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Greg Sankey Agrees on Contract Extension as SEC Commissioner Through 'At Least' 2026
August 5, 2021
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey agreed to a contract extension through at least 2026, the conference announced Thursday.
"I am grateful for the support of the SEC's presidents and chancellors, and for the continuing opportunity to serve our universities while supporting the student-athletes of the Southeastern Conference," Sankey said in a statement. "We are in the midst of a time of change for college athletics, and I look forward to working with the SEC's campus leaders to identify a path forward that will sustain the incredible success of our Conference and provide opportunities for young people to grow academically and challenge themselves athletically."
Sankey has served as SEC commissioner since June 2015.
The extension would take Sankey through the planned addition of Texas and Oklahoma to the conference in 2025. The two power programs announced their intention to leave the Big 12 and join the SEC in late July.
Provided no further hurdles exist, the SEC is set to become the strongest college football conference in history. Alabama, Texas and Oklahoma are deeply well-funded contenders that will only further boost the pockets of the rest of the conference when it's time for a new television deal.
It's possible, if not likely, the SEC made the first strike in what will turn into a superconference format across the sport, with all off the power schools coalescing in two or three conferences. As the college sports landscape continues to shift amid changes to NIL rules, the SEC is prioritizing stability at the top by retaining Sankey.