Jim Phillips, Commissioner, Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

Invest: sat down with Jim Phillips, commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference, to discuss the ACC’s move to Charlotte, the conference’s expanding footprint, and how major events and community initiatives are shaping the region’s sports economy. “We believed Charlotte could be a strong, long-term home for the ACC. It has far exceeded our expectations,” Phillips said.

What has been the economic and operational impact of moving the ACC’s headquarters to Charlotte, now that a few years have elapsed?

We believed Charlotte could be a strong, long-term home for the ACC. It has far exceeded our expectations, and the city’s business community, growth trajectory, and overall energy have helped us strengthen both our operations and our relationships.

From the start, ease of travel was a deciding factor. Charlotte’s airport and direct access to all 18 of our institutions have been a major advantage for meetings, championships, and day-to-day conference work. The move has also elevated our ability to tell the ACC story, from a media and partnership standpoint, in a bigger way.

Economically, sponsorship growth has been meaningful since relocating. But one of the biggest benefits was less obvious until we arrived: talent recruitment and retention. Many people want to live in Charlotte, build careers here, and raise families here, which has strengthened our ability to staff and sustain our headquarters team.

We’re based in Uptown Charlotte, and the broader ecosystem matters, too. It’s a sports town with strong professional franchises and a deep corporate presence, which creates an environment where a conference headquarters can thrive and build connections across sectors.

With 45 neutral-site championships in the state, what are the economic and reputational benefits of these events, and what other opportunities come with that exposure?

The economic impact has been outstanding, and it’s also helped reinforce Charlotte’s reputation as a championship city.

For the ACC Football Championship Game, the economic impact is in excess of $30 million, including average direct visitor spending north of $15 million. For the 2025 men’s basketball tournament in Charlotte, our estimate was about $33.8 million in total economic impact and $18 million in direct visitor spending. More than 20,000 visitors traveled to the city for that week, more than 15,000 stayed overnight at least one night, and the tournament generated more than 22,000 hotel room nights.

Baseball has been strong as well. For the 2024 ACC Baseball Championship, the total economic impact was about $13.8 million, with $7.2 million in direct visitor spending, and 54% of attendees traveled at least 50 miles.

Beyond the numbers, these events create momentum. They bring repeat visitors, strengthen relationships with local partners, and create more opportunities for Charlotte to host additional NCAA, collegiate, and neutral-site events. We’ve hosted football, men’s basketball, baseball, as well as men’s and women’s lacrosse at American Legion Memorial Stadium. We’ve also hosted golf championships in the Charlotte area, and we’re excited to continue growing that calendar.

How does the Ally sponsorship advance the ACC’s brand, engagement goals, and footprint, especially around women’s sports?

Ally has been an incredible partner. They joined as an ACC corporate sponsor in February 2023, and the relationship created a first-of-its-kind initiative in college sports focused on advancing parity in women’s athletics.

They sponsor our women’s championships, including women’s basketball, women’s lacrosse, women’s softball, and women’s soccer. It was historic because it was centered on women’s sports and spanned multiple championships in a comprehensive way. Ally has also been deeply engaged in Charlotte, and we value the alignment around excellence and long-term investment in women’s sports.

With the additions of Cal, SMU, and Stanford, how are these institutions expanding the ACC’s national presence from its Charlotte base?

Adding Cal, SMU, and Stanford expands the ACC’s reach coast to coast, and it also puts a brighter spotlight on Charlotte as the home of the conference. They strengthen the league academically and athletically and broaden the markets where the ACC is present year-round.

A few data points capture that shift. The ACC now has schools in each of the five most populated states in the country. We also have a footprint that includes four of the top 10 largest DMAs, which supports our media profile and brand visibility.

Charlotte remains the convening point. All 18 schools are here multiple times a year for league meetings, events, and championships, and the alumni presence is significant. The current estimate is about 110,000 living alumni of ACC schools in the Charlotte area, which creates a real base for engagement when programs are in town.

We also benefit from strong media and institutional relationships, including ESPN, ABC, and ACC Network. Locally, we work closely with the Charlotte Sports Foundation and professional teams. And in addition to championships, Charlotte continues to host major neutral-site events that involve ACC programs, which adds visibility and reinforces the city’s role in the college sports ecosystem.

Why are community initiatives like Dream On 3 and Extra Yards for Teachers important for the ACC, and what else are you doing to contribute to Charlotte’s community?

Being engaged in the Charlotte community is a priority for our conference and our staff. We have a responsibility to give back, and we do not want to be seen as an organization that only benefits from the city without contributing to it.

Dream On 3 is focused on enriching the lives of kids and teens who face limitations through mental or physical impairment. It creates once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and community engagement is a hallmark of how those dreams are fulfilled. We integrate Dream On 3 into major ACC moments, including kickoff and ACC Tip-Off, and we look for ways to connect a young person with coaches, student-athletes, and experiences that reinforce belonging and support.

Extra Yards for Teachers is another cornerstone, through our partnership with the College Football Foundation. We support Extra Yards for Teachers Week and Big Day for Teachers in September, and during the ACC Football Championship Game, we distribute grant funds to support teachers in Charlotte and in the communities of the participating teams.

Since moving our headquarters, we’ve also partnered with local Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools to remodel spaces that directly benefit students. Those ribbon-cutting days are some of the most meaningful on my calendar. We’ve renovated spaces like music centers, science centers, and gyms, and this spring, the ACC will have completed four classroom makeovers at four different CMS elementary schools. We also provide teacher grants that can support classroom supplies and specific needs. For us, that work reflects a long-term commitment to being part of the community, not just located in it.

What are your top priorities over the next two to three years, and what is your overall outlook?

We want to continue being strategic and aggressive in our integration into the Queen City, and we appreciate the city leadership for how they have embraced the ACC.

Our priorities include bringing great championships and events to Charlotte, growing partnerships with sponsors, and expanding community relationships. Civic and service initiatives will remain a focus, and we want to keep building on the impact we’re already making.

From a conference standpoint, we’re preparing to celebrate the ACC’s 75th anniversary in 2027 and 2028, and we’re continuing to explore technology that strengthens the way we manage games and support competition integrity. We have a state-of-the-art game-day operations center in our offices, with transparent replay-review processes, and we want to keep improving that infrastructure.

Most importantly, we want to ensure the ACC is positioned well for the future through collaboration among our schools and a continued commitment to national leadership in college sports. Charlotte has played a big role in that, and we’re optimistic about what’s ahead.