ACC commissioner Jim Phillips has agreed to a three-year contract extension to remain with the conference through 2029, CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd has confirmed. The new contract comes amid reported interest from the Big Ten for the same position.
Phillips, formerly the athletic director at Northwestern, was considered a top candidate for the vacant Big Ten commissioner job after Kevin Warren left to take a role with the Chicago Bears. As Northwestern AD, he previously interviewed for the job and was considered to be the runner-up to Warren, a longtime NFL executive.
Phillips was hired as commissioner of the ACC in December 2020. Despite his recent arrival, Phillips is already the second-longest tenured commissioner in the Power Five after the Pac-12, Big 12 and Big Ten made moves at the position. His predecessor in the ACC, John Swofford, worked in the role for 24 years. With his background in college sports administration, Phillips joins SEC commissioner Greg Sankey as outliers in the role. The Big 12 and Pac-12 each hired entertainment executives, while the Big Ten leaned on the NFL by hiring Warren.
Now, Phillips is tasked with guiding the ACC through one of the most treacherous moments in the history of college football. The league is locked into a contract with ESPN through 2036, but top member institutions have already begun clamoring for a higher share of the revenue as the Big Ten and SEC signed massive television contracts that leave the other three major conferences in the dust.
The Big Ten is set to interview finalists for commissioner this week, according to ESPN. Candidates for the job have not been publicized.
