There are certain things you say behind closed doors—and then there are things you say in front of microphones. Greg Sankey is choosing the latter.
The SEC commissioner, who already has a reputation for being the most influential figure in college athletics, didn’t hold back during the league’s Spring Meetings in Destin. While discussing the NCAA’s future and a new governance model being proposed, Sankey let it slip that the question of leaving the NCAA isn’t just a fringe idea anymore. It’s a real conversation. And not just among bloggers and message board fans.
“I have people in my room asking, ‘Why are we still in the NCAA?’” Sankey said.
That one sentence? It should have sent a chill down the spine of anyone who still thinks the old way of running college sports is going to survive. If Sankey is willing to say this out loud, in front of media and on the record, then we’re past the point of speculation. This isn’t just posturing. It’s a signal flare.
This Isn't Just Smoke—There's Fire
When someone like Sankey puts something like this out there, it’s not an accident. You don’t just float the idea of leaving the NCAA unless you're prepared to follow through if the conditions are right.
According to reports, SEC presidents already voted earlier this year to give Sankey the authority to make that very decision if he believes it’s in the league’s best interest. That fact alone makes this whole thing more than talk. It means the infrastructure is already being built for a potential separation.
And let’s be honest: if the SEC did leave the NCAA tomorrow, it wouldn’t just survive—it would thrive. It has the TV contracts, the fan base, the recruiting power, and the championship pedigree to stand alone or form a new governing body entirely. Pair up with the Big Ten? Go full independent? Create a superleague? All of that is on the table now, even if just hypothetically.
What’s driving all this is control. Power. Autonomy. The SEC (and the rest of the Power Four) are tired of having to convince the NCAA or Group of 5 commissioners to give them more say in their own affairs. Sankey even said he wants more than the 65% weighted voting share being offered under the new model—he wants 68%. Why? Because at 65%, all four power conferences have to vote together to make something pass. At 68%, the SEC and Big Ten could run the show themselves.
That’s no coincidence. It’s a chess move.
If You're Not Paying Attention, You Should Be
While the Group of 5 conferences are throwing up red flags—warning about “absolute power” and the lack of checks and balances—those warnings probably aren’t going to slow anything down. Sankey even fired back at the ACC and Big 12, questioning whether they’re truly aligned with where the sport is going.
The truth is, the SEC is moving on with or without them.
You don’t make comments like that if you’re content with how things are. You make those comments when you’re preparing people for what comes next. And right now? Everyone in college sports should be paying attention—because something’s coming.