John Swofford guided the ACC from regional sports conference to national powerhouse and revenue generator. Lauren Brownlow discusses his legacy and where the conference goes for his replacement.
SCIENTISTS SAY THE STUDIES SHED LIGHT ON THE IMPORTANT PROGRESS ENVIRONMENT CLEANING, TO HELP CONTROL THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS. >>> THE LONGEST TENURED COMMISSIONER IN ACC HISTORY ANNOUNCED HIS PLAN TO RETIRE, TODAY. THE 2020 2021 ATHLETIC YEAR WILL BE THE LAST FOR JOHN CRAWFORD, AFTER 24 YEARS. JOINING US NOW IS LAUREN BROWN. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING MADE. >> WAS THIS A SURPRISE? >> NOT A HUGE ONE, NECESSARILY, HE IS 71 YEARS OLD AND RETIREMENT WAS IMMINENT AT SOME POINT. BUT, I THINK MAYBE THE TIMING WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A SURPRISE, CONSIDERING THE PANDEMIC AND WE DO NOT REALLY KNOW WHAT SPORTS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE THIS YEAR. TO LET SOMEONE COME IN AS A SUCCESSOR IN 2021 IS CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO BE EASY. BUT, AT THE SAME TIME IT IS PROBABLY TIME YOU KNOW FOR HIM TO SORT OF MOVE ON WITH HIS LIFE, AS A GRANDFATHER AND AS A RETIREE. AND SOMEONE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THE ACC INTO THE FUTURE. >> WELL DESERVED. WHAT A LEGACY. >> AND I THINK FOR HIM HE REALLY HAS DONE A GOOD JOB THROUGHOUT HIS TENURE, SORT OF BALANCING THE IMPORTANCE OF TRADITION IN THE ACC, HAVING THE ACC TOURNAMENT IN GREENSBORO FOR EXAMPLE AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. HE HAS MANAGE TO MAINTAIN THAT WHILE EXPANDING INTO THE FUTURE FOR EXAMPLE HAVING THE TOURNAMENT IN WASHINGTON DC AND HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT TO BRING THE CONFERENCE INTO THE MODERN ERA, THE ACC NETWORK AMONG THOSE THINGS, EXPANDING THE LEAD FROM 9 TO 15 TEAMS, IT WASN'T A POPULAR DECISION AT THE TIME, BUT HAD THE ACC NOT DONE THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE GONE THE WAY OF THE BIG EAST IN TERMS OF BECOMING A BASKETBALL LEAGUE AT THAT POINT. THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THEMSELVES VIABLE FINANCIALLY, WITH DECISIONS THAT JOHN SWOFFORD HAS MADE, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVEN'T BEEN SUPER POPULAR, HE HAS BEEN DIPLOMATIC AND SOMEBODY THAT EVERYONE SEEMS TO LIKE AROUND THE ACC, WHICH IS A HARD THING TO DO. >> AND DO WE KNOW OF ANY POTENTIAL REPLACEMENTS AT THIS POINT? >> I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT WORKED AT THE AGENCY FOR A LONG TIME AND HAVE SINCE MOVED ON TO OTHER THINGS, ONE COMMISSIONER OF THE ANALYTIC 10 HAS DONE A GOOD JOB WITH THAT LEAGUE, SHE IS A POTENTIAL CHANCE, MICHAEL KELLY WORKED AT THE ACC FOR A LONG TIME AND HE WAS AN EXECUTIVE AND IS NOW THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AT USF, I THINK THAT IS A NEED TO KEEP ON OR THEY COULD GO OFF THE BOARD WITH ANOTHER. OR, THEY COULD COMPLETELY GO WITH A WILDCARD CANDIDATE THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY IDEA.
