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David Hale
In his remarks to open the ACC’s annual kickoff occasion in Charlotte, commissioner Jim Phillips emphasised a necessity for “restraint” and “cooperation” by faculties and conferences as faculty athletics works to create a framework for the long run.
Phillips mentioned he has urged coaches and athletics departments to abide by new restrictions imposed within the wake of the Home vs. NCAA settlement that permits faculties to spend as much as $20.5 million yearly on direct athlete compensation whereas additionally creating oversight of title, picture and likeness contracts — successfully placing a mushy cap on what athletics division can spend on expertise acquisition.
“It is about establishing a normal with transparency,” Phillips mentioned. “We’ve not had that within the NIL period. Generally we will not assist ourselves. Individuals know what the principles are relative to the $20.5. They know what legit NIL is. You may play within the grey space if you need however all that does is undermine the brand new construction.”
Phillips reiterated a necessity for presidency oversight, too, and mentioned he continues to advocate for federal laws that will, amongst different issues, codify that student-athletes are usually not staff.
Phillips’ feedback echoed a bigger narrative he pushed Tuesday a couple of want for a unified imaginative and prescient for the way forward for faculty athletics that prioritizes each the enterprise in addition to particular person faculties and conferences.
“I’ve at all times tried to be a part of options and collaboration,” Phillips mentioned. “All of us have a accountability to our convention, and I definitely do for the ACC, however I additionally know now we have a accountability to the enterprise — whether or not it is what’s occurring now with [the College Football Playoff] or what we do with a brand new governance construction or how we formulate the [College Sports Commission]. I am fairly sturdy in my convictions however attempt to convey individuals collectively. One of the best ways to get a deal finished is perhaps relent somewhat bit and quit a couple of issues however control what we’re making an attempt to attain.”
The potential enlargement of the Faculty Soccer Playoff stays one of many largest sticking factors amongst particular person commissioners, with the Huge Ten pushing for a mannequin that features computerized bids for the highest 4 groups in its league, whereas the SEC and Huge 12 have advocated for a 5+11 mannequin that will give berths to 5 convention champions and 11 wild playing cards.
Phillips didn’t help a particular plan, however he mentioned he needs to see convention championships rewarded and is in favor of elevated entry, suggesting he’d be open to a 14- or 16-team playoff that didn’t assure a couple of berth for any convention.
A part of the playoff negotiations is a renewed deal with power of schedule, with the SEC wanting ensures from a playoff choice committee on particular metrics that will probably be utilized to make sure groups with tougher schedules will probably be rewarded for enjoying harder video games. An settlement on these metrics may open the door for the SEC to maneuver to a nine-game convention schedule — just like the Huge Ten and Huge 12 — which, Phillips mentioned, may drive the ACC to comply with swimsuit.
“I like the place we’re at with eight video games,” Phillips mentioned. “We’ll modify if now we have to, however I feel a few of these conventional [non-conference] rivalry video games that we actually get pleasure from may go away.”