SEC commissioner Greg Sankey 'focused on our 16'

Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey pushed for national standards for athletes for Name, Image and Likeness guidance and expects college football to lead the path forward to overcome challenges facing amateur sports.

Sankey said college athletics will not "cede authority" to others to solve challenges facing the SEC and others but opened the door to continued collaboration with government authorities on matters related to NIL and gambling.

"We're going to continue our dialogue with Congress," Sankey said. "Again, we're going to have to make decisions on our own. But Congress is a place that can help set national standards and address the issues our student-athletes have raised. We're not waiting for change to land in our laps."

Sankey began the four-day SEC Media Days event at the Omni Hotel in Dallas, Texas, with his typical state-of-the-league address, spotlighting the conference newcomers, Oklahoma and Texas. Sankey did not deny the SEC would continue to consider expansion but said the league would be comprised of 16 teams "today and tomorrow."

The addition of the longtime Big 12 powerhouses eliminated divisions in the conference and leaves athletic directors to set parameters for tiebreakers involving the conference championship and final league standings pecking order. Sankey said conference ADs are working to finalize those tiebreaker rules. He expects a clearer model to be decided upon on the next conference administrators call before Aug. 1.

Sankey said and repeated "we're focused on our 16," and told reporters he would not play recruiter to add teams. In visits to Austin on June 30 and the next day to Norman, Okla., the commissioner said he learned more about the passion of the fan bases that "they'll fit, and we'll fit together as peer programs and universities."

With conference alignment and realignment an ever-present topic, Sankey said he won't "entangle us in litigation around expansion" while also recognizing broad implications with the ongoing court proceedings involving Clemson, Florida State and the Atlantic Coast Conference.

"There's a lot that's happening. There's a lot that could cause us to say, ‘Where's the hope in this? Where's the finish line?'" he said. "I'm convinced through all of this change, our best days are still ahead."

College athletes continue to share with Sankey concerns about states following different rules on NIL but said, "Believe it or not, they're not looking to be employees. ... Our student-athletes want great competition. They want the excitement of our stadiums and arenas. They want to be against the highest level of competition. Our programs have positioned themselves, invested in facilities, to attract coaching talent that attract great athletes.

"They want to know that they're going to be supported. If they're injured, they want to be cared for. They want to know they have mental wellness care and support. In that mental wellness area, they want us to eliminate any areas or perceived roadblocks to them accessing that."

--Field Level Media