Jul 22, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; ACC commissioner Jim Phillips speaks to the media during ACC Media Days at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

ACC commissioner reveals strong stance with FSU football

Originally posted on Florida State Seminoles on SI
By Jackson Bakich | Last updated Jul 25, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner Jim Phillips recently spoke at the ACC Kickoff and discussed the dynamic with Florida State and Clemson after they settled their lawsuits against the league last month.

“Maybe everybody doesn’t get exactly what you want, but you get to a place that’s for the greater good, and that’s where I felt it was different,” Commissioner Phillips said. “I know what the Florida State and Clemson people were saying, and they said it to the entire group, about their desire to be in the ACC and all the rest of that. I believe them, I really do. I have a responsibility to make sure that our ACC schools want to be in this league. Not just have to be in this league. I think that’s important."

Phillips continued, mentioning that the league is "situated nicely right now" despite two of its biggest brands (and maybe more) possibly leaving the conference in the next half-decade.

“You talk about viewership and success on how to distribute dollars. You talk about coming back off of the most revenue we’ve ever distributed. 29 national championships," Phillips said. "The sport of football is getting better, and we want to take another step this year."

"The league is situated nicely right now. Difficult, bumpy, challenging — but let’s not let a lazy narrative, from the standpoint of not people not moving on and understanding kind of where we’re going. I feel like the league has earned that. Nobody gave that to us," Phillips added.

Finally, Commissioner Phillips shared his belief that the league is set up for the next 10 years with the TV contract they have with ESPN.

“We were steady. You didn’t see us at all move this way or that way. People said a lot of things about the league, but at the end of the day, that’s what we’re at," Phillips said. "Also, our partnership with ESPN. which everybody said was not going to happen through 2035-36, which gives us a platform for the ACC for the next decade."

There appears to be more conference realignment on the horizon. How it will affect the ACC and FSU is yet to be seen.

The Seminoles will open their season against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Aug. 30 at 3:30 p.m. ET in Tallahassee.