SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey on Monday “stood firm” behind a 16-team CFP expansion, “indicating that a disagreement with the Big Ten -- which backs doubling the current bracket to 24 teams -- is lingering deep into the offseason,” according to Maura Carey of the AP. Sankey said, “We’re open to the conversation, but there are a lot of ideas out there that have to be supported with analysis and information, not speculation.” He mentioned that “all changes in college athletics must come with appropriate research” -- which is something he believes that the SEC has “provided in support of a four-team expansion to 16.” To Sankey, the Big Ten-backed plan and whether it would offer much difference from 16 teams is an “unknown.” Sankey said, “We’re trying to inform that with research. We’ve done that, from our perspective, with 16.” He added, “We want to understand, through some analytic support, games that matter in an expanded environment, and games that might not matter” (AP, 5/11).
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: In Alabama, Michael Casagrande noted Sankey “took exception” to the American Football Coaches Association’s plan to change the calendar while supporting a CFP move to 24 teams. The AFCA “wants to move the calendar up and finish the playoff by the second Monday in January.” Sankey said, “The American Football Coaches Association, without picking up the phone with those of us in the decision-making roles, issues a statement and says we want to get the season done earlier.” He added that there are NFL games in early December that would “cannibalize TV ratings for both if the playoff shifted earlier.” Sankey said, “You know, Commissioner (Roger) Goodell and I’ve talked. He would prefer that not happen, as would Commissioner Sankey.” He noted that compressing the schedule to finish in early January “isn’t so simple.” Sankey said, “Last I knew, the AFCA is not in charge of dealing with scheduling those postseason games or even the regular season games” (AL.com, 5/11).
ON THE COURT: THE ATHLETIC’s Seth Emerson noted Sankey was asked about the recent NCAA basketball tournament expansion and he “referred to 10 SEC teams making this year’s men’s tournament, and 14 the year before.” But then Sankey also “referred to two of his teams just being on the outside.” He said that in his view, “the top 50 teams should be in the tournament.” Given the number of mid-major and low-major conference champions that get bids, Sankey “felt expansion gets them to those top 50.” Sankey said, “The apple cart is not being burned, upset and thrown down the hill and discarded. It’s a bit of change” (THE ATHLETIC, 5/11).
