The Atlantic Coast Conference opened its football kickoff event Monday in uptown Charlotte. Before the sports talk, ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips made opening remarks and addressed ongoing legal challenges from Clemson and Florida State, who want to leave the league, in part, for bigger television deals elsewhere. Phillips said he won’t back down.
"We will fight to protect the ACC and our members. For as long as it takes. We are confident in this league and that it will remain a premier conference in college athletics for the long term future," he said.
The ACC Kickoff event runs through Thursday with press conferences from coaches and players. The conference welcomes Southern Methodist, Cal and Stanford into its ranks this season as realignment shuffles teams across the country.
