Will Greg Sankey’s SEC power end NCAA’s grip on college sports?
College sports are hanging by a thread. Between NIL chaos, unionization talks, and looming legal battles, it’s not a question of if change is coming—it’s how deep the cuts will go. And in the middle of it all? The SEC.
According to a report from Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports, SEC presidents voted in March to grant commissioner Greg Sankey unprecedented authority: the power to pull the entire conference out of the NCAA structure if he believes it's in the league's best interest.
Let that sink in.
The most powerful man in college athletics now has the green light to walk away from the NCAA with the biggest brand in the sport. No committees. No debates. No red tape. Just a decision—and an announcement.
A quiet vote, a loud message
It happened quietly. No press release. No leaks. Just 16 university presidents handing Sankey the keys to the kingdom. If the future of college sports wasn’t already teetering on the edge, it is now.
In short, the SEC has positioned itself as the tip of the spear. The NCAA’s house is burning, and the SEC just bought its own fireproof bunker.
What comes next? That’s the wild part—nobody really knows.
A system on the brink
This move didn’t happen in a vacuum. The entire collegiate model is in flux:
- NIL reform is inevitable, with lawsuits and federal intervention looming.
- Unionization is being openly discussed, with Tennessee’s AD advocating for a player association.
- Super leagues are being pitched behind closed doors, aiming to consolidate power and revenue in the hands of the few.
The SEC and Big Ten already control the playoff system. They dominate revenue, TV rights, and influence. With this new authority, Sankey can now separate the SEC from the NCAA completely—maybe not tomorrow, but whenever he believes the time is right.
And let’s be honest: That moment feels closer than ever.
What would a breakaway look like?
Right now, it’s speculative. Would the SEC form its own governing body? Would it join forces with the Big Ten and cut the rest out? Would it build a super league, paying players directly and running its own tournaments?
Those answers are murky. But one thing is clear: if Sankey moves, it’ll reshape everything. The NCAA’s relevance would vanish overnight. Smaller conferences would be left scrambling. And the future of “college sports” as we know it would be a memory.
The End… or a new beginning?
There are some who believe this is the beginning of the end for traditional college sports. The ideal of amateurism is already long gone. The line between pro and college ball gets blurrier by the day. And if Sankey decides to make his move, that line might disappear entirely.
But there’s another view, too.
Maybe this is the long-overdue reckoning college athletics needs. Maybe a new structure—one that centers athletes, revenue-sharing, and professional standards—isn’t the end. Maybe it’s a better beginning.
Either way, the clock is ticking. Greg Sankey now holds the detonator. And the rest of college sports is holding its breath.