ACC Commissioner John Swofford stepping down after 24 years

When John Swofford became commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1997, the league was basketball-centric and North Carolina-focused. In the 23 years since, the conference has grown into a 15-school behemoth spanning 10 states. Swofford brought stability and unity to the ACC at a time when it seemed vulnerable, creating a conference that could flourish in a football-dominated college sports landscape.