Tag: Greg Sankey

Texas and Oklahoma reach out to join the SEC, does this affect Notre Dame?

Would this matter for the Irish?

The Houston Chronicle reported Wednesday that Big 12 powers Texas and Oklahoma have approached the SEC about joining the conference. This move would cause huge ramifications across the college football world, and for Notre Dame, it will present an interesting scenario.

The Irish are coming off their first season with a conference affiliation, winning the ACC regular-season title. Even though they lost a rematch to Clemson in the league championship, the resume was enough for them to gain a berth in the College Football Playoff for the second time in three seasons.

The move angered many die-hard Irish fans, but with many schools canceling out-of-conference games, there really wasn’t an option for Notre Dame.

What the 2020 season did was quiet many of the doubters who said the Irish would struggle with a conference league schedule.

The news today could have some legs; SEC’s Commissioner Greg Sankey declined to comment on the situation.

If Texas and Oklahoma were to join the southern power conference, would this matter to Notre Dame? It certainly would, especially with the CFP’s expansion to 12-teams looming in the future. The question is how much would it matter?

The depth the SEC would have if the Big 12 powers joined would be almost unmatched across the college football landscape. The conference could have multiple teams in the CFP after the expansion, which would make the number of available spots diminish.

It might not matter at all, as an Irish team that would have double-digit wins would almost certainly be inside the top-12 and grab a spot. It still bothers me a bit that Notre Dame is essentially a No. 5 seed at best, due to the proposed expansion’s rule requiring the top four teams have a conference title.

At the end of the day, the potential move for Texas and Oklahoma really doesn’t do anything to affect Notre Dame’s status. The rivals can go to the SEC, all the Irish have to do is focus on themselves and impress the committee enough to get a top-12 seed while staying independent.

Greg Sankey says Power Five split away from NCAA is unlikely

A Power Five split from the rest of college football doesn’t appear to be happening any time soon.

With talk of the College Football Playoff expanding, there have been offshoots of conversation regarding the Power Five splitting away from the NCAA in order to have their own playoff to crown their own champion.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey shot that idea down during his opening press conference at SEC media days.

“I don’t know where — well, I guess I was commissioner five years ago. It’s been a long time. You try to give me a day off, and then throw that one at me on social media. No, that’s not the focus. I went through a list of observations that aren’t just NCAA related, they are college athletics related. That’s actually us. And some ideas — in fact, ideas that I’ve had — actually don’t resolve issues. They just linger.

So are we closer? Not in my imagination. I do think we all have to be mindful of the reality in front of us, and as I noted, when President Emmert spoke about the need for change and reimagining the national office role, the conference role, and the campus role, that doesn’t speak to your question, but it does speak to we’re going to have to administrator this differently”

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Report: SEC announces 10-year TV deal with ESPN starting in 2024

The SEC announced a huge 10-year TV deal with ESPN in a press conference on Thursday night. Details and analysis here.

The SEC announced a huge 10-year TV deal with ESPN in a press conference on Thursday night.

The deal starts in 2024 and gives ESPN exclusive media rights to SEC football and men’s basketball – specifically the top 15 football games and eight marquee basketball games – ending the previous deal with CBS that lasted 30 years.

The familiar 3:30 p.m. kickoff on CBS will be moved to ABC and there will also be a prime time game following the afternoon matchup, so we can say goodbye to the SEC’s best game being aired in the afternoon.

“This is a significant day for the Southeastern Conference and for the future of our member institutions,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said. “Our agreement with ESPN will greatly enhance our ability to support our student-athletes in the years ahead and to further enrich the game day experience for SEC fans around the world.”

Something to note is the size of the contract.

CBS paid the SEC $55 million per year and, while the SEC refused to release the financial side of the new deal, reports from the Sports Business Journal expect the new payout to be $300 million each year.

The SEC released even released a hype video following the announcement.

The real question is, what will happened to the SEC on CBS intro music?

SEC, ESPN reach 10-year media agreement

ESPN and ABC will have exclusive broadcast rights to SEC football and basketball starting in 2024-25.

The SEC and ESPN have just agreed to one of the biggest media deals in sports history.

On Thursday, commissioner Greg Sankey announced a 10-year deal that, among other things, grants exclusive broadcast rights to both ESPN and ABC for SEC football and basketball starting in 2024-25.

From the press release:

The landmark deal, which represents a significant expansion of the conference’s current partnership with ESPN, will establish ABC as the new broadcast network home for Saturday afternoon SEC football games, as well as selected Saturday primetime football games and the annual SEC Football Championship Game, which has grown into one of the most popular sporting events of the year.  In addition, approximately eight incremental marquee men’s basketball games will be featured across ABC or ESPN.

The new First Tier rights agreement puts all SEC media rights under The Walt Disney Company umbrella, giving the SEC exposure on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, SEC Network and SEC Network+.

The exclusive partnership with ESPN comes with significant scheduling flexibility that will produce an array of benefits for member schools, student-athletes and college football fans.  Under the new agreement, a number of game times and broadcast windows will be announced in advance of the season, giving fans an ability to plan more seamlessly.

“This is a significant day for the Southeastern Conference and for the future of our member institutions.  Our agreement with ESPN will greatly enhance our ability to support our student-athletes in the years ahead and to further enrich the game day experience for SEC fans around the world,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.  “The broadcast industry’s intense and widespread interest in securing the SEC’s First Tier rights is a direct reflection of the sustained excellence achieved by our 14 member schools, and we are thrilled to have been able to maximize our current position of strength to benefit our student-athletes, the fans who go to our games and home viewers.”

BROADCAST AND SCHEDULING ELEMENTS

The agreement includes a number of significant elements that will benefit student-athletes and fans alike:

  • Regular SEC Football Game on ABC on Saturday Afternoons
  • Additional football games on ABC Saturday Nights
  • SEC Football Championship Game on ABC
  • Introduction of a modernized, more fan-friendly scheduling process, with many game windows solidified earlier while providing flexibility to maximize the exposure of the Conference’s biggest games
  • More marquee men’s basketball games on ABC or ESPN
  • Additional non-conference men’s basketball games on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2
  • Beginning with the 2021-22 season, the right to place a limited number of non-conference football and men’s basketball games on ESPN+ that will allow schools autonomy to determine start times

“One of our primary goals was to improve the television scheduling process in ways that will benefit our students, coaches, alumni and fans,” Sankey added. “With all SEC events now under The Walt Disney Company umbrella, we were able to craft an agreement that includes more lead time for many game time announcements, and in many ways modernizes the college football scheduling process.”

“This new agreement was born from a strong foundation which began almost 25 years ago and now reflects a shared vision of the future with the SEC, Commissioner Sankey and their member institutions” said Pitaro. “With all the conference’s games under the ESPN umbrella and adding ABC and ESPN+ to our distribution channels, ESPN will have complete scheduling flexibility, resulting in maximum exposure and adding significant benefits for SEC schools, student-athletes and fans.”

Perhaps most beneficial to fans who attend games, beginning in Fall 2024, is the early assignment of most games to designated game windows.  This new scheduling process means that, well in advance of the season, fans will know the general start time for many of their games, while still providing adequate flexibility for ESPN to maximize the exposure of the SEC’s biggest and best games and react to storylines throughout the season.

The SEC’s new agreement with ESPN will ensure more national appearances for SEC men’s basketball teams across ABC and ESPN and more non-conference games on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2.

In addition, the agreement features the right for ESPN to move a limited number of non-conference games in football and men’s basketball to ESPN+ beginning in the 2021-22 season.  One added benefit of a game appearing on ESPN+ is that the home institution will determine the start time. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown quickly to 10.3 million subscribers in just over two years, offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content.

The new agreement is separate and in addition to existing agreements with ESPN for events in football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and softball, as well as the agreement that created and under which ESPN operates the SEC Network. These existing agreements also continue through 2033-34.

Greg Sankey will address media for ‘significant announcement’ at 6 pm

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey will address the media for a “significant announcement” related to the conference at 6 p.m. ET.

Alabama is the face of the SEC. So anytime there is expected to be major news regarding the conference, fans are going to have some sort of belief that it involves the Crimson Tide.

That is exactly what is happening right now.

ESPN reporter Adam Rittenberg sent out a tweet on Thursday saying that SEC commissioner Greg Sankey will address the media for a “significant announcement” related to the conference.

That announcement is set for 6 p.m. ET (5 p.m. CT).

Could this have anything to do with this weekend’s games? The ACC already called off its Dec. 12 games for No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 3 Clemson. That way, the two competing in the conference championship will have the week off prior to.

The SEC might be taking a similar approach, but that would be a surprise considering Sankey said the conference had every intention of playing every game on the schedule — unless COVID-19 was a factor.

Alabama is set to take on Arkansas this weekend, while Florida will welcome LSU to Gainesville for a matchup.

We will probably have to wait and see what happens, as there will be a lot more speculation between now and 5 p.m. CT.

Stay tuned for more updates from Roll Tide Wire, part of the USA TODAY Sports College Wire network!

Follow Clint Lamb on Twitter @ClintRLamb.

Greg Sankey discusses how SEC’s ‘biggest challenges to playing’ is contact tracing

Greg Sankey discusses the postponement of SEC games this week.

BIRMINGHAM — The Southeastern Conference currently has four games that have been postponed and will not be played Saturday.

One of the contests that has been tentatively rescheduled for Dec. 12 is Tennessee hosting Texas A&M.

Georgia at Missouri, Mississippi State hosting Auburn and Alabama traveling to LSU have also been postponed.

On Wednesday, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey discussed this week’s games being postponed and a season outlook.

“I think it’s important to remember, that so far to date in football season, we’ve completed 40 of our 70 games with a 10-game season for each of our 14 teams,” Sankey said. “That predicts to 70 games within the regular season. We recognized back in the summer that there would be the need to adjust. We provided opportunities for that. Those are not infinite opportunities, but we acknowledge the likelihood of adjustment.

“We’ve seen disruption in every conference and in leagues at the professional level, so the fact that we have disruption this week is not fully news. The significance of the numbers of contests affected fully is, candidly, the numbers around contact tracing — and I think you’ve heard from some of what I’ve learned from our coaches’ comments — have emerged as one of our biggest challenges to playing. We don’t control those policies. We don’t dictate those policies. Those policies exist in the public health domain. Over time, our test positivity rate is incredibly low among our student-athletes, something like .005 percent. Even this week the positive test numbers, even where they’ve risen, are relatively small, but the contact tracing has the potential to magnify even one positive test. All of which serves as a reminder, moving forward, that adjustments have to continually be made. The basic issues around mask wearing, personal hygiene, social distancing, being fully attentive, that we are living with a novel coronavirus in our culture, in our society, around the globe, is real.”

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Greg Sankey warns of fines, bans for breaking COVID-19 protocols

The SEC commissioner is serious about coaches complying with COVID-19 protocols during games.

The SEC commissioner isn’t messing around.

From ESPN:

For the second straight week, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey sent out an internal memo to athletic directors and coaches on the need to follow coronavirus protocols, this time outlining fines and possible suspensions in the event that they do not do so.

The memo, which was obtained by ESPN, cited the recent spread of the coronavirus in the White House and the effect of positive tests on the NFL schedule.

Bolded and underlined for emphasis, the memo stated, “Do not relax — and do not let those around you relax — because of a few weeks of success.”

The memo states that programs whose coaches, staff or other personnel fail to adhere to the approved task force requirements will be assessed a $100,000 reduction in conference revenue. The amount will increase by $100,000 for each subsequent week of noncompliance.

“The imposition of any reduction in Conference revenue for failure to substantially comply with or repeated disregard of the SEC masking requirement will be determined at the Commissioner’s discretion,” the memo states. “In addition, individuals who fail to comply with or disregard the masking requirement could be subject to penalties, including but not limited to, suspension for a specified period.”

In consecutive weeks, high-profile SEC games have featured coaches improperly wearing their face coverings. Mississippi State coach Mike Leach was shown frequently with his mask pulled down during his team’s win over LSU on Sept. 26, and on Saturday, Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher was shown repeatedly not wearing his face covering during the TV broadcast of the Aggies’ loss to Alabama.

Last week, Sankey sent a memo to coaches and ADs following the league’s opening weekend reminding everyone to wear face coverings and saying that “additional action” could be taken if they do not follow protocol.

SEC releases memo reminding coaches and players to wear masks on the sideline

The memo warned that “additional action” could be taken against coaches and players who don’t comply with conference regulations RE: COVID.

Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey sent a memo to all programs within the conference Wednesday reminding coaches and players to wear masks while on the sideline. The memo was obtained by ESPN.

The reminder came following a number of coaches failing to keep their masks on during last weekend’s season-opening competition, including new Mississippi State coach Mike Leach, who said he tried to keep his mask on but continued pulling it down to call plays.

The memo warned that “additional action” could be taken against coaches and players who don’t comply with conference regulations regarding COVID-19 safety.

“This past weekend, many fulfilled the requirements established by the Task Force and your commitment to these new requirements are appreciated,” the memo read. “Others, including some head coaches, assistant coaches, support staff and student-athletes need clear reminders of the requirement they fulfill the new health protocols intended to minimize the potential spread of COVID-19.”

“We will continue to monitor games and will take additional action, if necessary, to ensure adherence to the approved Task Force requirements as we all work to maintain a healthy environment for everyone around our games,” the memo said.

The full memo can be read below.

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Greg Sankey discusses transfer rules that ‘are appropriate within our own conference’

Greg Sankey discusses transfer rules that ‘are appropriate within our own conference’

BIRMINGHAM — Offensive lineman Cade Mays transferred to Tennessee from Georgia in January.

Mays was cleared by the NCAA to compete this season as a non-graduate transfer, however the Southeastern Conference needs to approve his waiver to play immediately after transferring within the conference.

On Wednesday, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey was a guest on “The Roundtable,” a radio show in Birmingham, Alabama. Sankey discussed the current transfer rules that are in place, saying that they “are appropriate within our own conference.”

SEC transfer regulations

Beginning in 2018, SEC student-athletes who received their degrees from another SEC school were able to transfer within the conference and play right away.

Sankey discussed if any rules regarding transferring within conference could change for the likes of non-graduates.

“The answer is because we have to work together — we have to be respectful,” Sankey said on “The Roundtable.” “Could it change, should it change, might we manage it differently, those are questions still to be answered, but the real direct answer is, decades ago, and repeatedly since, the now-14 member universities of the SEC have said we think that rules are appropriate within our own conference.”

SEC announces policies for how, when football games will be canceled because of COVID-19

Per an announcement from the league office Friday, SEC football teams will need 53 active scholarship players to be able to play football.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published at the Mississippi Clarion Ledger and has been republished in full below. 

The SEC’s cancellation procedures for the COVID-19 era are official.

Per an announcement from the league office Friday, SEC football teams will need 53 active scholarship players to be able to play football games this fall. This requirement includes a minimum of seven offensive linemen, four defensive linemen and one quarterback.

With approval from commissioner Greg Sankey, schools that do not have enough players to play can request a game be rescheduled for a later date or declared a no-contest. Teams may also elect to play with fewer than the number of scholarship players with league approval to do so.

Even if a school has more than 53 scholarship players but doesn’t feel it is properly prepared to play a game, it may request a rescheduling or no contest. Sankey alone has authority to judge in such situations.

The 2020 SEC football season begins on Sept. 26. The SEC has built in a universal bye week on Dec. 12 between the end of the regular season and the SEC Championship Game, where rescheduled games can likely be put.

These procedures are in place because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The conference has installed testing protocols to prevent players from spreading the virus on gamedays. This includes thrice-weekly mandatory testing for football players during game weeks and strict contact-tracing procedures for players who have interacted with anyone who has tested positive.

Any player who tests positive for COVID-19 will be required to quarantine for two weeks. Division I football teams are allowed to give out 85 full scholarships to players, meaning for a team to go below the 53-scholarship minimum it would have to have more than 30 players in COVID-19 quarantine at the same time.

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