The ACC has made it official: Northwestern A.D. Jim Phillips is the new commissioner.
Story from the ACC
I have been hearing from people non-stop since this news broke late last night and through this morning, and this hire is being universally applauded ... even by people who have been critical of the ACC.
He's apparently incredibly well-respected in the business and is know as a tremendous negotiator. We all know that the ACC's TV deal is not good, and I've heard that he is very strong in media rights negotiations.
As y'all have probably seen, he was expected to be the Big Ten commissioner before they switched lanes at the 11th hour, and many in the Big Ten have been regretting that decision.
The fact that Phillips is willing to take the ACC job tells me he feels confident they can shrink the revenue gap at some point. The fact that he has strong Notre Dame ties is not lost on anybody. I'm still not sure the Irish will ever give up their current situation, but apparently if anyone can swing that deal, he might be the guy.
I was a little hesitant to get excited because of his ties to Duke A.D. Kevin White, because like everybody else, I think this conference needs to be much bolder and look for a new direction. But I've been told by several people that this guy will definitely fit that bill. I've also heard he is an incredibly hard worker and known as a very good person.
All in all, sounds like the ACC not only hit a home run, but maybe a grand slam. Really looking forward to seeing what he brings to the league.
If you have any questions, we'll try to get them answered.
Story from the ACC
I have been hearing from people non-stop since this news broke late last night and through this morning, and this hire is being universally applauded ... even by people who have been critical of the ACC.
He's apparently incredibly well-respected in the business and is know as a tremendous negotiator. We all know that the ACC's TV deal is not good, and I've heard that he is very strong in media rights negotiations.
As y'all have probably seen, he was expected to be the Big Ten commissioner before they switched lanes at the 11th hour, and many in the Big Ten have been regretting that decision.
The fact that Phillips is willing to take the ACC job tells me he feels confident they can shrink the revenue gap at some point. The fact that he has strong Notre Dame ties is not lost on anybody. I'm still not sure the Irish will ever give up their current situation, but apparently if anyone can swing that deal, he might be the guy.
I was a little hesitant to get excited because of his ties to Duke A.D. Kevin White, because like everybody else, I think this conference needs to be much bolder and look for a new direction. But I've been told by several people that this guy will definitely fit that bill. I've also heard he is an incredibly hard worker and known as a very good person.
All in all, sounds like the ACC not only hit a home run, but maybe a grand slam. Really looking forward to seeing what he brings to the league.
If you have any questions, we'll try to get them answered.
