By Max Donaldson
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey held an hour-long, on-the-record news conference with media members during the APSE Southeast Region meeting Monday, April 17, at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. It was attended by more than 30 journalists from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Missouri, with student journalists from at least six schools in attendance.
It marked the eighth time that Sankey has joined the APSE regional meeting since becoming SEC commissioner. He reflected on how the league has progressed over the years. Sankey’s appearance followed a tour of the SEC video replay center, where officials explained the collaboration between the league office and officials at stadiums to review calls.
Sankey touched on topics ranging from what the SEC’s new football schedule will look like when Oklahoma and Texas join the league in 2025 to spring football games against other schools. More than 15 topics were discussed, including his thoughts on the new USGA golf ball rules.
On the spring games: Sankey and the SEC know those discussions are coming but the league has addressed the topic yet.
On the SEC football schedule, Sankey said that it “could be” decided during upcoming SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, Florida, but noted he thought it might happen at spring meetings last year. Sankey said baseball and volleyball are the only other sports that haven’t finalized a scheduling protocol for the expanded conference yet. The SEC currently plays eight conference football games a year but could raise the number to nine when Oklahoma and Texas join.
Sankey also touched on the hiring Hugh Freeze as Auburn’s coach, and said that the process was consistent with every other hire made in the conference.
Max Donaldson is an intern for The Tuscaloosa News.
