The challenge for the B1G/SEC conference commissioner job is the presidents' only care about getting the biggest year-to-year check possible. There were many moments where a longer-term vision could have better navigated the concerns of amateurism, TV rights, long-term disability/concussion concerns that are now coming home to roost. But that's the issue, the president's still only care about the media rights - if the Big Ten could add Alabama football tomorrow and it would allow them to renegotiate their media rights to further heights, they would do it because that's the only goal. Now that the media rights are finished and the next negotiation is multiple years in the future, it's the first time the conference has required the institutional stakeholders to consider beyond their immediate goals. Should they hire someone who still has a strong media background (e.g., Big XII, PAC-12) or is the regional sports bubble a sign of the traditional TV rights swan song? So maybe you hire someone with a great digital background or will that push things too much too soon in the rural Midwest that will always be the backbone of the conference? What about another endless network person like Warren? Intellectual property background? Or legal? Maybe now's the time to bring in someone who had the traditional path to administration - former player or coach who is now an AD? Or do they make the bold step and find a leader that can devise a plan to turn SAs into employees and mold it towards the conference's advantage?
I asked this earlier in the thread and the lack of responses is likely the answer - Phillips hasn't proven anything in the ACC that garners a promotion to the Big Ten, regardless of his connections. Part of that lack of action is by design, the ACC's restrictive media rights deal might be the only thing holding the conference together. Within his limited moves, he believes it's better to wait than make a poor (fatal) step. It's fine for your job (and likely the best course of action for the ACC in the near future), but it's not going to get you the B1G or SEC job where inaction is the only mistake. All of these media releases just seem like the B1G did him a solid by keeping their search quiet while the ACC made an offer to keep him. Everyone leaves happy without taking risk.
Also, might be a hot take - Warren did a fine job. People will complain about Warren's handling of COVID and a couple fanbases feel hurt by how their school was treated but that's barely a blip to the university presidents who just saw another zero added to their school's annual check and the conference adding two premier West Coast schools. Warren secured the Big Ten's status for the long-term at a crucial moment in history. He absolutely succeeded where it was required.
