:33
including the evaluation of more than
18:35
10,000
18:38
simulated season outcomes. We have
18:40
adopted an approach that is built on
18:42
three guiding principles. First,
18:45
head-to-head results will always matter
18:47
most. Second, no team will be unfairly
18:50
rewarded or penalized based on the
18:52
number of conference games that played.
18:54
And third, when head-to-head competition
18:57
cannot separate tied teams, the team
18:59
with the strongest overall body of work
19:01
will earn the opportunity to compete for
19:03
the ACC championship and the CFP AQ.
19:09
We'll share full details shortly. I
19:11
think there's going to be a sheet that's
19:12
going to be passed around, but we're
19:14
confident this approach is fair,
19:17
transparent, data informed, and assures
19:21
our game features the two most deserving
19:24
teams.
19:26
Before I close, I want to recognize our
19:28
outstanding partners at Disney, ESPN,
19:30
and the ACC network. Their continued
19:32
investment, including ESPN's direct to
19:34
consumer launch and our four-year
19:36
extension with the CW, further elevates
19:40
the ACC and expands the reach and
19:42
visibility of our student athletes and
19:44
institutions.
19:46
Together, we've embraced innovation,
19:48
including being the first conference to
19:50
provide enhanced replay transparency,
19:53
which we will further build upon this
19:56
season. Thank you to Josh Demaro, Jimmy
19:59
Petaro, Burke Magnus, Roz Durant, Nick
20:02
Dawson, and the entire Disney ESPN and
20:04
ACC Network team for your outstanding
20:06
partnership and commitment to the ACC.
20:11
Very directly, I've never been more
20:13
confident in the future of the Atlantic
20:14
Coast Conference. Our accomplishments
20:17
are significant. Our our foundation is
20:20
strong. Our momentum is real. Our
20:22
opportunities are greater than ever.
20:25
Together with our 18 worldclass
20:27
institutions, we will build upon the
20:29
remarkable momentum,
20:32
remain at the forefront of shaping the
20:34
future of college sports.
20:37
Again, my sincere thanks for being here
20:39
today. Enjoy your time with our
20:41
outstanding student athletes and
20:43
coaches, and thank you for sharing the
20:45
stories that make the ACC so special.
20:50
With that, I'm happy to answer any of
20:51
your questions. And if you could please
20:54
tell me who you are because I can hardly
20:56
see anybody from up here right now. So,
20:59
>> all right, we are going to take
21:01
questions now. Thank you, Commissioner.
21:03
Um, we have about 20 minutes to make
21:05
that happen. We'll get to as many people
21:06
as possible. We do have our microphone
21:09
holders on either side here. We're going
21:12
to start in the third row in the middle
21:15
aisle.
21:21
Jim David Teal with the Virginia Pilot.
21:24
You mentioned at spring meetings the
21:27
concept of hope when it comes to CFP
21:30
expansion, giving the programs that
21:32
invest hope. Do you find that that
21:36
message is resonating with your fellow
21:38
commissioners?
21:40
And are you confident that television
21:43
projections
21:45
will give you all reason to expand the
21:48
playoff as far as you would like? Thank
21:50
you, David. Appreciate you being here
21:52
and thank you for the question. [snorts]
21:54
I have been vocal about uh the idea that
21:57
if you have a championship and you have
21:59
teams that truly could win a
22:01
championship and and they're not
22:04
invited, which we experienced a few
22:06
years ago, um and others have
22:08
experienced the last couple years, you
22:10
don't have the right format.
22:12
So, it is about greater access if you're
22:16
going to have a true national
22:17
championship. So, I have continued to
22:19
advocate that we should increase um and
22:22
there's a debate between 16 and 24. I've
22:24
gone on record that I believe it, you
22:26
know, 24 is the right number for us. It
22:29
would absolutely have to alter the
22:31
regular season and when we start and and
22:34
the calendar um is really compressed, so
22:36
we'd have to deal with that. But there's
22:38
good momentum. Uh David, in our room, uh
22:41
our coaches were unanimous and our
22:42
athletic directors were unanimous coming
22:45
out of the spring and into the summer.
22:47
nothing has changed. So, what we've
22:49
asked the CFP to do, when I say we, I'm
22:52
talking about all of the commissioners
22:53
and um people at Notre Dame, the 11
22:57
individuals in that room, is for our
22:59
consultants to look at what is the value
23:03
of those additional games, when could we
23:05
play those additional games? Um,
23:09
we're waiting for some of those answers
23:11
back. We have the ability to make a
23:14
change, not for this upcoming year. it
23:16
it will stay at 12. But if we're going
23:18
to make a change for the 2027
23:21
College Football National Championship
23:23
playoff, that will have to take place by
23:25
December 1st of 2026.
23:28
Um, so again, I I do feel like there's
23:31
good momentum and there's good support
23:34
and you have to do things in a
23:35
collaborative way. You you can't force
23:36
anything down anyone. Um, I really have
23:40
tried to have a career built on that.
23:42
So, we're working collaboratively, but
23:44
there's certainly a lot of momentum
23:46
about expanding the playoff.
23:49
>> We're going to take our next question
23:50
from the very front row on our left over
23:52
here.
23:55
>> Jim, you
23:58
>> can you hear me? Okay, you can hear me
24:00
now.
24:01
>> Uh Jim, you talked about the the
24:03
tiebreaker situation for the
24:04
championship game. Um, when you say the
24:07
team with the overall strongest body of
24:09
work will earn the opportunity, how will
24:11
that exactly be measured and or
24:14
quantified?
24:14
>> Right. Good question. Uh, Andrew, good
24:17
to I think kind of see you kind of a
24:20
silhouette or something down there. Um,
24:23
a team success ranking from sports
24:25
source analytics. We've used them in the
24:28
past. It's it would be the third element
24:31
of the tiebreaking system. Um, and it's
24:33
what the CFP uses. Uh, I I think you
24:37
have to go and go and and give an
24:38
opportunity to place your two best
24:40
teams. And what's changed this year is
24:43
that there's an AQ awarded for the power
24:45
four conferences. Um, and so you you
24:48
have to do everything you can to
24:50
position
24:52
your championship game with those two
24:54
best teams. And so we're going to stay
24:56
head-to-head matters. That that's that's
24:58
always most important. Um and then we we
25:01
will look at um the the grouping and how
25:05
uh teams fared in the regular or in the
25:08
uh conference season. But it will come
25:10
down to body of work. So who you play,
25:12
when you play, the games that you win,
25:14
non-conference as well as conference
25:17
will matter and that's a change. That's
25:18
a major change in college sports and
25:20
certainly for the ACC. Um and uh I'm
25:24
looking forward to that. And I I I would
25:26
just say this, we we talked a lot about
25:28
it. We used a lot of consultants. We did
25:31
10,000 algorithms of of different
25:34
scenarios. Um it it it warranted that
25:38
kind of time and commitment so that we
25:40
can position ourselves to put those two
25:43
best ACC teams forward. And you know,
25:46
our our schedule's not perfect coming up
25:48
this year because we're going into that
25:50
transition period where we're going to
25:51
nine games and we we have an uneven
25:55
number of teams in the conference. And
25:56
so 12 of our schools will play nine
25:58
conference games, five of our schools
26:01
will play eight, everyone will play 10
26:03
power uh four games. So there's some
26:06
balance there. So um we'll uh we'll
26:10
continue to to uh watch how this thing
26:12
goes, but I feel incredibly strong that
26:15
we have gotten to the right place with
26:17
unonymity from our membership on what
26:19
this new tiebreaking policy states.
26:22
Thanks for the question, Andrea. Take
26:25
our next question right down here in the
26:27
very front.
26:31
>> Jim Dan Torto, wakeup calldt.com.
26:36
You mentioned about looking at the fact
26:39
that this is a conference that's staying
26:41
true to their values while embracing
26:43
change. How do you balance the two with
26:46
so many things changing in collegiate
26:47
athletics over the last few years to
26:49
stay who you are but also be prepared
26:51
for everything that's come with the
26:53
transfer portal with obviously
26:55
realignment that's happened the college
26:57
football playoff expansion. How do you
26:58
balance the two?
27:00
Well, [clears throat] this is a proud 73
27:03
year3 year old league and I know it
27:06
matters to the presidents and
27:08
chancellors um at the ACC and and it
27:11
really is still about academics and
27:13
athletics in that order. And so certain
27:16
things I think are forever as it relates
27:19
to the ACC and and and that um I I very
27:22
much value. But the industry has changed
27:25
and the league has had to change along
27:27
with that. Um, I think you you end up
27:30
staying true to who you are. You're
27:33
trying to Everyone's trying to see
27:34
around the corner of where college
27:36
athletics is going, but nobody can truly
27:38
predict that. But fundamentally, it's
27:40
about our student athletes. It's about
27:42
competition at the highest level. It's
27:46
about providing resources and telling
27:48
our story with our network. Um, but I
27:51
like what we've done. I I like what what
27:53
we've done with our with our staff and
27:56
some of the new hires. I really like
27:58
what we did with the with the
28:00
transparency on replay. You'll see more
28:02
of that this year. So, the the the ACC,
28:05
just like college sports, continues to
28:07
evolve no matter how long these
28:09
organizations have been have been
28:11
around. Um
28:14
the guiding northstar for all of us
28:16
across our 18 campuses are those 12,200
28:20
student athletes and trying to do right
28:22
by them, trying to give them the best
28:23
experience that we can. Um, and I hope
28:26
that we're we're continuing to do that
28:28
each and every day.
28:30
>> We're going to go over here.
28:31
>> Thanks for your question.
28:32
>> Third row to the more veteran
28:34
>> Fowler.
28:37
>> Scott. Uh, hey, Commissioner Scott
28:39
Fowler from the Charlotte Observer.
28:42
Um,
28:44
NC State in Virginia, the uh, moving of
28:47
that game from Brazil to Charlottesville
28:50
at a relatively late date. Uh, I know
28:54
there were releases put on it, but what
28:56
light can you shed on why that really
28:58
happened?
29:00
>> Well, a few things, Scott. It's great to
29:01
to have you here as well. Hope Chapel is
29:05
behaving himself. Um, but we we have I
29:11
can just speak during the five years
29:13
that that I've been so privileged to be
29:15
in this role, we have tried to broaden
29:18
our reach. Um, and one example is how
29:21
we're using week zero and and so,
29:25
um, the Brazil game was something that
29:29
Virginia and NC State kind of came
29:31
together on and we started to talk about
29:34
that opportunity and you need to have a
29:37
sponsor. There has to be some support in
29:39
a c in a in another country to to be
29:42
able to pull this game together. Um, and
29:46
things seemed to be going along well
29:47
over the course of the last seven or
29:49
eight months, but very truthfully,
29:52
um, I think it was in May, there was
29:55
some some serious doubt about whether,
29:58
um, the city and the, uh, area involved,
30:02
the managing area involved would be able
30:05
to pull this game off. And
30:08
I think it was an educated decision that
30:10
you could leave it to chance and maybe
30:12
there is an issue with the field, maybe
30:15
there's an issue with um some of the
30:17
logistical
30:19
uh pieces of putting on an event or we
30:21
can bring it back home and have it be a
30:25
true ACC conference game on somebody's
30:28
home field. And that's what we
30:29
determined was best. So that was the
30:32
first step. The second step was then
30:34
getting a chance to plead our case,
30:37
plead state, whatever words you want to
30:40
use, but that this should still stay at
30:42
week zero because both of those
30:44
institutions in the conference office
30:46
put together the entire ACC schedule
30:50
based on some of the teams that were
30:52
playing in week zero. And that would
30:54
have been a real disadvantage to those
30:56
student athletes. and and I'm I'm very
31:00
um pleased at how the NCAA
31:03
uh took that information on and then
31:05
decided that that it could stay at week
31:07
zero. The international piece is is big.
31:09
I mean, [clears throat] you know, we've
31:11
gone to Ireland several times. We we
31:13
want to go to a couple other places. We
31:15
we had talked to the Holiday Bowl about
31:17
maybe going to Saudi Arabia 18 months
31:20
ago, two years ago. To sprinkle the
31:23
college game out internationally is
31:25
great. This year it'll be uh North
31:27
Carolina playing TCU in Ireland. Next
31:29
year, Pitt's gonna go to Ireland to play
31:32
Wisconsin. So, we have a really nice
31:35
kind of cadence there. I'd like to
31:37
continue to look at other areas around
31:40
the world to to showcase uh ACC
31:42
football. Thanks for the question. We'll
31:45
come back over to our left hand side,
31:47
second row.
31:51
Brian,
31:55
Jim, Brian Murphy with uh WL.
31:58
You mentioned the viewership up. How
32:00
much of that is a result of changes to
32:03
the way that they're monitoring and
32:05
looking at television ratings? How much
32:06
of that do you think is based on uh the
32:09
the placement on ABC? How much of it is
32:12
based on the success in the college
32:14
football playoff? C. Can you divide out
32:16
some of how how you guys reach that
32:17
number?
32:18
>> Yeah, thanks Brian. Good to see you as
32:21
well. Thank you for being here.
32:24
The the the
32:27
viewership growth is staggering when
32:30
when you think about it, 68%.
32:33
But I would say there's a few factors
32:35
there and then I'll I'll go into maybe
32:38
how we're looking at those numbers, etc.
32:41
It's about investment. It's about
32:44
placement of games. It's about challenge
32:47
schools challenging themselves in the
32:49
non-conference. Again, we we have the
32:52
most difficult non-conference schedule
32:54
in the country with those 25 games.
32:57
That's that's been part of the ACC for a
33:00
period of time. that draws attention in
33:03
week zero, week one, week two, and
33:05
sometimes schools could play lesser
33:08
caliber teams, but I think that uh which
33:12
been which has been in the DNA of a lot
33:14
of our coaches in the league and
33:15
athletic directors and certainly the
33:17
conference has has tried to push that
33:20
and and uh advocate for that. that along
33:23
with the changes we made with success
33:27
initiatives and viewership initiatives
33:29
as it relates to to distribution dollars
33:33
um from the ACC. That's been a
33:37
motivator. You eat what you kill. You
33:41
have a chance to help yourself
33:43
financially by playing good games,
33:46
meaningful games that people want to
33:48
watch. Because at the end of the year,
33:50
if your viewership numbers have gone up,
33:53
you're going to get a bigger piece of
33:54
that pie. So, there's a motivator.
33:56
There's an intrinsic motivator that's
33:58
there. That combination to me
34:03
equals that 68%. Now, you have to have
34:06
good teams. They have to win, but we've
34:08
been doing that. And certainly, last
34:09
year again was a was a great year having
34:11
11 teams in bowl games and nine teams
34:13
was or seven teams with nine wins or
34:15
more. and all those stats that I relayed
34:17
earlier. So, I'm very pleased with that
34:21
and we have to carve out a little bit on
34:22
Friday night and I know that that
34:24
doesn't the coaches don't love that
34:26
completely and I respect that and I had
34:28
the five coaches that are here today uh
34:31
down for a meeting to start with. We
34:33
didn't talk about that, but I I we have
34:35
the best coaches in the country. I love
34:37
that group. They're committed. um they
34:40
can be salty at times, but they're
34:42
competitive and they understand the
34:44
importance of of uh of college football,
34:48
but they have helped us elevate college
34:51
football with our presidents and
34:53
chancellors that have committed to it.
34:55
So, um I like where we're at and the the
34:57
the the point about the Friday night is
35:00
there's so much compression on Saturday.
35:02
Everybody can't play on Saturday
35:03
anymore. They just can't. There's not
35:05
enough outlets. and with 136 FBS
35:09
schools. So, we have done well to place
35:13
uh some of our some of our games on
35:15
Thursday and Friday. Not not a majority
35:17
of our games, but the right ones and
35:20
worked have worked with uh our TV
35:22
partners on that. And we try to to ease
35:25
that that no one has to play more than
35:28
someone else uh at a at a you know
35:31
bigger discrepancy.
35:33
But those things have been very good for
35:35
for the ACC. And I I'll just finish it
35:38
off by I'm excited about the
35:40
championship
35:41
game time this year. We have been at
35:44
7:00 at Bank of America Stadium. Um and
35:47
it's been it's been great. We have a
35:49
tremendous relationship with the Tempers
35:52
and the and the the folks over there at
35:55
Bank of America Stadium.
35:57
But the weather's dicey. It just is. It
36:00
can be 70 or it could be 38 degrees. And
36:04
to be able to play at noon
36:08
um on that in unencumbered by any other
36:11
power four games, I'm I'm very
36:13
interested to see what happens there. So
36:16
again, it's it's probably more
36:18
information than you wanted, but the TV
36:20
piece is important. Um and uh feel like
36:23
we're in a really really good place.
36:25
Thanks for the question, Brian. And you
36:27
not you are not the CEO of Reliquest,
36:30
right?
36:31
>> Not that I know.
36:32
>> All right,
36:32
>> we're going to flip over here to our
36:34
right, second row.
36:36
>> Kenten Gibbs with the Locked on Podcast
36:38
Network. Commissioner Phillips, you uh
36:41
stated your support there for the Save
36:43
College Sports Act, and you also talked
36:45
about the fact that there are a lot of
36:47
firstgeneration
36:49
uh college students who are student
36:51
athletes. A lot of the detractors or
36:53
people who are against the Save College
36:55
Sports Act are saying that it's uh
36:57
Congress's way of suppressing the wages
36:59
of people who have been economically
37:02
disenfranchised and whatnot um in terms
37:04
of these players. So, what would you say
37:07
to those people who offer that push back
37:09
in terms of, you know, I still support
37:11
this in spite of or maybe that's not the
37:14
appropriate way to view this? Yeah, just
37:16
an awesome question and I I don't agree
37:20
that that it's going to limit wages.
37:22
What we want is more transparency about
37:24
what's happening. We we want those deals
37:28
u whether names are attached or not, we
37:30
want those to be transparent. We want
37:32
agent registration because student
37:35
athletes are being taken advantage of.
37:37
There there's nobody that's been more
37:39
supportive of that, I think, than the
37:41
ACC has been. Um, so we're working with
37:45
the senators involved. We're working
37:47
with our historically black colleges and
37:50
commissioners and across the board. Um,
37:52
because that can't be the outcome. That
37:55
that's not the that's not the um that's
37:58
not the goal of the the Protect College
38:00
Sports Act. It's it's it's a chance to
38:04
stabilize the future of college
38:06
athletics. And a major part of that is
38:09
making sure that student athletes are
38:12
compensated, not getting ripped off by
38:15
agents. It's also a reaffirmation of the
38:20
benefits that student athletes get going
38:23
to school, housing, books, meals, all of
38:27
the intangible areas that there's a real
38:30
value at on and allow student athletes
38:33
to have those kinds of experiences. So,
38:35
we're making progress and we have to
38:38
continue to educate and bring along some
38:40
of those detractors cuz even the
38:42
commissioners are a little bit at odds
38:44
over some of the the pieces of of this
38:47
particular act. Um, that outcome needs
38:50
to be again one in which there's uh
38:54
great transparency about what's
38:56
happening and how this benefits student
38:58
athletes financially and other ways.
39:01
Really appreciate that question. Come
39:03
over here to our left third row. Josh
39:08
>> Josh Graham, Westwood One Sports. Jim,
39:11
in Amelia Island, you were speaking
39:12
about Clemson Miss and specifically said
39:15
that there need to be repercussions for
39:18
improper behavior when it comes to
39:20
tampering. Obviously a noteworthy
39:22
situation with your conference champion
39:25
and conference or national runner up.
39:28
What steps has the conference taken in
39:31
trying to
39:33
handle tampering? What steps can you
39:35
take?
39:35
>> Yeah, thanks Josh. Good to see you. And
39:38
just by the way, the Cubs beat the
39:40
Orioles two out of three recently. Okay,
39:42
just so every year I remind you of that
39:45
and every year it's the same statement.
39:47
The Cubs beat the Orioles. Either swept
39:49
them or beat them two out three.
39:51
Anyways, the tampering is serious and
39:54
whether it's in the league or
39:56
nationally, those accusations are those
39:58
are serious things um that people are
40:01
looking at and um and certainly have to
40:04
be dealt with. What I would say is
40:07
between the College Sports Commission
40:09
and the NCAA, we have to have support
40:13
for them to do the work that they're
40:15
capable of doing in order to hold
40:18
schools, institutions, and coaches
40:21
accountable. And the best way to hold
40:23
people accountable is for others to
40:26
bring forward those types of situations
40:28
and cases and specific information about
40:32
what has happened with a particular
40:34
student athlete or a particular um
40:36
instance. And so what what I think
40:39
there's frustration of, which I I
40:41
completely understand, but part of this
40:44
is um when you have several impediments
40:49
right now with legal cases and people
40:51
going to judges and and some some some
40:55
conversation about the clarity and some
40:57
of the rules, it's allowing people to
40:59
play in the margins. And so we we have
41:02
to to as we modernize college sports, we
41:06
have to make sure that we are supporting
41:10
and and imploring the CSC
41:14
and the NCAA enforcement group to do
41:17
their job. Um,
41:21
what's sad about what I see with the
41:24
with with some of the tampering that's
41:26
going on is is that there's a failure
41:30
to have restraint in college sports like
41:33
I've never seen before.
41:36
tampering
41:38
um expenditures
41:41
uh how we don't maybe
41:45
work together collaboratively as much as
41:48
we should and and that has to that has
41:51
to change. It just has to. So, um,
41:55
again, I I I can't emphasize enough
41:59
individuals that have information about
42:01
tampering need to continue to come
42:03
forward on that and then there has to be
42:05
consequences and until there's
42:07
consequences, then then we'll get
42:10
similar behavior.
42:12
>> We're going to continue.
42:13
>> Thanks for the question, Josh.
42:14
>> We're going to continue with our
42:15
questions, making every effort to get to
42:17
as many as we can. We'll go over here
42:19
next against the wall on our right side.
42:22
Morning, Jim. David Hail with ESPN. Uh,
42:25
you alluded to this a little bit in one
42:26
of your previous answers, but obviously
42:28
you and your fellow commissioners have
42:29
spent countless hours in DC pushing for
42:32
federal legislation. Senators Cruz and
42:35
Canwell have have put forth this
42:36
legislation, and pretty quickly after
42:38
that, the SEC and Big 10 have come out
42:40
against it. Um, based on language in
42:43
there that that probably does not
42:44
benefit them in the way that they would
42:45
like. Um, how confident are you that you
42:49
can get to some unonymity behind any
42:51
sort of legislation among the
42:53
conferences? And along those lines, the
42:55
SEC in particular has there's been
42:57
rumblings about, oh, we'll have
42:59
self-governance instead or we'll take
43:00
our ball and go home. Is there a concern
43:03
that that that the two other conferences
43:05
could just go and do their own thing?
43:08
>> So, what I would say there, David, I I'm
43:10
I'm still I'm still optimistic that we
43:13
can get something done in Congress. I I
43:15
I am when you look at the bill 127
43:19
pages. So I I think we're in lock step
43:21
with about 90 of 90 of those pages. So
43:24
there are some specifics uh areas that
43:27
that we don't have alignment in, but you
43:30
got to work together. You got to
43:31
collaborate. You got to get to a happy
43:33
medium. Maybe it's not perfect for for
43:36
either side, but you get to the the the
43:38
middle ground that at the end will
43:41
absolutely help stabilize college
43:44
sports. And we we have a responsibility
43:46
to do that as commissioners. We just do.
43:48
We have certainly, you know, first and
43:51
foremost a responsibility to our own
43:53
schools. But then you have a
43:54
responsibility to the greater good and
43:56
the sustainability of college sports.
43:59
And I know that my fellow commissioners
44:02
feel the same way. So, we're getting
44:04
closer. Yesterday I had a chance to be
44:07
um on a call with Senators Canwell and
44:09
Cruz and and we're making some we're
44:12
making some more ground with not only
44:15
conferences but but overall on on both
44:18
sides of of the aisle. So I am I I
44:21
remain uh hopeful and I I I still remain
44:25
confident that we can get something done
44:27
because if we don't then if we don't
44:31
then that's all on us. that that that's
44:34
then that's our fault. It just is
44:37
because we're supposed to be the
44:38
stewards of this thing called college
44:40
sports. And whatever that looks like,
44:43
however long were in these roles, um you
44:47
want to look you want it to look better
44:50
when you leave than when you first
44:51
started. And you have a responsibility
44:54
to 550,000
44:57
young men and women that access higher
45:00
education. And it may and it's made
45:01
affordable by coming through through
45:04
college sports. As far as
45:07
I don't was it a you know breaking away
45:10
or something? Is that what you said?
45:11
>> Self.
45:12
>> Self self-governance.
45:15
Self-governance to me means um no
45:19
governance.
45:24
>> We're going to take our next question
45:25
from over here on the same side, our
45:27
right hand side. Hi, Jim. CL Brown,
45:29
Louisville Courier Journal. Um, it seems
45:32
like a lot of eggs are being placed in a
45:35
basket of the Protect College Sports
45:38
Act. What What's kind of the contingency
45:41
plan if it does not get passed? Is it
45:45
getting more legislation like gathering
45:48
yourselves to to try and get somebody
45:50
else to sponsor a bill and and just
45:52
approach it differently? Is it
45:54
potentially collective bargaining or
45:56
what what are kind of the other things
45:58
being thrown around?
45:59
>> Yeah, good to see you, CL. And and uh I
46:02
know you had a nice friendship with
46:05
Kenny. So, I was thinking about you and
46:07
thinking about the Louisville community
46:09
and all that Kenny has meant, but um I'm
46:12
glad glad to see you here. So it is this
46:16
is our last hope uh relative to getting
46:19
some help from from Congress and I don't
46:23
know that I can could share you know
46:26
what does that look like beyond if we're
46:29
not able to get some some help there um
46:32
because I don't think anybody
46:34
um wants to go in that direction just
46:36
yet because we are truthfully working as
46:40
hard as we can to make this thing work.
46:43
uh because I don't I I don't know how
46:46
more dis how much more disrupted college
46:48
sports could be but we would we would
46:51
enter that ecosystem if we can't get
46:54
something done.
46:56
>> Take our next
46:57
>> Thank you.
46:58
>> take our next question over here. Third
47:00
row mark.
47:06
>> Hi Mark Berman the Rowan Oak Times. Uh
47:09
to follow up on what you were talking
47:11
about with the uh new five-year rule, uh
47:14
you mentioned that the lawsuits uh you
47:15
find disheartening. Uh h how concerned
47:18
are you that those could really throw a
47:19
monkey wrench into into things uh this
47:21
summer? And also long-term, obviously
47:25
that 5-year rule is is good for college
47:27
athletes, giving them a a fifth year to
47:29
play, but you know, how troubled are you
47:31
that, you know, all the high school
47:33
athletes in the future, you know,
47:35
they're going to probably have less
47:36
access to roster spots because of of
47:38
kids sticking around for a fifth year?
47:40
>> Yeah, good to see you, Mark.
47:44
Common sense to me is something that we
47:48
could all use a little bit more of,
47:49
including the commissioner.
47:54
Having five years to play seems really
47:56
fair for a student athlete. And I told
47:59
you about
48:01
um my son Luke. I've had a daughter play
48:04
collegiate sports. I think I have
48:05
another son that's going to play
48:06
collegiate sports. So, it's been
48:08
intertwined not only in my professional
48:11
life, but certainly in my personal life,
48:13
my family,
48:15
five years
48:17
um beginning on your 19th birthday,
48:19
allowing you to play till 24 now, where
48:21
the old model really was an 18 to 22
48:24
year old window. Um that has to that
48:28
that has to be upheld. That that has to
48:31
be the foundational piece of how we move
48:33
forward from an eligibility standpoint.
48:37
It's never been more attractive to be a
48:39
student athlete.
48:42
It certainly has never been, I think,
48:43
more difficult at times. The challenge
48:45
of the rigors of going to school,
48:48
getting a really good degree from an ACC
48:50
institution, the pressures that the
48:52
student athletes feel of competing at a
48:54
high level. There's NIL dollars involved
48:57
for some of them, a majority of them,
49:00
few of them, just just depending on what
49:01
subset you're looking at. They're smart.
49:05
They're really smart. Why would you not
49:07
want to wait around a little bit and and
49:09
stay in school a little bit longer if
49:12
you can get another degree, an
49:14
undergraduate degree and a master's and
49:15
have it paid for,
49:18
have all of the services that that you
49:21
could ever want at a particular school,
49:23
unlike any time in their life, no matter
49:25
how rich they are or successful they
49:27
are, they'll never have 500 people in
49:29
athletic department willing to do
49:31
anything for them. and they're able to
49:33
make some money. Like that's a good
49:35
thing. Why would you want to leave?
49:38
But what it's unfair to is the group of
49:41
student athletes that are trying to
49:42
access higher education, i.e. high
49:45
school students. So you have to have
49:48
some common sense to this thing. It it
49:50
can't be a situation where a student
49:52
athlete comes in and they have an
49:54
unlimited amount of time. The five years
49:56
seems really fair because if you get
49:58
injured then then then you you know if
50:01
you lose a year you still have the four
50:02
years which is still a nice uh period of
50:06
time to be able to play your sports. If
50:08
not you get a chance to play all five
50:10
years.
50:12
Where there's trouble in the system is
50:14
if you don't like
50:17
the NCA ruling
50:19
or a conference ruling that you're
50:22
ineligible to play because you've
50:24
exhausted that eligibility, you've
50:26
played too much or whatever the
50:27
circumstances are, you just go to the
50:30
local courthouse
50:32
in whatever community that school is.
50:35
It's going to be hard for a judge to not
50:38
take the side of a student athlete, an
50:40
18, 19, 20, 22 year old. I get it. I get
50:44
it.
50:45
But that becomes a problem. And so if we
50:48
can get this piece of legislation that
50:52
would codify that 19 years and 24 and we
50:55
think we can even do it without this
50:57
piece of legislation, but we'll see if
50:59
it holds up in court. That would help
51:01
us. That would help us. It will take
51:04
care of the current student athletes,
51:06
but it will allow passage of these young
51:10
kids in high school that want to do the
51:12
same thing that our current student
51:14
athletes and student athletes that have
51:15
graduated have been able to do. So, I'm
51:18
big on that. And we'll have exceptions.
51:20
I mean, if you have if you go on a
51:21
Mormon mission, you know, you religious
51:23
exceptions, pregnancy,
51:25
um military duty, you you have to have a
51:28
few exceptions, but it needs to be as
51:31
outlined.
51:32
um and as clear as possible so there is
51:35
no misinterpretations and I don't listen
51:37
I'm I don't blame a student athlete for
51:39
wanting to get another year of
51:41
eligibility no matter what circumstances
51:44
but as it's done in our conference
51:46
sometimes you have to go against that
51:48
which hurt that that I don't like that I
51:50
don't like going against students but I
51:52
did in the in the springtime with one of
51:54
our student athletes because I just
51:56
didn't feel like another year of
51:58
eligibility was appropriate
52:02
Take our next question here on the right
52:04
in the middle.
52:06
>> Thomas Christopher of the league
52:07
winners. Um there's provisions in the uh
52:10
PCSA about you know essentially freezing
52:12
realignment. What's the ACC's thoughts
52:15
on that? And are there any type of plans
52:17
in place for not just retention of your
52:18
current members but a potential growth
52:20
within the conference?
52:21
>> Tell me your first name again.
52:22
>> Uh Thomas.
52:23
>> Thomas. Good to see you. Thomas, um
52:25
appreciate the question. Here's what I
52:28
would say very directly and I've said
52:30
this multiple times.
52:33
I've always wanted this conference to be
52:35
a place where schools want to be, not
52:38
that they have to be.
52:40
So, I'll leave it at that. I feel very
52:43
good about what we've done over the
52:45
course of the last five and a half
52:46
years. We strengthened ourselves, you
52:49
know, during that time of of um
52:52
movement, conference expansion with
52:54
three great schools and two new markets.
52:56
And so again, I want people to want to
52:59
be in the ACC, not forced to be in the
53:01
ACC.
53:03
>> We're going to take our last question
53:05
right over here from the right.
53:07
>> Jim, Aaron Beard with the AP. Uh, you've
53:09
referenced enhancing the replay review
53:12
that you guys let viewers listen in on
53:14
last year. I'm curious what that means
53:16
when you talk about building on it. Is
53:17
that just sheer volume of more games? Is
53:20
there something else you can do with
53:22
technology to pull back the curtain, so
53:24
to speak?
53:25
Well, you'll have to watch and find out.
53:32
Uh, I would say we're going to be doing
53:34
a lot of the same things that we got, I
53:36
think, a couple new elements to it, but
53:39
it's it's really about volume and and
53:41
having more of our games be administered
53:43
that way, which I think is is so I think
53:47
it's cool as just a flatout sports fan.
53:51
um to see how those decisions are made
53:56
and just really proud that we took that
53:58
step and I know I think a couple other
54:00
conferences are going to do it. The one
54:04
place that I have never stepped foot in
54:05
and I'll never step foot in is that
54:08
replay booth uh during any of our games,
54:12
but I'd love to sometime, but I'm not
54:14
going to do that as commissioner because
54:16
because it it just captures you. You
54:19
want to hear what's happening. why that
54:21
decision on the field is either going to
54:23
be upheld or overturned. Uh I hope we
54:27
can have maybe even a a few more camera
54:29
angles that'll help us because we want
54:32
to get it right and uh I am looking
54:34
forward to it. But I do want you to
54:35
watch I want you to watch more often. So
54:38
appreciate this group again. Thank you
54:40
for being here. I know I'll see a bunch
54:41
of you throughout the next three days. I
54:44
know you could be at a lot of places
54:45
right now, especially in the middle of
54:47
summer. There's a lot going on. But I
54:49
really, really am grateful that you
54:51
showed up here at the uh 2026 ACC
54:55
football kickoff.
54:57
>> Thank you.
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