SEC discusses expansion, distributes $209M in revenue (UPDATED)
(Updated 8 p.m.)
DESTIN, Fla. – Amid speculation of a massive shakeup in some of college athletics’ major conferences, the SEC quantified Friday just how well the current structure is working for its members.
The SEC completed its four-day spring meetings by announcing that it will distribute a record $209 million to its 12 members this year, $17.4 million per school –- up 58 percent from last year’s distribution of $11 million per school.
The increased payout, which is slightly higher than most projections, stems largely from the SEC’s new television contracts with ESPN and CBS. The payout also includes funds generated by the league’s football championship game and bowl games, as well as its men’s basketball tournament and its cut from NCAA championship events.
The financial bonanza is particularly notable at a time when at least two major conferences, the Big Ten and Pac-10, are trying to add schools and another, the Big 12, appears in danger of collapse.
Rumors of conference realignment and expansion have permeated college athletics for six months, gaining volume the past two days with reports that the Pac-10 is on the verge of inviting half of the Big 12 to join its ranks.
The presidents and chancellors of the SEC schools discussed the issue of expansion at length during a three-hour meeting Friday, emerging with no change from the league’s oft-stated position that it will analyze any moves by other conferences “strategically and thoughtfully” and act or react if appropriate. The consensus among the presidents and chancellors seems to be that they like their league as currently constituted but do not rule out adding members if the landscape changes substantially.
“‘Strategic and thoughtful’ could mean doing nothing, no matter what anybody else does. And it could mean doing something,” SEC commissioner Mike Slive said after the meetings adjourned. “It’s just designed to say that we have maximum flexibility in how we approach this issue.
“We are very comfortable where we are now. If nothing happened [in other leagues], we would be very comfortable [staying] where we are now. And no matter what happens, we may find ourselves very comfortable where we are now. But we may not.”
Slive declined to say whether the SEC has talked with any school(s) about the possibility of joining the league. But he suggested it’s no coincidence most of the expansion talk is emanating elsewhere.
“In fact there may be some other leagues that have some needs they’re trying to fill,” he said.
LSU Chancellor Michael Martin said “circumstances” nationally could influence the SEC on expansion but added that the league’s financial strength gives it flexibility on how to approach the issue.
“If the world changes in the future,” he said, “then I guess we’ll have to be there to see it.”
For now, the SEC is expanding in one area: revenue.
While conference-to-conference comparisons on revenue distributions cannot be fairly drawn because leagues are inconsistent in what revenue they share and how they divvy it up, the SEC was celebrating its financial results.
“This meeting, with the new [TV] contract and all, may be as much a celebration as any one I’ve seen in 13 years,” University of Georgia President Michael Adams said when he arrived at the Sandestin Hilton at mid-week.
Of the $209 million the SEC is distributing, 72 percent was produced by football, including $109.5 million from television contracts, $26.5 million from bowl games and $14.5 million from the conference championship game in Atlanta.
The remainder of the money came from basketball television ($30 million), the league’s men’s basketball tournament ($5 million) and NCAA championship events ($23.5 million).
The leap in the cumulative distribution from last year’s $132.5 million to this year’s $209 million marked the 21st consecutive year the payout has increased. The distribution has more than doubled since 2003.
“It’s an extraordinary growth,” Slive said.
The league expects the growth to continue, with or without expansion, although the major bump from the new TV contracts came this year. The contracts do have provisions allowing for renegotiation if the number of schools in the league increases.
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265 comments Add your comment
ugaexpert
June 4th, 2010
11:20 am
why does the SEC need to expand. I think the SEC has enough teams already.
TN DAWG
June 4th, 2010
11:23 am
I say bring on Texas Longhorns and whoever else who wants to join the best conference in all of college football which obviously is the good ol SEC. This way Texas and the rest of the world who thinks there conferences are the best will finally wake up and smell the coffee and actually realize how good the SEC really is. Especially when the Longhorns get their butts handed to them by several SEC teams every year. NO More National Titles ever again for the Longhorns. GO SEC, GO SEC! GO DAWGS! Bring on the overrated Longhorns and see how bad you get exposed in a real conference just like Bama did just a few months ago.
ga gator
June 4th, 2010
11:27 am
Texas will NEVER join the SEC. They would give up their spot as top dog in a conference and their arrogant ego’s would not permit it.
Fillin' up @ Juniors
June 4th, 2010
11:31 am
Honestly, let the PAC-10 take half the Big 12, let the Nebraska and Missouri go to the Big 10, the remainder can go to the Mountain West and make them a full BCS conference, ending the BCS buster crap for good, and Notre Dame can end up with the Big 10 giving them 12…The winner…SEC. At the end of the day the PAC-10/Big 12 conference can still only send one contender to the National Championship to face most likly an SEC school.
Unless the SEC can get more money per school by adding more schools then there is no need, their product is still superior because the number of games does not change, so the average opponent level must stay the same. So the SEC has no benefit to bring in T AM, Louisville etc… they have to get teams on par with the league which limits them to only about 6 schools, Miami, FSU, GATech, Texas, Clemson, VT. Gaining 4 of those puts a nail in the ACC coffin, getting 2 makes sense only if it is Texas and GT…Texas to go in the west, GT to go in the east… You can say what you want about GT but they have tradition, a solid program in every sport, and rivalries the likes of which the SEC thrives on…
As A tech alumni I am happy in the ACC and would be trilled to death to be in the SEC…I would be carefull with an invite to the Big 10…might work out, might not. Any conference would be happy to have GaTech with the tradition, solid academics, solid programs from football, to baseball, to basketball, to freaking womens tennis. Say what you will, but GaTech in any conference makes that conference on a whole a little better, even if you hate us. Same goes with Texas.
Otto
June 4th, 2010
11:33 am
Ga Gator, Texas may have to, if they join the PAC-?? they have USC, the Big10 Ohio St and Michigan, the SEC….
Fillin' up @ Juniors
June 4th, 2010
11:40 am
Michigan? They have been dealing with Oklahoma I am sure trading that for Ohio St. isn’t a big deal. Michigan? I would take the my changes on defense with the slow offenses of the Big 10 over the throw the ball like there is no tomorrow PAC-10. Michigan? I would not be intimiated by the PAC 10 or the Big 10 having competed in the Big 12, which I think is a superior football league to both. The SEC however is another story. If I were Texas I would be afraid of playing 3 of the following 4 every year …LSU, UGA, Florida, Alabama. Michigan? You saw what happened to Miami when they joined a better league, they haven’t been relevent since…take notice texas. Michigan really? Used in the same breath…odd
Fillin' up @ Juniors
June 4th, 2010
11:42 am
I would put Michigan in comparison to South carolina on a good day and mississippi state the other 354 days…
ga gator
June 4th, 2010
11:43 am
You may be right Otto, but it won’t be the SEC. I have also heard rumors they might go independent like ND.
Fillin' up @ Juniors
June 4th, 2010
11:46 am
an independent Texas…thats interesting, there are not too many schools who could pull that off but Texas might be one of them…
ga gator
June 4th, 2010
11:46 am
Anyone heard from Patrick lately? I haven’t been on much, but I haven’t seen him on since the religious discussions a couple of weeks ago.
2010 = UGA NATIONAL CHAMPS
June 4th, 2010
11:48 am
Expansion won’t affect the DAWGS! We own everyone and run this conference!
Get ready folks. Stand up and scream….THIS IS OUR YEAR DAWGS!
Show your true Georgia spirit…..
2010 is the year UGA wins it all….. Mark that down NERDS!
Aaron Murray is gonna throw for 450 yards and 4 TD’s on your sorry D.
National Championship:
UGA 48
Oklahoma 12
ga gator
June 4th, 2010
11:51 am
2010 = UGA NATIONAL CHAMPS
I guess that answered my question.
Otto
June 4th, 2010
11:55 am
Michigan no doubt is down now, at some point they maybe back.
Even down they have alot of power in the politics of the Big10.
Voice of Reason
June 4th, 2010
11:59 am
This whole thing is about expanding footprint and adding TV sets. Does the SEC need to do anything? The SEC has a pretty sweet thing going now with their TV contracts. CBS and ESPN telecast NATIONAL games. The SEC brand is seen all over the US. SEC games were on in Hawaii last fall when I was there. Making more money, as the big 11 says they do, is not as important to me as having everyone talking about the SEC and watching the SEC. The big ten network is not carried by every cable provider and you have to order a sports package to get it on satellite. The SEC is always going to be near the top in making money.
Texas fans say they don’t want to be in the SEC because of academic incompatibility. The way I read that is if they were in the SEC they can’t call the shots about everything, they would have one place at the table just like everyone else in the conference. Texas having their way about everything is one reason the big 12 members are not happy and there won’t be any long good bye kisses if some of them pull out and leave. They are the giant in the room and they get a better deal on the TV money than others in the conference.
boots
June 4th, 2010
12:02 pm
Austin Texas: If you think the SEC schools have weak academics, then you should look over your facts. True, we lack Stanford, but there are not many schools like Stanford. The SEC has two of the strongest state schools in the nation (Georgia and Florida rank in the top 15 state universities), and I’m not even going to defend Vanderbilt. South Carolina and LSU are good schools, and the rest of the universities are as competitive as any in the TX, OK, CO area. Besides, if you think this is about academics, you are kidding yourself. It is about $$$, $$$ and $$$.
Once you get outside of the Ivy League schools, the academic averages are no strong advantage for any conference, including the Big 12.
Otto
June 4th, 2010
12:04 pm
Ga. Gator,
The Big12 teams mentioned to the PAC10 and the 2 Az. teams (former WAC teams) join to form the PAC East makes a solid argument if the TV contracts add up. The old PAC8 reforms in the PAC West.
The Big10 takes somewhere from 2-5 Big12 North teams.
At which point atleast 8 of the 12 Big12 teams have offers on the table. Does the Big12 fight to stay alive or does Texas, OU, Mizzou, and Nebraska take the money and run?
Mizzou and Nebraska have not been happy with the Big12 revenue sharing as it is. Colorado nearly went to the PAC10 when the Big12 was formed and if the current Board was in place they would be.
It is scary plausable and enough so I would be very interested in what Slive knows. It maybe time for the SEC to make a splash.
Remarkable
June 4th, 2010
12:05 pm
Pac 14 or Pac 16 just doesn’t have the ring of Pac 10, but if SEC does grow, Texas and Texas A & M would be perfect fits. I also Like Louisville and GT.
Otto
June 4th, 2010
12:09 pm
Does the PAC10 have the same ring as the PAC8?
THWGT!!!
June 4th, 2010
12:09 pm
To – the real Old Gold – your statement just reenforces what everyone knows about gtu. That is, you “lie and cheat”. Lying about more SEC championships than UGA is so easy to check out and UGA 12 vs gtu 5, in no way computes to more SEC championships for the nerds.
gtu fans are the most delusional in college football circles, why you have NEVER EVER won an AP National Championship, and that too is a fact, look it up.
THWGT!!!
ga gator
June 4th, 2010
12:10 pm
Otto I think we agree. Expansion will happen and I think the SEC needs to be proactive. But I just don’t believe Texas will come. If I had to bet, it would be 4 teams added: Va Tech, FSU, Miami and Clemson.
whaaaa?
June 4th, 2010
12:14 pm
remember when the ACC paoched the BigEast for VT and Miami and everyone delcared it the new super conference and how it would dominate the football landscape? Careful what you wish for folks, it doesnt always turn out the way you want.
Otto
June 4th, 2010
12:15 pm
Of all the conf expansion theories, ideas etc. The PAC16 seems the most doable.
The old PAC8/PCC reforms.
Az/Az St joined the PAC in 1978 and as a result the storied rivalaries are not broken up by 16 team conf.
The Old SWC gets to somewhat reform in the new PAC East.
The PCC had mid west ties even if it was Idaho and Montana.
Anti-alternative
June 4th, 2010
12:17 pm
THWGT, I know you’re going to hate Tech no matter what (plenty of teams do), and I’m not going to defend “the real old gold”…BUT what he said is a myth common among very young Tech fans. They hear from their parents that when Tech left the SEC that GT had more titles than Georgia (5 over GA’s 4). They also hear pretty often that 5 SEC titles is still more than some current SEC teams. I’m thinking he just did what some 12-year-olds do and accidentally combine those two thoughts into one grievously wrong statement.
Even though it’ll never happen, I wish everybody would check their stats with solid record sites before they post. So much arguing would be avoided.
Anti-alternative
June 4th, 2010
12:20 pm
Otto, I think it’s very doable. But I think it doesn’t put pressure on the SEC as much as it elevates the new conference higher toward the Big 10 and SEC while putting pressure on the ACC and Big East to try and measure up. I bet the subsequent moves would involve the ACC or Big East before the SEC reacts.
Otto
June 4th, 2010
12:23 pm
Ga Gator. I think you are correct FSU will be one of the first offered.
If the PAC deal is real I don’t think the SEC gets Texas but IMO the SEC should make a run at it. The extra money is worth it. The blogs also say Tx A&M is very much for the SEC. They may have political weight to help make it happen. Was Finebaum correct in Texas coming close to joining the SEC back in ‘92? I do want want OU and Okie St with Tx and Tx A&M.
I like FSU, Miami, and Clemson, USF, VT or GT. UF’s response to Miami would be interesting, Blog rumors were UF was very much against Miami. Miami in the SEC would certainly draw some media attention.
RDR
June 4th, 2010
12:24 pm
Would like to see a Clemson and an FSU pick up for the East. Maybe Texas and A&M in the West. All 4 have big time college football programs and would fit in well with the SEC style of play and fan base. Smaller acc schools like duke, wf, gt, ncs, nc, va need to stay put. VT, Miami, BC and MD need to find a new conference, but not sure of the logistical fit.
Otto
June 4th, 2010
12:26 pm
Anti-alternative, It all depend on how the contracts work out. If the SEC looses ground the SEC may have to react.
The SEC started this I’d rather not see the SEC playing catch up when it is currently in the driver seat.
Anti-alternative
June 4th, 2010
12:30 pm
Fair point. Guess I just see the SEC as being locked into its current TV deal without much to do about that (and no need to) for a while.
21af21
June 4th, 2010
12:36 pm
1. there are to many conferences it would be good to combine certain leauges. and no it wouldnt change the amount of money each school gets because with more teams would equal more money from sponsors,air time, and conference logos.
2.The SEC is dominate everyone knows it everyone fears it, but going across the country to pick up a big school would not make it the south eastern conference. SEC should pick up the ACC PAC 10 should pick up the big 10 and the big 12 should pick up the remainder of school.
3. then you could have 3 major conferences and come up with a nice playoff bracket, which is much much needed and way overdue.
it just makes sense smaller is bigger and bigger is stronger…
DawgfaninJesup
June 4th, 2010
12:39 pm
EAST:
GEORGIA
GA TECH
CLEMSON
SOUTH CAROLINA
TENNESSEE
FLORIDA
MIAMI
VANDERBILT
WEST:
FLORIDA STATE
KENTUCKY
AUBURN
ALABAMA
MISSISSIPPI
MISSISSIPPI STATE
LSU
ARKANSAS
which is adding Tech, Clemson, Miami, and FSU and then moving Kentucky out west.
That would be the best move if super conferences come about. Adding the Big 12 teams is not as good as this because they are not Southeastern teams. I believe this is the best way to expand and would keep the SEC at the top of college football.
Streaking Braves, Expanding conferences « control+ATL+delete
June 4th, 2010
12:41 pm
[...] was brought up again today regarding the SEC. As Tim Tucker writes, the conference officials plan to discuss possible realignment plans today. With more Rivals-created rumors today about Texas jumping conferences, this time to the Pac-10, [...]
turkeycaller
June 4th, 2010
12:42 pm
My thoughts are keep it the way it is and I’m guessing that is what happens. Of course, as money hungry as these collegiate programs are you never know. It is a shame that college athletics has developed into the money grabber it is. I have followed UGA for exactly 50 years and do not think it or any other college school is smart by trying to make all these little high school hoodlums stars in their own minds. I guess I miss the day when most folks could afford to take their families to games for good competition without players showboating and doing stupid stuff to cost their teams penalties. If you watch the games you have certainly seen what I am talking about. Schools should worry about that instead of how can we get ahead. I love college football probably as much as the next person but quit getting these thugs that cannot read and write and do not care if they ever do.
Fillin' up @ Juniors
June 4th, 2010
12:43 pm
People people People. Follow the money… More teams equal more markets, more markets equal more money. Example. Lets say the Big Ten invites UGA (0% chance) then suddenly there people all over the southeast and especially Atlanta who care about Wisconsin vs Iowa, and thus the value of all games in conference increases… Fantasy Football has given everyone in every state in every city a stake in every football game, thus…NFL all Access package…Same goes for college football, the bigger the footprint of a conference the bigger its per game value is. Thus if the PAC 10 is the PAC 16 with coverage from Washington to Texas the per game value rises…maybe more than the average SEC game which is only watched South Carolina to Mississippi. If the games are of more value, the schools get paid more, and if the schools get paid more they can afford to hire the better coaches, build the better facilities, spend more money on stadiums etc. etc…. follow the money, use math…see GT nerds are good for something…
Which is why this is an arms race. Its not too practical to create 20 team conferences, 16 is about the limit, the best constructed 16 will win the long run. So the SEC will probably have to react if dominos fall, and when they do it will be to maximize the mulla…
Kevin in Dallas
June 4th, 2010
12:45 pm
I’m not sold on Pac-10 being the best deal for Texas. The fact is most folks east of Arizona don’t give a flip about the Pac. I’d rather see Texas, aTm, Tech, and OU join the SEC West.
The thing most people who are in favor of this Pac-16 idea forget is what happens when OU and UT are having down years? Will people living in the midwest and State of Texas tune in to see Washington and Oregon State? Because they sure aren’t now.
Texas/OU should hold out and see what the SEC will offer…
Fillin' up @ Juniors
June 4th, 2010
12:56 pm
kevin, there is only room at the top for 1…can Texas and OU compete year in and year out with UA, FL, UGA, LSU and the upyears at USC, UT, Auburn?…its a risky gambit. Might be safer to take on the USC/Oregon controled PAC-10 rather than become medicre in the SEC…TV revenue is just one kind of revenue, the other comes from bowl games, filling the stadiums, selling gear, and that stuff comes in from winning…Which I think Texas and OU would do a lot less of in the a 14 team SEC than a 16 team PAC
UGADawg83
June 4th, 2010
1:01 pm
I really don’t want SEC expansion into the Big 12 area. It will make travel too difficult for fans for road games and be a real hardship for non-revenue sports.
Bill Lumberg
June 4th, 2010
1:06 pm
Texas is going to Pac-10 or Independent.
The time for Texas to join the SEC was 20 yrs ago. The Texas program was down at the time. Texas was not the pretty girl at the dance back then.
20 yrs ago the leadership at Texas was more “southern” in terms of athletics and academics.
Today, U of Texas leadership is very “liberal”. Austin is the Lone Star state version of San Francisco. This mindset alone will not go for joining the SEC.
20 yrs ago they were forced by state politics to take Tex A&M wherever they went.
The SEC did not want Texas A&M at the time. So, Texas went elsewhere (Big 12).
The SEC had it’s shot at Texas and missed the boat.
Look for the possibility of Texas A&M breaking away from big brother Texas’ shadow this time and seeking SEC membership.
The PAC-10 is not a great fit for Texas A&M. The travel to west coast for non-revenue sports would be very costly (to which Texas can afford and A&M cannot).
If successful, I think A&M will bring Texas Christian with them.
Two SEC West teams shift from the west shift to east (Ala & Auburn).
LSU & Arkansas should be very happy with this set-up since they will be the new dominant players in the West.
Arkansas just renewed their long rivalry with Texas A&M. Game to be played at Jerry Jones World in Dallas.
Clemson and FSU are not going to be invited unless Florida and SC are talked into it.
Neither school brings anything to the table (and tailgating and hot-coeds do not count).
Ga. Tech burned SEC bridges long ago so you can forget the Blue and Gold.
Everything will depend on Texas….Texas was once just another girl at the high school dance.
This is 20 yrs later and that girl now has 34DD implants, botox, and wears a size 0 skinny jeans. i.e. ..everyone wants Texas and she has her pick of dance partners.
chazzo
June 4th, 2010
1:07 pm
The only thing expanding is Michael Adams’ ego.
jumbeauxtiger
June 4th, 2010
1:17 pm
Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State
vs
FSU, Miami, Clemson and GaTech.
I think it’s a no-brainer that the SEC would become even stronger with the 4 Big 12 schools.
Expansion is going to happen soon whether it’s the PAC 10, SEC or Big 10 as there are just too many rumors going around.
Crumpy frisky is Italy
June 4th, 2010
1:24 pm
The only thing that will help UGA would be if the moved to Division II.
7-6 leghumpers… DEAL WITH IT.
Joe Smaha
June 4th, 2010
1:25 pm
If the SEC is going to expand, look at GT, Clemson and Florida State joining the East div. and Kentucky moving to the West div and add Central Florida or Miami joining the West div. for a 16 team league.
Lane Kiffin's Bottom Bitch
June 4th, 2010
1:26 pm
Of course Adams is advising extreme caution. He is an unimaginative and timid man as is Damon. The results is a fading athletic program at UGA. Now is not the time for the timid, it is a time for being bold and audacious. The first conference willing to do so will rule the roost. That used to be the SEC but not anymore.
Dawg Fud
June 4th, 2010
1:26 pm
SEC East – add Clemson, Miami and FSU & GA Tech; move Vandy to West
SEC West – add Texas and Texas A&M
Dawg Fud
June 4th, 2010
1:28 pm
That gives 8 opponents in your division, one permanent in other division, ie, UGA-Auburn, and three you can rotate out of the west for 12 games annually
Fillin' up @ Juniors
June 4th, 2010
1:29 pm
you are all missing the point. The SEC is not offering the Big 12 teams, the PAC 10 and Big Ten are the two conferences courting the Big 12 teams, 6 to the pac 10 and 2 (neb and mizzu) to the big 10, the SEC moves are going to be reactive not proactive, which means they aren’t going to get to choose from the best of the Big 12, but either its left overs or the best of the ACC…if it wants to keep in the lead for revenues…
Fillin' up @ Juniors
June 4th, 2010
1:31 pm
An to be frank the Big 12 leftovers won’t be worth anything and the best of the ACC lock down the southeast forever…keeping the big east, acc, or Big ten from being able to recruit the deep souths talent pool which is the dominate talent pool and probably always will be…SEC=Reactive, and Recactive=leftovers or the best of the ACC. Its just reality…
play ball
June 4th, 2010
1:33 pm
well I am sure with all my heart that the SEC has this blog up on the big screen in their meetings today because after all you people are the geniuses they need to hear from. Doesn’t matter if Texas wants to join the SEC or not because the decision comes from all you bloggers. And gee, I sure hope the ACC commissioner knows about it since your taking half their teams. Maybe the Congressional meetings need you bloggers up on the big screen as well during their hearings and let you call the shots as well.
Dawg Fud
June 4th, 2010
1:34 pm
i don’t think we are not missing the point
i think if Slive gets word of a move he will counter offer the better Big 12 teams
Dawg Fud
June 4th, 2010
1:35 pm
play ball,
the point of a blog is simply for fun. you take yourself way too seriously.
go play in the street.
ga gator
June 4th, 2010
1:38 pm
The SEC would almost look like the old Confederate States if they got a Texas team a North Carolina team and a Virginia team. What a TV market it would be. From a TV standpoint, Miami would make more sense than FSU because of Geography.