ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips has agreed to a three-year contract extension to stay with the conference through 2029, CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd confirmed. The new contract comes amidst reported interest from the Big Ten for the same position.
Formerly Northwestern’s athletic director, Phillips was considered a prime candidate for the Big Ten commissioner’s vacancy after Kevin Warren left to take a role with the Chicago Bears. As a Northwestern AD, he had previously interviewed for the job and was considered the runner-up to Warren, a longtime NFL executive.
Phillips was named ACC commissioner in December 2020. Despite his recent arrival, Phillips is already the second-longest-serving Power Five commissioner after the Pac-12, Big 12 and Big Ten have made moves at the position. His ACC predecessor, John Swofford, served in that position for 24 years. With his background in college sports management, Phillips joins SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey as outliers in the position. The Big 12 and Pac-12 both hired entertainment executives, while the Big Ten leaned on the NFL by hiring Warren.
Now, Phillips has been tasked with guiding the ACC through one of the most treacherous moments in college football history. The league is tied to a contract with ESPN through 2036, but the top member organizations are already beginning to claim a higher share of the revenue as the Big Ten and the SEC sign massive television contracts that leave the other three major conferences in the dust.
The Big Ten are scheduled to interview the finalists for the commissioner’s position this week, according to ESPN. No candidates have been announced for the position.