Jim Phillips on Florida State, Clemson lawsuits: 'We're going to fight'

As the 2024 season approaches, the ACC still finds itself in legal battles with two key members. Clemson and Florida State are fighting the conference on different fronts. The Seminoles are challenging the ACC’s Grant of Rights, attempting to be freed and potentially head somewhere else. As for Clemson, this summer, a North Carolina court ruled in favor of the ACC.

Commissioner Jim Phillips gave the latest update from his side, saying the ACC plans on “fighting” against Clemson and Florida State. He states both schools did sign an agreement (twice) to be members for the next two decades and wants them to honor that.

More than anything, Phillips hopes the on-field sports can become a priority with the fall semester beginning. After all, Florida State will participate in the first college football game of the 2024 season, facing Georgia Tech in Dublin.

“Listen, it’s disappointing we’re in this place,” Phillips said via a Tuesday interview on SportsCenter. “It’s a harmful, kind of, situation. But we’re going to do just that. We’re going to fight. And that’s the way it should be. When you sign an agreement twice — willingly sign — and that you are part of a group that comes together and decides this is what you want to do for the next 20 years, you should be held accountable for that. That being said, we will compartmentalize that piece of it and we will go into the football season.

“And that’s what I’m really looking forward to, is some of the legal conversations and some of the dynamics around these cases has taken away from the ACC, taken away the incredible success that our student-athletes are having in the sport of football and across all 28 of our sports. With the kickoff this weekend, we can maybe put the legal side — legal issues to the side and we can focus on what young men and women are doing on the competitive playing field with our fall sports.”

Phillips was then asked if there would be any resolution to the mediation between the ACC and Florida State, potentially this week. He deferred to the lawyers and letting them hash things out.

“We’re continuing to go according to the judge’s decisions and that particular judge in Florida had decided mediation is part of what he does for all cases and we’re going to continue to do that,” Phillips said. “Again, that’s for the lawyers to decide.”