Wednesday morning, ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips kicked off ACC Media day with the
Commissioners Forum. In the forum, which consisted of an opening statement followed by a Q&A, Phillips laid out the status of the conference and its goals moving forward.
In addressing COVID-19 policy for the upcoming season, Phillips made the point that
vaccination is a personal choice, and while he and the conference encourage it, at this time they do not plan to place a mandate on ACC athletes. Nonetheless, Phillips did boast that “half the group” of ACC member schools have reported a vaccination rate of over 85%.
Phillips also discussed the recent updates in transfer policy, as athletes can now execute inter-conference transfers and still receive immediate eligibility. While this change is incredibly beneficial to athletes that are looking for the right place for them, Phillips worried that the change could become “like a game of musical chairs, where eventually, not everyone has a seat.”
However, what was on everyone’s mind was the recent Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) development across college athletics. Repeatedly, Phillips noted the need for federal legislation and a “national standard” for NIL policy. Without it, he fears that recruiting and collegiate athletics as a whole could suffer greatly. In his words, “This is the right time for a complete, wholistic evaluation of the NCAA.”
Phillips did end the forum on a positive note, saying that he “loves what we [the ACC] have to offer” and that “It is truly my belief that there is no better conference in the country.”
