The SEC has thrived in football under commissioner Greg Sankey. But seems like he is not satisfied with just being the best conference in the sport. Even at the top, the SEC is hungry for more. Sankey is set to bring in an Associate Commissioner for Football, pushing the conference’s dominance to another level.

On September 15, Sports Illustrated’s Bryan Fischer tweeted, “The SEC is searching for a football czar. League office is set to add a new Associate Commissioner for Football under Greg Sankey, and Parker Executive Search has been retained to help conduct the search for the conference.” Sankey and co. are on a mission to find someone with broad authority to manage and oversee all football-related matters in the SEC.

The description for the role as found on the Parker Search Firm site reads: “The Associate Commissioner for Football will provide leadership and oversight for football operations, policy, and stakeholder engagement within the Southeastern Conference. This role serves as the Conference’s primary liaison to head football coaches, football administrators, and national organizations, ensuring alignment with the SEC’s mission and responsiveness to the evolving collegiate athletics landscape.”

It appears as if they have a clear mindset about what they are looking for. The one holding the role will have to look after competition standards, policy advisement on national governance issues that cover NIL, transfer policies, College Football Playoff, and employment models. Other than this, Sankey’s search is for someone who will contribute to the enhancement of officiating and scheduling practices and advance student-athlete welfare and program integrity. 

Is this the search for a possible successor?

The position could serve as a potential pathway to eventually succeed Sankey. The 61-year-old has led the SEC as commissioner since 2015, following Mike Slive, making him the eighth person to hold the post in the conference’s history. Sankey has set the standard quite high. Under his leadership, the SEC has secured six football national championships: three by Alabama, two by Georgia, and one by LSU. 

Associate Commissioner is the role that Sankey took up in 2002, setting foot in the SEC. That period marked a time when the conference faced compliance challenges. Sankey’s contract got extended in July 2023 and will keep him in his position through at least 2028. While the search for his eventual successor begins, he has landed in a sticky spot. 

On September 7, Congressman Michael Baumgartner tweeted, “If you care about the future of college sports, you should write to SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey and Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti and tell them to stop their big ego, bullying approach to the college sports landscapes. These two guys are going to burn the whole thing down with their selfish approach to squeezing out every last dollar from everyone else.” What could this possible be about?

Greg Sankey allegedly sent an email to the commissioners of the Group of Six conferences that later leaked publicly. It drew backlash for its dismissive and condescending tone. Critics argue that Sankey’s email implied smaller conferences should remain on the sidelines while the power conferences dictate the direction of college sports. With this, he effectively pressured G6 leaders to stay silent during major governance decisions. Sankey is nowhere near a hot seat when it comes to his tenure, but it is prescient to start searching for the next commissioner.