Jim Phillips, Head of the ACC, Vows to Defend Against Lawsuits from Florida State and Clemson
The discomfort of the legal dispute between the Atlantic Coast Conference and its members Clemson and Florida State continues to brew as the 2024 season approaches in just over a month.
ACC commissioner Jim Phillips has promised that daily operations will continue as usual, while also asserting that the league will vigorously fight against the lawsuits brought forth by the two schools regarding withdrawal penalties and the grant of media rights deal that runs until 2036.
The ACC had previously filed a countersuit against the schools.
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\"I can assure you that we will defend the ACC and our members for as long as necessary,\" Phillips stated at the ACC Kickoff on Monday in Charlotte, N.C. \"We have confidence in this conference and believe it will remain a top conference in college athletics for many years to come. These disputes are incredibly damaging, disruptive, and harmful to the league.\"
Florida State initiated its lawsuit in December, followed by Clemson in March.
The Seminoles claimed \"years of mismanagement\" by the ACC and also contested the league's \"harsh\" withdrawal penalties. Clemson had similar grievances regarding the withdrawal process and the grant of media rights.
Phillips was quick to remind the media present on Monday that both Clemson and Florida State had agreed to the rights agreement in 2013 and 2016.
\"To be frank, (the schools) willingly accepted our current television contract and the launch of the ACC Network,\" Phillips stated. \"The ACC, our collective membership, and conference office deserve better.\"
While acknowledging that the situation doesn't have to be \"evil,\" Phillips made it clear that the well-being of the conference as a whole takes precedence over individual institutions.
\"Critical moments require strong support and leadership,\" Phillips said. \"I haven't changed at all, I stand by everything I've said. ... Either you stand by what has been agreed upon, or you don't. We will do everything in our power to protect the league.
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\"This conference has been around for 71 years, long before my time, and will continue to thrive long after I am gone.\"
This football season, the ACC will feature 17 programs, with Cal and Stanford joining from the Pac-12 and SMU moving from the American Athletic Conference.
