TAMPA, Fla. -- SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said Monday that he continues to have conversations with congressional leaders about the Protect College Sports Act but stopped short of saying whether all the conference's suggested changes need to be implemented for it to support the bill.
During wide-ranging comments to open SEC media days, Sankey spent a large portion of his remarks discussing the bill, spearheaded by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), which aims to reshape college sports. The SEC does not support the bill in its current form, and Sankey confirmed there have been "real" conversations about whether the league should break away -- as Georgia president Jere Morehead suggested earlier this year.
"People have talked about that," Sankey said. "The frustrations that bring them to the point of saying we should look at something significantly different. I do not believe that is a leverage point. I think that's honest communication."
The preference is to work together to improve the Protect College Sports Act. Sankey said the SEC has offered "10 commonsense suggestions" that center on four key principles -- national standards that must be enforceable; a national framework to limit state laws that are meant to circumvent rules; transparency and accountability; and establishing fair and consistent standards for organizations while preserving voluntary decision-making.
"We believe changes to the act are necessary to make it most effective, and the changes we've suggested are both achievable and reasonable, and we're committed to working with Congress to move the legislation across the finish line," Sankey said.
One of the portions of the bill the SEC is firmly against would allow conferences the option to pool their media rights, and there also has been extended conversation about current language concerning the formation of superleagues. Both the SEC and Big Ten have asked for changes to the bill in order to support its passage.
Tennessee chancellor Donde Plowman, the chair of the SEC presidents, released a statement saying conference leaders "have provided feedback from the perspective of university leaders who are trying to navigate the current state of college athletics."
"The SEC has also been clear and transparent with our congressional stakeholders about critical amendments to the bill, such as anti-trust and preemption language," Plowman said. "This would address the barrage of lawsuits that have been constantly reshaping college athletics over the last several years, and would create an even playing field under federal law, rather than leaving student-athletes and universities to navigate a patchwork of inconsistent state laws. We are eager to see refined bill language as time to a vote draws near, and are hopeful updated language will address these important issues."
Asked whether the SEC needs to have all its suggested changes made to support the bill, Sankey said, "In my view, that's part of the conversation, that engagement that I've described. Do you have to bat 1.000? You never give up things in those conversations.
"I think they're all worth consideration and inclusion. Whether we achieve that or not remains to be seen. But I so appreciate the engagement of Sens. Campbell and Cruz and their staffs in the conversation and others that are participating."
Morehead suggested that the conference might have to create its own rules if there is no congressional help. Sankey said those frustrations have been shared as a part of "honest conversations" within the league.
"There is meaning and value that we participate in a national organization, but that national organization must function in a healthy manner, otherwise that simmering will continue," Sankey said.
He also noted the urgency to get the bill done.
"If Congress is going to act, we have one opportunity to get this legislation right," Sankey said. "If Congress passes a bill and it's signed into law, we won't be returning to D.C. in a year or two asking and receiving help to correct the gaps that exist. That's why it's important these commonsense areas be addressed now before the bill becomes law."
As for College Football Playoff expansion conversations, Sankey said he still does not have answers to questions about a move to a 24-team field, including "clear media interest in an expanded playoff." The SEC is the only Power 4 conference that has not come out in favor of a 24-team playoff. There is a Dec. 1 deadline to finalize any format changes.
"Our approach has remained consistent," Sankey said. "We're not necessarily interested in finding the easiest path. We are focused on finding the right path for college football."