Jim Phillips updates the state of conversations between Notre Dame, ACC: 'It's been a healthy relationship both ways'

Amid conference realignment, there have been questions about the future of the ACC. In particular, if the conference is going to add or lose any schools. One of the most common schools at ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips has expressed interest in is Notre Dame.

Already an ACC member in non-football sports, Phillips explained the conference’s relationship with Notre Dame during the 2023 ACC Football Kickoff.

“We’ve had a lot of conversations, let me just put it bluntly, with Notre Dame,” Jim Phillips said. “And they’ve been very clear, they value their independence, and I think they feel strongly that will continue well into the future.”

For now, Notre Dame remains staunchly independent. However, there is a line of thinking that if the sport changes enough that it would be impossible for Notre Dame to win a national championship while being independent, then the Irish would join a conference. The ACC would then be Notre Dame’s obvious partner, though some think the Big Ten is a better partner.

In 2020, Notre Dame did join the ACC so it could play during the pandemic-shortened season. So, it’s not impossible that this could happen. However, Jim Phillips doesn’t think their relationship is going to change soon.

“If they ever have the desire of joining the conference, they know that we would welcome them with open arms. But, I can’t speak for Jack [Swarbrick] and Pete [Bevacqua] in the future or Father John [Jenkins], but I think it’s been a healthy relationship both ways, for the ACC and for Notre Dame,” Phillips said.

“Their sports, other than football, I think have thrived in the ACC. I think they really enjoy the academic prowess that the ACC brings as well, but they’ve been pretty clear about their desire to stay independent. So, I don’t see that changing any time soon.”

Jim Phillips on the future of the ACC

At the 2023 ACC Football Kickoff, Jim Phillips spoke about the future of the conference as a whole, giving it a positive prognosis despite issues with its media deal.

“This league is healthy. It just is. And certainly, there are rumblings again. We all saw what happened in the springtime. But the group has come together in a way to me that demonstrates they want to work together to find solutions,” Phillips said.

“The ESPN partnership is really strong. And ESPN and the ACC are completely motivated together to generate additional dollars. You see that the conference presidents and chancellors have initiated the Success Initiative and Success Incentive Initiative, which is going to distribute dollars in a disproportionate way. We’ve never gone down that road before in the ACC, and I’m not sure many conferences have. And so, revenue generation continues to be a priority.”