Leveraging more than two decades of relationship building, Aaron Beard secured rare, exclusive access to Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner Jim Phillips — a behind-the-scenes look at the life and pressures of a Power 4 conference leader.
Beard spent an entire weekend with Phillips, traveling with him from a Notre Dame at Pittsburgh football game on Saturday to a youth soccer championship and Sunday Mass in North Carolina. The result was a deeply reported portrait of the commissioner’s demanding schedule and the challenges facing the ACC amid shifting legal, branding and playoff dynamics.
Beard coordinated with photographer Gene Puskar and digital colleagues to produce a trilogy of multiplatform stories focused on the ACC’s College Football Playoff hopes, legal developments and long-term strategy. The coverage gave AP customers a high-value exclusive during an intensely competitive football weekend.
The work drew widespread pickup and praise, with credits from Fox Sports, Yahoo and MSN — a clear demonstration of the lasting impact of beat expertise and trust built over time.
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https://apnews.com/article/acc-commissioner-jim-phillips-8420fec197513132850071bf867245f8 https://apnews.com/article/acc-college-football-playoff-bids-05c05b1b572c0bf493023771d0b67048 https://apnews.com/article/acc-commissioner-revenue-93e9187b487c2d4089fd6526a1f240b5 https://x.com/ap/status/1990907815729168704Related articles
