Atlantic Coast Conference Football Kickoff Wednesday, July 21, 2021 Charlotte, North Carolina, USA Commissioner Jim Phillips Commissioner Press Conference coaches, administrators, league partners and with each of you. JIM PHILLIPS: Good morning, and welcome to the 2021 Speaking of relationships, last night we were able to enjoy ACC football kickoff. If you're anything like me, you've a wonderful evening celebrating our former commissioner. been looking forward to this event for many months. This has been invaluable to me since my is a wonderful opportunity to gather together as we look appointment and is a true gentleman and a giant in college ahead to the upcoming fall seasons with great anticipation athletics. For more than five decades he served the ACC in a hopefully more normal year. in many different roles, including the last 24 as commissioner. His transformational leadership has meant Thanks to each of you for making the effort and taking the so much to this league, and he really is the gold standard time to be with us here in Charlotte. On behalf of our of commissioners. coaches, student-athletes, schools and conference office staff, we sincerely appreciate your interest and your Over 225 current and former administrators, staff, bowl and coverage of the ACC. television partners and friends were in attendance as we honored John and his beautiful wife Nora. In addition to Each of you are an important thread in the fabric of college our previous announcement that the Swofford name would athletics, and I want you to know how much I personally be added to the league's annual postgraduate scholarship, appreciate what you mean to this league and how you and we shared the news that beginning this year, the ACC the entire ACC family have welcomed me, Laura and our Football Championship Game Most Valuable Player will five kids since becoming commissioner. annually receive the John Swofford Award. It's been an honor and privilege to serve as ACC There is a tremendous appreciation in this league and commissioner over the last five months. It is truly my belief nationally for what John Swofford has meant to college that there is no better conference in the country, when you athletics and as a friend to so many of us. Laura and I are look at the incredible student-athletes, our 15 world-class so appreciative of our friendship with John and Nora. They institutions, our broad-based sports offerings and our represent everything that's right in college athletics and in commitment to maximizing the educational and athletic this world. opportunities for student-athletes. John knows that I'll never let him get too far away from the I'm so proud to work with the tremendous chancellors and ACC, and he's just a phone call away for me. presidents that collectively serve as the ACC board of directors. I'd like to specifically thank I'm looking forward to answering your questions a little bit chancellor Kent Syverud for his incredible leadership and later, but first I'd like to express some sincere gratitude, counsel as the outgoing chair of the board of directors. share some thoughts on my first five months, and address some of the timely topics affecting college athletics in our On July 1, Duke University president Vincent Price and country. University of Louisville president Neeli Bendapudi began their tenures as chair and vice chair respectively. Each will As all of you are well aware, the pandemic created be outstanding leaders as we navigate the 2021-22 unprecedented challenges over the last 15 months. To say academic year. last year was unique was certainly an understatement, and we continue to owe a debt of gratitude to the countless Since I began my tenure in February, I've appreciated the front-line workers who have unselfishly sacrificed and put chance to spend time with and engage with so many themselves in harm's way to serve others. My sincere people. I'm looking forward to continuing to build upon thanks to all of our heroes. those relationships with our countless student-athletes,

110505-2-1001 2021-07-22 21:55:00 GMT Page 1 of 9 able to accomplish during such a difficult year for all of us. Led by the extraordinarily and tireless efforts by the ACC medical advisory group, whose work continues, our Over a period of four weeks in April and May, I had a schools safely and successfully managed athletics in a chance to visit our 15 incredible institutions, spending time pandemic. Watching the resiliency, commitment and with each president or chancellor, athletics director, faculty sacrifices of our student-athletes was inspiring, and the athletics rep, senior women's administrator, coaches, adaptability and communication by our coaches and administrators and support staff, and most importantly, the administrators created a successful blueprint of effectively student-athletes was an amazing and energizing working together. experience. While on each campus I was able to gain institutional knowledge and familiarity, both from an There's not enough credit given to our student-athletes, academic and athletic perspective. The visits also coaches and administrators for what they were able to provided me with firsthand knowledge of how schools feel accomplish this past year, so on behalf of the entire about the conference, what's working, where do we need conference, let me say thank you. to improve, forecasting our future, and how to serve the membership. What makes this past year's achievements even more incredible is that our student-athletes and programs shined Overall, the feedback was very positive. Not surprisingly, while facing so many challenges. As we just witnessed there are a lot of wonderful accomplishments and initiatives here on the screen, the league crowned a champion in all that continue to be successful year in and year out with our 27 of our sponsored sports, and 10 different institutions conference, yet it's important that we never stand still, won ACC Championships. ACC teams also won five remain focused on the future, and work to see around the NCAA team championships. corner.

Virginia won the league's first-ever national title in women's One area we all have more work to do across our country swimming. Notre Dame won fencing, making it three of the is in our social justice and diversity and inclusion efforts. last four national titles for the Fighting Irish. North Carolina The leadership of our student-athletes and schools in took home its third straight field hockey title and the 21st embracing the ongoing commitment to racial and social for the ACC, including 14 of the last 20. It was an All-ACC justice has been and continues to be awe inspiring. final when defeated Syracuse to win the NCAA women's lacrosse championship for its first title in More than a year ago, the ACC formed CORE, which program history. The ACC now owns 16 NCAA women's stands for Champions of Racial Equity, and includes lacrosse championships and has had a team in the representatives from both the conference office and our 15 national title game 11 times in the last 12 seasons. Finally, member institutions. As part of the ACC's continued Virginia won its second straight NCAA championship in commitment to social justice and racial equality, our men's lacrosse, marking the 25th title for current league schools and conference office implemented a number of programs, including nine of the last 13 and 14 titles since initiatives and programming over the past year based on 2000. In addition, the league recorded 24 individual the work by CORE. national titles, a conference record. Overall, seven ACC schools won a team or individual national title this year. ACC Unity Week took place during the fall, winter and Simply amazing. spring and will continue into the future. Throughout each of these designated periods, our campuses and As outstanding as the athletic successes were, the league conference office further elevated the discussions and continued to lead its peers with an average graduation programming to unite around social justice conversations success rate of 92 percent. This matched the ACC's GSR and actions. average the previous year and was two points higher than the national average. In the sport of football the ACC Programming in the fall included a virtual webinar where remains the only conference to have multiple teams student-athletes on activism and allyship. register GSR scores 90 or higher every year since 2005. During the winter a digital focus was in play throughout In the most recent report, four ACC football programs were February to celebrate Black History Month, which above 90 percent: Duke, Louisville, Boston College and culminated in a league-wide celebration of the diversity Virginia. among all member institutions.

As you can tell, I'm so inspired by what our In addition, as part of the digital play, ACC student-athletes student-athletes, programs, schools and conference were shared their stories on the importance of Black History

110505-2-1001 2021-07-22 21:55:00 GMT Page 2 of 9 Month and their perspective on why leadership matters. motivating force behind the ACC's decision to fully support their opportunity to benefit from their name, image and The theme for the spring was activism through sports, likeness. While we appreciate the interim policy now in which was highlighted by notable guests highlighting three place, we will continue to work with Congressional leaders webinars and virtual walks across the league's 15 to enact federal legislation that will protect and benefit all campuses and our own conference office in Greensboro. student-athletes in the long-term and that will also ensure fairness and equity in college sports that we can't afford to Many of our championships took place during these Unity lose. Weeks, allowing our student-athletes, coaches and staff to participate in a unity moment prior to the National Anthem There's no question this will be an ongoing topic, and our and to incorporate "Lift Every Voice and Sing" before our league will work tirelessly and collaboratively with other championship competitions. conferences on behalf of the nearly 10,000 student-athletes that annually compete in the ACC. We are grateful for the support shown by ACC Network, in not only covering and participating in the previously As we turn our focus to the seasons ahead, our ACC mentioned initiatives, but also creating specific programs medical advisory group, led brilliantly by our chair, Dr. Cam and features such as the virtual roundtable hosted by Wolfe of Duke, continues to meet regularly, and I anticipate Dalen Cuff on former ACC trailblazers called "ACC Unite: an updated MAG report to be released in the coming No Struggle, No Progress." weeks. As a conference, our priority remains the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators The ongoing commitment, difficult conversations, and the and campuses. initiatives surrounding equality, racial and social justice are incredibly important to making us all stronger. As it relates to vaccines and any policies or mandates, those decisions will remain at the discretion of each As commissioner, I'm confident our conference will member institution. Personally, I believe that vaccinations continue to enhance our dedication and commitment to are critical to the protection of all and helping to achieve diversity and inclusion. We will also not lose our the goal of eliminating the COVID-19 virus and its variants. responsibility to the importance of supporting and But I also deeply respect that getting vaccinated is a promoting the mental health and well-being of our personal choice. student-athletes and programs. As we approach the fall seasons, there's no question that This past May, the league sponsors its third annual ACC increasing the number of vaccinations will provide the best Mental Health and Wellness Summit, allowing our league chance for our student-athletes and teams to compete. to gather together, learn from each other and share best Our office using resources from the Ad Council created a practices as we work together to continue to break down PSA to encourage everyone to learn more about the any stigma associated with mental health. benefits of COVID-19 vaccine. I'm also confident that our campuses will continue their ongoing education and Changing gears, earlier this spring we announced the communication related to the importance of vaccinations elimination of the league's intra-conference transfer rule, and other mitigation strategies. which allows our student-athletes the opportunity to transfer and compete immediately at another ACC It would break my heart, as it did this summer, for any of institution. While we hope every student-athlete has a our student-athletes or coaches who continue to work so positive, life-changing experience at an institution, we also hard on their sports to have to miss a game due to a recognize that sometimes changes can be good and are positive test or contact tracing. necessary. As recently as yesterday, our athletic directors discussed The decision to allow for immediate eligibility for the necessary protocols regarding scenarios when a team intra-conference transfers was in the best interest of our may be able to participate in a contest -- may be unable to student-athletes, as it creates greater flexibility during their participate in a contest due to COVID-19 infections or collegiate careers and placed the ACC as a national leader contact tracing and what that contest would be considered in this area. We will continue to be proactive in our by the conference. Similar to the updated medical advisory approach to enhancing the student-athlete experience and group report, we'll have a decision in the near future. helping shape the future of college athletics. For now football, why we all gathered here this week, what The best interests of our student-athletes was also a we're all excited about. Just over six weeks from now, our

110505-2-1001 2021-07-22 21:55:00 GMT Page 3 of 9 football teams will be kicking off week 1 of the 2021 different teams have played in the historic Capital One season. When you look at the non-conference and Orange Bowl since 2013, and we've won three of the last conference match-ups, there's no shortage of exciting this eight football national titles. fall. As I've stated since my first day as ACC commissioner, Our teams arguably play the toughest non-conference football must be number one priority for us, for all of us, our schedule in the country. In addition to 23 games against schools, the league, ACC Network, our partners, coaches. Power Five opponents, the ACC will play 13 We've been collaborating for months to ensure that ACC non-conference games against teams ranked in the final football has the mindset of 24/7, 365, and we're working 2020 Associated Press top 25. All 14 teams play at least together to further elevate football in the ACC. We're just one Power Five non-conference opponent, while nine getting started. teams play two. That commitment to football will not be at the expense of The quality of competition will immediately be evident as our other 26 sponsored sports. You don't have to ACC teams kick off Labor Day Weekend with games over deemphasize any sport simply to provide additional five consecutive days, and we're grateful that our fantastic resources to others or concentrate on football. television partners will provide national platforms to showcase our student-athletes and provide fans with For example, ACC basketball, which we all love, has been access to their favorite ACC teams throughout the season. and will continue to be the paradigm for excellence, and I believe we can be among the nation's elite in every sport We have a strong and important relationship with ESPN, we sponsor. A renewed focus and commitment of ACC and I appreciate the ongoing conversations as we look football will impact many aspects and partnerships for us, ahead to the future and maximizing our collective including our tremendous television and bowl partners. I'm successes. incredibly pleased with the enhanced level of communication, energy and focus within our conference This includes ACC Network, which will begin its third year specific to our football programs. in August. It's truly hard to believe that the last time the ACC gathered for this football kickoff event, ACCN was still There is terrific work being done by our football approximately a month from launch. We're thrilled to have subcommittee. That includes six athletic directors and them here today providing our fans coverage of this year's three head football coaches, Pat Kraft, Boston College; event. Clemson's Dabo Swinney; Blake James from Miami; , North Carolina; and Pat ACCN is currently available in nearly 70 million Narduzzi from Pitt; Virginia's Carla Williams; 's households, and our partnerships have exceeded initial ; and Dave Clawson, chair of our football expectations over the first two years, including in committee from Wake Forest. distribution and in revenue. In addition to the football games that have already been released by ACCN, I'm Efforts to strengthen future scheduling, further engage with excited to announce two additional games that will be our student-athletes, deepen the ACC Network's featured exclusively on ACCN this season: Boston College commitment to football programming, elevating our football at Clemson on Saturday, October 2, and Notre Dame at championship game, enhancing our officiating program Virginia Tech on Saturday, October 9. and collectively discussing national issues and be a leader in that space is all underway, but there's much more work The addition of these games reinforces ACC Network's to be done. ongoing commitment to scheduling high-profile ACC events and surrounding them with comprehensive studio Speaking of the postseason, let me take a minute to thank and on-campus programming as well as in-depth our partners here in the Queen City, who continue to work storytelling. tirelessly with our office to annually host the ACC football championship game. On Saturday, December 4, Bank of As we move through the next two days at kickoff and in the America stadium will host the 2021 event, which marks the weeks ahead, stay tuned for additional ACCN 11th time in the last 12 years that the game will be played announcements. here in Charlotte.

ACC football has a lot to be proud of. We've had a team in Following the ACC Championship game weekend, we will either the college football playoff or the BCS National look ahead to the 2021 bowl season. Anchored by the Championship game in each of the past eight years. Six Capital One Orange Bowl, I can't begin to express how

110505-2-1001 2021-07-22 21:55:00 GMT Page 4 of 9 thankful I am for our league's 11 outstanding bowl partners. a decision on that. Each offers meaningful experiences for our football student-athletes who earn a postseason opportunity. JIM PHILLIPS: We had a chance to get with our athletic directors yesterday. We have over half of our group above We know 2020 was tough on everyone, and that includes that 85% threshold with several others on the cusp. We all our bowl partners and the communities that deeply benefit feel like that's a reasonable target across the ACC. So from their charitable contributions. It will be great to have those are numbers as of yesterday. our bowl season back in full force this year. Then overall from a student-athlete population, that Finally, let me address the proposed changes to the number is even higher according to those schools, the data College Football Playoff. As a league, we're using the that they have currently. summer to engage in conversations on what is best for college football post-season. Most importantly the As it relates to not making a declaration about if it's going student-athletes who participate. to be a cancellation or a forfeit, we all really wanted to wait a couple more weeks or so. I think there's some more Our ADs received the presentation that was given to the information that we're going to be able to gather. I think full CFP board of managers yesterday afternoon. Later we'll understand the variant a little bit. today it will be shared with our 14 head football coaches. We appreciate the work by the subgroup of the CFP It's really the recommendation of our medical group along management committee as we continue to evaluate with our ADs and our presidents. There's direct alignment proposed options. that at least this week we didn't need to make that kind of statement. As was announced earlier this spring, the league will be represented on the CFP board of managers from Clemson It will be forthcoming. We certainly will be transparent University president Jim Clements, who begins his tenure when that decision is made and let everybody know. after the incredible job Florida State president John Thrasher did prior to his retirement. Q. Now with the rule allowing players to take advantage of the name, likeness and images, what are It was our charge to find another outstanding your thoughts on it? Are you all coming up with any representative to serve in this prestigious role, and as a courses to help the players out, knowing they're conference we are extremely pleased that President dealing with so much amount of money? Clements humbly agreed to take the mantle. JIM PHILLIPS: So let me just state a little bit. I can't tell The success of the CFP is undeniable. It's important we you how proud I am of our 15 schools and how they ensure any future evolutions will only enhance the regular navigated this uncharted territory over the last six, eight, college football season and post-season. twelve months to what eventually came to fruition on July 1st. Let me thank all of you again for your interest in the ACC. I hope you enjoy the next few days here in Charlotte. The There's been constant education going on on our ACC has so much to be proud of, and I'm truly humbled campuses. The ACC office itself tries to help supplement and honored to serve this amazing collection of world-class some of the questioning. There's been education across, institutions and the student-athletes that represent the again, our footprint. ACC. The success stories are many. We're seeing all of it Thank you and, Go ACC. around the country. I think it makes all of us feel a sense of gratification that we can do this thing. But we have THE MODERATOR: We'll start with questions and some real challenges ahead if we don't get national answers. legislation. I want to speak about that.

Q. On vaccinations, can you give us an idea of where I think there's incredible opportunities for our ACC football teams right now in terms of hitting the student-athletes coming. But we need a national standard. 85% threshold are? Several other conferences have Everyone expects us to play a national competition already announced that they are not rearranging schedule. We go all over the 50 states. Not having a schedules. If a team can't play, they will have to national standard will cause major disruption. You are forfeit. Wondering why the ACC is still waiting to make already seeing across the country the wide-ranging

110505-2-1001 2021-07-22 21:55:00 GMT Page 5 of 9 disparity at times, depending on what state you're in, what people are able to do. So that's one. When I look at what we really are super reliant on from an Indianapolis perspective, governance, what is the Second is we have to have some help on anti-trust. We governance structure, do we have the right governance can't sustain constant litigation to the enterprise of college structure, one size fits all. Is the council working. They're athletics. That has to be wrapped into it. working incredibly hard, but is that the right structure.

I think the third element for name, image and likeness for Again, all sizes, shapes within 351. us as we look into the future is what can we do to help our student-athletes once they leave school from a medical Championships? We've had a couple issues this year with standpoint. Can we provide some additional medical care championships. It's the thing our student-athletes love to for them. Can we mandate that two, three years, whatever do. So an assessment there, championships. that looks like over a period of time. Some schools are doing it, but we certainly don't have uniformity across 351 Then enforcement. I'm getting ready to go in August with schools at least at the Division I level. out of our schools to Indianapolis. Some of those student-athletes on that team that will be subjected to Can we mandate also an opportunity for all whatever penalties potentially could be handed down were student-athletes to come back to school. That can be in middle school, were in middle school. So timeliness, wrapped into this legislation. fairness in the system.

Finally, it can't be a recruiting advantage. It just can't. The That being said, the NCAA also has done a lot of great equity from those resources have to be equally distributed. things and continues to do some really good work. So this Most of our student-athletes, the 500,000 that compete thing isn't dumped on Indianapolis. I think we all have our nationally, are Olympic sports student-athletes. So that fingerprints on the responsibility we have as leaders, continues to be the mantra and call. whether it's commissioners or athletic directors or presidents. What I hope doesn't happen is that because we've had some success here, we've seen these great stories of Again, this would be a great time. President Emmert has student-athletes being able to use, rightly so, just like kind of called for it, a recalibration of the NCAA. I think we students, their name, image and likeness, that we lose the should take him up on that opportunity and let's work sense of urgency. collaboratively with the NCAA, with our conferences, with our presidents, athletic directors and such. Let's spend the In our conference we have four schools with state next eight, twelve months figuring this thing out. legislation -- or four states with state legislation, we have two with state directives, and we have four that rely on the More changes are coming. NCAA rule. You can see within our 15 schools and our 10 states there's an unevenness to what student-athletes can Q. Posted your announcement about the Virginia do. Tech-Notre Dame game on social media. Fans are frustrated. They rely on Comcast, can't get the I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes. We need network. Any progress made in the deal? Many areas federal help. I think that we'll get it. But I hope it's sooner in our state, that's our only option. Can you speak to rather than later. the progress that's been made on possibly getting it before the season? Q. As you look to the future of the NCAA itself, what is your preference for how you would like to see the JIM PHILLIPS: Appreciate the question. NCAA evolve or devolve as it were? Do you still have confidence in Mark Emmert to lead it? It's one of the top priorities I've had. I've been to Bristol. Had some great conversations with Jimmy Pitaro, Burke JIM PHILLIPS: So, I would say this. This is the right time Magnus and the group. We have a tremendous to have a complete holistic review of the NCAA, leadership, relationship. structure, what do we want to do moving forward. Distribution is critical for us. When I visited those 15 There's been so many things that have happened in our institutions, that was kind of the cry of all of our schools, is space here that the timing is right. No predetermined how do we get distribution wider. I think we have a great outcomes. Let's take a look. plan coming up. A lot of the carriers and providers,

110505-2-1001 2021-07-22 21:55:00 GMT Page 6 of 9 including Comcast, renewals coming up this late summer concentration right now is on our 14 schools. and into the fall. I think we're making tremendous progress with them. Who knows where the future's going to go. But I love the group of schools that we have. You always have to be Those frustrations are real. We'll never be the conference ready to add. Notre Dame, contractually, if they were to that we need to be until we get some of those issues taken join a conference, again structured by Commissioner care of. Swofford in 2013, would join the ACC. That's where we're at. Appreciate the question. We'll see where this goes. I think we have a great strategy. It's been top of point every conversation we've had with our TV partners. They Q. Back to the vaccines. Many schools, including understand it. They get it. So we're hopeful to make a big Notre Dame, are implementing athletes, students, dent in the distribution piece coming up. having to be vaccinated. Would you encourage that to your institutions? If not, some kind of protocol similar Q. said if the 12-team playoff goes to what the NFL is doing with greatly encouraging their through, he likes the setup for Notre Dame. Removes players to get vaccinated? the imperative of having to play in a conference championship to have access to a national JIM PHILLIPS: We are encouraging. It's split. We have championship. How would you assess the sort of role seven institutions where it's mandated to be a student on of Notre Dame and the ACC going forward? If there campus, you have to get vaccinated. It's not just split isn't any possibility at any point that Notre Dame according to what you may believe, just publics and would potentially give up football independence? How privates. Virginia Tech is a perfect example being a public do you sort of assess that relationship as it's working in the state of Virginia, what they've done. now? You have the Notre Dame logo behind you, and they're not here. There's no question that there will be a higher probability to be able to play for student-athletes if they're vaccinated. I JIM PHILLIPS: Listen, I guess I'll work present time to past mean, you can just sense it and see it and feel it. Our to maybe to the future. I'll jump around a little bit. policies are going in that direction, too, though we're not ready to announce them today at the request of the I think we all got a glimpse of what would be like to have medical advisory group. Notre Dame in the conference this past fall. That was a really beautiful and beneficial relationship to both Notre If you're vaccinated, it's going to take you out of contact Dame and the ACC. They had a chance to play a fantastic tracing issues and such. As a medical experts have schedule. They had a chance to vie for a national indicated, those that are vaccinated are subject to getting championship and compete in the CFP. We have a the virus at a much lower, lower level than those that don't. real-life example of what that could look like. I believe in being vaccinated. I have a family of healthcare When I look back, obviously I've spent time there. I think I workers that have been on the front lines. But it's about us have close ties there. I have a student-athlete son there educating our student-athletes. Again, I stand by my and a daughter. So I think I know the institution pretty well. opening comments. It's such a personal decision. So Led by a terrific president in John Jenkins and Jack student-athletes have to figure out what's best for them. Swarbrick. We're all hopeful that we can go through a season without any cancellation or forfeitures of any of our contests in any In 2013 when they joined the league, they declared they of our sports and that our student-athletes can stay healthy were exciting about being in in all their sports, but they and safe. valued independence greatly. I respect that. The old kind of quip is, Notre Dame loves two things: one is being Q. I know you spoke a little bit about this at the spring Catholic, second is independence. Sometimes those meetings about the transfer portal and the things get in reverse order. Sometimes they like conferences' and coaches' concerns. Can you go into independence even more than being Catholic. That was that a little bit more? What is exactly your concerns as supposed to be a joke, but it didn't go over very well the commissioner going forward with that, the issues (smiling). it's caused this year, especially in men's basketball?

They know the ACC's interest. It's been less than bashful. JIM PHILLIPS: It's likened to a game of musical chairs. It's been less than bashful since I've been here. But I also That's what worries me, the music stops, there's not respect where they're at. I respect where we're at. Our enough chairs, seats, scholarships for those in the transfer

110505-2-1001 2021-07-22 21:55:00 GMT Page 7 of 9 portal. I saw Coach Swinney's press statements yesterday. I've But the freedom of movement won out on that decision. I seen Coach Brown. I've talked to both of them regularly. completely agree with that. I know as a former coach I'll see them here later today and tomorrow. Those are real really early in my career how difficult that can be when it concerns. I think we have to be open-minded to it. It comes to rosters, when it comes to roster management, doesn't mean we're going to support it. maybe life lessons, when things get tough, you can't just bounce out and go somewhere else. The last piece of your question about will it influence us. It certainly will influence us. It will influence President So we're working through it as a league, understanding Clements who ultimately has one of the votes. I want us to what it looks like in the different sports. As mentioned with socialize this process, socialize the proposal. I want it to 27 sports, there's a different flow for the transfer be transparent. I want us to be able to hear from those experience. Some of our sports are -- that are at a higher constituent groups, student-athletes and coaches, and then percentage of student-athletes transferring than some have an educated position for our conference. other Olympic sports. There's some great things about it, too. We talked a little I don't think we have enough data yet to declare one way bit about some of the really major challenges to this thing. or another how we help this thing. But I think it goes back There's some terrific things about access and opportunity. to recruiting and us doing the very best job that we can to The sport has access to 3% of the schools playing the identify the prospects that fit our institutions. So more work sport of football. Most of our other sports are around 20% to come on that. and above. Men's basketball is at 19%. Baseball and soccer and others are there. Again, I feel the coaches' frustration. It's real. But in the end it was the right thing to do for our student-athletes. So there's debate to this thing, which is great. We need that. I'll look forward by September, as we get ready to Q. You talked a little bit about the expanded playoff, have another CFP meeting, having the ACC having a the feedback that you've been asking for. Dabo position on where we stand. yesterday noted that his team had suggested they were not thrilled about additional games. Mack Brown Q. I was wondering in terms of recruiting and NIL and had similar comments about North Carolina players. increasing the prominence of ACC football, does that When you hear that feedback, how does that figure worry you in terms of competing with other into the bigger-picture view of the expanded playoffs? conferences like the SEC that are offering more and Is there a way to address their concerns while still more potential economic upside to players? thinking about playoff expansion? JIM PHILLIPS: That's back to the point about having a JIM PHILLIPS: Appreciate the question. national standard. If we could all get on kind of the same footing for all the reasons I described. There is. I don't want anybody to foreclose either good or bad on the playoff. We're still learning about the playoff. In the end I love what we offer. I love the offer across our The football coaches today are going to get to CFP 14 schools in the sport of football, the academic and presentation. They may feel the exact same way. I athletic balance, the competition, the coaches, the kinds of respect Mack and Dabo. Those are two of our tremendous leaders we create in our programs, the games we play, the coaches. They have incredible experience. network we partner with. Certainly you can always look at a specific conference and compare and contrast. When I finished up in Dallas at the end of June on a Tuesday, we had CFP meetings Monday and Tuesday, it But I think if we can get some national legislation, we have was brought out that the 12-team playoff was a tremendous complement of schools that rivals anyone in recommended by the board. I had a Wednesday like noon the country. call with our head football coaches. I asked them to do a few things: Get together and talk about it and discuss how Q. You mentioned earlier coming from a family of they feel about it, to your point about too many games, healthcare workers. You also come from a family of length of season, healthy and safety issues, what does it Olympic sport athletes. What have you told your two do to the regular season, all of those things. But as children, who are Olympic sport athletes, about NIL? importantly, talk to the student-athletes, get a feel and Have either of them dabbled into name, image and read. likeness monetization?

110505-2-1001 2021-07-22 21:55:00 GMT Page 8 of 9 JIM PHILLIPS: They've taught me a lot. It's real when it's under your roof. As you mentioned, two of our five are current collegiate student-athletes, one in the ACC, one in the Ivy. They have some real ideas about it.

I think where it stands right now is a great start. It just is. They're thinking about it. They haven't quite dabbled in it, but they are considering some things. That will be fun because sometimes I wear my dad hat with them and sometimes I wear my commissioner hat with them. It's kind of a neat role to be in.

But it's good. Again, I know it was a process getting to a point relative to name, image and likeness. But it's like other iterations we've had in college sports. Most recently we had cost of attendance. I was fortunate enough to chair the NCAA council at that time. I know the consternation that took place about cost of attendance, it's going to imbalance, some schools can afford it, some schools can't, it's really going to hurt collegiate sports.

It been fantastic. The recipients have been our student-athletes.

We'll get through this, be stronger. In the end we do need to take a look at where we're at in college sports and really start to get together and do some assessing and do some long-range planning.

Appreciate everyone being here. I really do. It's fantastic that we've been able to get together and see each other and be face-to-face. We'll continue to be available for you throughout the next couple days.

Be safe in your travels. I look forward to seeing you on the different campuses as I get around in of the fall. Always want to be available to you. Deeply, deeply appreciate the work that you do and the importance that it has in college sports.

Have a great day and Go ACC. Thank you.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports

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