AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. — With the future of the Atlantic Coast Conference in question, commissioner Jim Phillips expressed optimism Wednesday that the league can still be salvaged.
The path forward is unclear, but not without hope.
“You have to stay optimistic, and you work through these things,” Phillips said at the conclusion of the league’s annual spring meetings. “Again, I don’t know where it’s going to go, but I continue to remain optimistic. I continue to remain optimistic about our league.”
The ACC has experienced significant disruption in the past six months, most notably with Florida State and the league suing each other in December. Clemson followed suit, and North Carolina could be next.
“I always am optimistic about a really good ending on difficult situations, and I won’t ever change until somebody else tells me differently,” Phillips said. “Am I going to fight and protect the ACC? Absolutely. I have to do that; that’s my responsibility. The convergence is here, and we’ll see where it goes.”