1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:04,040 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg Business of Sports. Money in Sports. It's 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: one of the reasons why I enjoyed being on Money 3 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 1: that count down on the ESPN is we can talk 4 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 1: about some of the more interesting aspects of business of sports. 5 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: So there's all kinds of cool questions. So this is 6 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: a fund's topics. The country is finally deeply getting the 7 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 1: memo about how amazing the sport is. I think the 8 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: sky's a limit for MLS. Increasingly we're spending more and 9 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,439 Speaker 1: more of our time in a digital world, and it's 10 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: also becoming a really powerful place for commerce. It is 11 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:30,760 Speaker 1: so nice to be back and to be able to 12 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,559 Speaker 1: have fans back in the building stuff despite the chaotic schedule. 13 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: This is why we do what we do. Bloomberg Business 14 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. This is the Bloomberg Business 15 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 1: of Sports show, where we explore the big money issues 16 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 1: and I mean big money issues in the world of sports. 17 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 1: Michael barn I'm Scarlett Phil and I'm Mike Lynch. Coming 18 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 1: up today, we speak with SEC Commissioner Greg Sanky about 19 00:00:55,600 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 1: Monday's National Championship, the competition in college football Alabama and 20 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 1: Georgia the division addition also of Oklahoma and Texas in 21 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 1: that's coming up and more straight ahead on the Bloomberry 22 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: Business of Sports Show. But first, let's look at some 23 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 1: of the top stories of the week, and a lot 24 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:22,640 Speaker 1: of stories out there, but let's start with one that 25 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: is kind of intriguing. The New York Times. They have 26 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: agreed to buy the subscription sports site The Athletic. The 27 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 1: deal is said to be worth scarlet five million dollars, yeah, 28 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 1: which is actually below what there were yes, which was 29 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:42,680 Speaker 1: actually below the reports that The Athletic was looking for 30 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:45,759 Speaker 1: evaluation of more than seven hundred fifty million dollars. So 31 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: interesting that perhaps they're not getting exactly what they wanted. 32 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: But this kind of deal just shows content is king 33 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 1: and paid niche content really is supreme. Um. The Athletic 34 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 1: has over a million subscribers, and they've snatched up a 35 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: lot of the best talent in terms of sports writers. 36 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: I mean, Lyncha, you would know this better than anyone, um, 37 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:09,239 Speaker 1: in terms of the folks who can do the reporting 38 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 1: on the stories that people want to read and people 39 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,639 Speaker 1: are willing to pay up for it. I'm curious whether 40 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: The New York Times will keep this separate or whether 41 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 1: they will fold it into its own paywall. I think 42 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 1: that's the big question right there. The Athletic has formed 43 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:26,080 Speaker 1: its own identity and its own brand, and they have 44 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: some great writers. Ken Rosenthal is one of them, by 45 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: the way. Um. But they went through a really tough 46 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:34,679 Speaker 1: time during COVID because when there weren't there was, it 47 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 1: wasn't any content to report on. But they sort of survived. 48 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 1: And I think this is the purpose opportunity for the 49 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: Athletic to be acquired by the New York Times, and 50 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:46,679 Speaker 1: I think they would keep their own identity, like the 51 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 1: New York Time zones a piece of the Boston Globe, 52 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 1: and the Boston Globe has its own identity and brand. 53 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 1: That's true. Yeah, my New York Times subscription does not 54 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:58,079 Speaker 1: carry over to me accessing the Boston Globe. Uh well, 55 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:00,960 Speaker 1: I can help you anytime you need. Are we supposed 56 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:03,959 Speaker 1: to be seeing this? Out loud? Said the quiet part 57 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 1: out loud? Scar all the stories to talk about Raphael 58 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 1: Nadal Uh. He expressed little sympathy for Novak Djokovic after 59 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 1: Australian authorities said they would deport the Serbian tennis champ 60 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:21,359 Speaker 1: over his vaccination status ahead of the Australian Open Let's 61 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: start first of all, with Djokovic trying to get in Australia. 62 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 1: He apparently said that he had an exemption scarlet, but 63 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 1: then the Australian officials said, uh, no you did. He 64 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: did get exemptions. But the Prime Minister's office stepped in 65 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 1: in the end and said no, no one gets an 66 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: exemption from these rules that we've set up in place 67 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: to keep Australian safe. It's really interesting that there was 68 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: a lot of backlash against UM Australia giving Djokovic these exemptions, 69 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: and perhaps that pressured Scott Morrison's office to to make 70 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 1: this move. It kind of remind to me of UM 71 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 1: at different contexts. But Nicole Kidman when she went to 72 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 1: Hong Kong to film a TV show or movie UM, 73 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: she was exempted from having to quarantine for the ridiculous 74 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 1: two or three weeks at Hong Kong required. She was 75 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 1: able to just kind of show up and and film 76 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 1: on the peak rather than sit in a hotel room. 77 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:21,280 Speaker 1: And Djokovic, it looked like, would be able to do 78 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 1: just that because he's not vaccinated and play in the 79 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:28,560 Speaker 1: Australian Open. According to a statement Lynchy from The Australian 80 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: Border Force. Mr Djokovic failed to provide appropriate evidence to 81 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:38,039 Speaker 1: meet the entry requirements to Australia and his visa has 82 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:43,279 Speaker 1: been subsequently canceled and he's in an immigration detention hotel 83 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 1: with asylum seekers and refugees. The two accepted conditions for 84 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: an exemption one you must have shown a serious adverse 85 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: reaction to a dose of a COVID nineteen vaccination, which 86 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:01,920 Speaker 1: he has had. And number two, this is the one 87 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: I think he's leaning on evidence of a positive test 88 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 1: for COVID nineteen. He tested positive in June. Now here 89 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:11,360 Speaker 1: we are, we're just coming to that six month window 90 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:13,720 Speaker 1: from whatever date it was in June, were in January 91 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 1: right now, but whatever documents he brought with him were 92 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 1: not accepted by Australia. So right now he's in limbo 93 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 1: and is not eligible to play in the Australian Open. Now, 94 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 1: as I mentioned earlier, Raphael Nadal, he didn't have much 95 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: sympathy for Novak Djokovic now pretty much said, uh, he 96 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:36,720 Speaker 1: knew the deal. What he actually said. By the way, Nadal, 97 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:39,799 Speaker 1: who was twice vaccinated, said, in some way I feel 98 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: sorry for him, but at the same time he knew 99 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 1: the conditions. Four months. That's even worse. Pity that's usually 100 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 1: what I got on a lot of dates back in 101 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 1: the day. But yeah, I mean it's you know, it's 102 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 1: now let's let's be honest. I mean, we're talking about 103 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 1: some some top rated players. Now, the money involved in 104 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:05,159 Speaker 1: this is that you know what happens to all those 105 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:10,479 Speaker 1: sponsorships for Novak Djokovic because they're expecting, like, hey, he's 106 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 1: going to go and try to defend his title and 107 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:15,360 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, this is all thrown up in 108 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:18,159 Speaker 1: the air now or the betting lines at that oh yeah, 109 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:21,840 Speaker 1: oh yeah. And it's a major. It's like golf, tennis 110 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:23,720 Speaker 1: has four majors and this is the first of the year, 111 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 1: the Australian Open. All the all the logos that he 112 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: wears on his his shirt, his racket, um, all those things. 113 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:32,599 Speaker 1: If he's not in the tournament, there's a lot of 114 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:37,520 Speaker 1: make goods coming becoming the sponsors way. Now, also, let's 115 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 1: talk about the Super Bowl. You know here I am, 116 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 1: I'm all set. I'm ready to see. Super Bowl fifty 117 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:45,279 Speaker 1: six is supposed to be at so far and now 118 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, so fine, l a right, yes, 119 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: all of a sudden the NFL might be looking for 120 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 1: an alternative city because scarlet COVID. Yeah, the California to 121 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 1: Texas migration continues. First it was billionaires, then it was 122 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:03,719 Speaker 1: tech companies at large, or maybe I got the order 123 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 1: wrong there, but now it's the NFL potentially with the 124 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 1: Super Bowl. Um the concern here is that California l 125 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 1: A in particular have some very stringent COVID restrictions, and 126 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,680 Speaker 1: we know that a macron is raging through the nation, 127 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 1: and it's l A is probably a little bit behind 128 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:24,040 Speaker 1: what we're seeing here on the East Coast, and so 129 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 1: by the time you have the Super Bowl on Sunday, 130 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: for ever, um amicron maybe peaking. It may not be beaking, 131 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 1: but perhaps the NFL just doesn't want to deal with 132 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 1: all of that. Well, this is this is I'm just 133 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: gonna say it was. This is something that you know, 134 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 1: supposed to be just a contingency plan. Yeah, they do 135 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 1: this every year just in case there's some type of 136 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 1: emergency where they have to shift that they always have 137 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:47,640 Speaker 1: an alternative site. But it's getting a lot of attention 138 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 1: now because of COVID. Sophi was supposed to host it 139 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: last year, but the stadium wasn't ready, so they flipped 140 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 1: Tampa went last year. So far this year extra drama 141 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:00,400 Speaker 1: there and it certainly is. And the thing that I 142 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 1: seems bizarre to me is why you build it an 143 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 1: indoor stadium in southern California. Isn't there a song? It 144 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 1: never rains in California and I would just think that's 145 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 1: you know, I always thought it should have been an 146 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: open air or with a retractable roof at so FI. 147 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:19,080 Speaker 1: So the Rose Bowl last year was shifted from Pasadena 148 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 1: to Arlington, Texas, and this is being considered the same 149 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 1: stadium with the Cowboys played their home games a T 150 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:28,640 Speaker 1: and T stadium as an alternative, should COVID just just 151 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 1: ramp out of control and they have to move to 152 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:34,239 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl. And today we are talking college football 153 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:40,439 Speaker 1: with SEC Commissioner Greg Sanky. Holy smokes. Mr Sanky, Yes right, 154 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: you get the Mr Sank you because if you're the 155 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 1: SEC Commissioner, you're the mister Welcome to the show, sir, Thanks, 156 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 1: I'll give you permission to just call me Greg. Fun 157 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: time of the year. Oh man, we're in this and 158 00:08:56,400 --> 00:09:01,959 Speaker 1: you're right, we got the big matchup Georgia Alabama. Uh 159 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 1: coming up for the championship games coming up on Monday. 160 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 1: My goodness, I'm sure everybody's excited about this. Well, I 161 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 1: know in my region certainly. Even though we have pretty 162 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: intense rivalries within our league. Um uh, it creates interest. 163 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 1: And we saw this matchup just a few years ago 164 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: and had great interest nationally. And I would expect an 165 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:32,199 Speaker 1: incredibly intense competitive environment. And the last time it's the 166 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 1: one cfdgame that went to overtime, so we're can experience 167 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:38,440 Speaker 1: something like that with great competition. I think it will 168 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 1: draw everyone's interest. It's going to be a huge game. 169 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:45,360 Speaker 1: And in reading up on everything about you and your 170 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:47,200 Speaker 1: name is shown up quite a bit in the press. Recently, 171 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 1: you've been called the king of college sports, a gatekeeper 172 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 1: to the future of college sports, the most powerful commissioner 173 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: in college football. Um, pretty incredible accolades. Why do you 174 00:09:57,120 --> 00:10:01,680 Speaker 1: think the SEC is so in cluential, so much more influential, 175 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: with more resources and reach than the rest of the conferences. Well, 176 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: a few things are a front and center one. You know, 177 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 1: the sport of football does have this prominence in our 178 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 1: nation and in our region. We have built programs on 179 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 1: the campuses of great universities that have had success. This 180 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:30,600 Speaker 1: is now the twelfth time UM in the last sixteen 181 00:10:30,679 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 1: years were guaranteed to in the national title in football, 182 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:38,280 Speaker 1: and that's remarkable for any sport. You also see a 183 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,960 Speaker 1: level of attention in our region, you know, demographic shifts, 184 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:47,439 Speaker 1: the prominence of our university's increasing enrollments UM, the leadership 185 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 1: of those universities are athletics programs and our football teams. 186 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:53,560 Speaker 1: And then we've had this across the board success in 187 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 1: our athletics program that's quite remarkable. And you then add 188 00:10:56,720 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: to that the nature of people who've gone through our 189 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:05,199 Speaker 1: athletics programs to do great things. You know, you watch 190 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:09,200 Speaker 1: on Monday night football pay and Eli Manning UM a 191 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 1: different approach to broadcasting, but ones an old miss grad, 192 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 1: one of Tennessee grad UH and their dad has a 193 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 1: legendary status in our region. You just multiply that over 194 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:22,479 Speaker 1: and over UM, and I think all of that attention 195 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: UH focuses on the Southeastern Conference and a positive way 196 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:30,080 Speaker 1: and is reflective of our expectations of excellence. Years ago, 197 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:32,719 Speaker 1: Doug Flutie won the Heisman Trophy for Boston College, and 198 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:35,720 Speaker 1: at the time, Boston College was considered a regional school. 199 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:39,599 Speaker 1: But the number of applications and the quality of applicants 200 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 1: after he won the Heisman and his notoriety certainly changed 201 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 1: the what Boston College is today. Do you see the 202 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,960 Speaker 1: same similarities with the success of your athletic programs in 203 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 1: relation to the number of Apple applicants and the quality 204 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 1: of applicants. I think both, UM, are true across our region. 205 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 1: And there are any number of elements that contribute to 206 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 1: the changing nature of enrollment on our campuses. UM. There 207 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:11,719 Speaker 1: is intent involved those our campuses have grown their enrollment. UM. 208 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 1: They each have their own strategies, but athletics achievement is 209 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:21,719 Speaker 1: a part of that strategy. UH. That's one part though. UM. 210 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:27,320 Speaker 1: The ability to attract faculty, UH, increase research dollars, build 211 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:32,959 Speaker 1: facilities on campus for students that are our world class. UM. 212 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 1: That is the reflection or that is a reflection on 213 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 1: the leadership provided to our campuses. That also benefits our 214 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 1: athletics programs and our athletics scess so success. So you know, 215 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:49,360 Speaker 1: the flute factor was the label applied to that. UM. 216 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 1: It was a pretty narrow lane in some ways, and 217 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 1: I think broadly what we see on our fourteen campuses 218 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 1: at present is that kind of approach or that line 219 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:05,880 Speaker 1: of thought magnified both over decades of time but also 220 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 1: across the entire university campus, not just an enrollment, but 221 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:13,199 Speaker 1: that that the development of campus, the attraction of faculty, 222 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 1: and the continuing multiplication of success athletically. Now, if the 223 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:21,200 Speaker 1: SEC didn't have enough full of a garage of super 224 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:25,960 Speaker 1: Lamborghini cars, you decided to add two more shiny automobiles. 225 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 1: With Oklahoma and Texas, they're going to join the SEC 226 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 1: beginning with the football season. Can you tell us about 227 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:37,320 Speaker 1: the impact of what that means for the SEC. It's 228 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 1: a compliment when two great universities in their athletics programs 229 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 1: reach out to to you or to us uh enquiring 230 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:51,440 Speaker 1: about membership opportunities. That goes back in a lot of 231 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:53,960 Speaker 1: ways even before me. But when I went through the 232 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: interview process for the Commissioner's role, I had this statement 233 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 1: and kind of attend your plan that people would be 234 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:04,960 Speaker 1: asking us about our success, how do we achieve and 235 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 1: how do we sustain sustain the level of success across 236 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 1: the board? And that was media conversations like we're having today. 237 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 1: That was hopefully business experts and the academicians asking what 238 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 1: can we learn from them, but our peers and and 239 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: I think you saw with the outreach and then our 240 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 1: decision to extend the membership invitation that was accepted U 241 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:35,600 Speaker 1: two incredible universities seeking to affiliate with our fourteen universities. UM, 242 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 1: I'm excited about our future. I've described this morning. I 243 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 1: was asked kind of a specific question about football schedule. 244 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 1: I said, I think you need to take a step 245 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: back and consider the wow factor that exists right now 246 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: around the Southeastern Conference and how that will be magnified 247 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 1: come and we go to sixteen member universities. This may 248 00:14:56,640 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 1: seem an obvious question or dumb question. Um, with Texas 249 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: joining the SEC, does that name the Southeastern Conference gets 250 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:09,240 Speaker 1: stretched a little bit? I mean, will you start admitting 251 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 1: schools that are west of Texas. No, that's not been 252 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 1: contemplated at this point. Um. You know, if you if 253 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:20,000 Speaker 1: you look at a quadrant of a map, Um, you 254 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 1: can define Oklahoma and Texas as part of the Southeast. 255 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:28,160 Speaker 1: With Austin, we only we only shift about an hour 256 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:30,440 Speaker 1: and a half from college station, so it's not a 257 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:35,480 Speaker 1: huge geographic transition for US. And in Oklahoma is a 258 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 1: contiguous state with both Arkansas and Texas. And I really 259 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:44,160 Speaker 1: think there's kind of a philosophical commitment and approach on 260 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 1: campus and an athletics program between Oklahoma and Texas that's 261 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: consistent with our four team members. And I think that philosophy, 262 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:55,040 Speaker 1: you know, when we do when we when we provide 263 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 1: produce advertising, we have this it just means more tagline. 264 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:01,080 Speaker 1: Some of our athletics directors and said, that's kind of 265 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 1: a filter as we think about it might be out 266 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:05,880 Speaker 1: there and there aren't many that would that would meet 267 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:10,240 Speaker 1: that that definition or that expectation, if you will. And 268 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,840 Speaker 1: we've we've been smart. I think about our geography, and 269 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:18,520 Speaker 1: we're smart demographically and smart philosophically with the additions we've 270 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:24,880 Speaker 1: experienced over the last decade. GREG. When Texas and Oklahoma come, 271 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:27,840 Speaker 1: obviously there's a domino effect. We've seen it already with 272 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:30,440 Speaker 1: the Big Twelve, the American Athletic Conference, and and I 273 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 1: know this has happened with other leagues, the SEC and 274 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 1: the Big Ten as well. And while the SEC gets 275 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 1: bigger and stronger, do you have an immediate concern about 276 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 1: the greater good of college athletics? I do, And those 277 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 1: are our thoughts that when you're going through consideration, are 278 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 1: asked our by our presidents and chancellors, asked of me 279 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 1: by our presidents and chancellors. Um. I think you have 280 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:59,560 Speaker 1: to look at the history of college sports and understand 281 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:05,920 Speaker 1: these membership shifts have occurred on a nearly continual basis. 282 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:10,360 Speaker 1: There may be time periods where there's gaps, but the 283 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 1: movement and you identified, uh, you know, go back to 284 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:16,240 Speaker 1: the early nineties and the Penn State moved to the 285 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 1: Big Ten or the A C C in the early 286 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:23,880 Speaker 1: two thousands, uh, inviting three Big East members to move, 287 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:28,880 Speaker 1: and then a subsequent A C C expansion the Big 288 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:34,680 Speaker 1: Ten adding Rudd Curves Maryland after Nebraska about ten years 289 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:38,879 Speaker 1: ago in the Pact twelve expansion with with Colorado and Utah. 290 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 1: So this this this shift, this change has been constant Um. 291 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:46,560 Speaker 1: I look at the opportunity, I look at that philosophical 292 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 1: consistency as appropriate for us. And we've also seen over 293 00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:55,920 Speaker 1: time other conferences ad just adapt and uh, you've seen 294 00:17:55,960 --> 00:18:00,119 Speaker 1: that with our Big twelve colleagues. Others considered members of 295 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:03,679 Speaker 1: change and ultimately decided to not do so well. Some 296 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 1: felt it in their best interests. So I think there's 297 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 1: an opportunity for stability. There are no guarantees that there 298 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: won't be movement, and as conferences make these decisions, they 299 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:20,440 Speaker 1: need to be made UM. With that that philosophical consideration 300 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:24,199 Speaker 1: I described earlier for us, the consistency of the programs athletically, 301 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 1: the universities performing at a high level academically, the geographic 302 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:33,480 Speaker 1: sense UH that that was present for us, as well 303 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 1: as the demographics that continue to build our conference. All 304 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:42,119 Speaker 1: of those opportunities made sense. That won't make sense in 305 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:46,520 Speaker 1: every circumstance, UM, and that won't make sense and everyone 306 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:49,640 Speaker 1: else's consideration. So I think the greater good can still 307 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:53,479 Speaker 1: be achieved. UM, there are you know, there's always going 308 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: to be difficulties and UM emotions attached, cities changed, But 309 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:02,480 Speaker 1: we've always um through this change been able to move 310 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:05,000 Speaker 1: forward collectively, and I think we can do that here 311 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 1: as well. Let's talk about the elephant in the room. 312 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:12,320 Speaker 1: Quite frankly, COVID and I thought we had a great 313 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 1: chance to to get by it this season, UH, and 314 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 1: unfortunately it has reared its ugly head UH and a 315 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:24,600 Speaker 1: number of bowl games this season have been canceled or 316 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:28,160 Speaker 1: at least delayed because of what has happened with this virus? 317 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:33,880 Speaker 1: How is the SEC going to prepare to deal with 318 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 1: COVID not only for Monday's big game, but in the future. 319 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:42,879 Speaker 1: Is uh the question that just won't go away in 320 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 1: my life. It's like every time where we think we're out, 321 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:49,240 Speaker 1: we get dragged right back in. How much of your 322 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:51,680 Speaker 1: day spent thinking about this and talking about this? Sorry 323 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 1: to interest, Yeah, no, it's daily. That's a that's a 324 00:19:55,600 --> 00:20:00,320 Speaker 1: really important question. So let's let's go back to years, 325 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:02,359 Speaker 1: which is hard to believe, you two years at this 326 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:06,439 Speaker 1: time we had heard of this coronavirus and I'm not 327 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:08,920 Speaker 1: even sure if it had the COVID nineteen label. And 328 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,680 Speaker 1: we started as a conference in really late January when 329 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:17,320 Speaker 1: there were media reports of positive COVID cases on two 330 00:20:17,320 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 1: of our campus is. Both by the way, it proved 331 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:22,639 Speaker 1: to be erroneous, but it triggered for us in the 332 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:27,959 Speaker 1: SEC office the need to be thinking, communicating um and 333 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:31,119 Speaker 1: strategizing about how we're going to move forward with healthy competition. 334 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:35,239 Speaker 1: Knowing very little about COVID nineteen, and so I had 335 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:38,960 Speaker 1: two staff members who were the conduits for communication kind 336 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:42,639 Speaker 1: of locked down, if you will, that communication strategy. We 337 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:46,359 Speaker 1: started talking with public health officials. We actually conducted championships 338 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:48,880 Speaker 1: in an enormously healthy way until we had to stop. 339 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:54,680 Speaker 1: In March, our men's basketball tournament stopped everything, and immediately 340 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 1: after that we took about three weeks. We appointed a 341 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:02,400 Speaker 1: Medical Advisory Task Force representative from all fourteen of our 342 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:06,879 Speaker 1: campuses and it's a variety of expertise infectious disease specialist, 343 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:12,960 Speaker 1: athletics trainers or the petis UM internal medicine, and and 344 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:17,720 Speaker 1: their collaboration has guided us forward and it's been incredibly important. 345 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 1: And the key is, I think they thought they were 346 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:24,480 Speaker 1: signing up for like sixty or ninety days of voluntary 347 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:28,159 Speaker 1: participation in the Southeastern Conference. You know that's that sounds 348 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:31,400 Speaker 1: important and rewarding and great, and it is, and we're 349 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 1: still working with them. And we adjusted protocols UM right 350 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:39,160 Speaker 1: before the CDC five day adjustment was made, and then 351 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 1: we've adjusted again that that group meets every week. We've 352 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:48,240 Speaker 1: had basketball games uh postponed or not played and you know, 353 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:50,919 Speaker 1: some question about whether those who will be able to 354 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:53,960 Speaker 1: be rescheduled. We lost one of our thirteen Bowl games 355 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:57,639 Speaker 1: because of an increase in positive COVID cases. On the 356 00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:01,040 Speaker 1: other hand, we've had great success playing relative to the 357 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 1: challenge that we face. I know the two programs looking 358 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 1: to the National Championship game over two years time manage 359 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:11,600 Speaker 1: very well and very effectively at keeping the players healthy 360 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:14,760 Speaker 1: and avoiding kind of mass outbreaks it would create them 361 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:21,119 Speaker 1: need to stop. In August of you sent out a 362 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:25,719 Speaker 1: tweet and asked fans essentially to get vaccinated. I'm just 363 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:31,640 Speaker 1: curious what kind of blowback feedback response you got from 364 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:33,919 Speaker 1: from people directly. How how do you feel that message 365 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:39,359 Speaker 1: got across. Well, like anything in our society, there are 366 00:22:39,359 --> 00:22:42,359 Speaker 1: our poles and the healths right, and I mean polar 367 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:46,120 Speaker 1: opposite perspectives. And so if you followed my Twitter feed 368 00:22:46,160 --> 00:22:48,200 Speaker 1: that day, there were those who said, hey, look good 369 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 1: for the commissioner of the Southeastern Conference encouraging people to 370 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: access the vaccine, and others who said, you know, stay 371 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:58,119 Speaker 1: out of my business. It's none of your none of 372 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:02,080 Speaker 1: your not in your pur view to determ whether or 373 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 1: not unvaccinated. That tweet really went back the previous year 374 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:09,200 Speaker 1: where I had all these people asking me to help 375 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:15,600 Speaker 1: us play, both student athletes, participating, UH coaches, the public, 376 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 1: and so it seemed fair to identify first that our 377 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:23,960 Speaker 1: teams that achieved remarkably high vaccination rates relative to the 378 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:29,000 Speaker 1: general public or any specific cohort there in UM and 379 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:32,480 Speaker 1: the public who wanted us to continue to play, could 380 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:36,000 Speaker 1: help us achieve that goal again in twenty one by 381 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:41,600 Speaker 1: accessing vaccines. Now, a lot of confusion, concerned, debate, discussion, 382 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 1: but that was and still seems one of the best strategies, 383 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:49,919 Speaker 1: the accessing of vaccinations for COVID nineteen one of the 384 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:54,680 Speaker 1: best ways for us to stay as healthy as possible. Greg, 385 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:57,640 Speaker 1: What was some of the financial consequences of COVID and 386 00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:01,359 Speaker 1: were any programs UH eliminated from any of your member 387 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:05,639 Speaker 1: schools real proudly, No, we did not eliminate any of 388 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 1: our athletic teams during COVID nineteen. UM. If you go 389 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:14,119 Speaker 1: from that, we did have personnel adjustments across the league, 390 00:24:14,359 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 1: positions not filled. There were some positions that that on 391 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 1: on campuses and it's all campus decision making that's not 392 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:25,959 Speaker 1: driven by the Conference office. UM that we had workforce 393 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:29,600 Speaker 1: reductions like anyone else did. UM in the Conference office, 394 00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:32,840 Speaker 1: we had some positions not filled. We kept our our 395 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 1: salaries flat during the peak of COVID, and big picture, 396 00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:43,119 Speaker 1: we were reduced in football to about capacity. In fact, 397 00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:46,919 Speaker 1: the Vanderbilt at no fans through the football season. We 398 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:50,639 Speaker 1: impacted our basketball attendance and it wasn't until baseball season 399 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:53,680 Speaker 1: that we saw fans back in our stadiums and large numbers. 400 00:24:54,200 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 1: And so moving through was was filled with fiscal challenge 401 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:03,879 Speaker 1: is and I think our programs managed very well, and 402 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,640 Speaker 1: that's identified by the fact we kept all of our 403 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:11,399 Speaker 1: participation opportunities intact. Uh. You know, for example, for the 404 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:15,480 Speaker 1: first time ever Kentucky volleyball ONEA and see a women's 405 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:18,520 Speaker 1: volleyball national championship. We've never had that happen, and I 406 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:22,240 Speaker 1: think that shows the value of playing in the value 407 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:25,640 Speaker 1: of the support provided. Um, we're able to meet our 408 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:31,959 Speaker 1: our television contractual requirements, which kept our conference revenue very healthy. 409 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:35,600 Speaker 1: In fact, when we were in the summer of twenty 410 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:38,199 Speaker 1: making projections, uh, you know, we had kind of a 411 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:40,800 Speaker 1: worst case in best case scenario, and we weren't to 412 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:44,520 Speaker 1: the best case Santa scenario fully, but we were much 413 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:47,600 Speaker 1: closer than we might have predicted at the peak of 414 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 1: the uncertainty in that summer. And let's talk about the 415 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:57,159 Speaker 1: three letters that have invaded college sports in general n 416 00:25:57,240 --> 00:26:01,440 Speaker 1: I l name, image, and likeness deals are being made 417 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:03,639 Speaker 1: now left and right. Did you ever think that you 418 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:09,679 Speaker 1: would see something like this in college sports? Well, probably 419 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:14,639 Speaker 1: not ten years ago, um, ten months ago. Yes, you 420 00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:17,159 Speaker 1: could see it coming, and maybe even a couple of 421 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:19,399 Speaker 1: years prior to that. I think after the adoption of 422 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:23,919 Speaker 1: the California law, the state law in California and the 423 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:28,719 Speaker 1: fall of nineteen, our attention came came firmly on the 424 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:33,000 Speaker 1: changes coming um a number of dominos as a fallen 425 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:37,040 Speaker 1: sense and whether it's state laws, um, you know, congressional interests, 426 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:40,320 Speaker 1: but no action or Supreme Court decision in the Alston case. 427 00:26:40,359 --> 00:26:43,080 Speaker 1: All of that combined to place us where we are. 428 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:48,040 Speaker 1: And I'll admit to having lacked the full imagination to 429 00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:51,080 Speaker 1: see what's in front of us now. But we're going 430 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:55,120 Speaker 1: to continue to adjust and adapt it appears necessary to do. So. 431 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:59,640 Speaker 1: What specific deals have you monitored and kept your eye 432 00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:02,679 Speaker 1: on and maybe have surprised you in terms of how 433 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:04,800 Speaker 1: they're being managed so far and how they're playing out. 434 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:10,920 Speaker 1: We're not engaged in the monitoring activity. This activity under 435 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:14,000 Speaker 1: the name, image and likeness heading is permitted under state laws, 436 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:16,359 Speaker 1: and so those state laws vary, and when we were 437 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:20,400 Speaker 1: asked about compliance issues, unlike past years where we might 438 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:23,600 Speaker 1: write an n c A rule interpretation, were sending our 439 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:27,639 Speaker 1: schools back to their university councilor or state attorney general 440 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:31,879 Speaker 1: and that those laws will determine monitoring. So most of 441 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:35,080 Speaker 1: what we hear, it might be shared by schools, are 442 00:27:35,119 --> 00:27:40,360 Speaker 1: reported by schools or typically through media reports, or announced 443 00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:43,879 Speaker 1: by students themselves right on Twitter. Yeah. Yeah. In fact, 444 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:47,720 Speaker 1: I was flying back from Omaha after Vanderbilt in Mississippi 445 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:50,040 Speaker 1: State played in the final of the College World Series 446 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:54,119 Speaker 1: UH in July. One had struck midnight on June thirty, 447 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:57,520 Speaker 1: and I was watching an overnight flight. You know, all 448 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:00,760 Speaker 1: those deals announced on various Twitter feeds, So it's a 449 00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:05,200 Speaker 1: different reality. It is uncomfortable in any ways, but they're 450 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:09,879 Speaker 1: also rewarding opportunities for young people if if their approach 451 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:13,639 Speaker 1: is well managed in a previous life, Greg, I know 452 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:16,399 Speaker 1: you were a compliance director at a university. Is this 453 00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:18,880 Speaker 1: just taken on a whole new life of its own 454 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:21,920 Speaker 1: in terms of staffing at each individual school in your conference, 455 00:28:23,640 --> 00:28:25,680 Speaker 1: It's taken on a life of its own. In the 456 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:28,959 Speaker 1: adjustment to pivot from being able to call the insane 457 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:32,080 Speaker 1: national office or conference offices and just have yes or 458 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:35,600 Speaker 1: no answers often given or ask for an interpretation because 459 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:39,320 Speaker 1: it's it's either state law based or campus policy based. 460 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:43,080 Speaker 1: I don't think it's resulted in a huge ramping up 461 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 1: a personnel standpoint. That said, we do have programs that 462 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:53,320 Speaker 1: have added either personnel or form relationships to help them 463 00:28:53,360 --> 00:28:57,520 Speaker 1: manage through this, this new onboarding of Name and his likeness, 464 00:28:57,560 --> 00:29:00,240 Speaker 1: and and so I think they they have a again 465 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: in compliance with their state laws managed well. Not a 466 00:29:03,720 --> 00:29:08,440 Speaker 1: huge personnel impact yet, but uh, you know, keep in 467 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:12,360 Speaker 1: mind July one is when we saw the onset of 468 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:14,600 Speaker 1: Name of His Likeness. We go into a football season. 469 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:16,560 Speaker 1: There's not a lot of time I would I would 470 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:19,440 Speaker 1: expect the level of activity over the next six months 471 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:24,280 Speaker 1: to really be the educational and adaptation uh segment, at 472 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:28,959 Speaker 1: least in the initial onset of Name of his Likeness activity. 473 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:32,840 Speaker 1: I have to bring up something that it is. That's 474 00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:35,640 Speaker 1: why it is a real honor to talk with you. 475 00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:39,680 Speaker 1: The SEC was formed in n and there have only 476 00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 1: been eight that have led the SEC as a commissioner, 477 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:50,640 Speaker 1: and you are the eight. Does the impact of that 478 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:55,320 Speaker 1: hit you sometimes when you're talking about such a conference 479 00:29:55,720 --> 00:30:00,040 Speaker 1: that has such history behind it, and only eight of 480 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:04,600 Speaker 1: you all have lent this. Yes, is the short answer. 481 00:30:04,640 --> 00:30:07,520 Speaker 1: In fact, I can. I'm able to remember I was 482 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:11,440 Speaker 1: commissioner of the Southland Conference and Bloomberg never called me 483 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 1: when I was south interviewer. This is a sports show 484 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:19,600 Speaker 1: was not existent then, But yeah, probably so. Also, you know, 485 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:22,160 Speaker 1: I'm also I'm often aspect I was asking federal accord 486 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:26,440 Speaker 1: if the SEC's confused my SEC with a stage commission, 487 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:30,200 Speaker 1: so we may confuse some people with this interview, right, Um, 488 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:33,360 Speaker 1: It is in fact that the two I know, the 489 00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:37,760 Speaker 1: three commissioners who served ahead of the Harvey Schiller, Roy Kramer, 490 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:40,640 Speaker 1: and Mike Slive, and particularly with Roy and Mike. You know, 491 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:43,840 Speaker 1: I walked into a room in the early nineties. I 492 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 1: was actually in my late twenties. I was substituting for 493 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:50,719 Speaker 1: the Southland Commissioner, just in awe of of Roy Kramer, 494 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: who I had read about and I'd seen at a distance, 495 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:55,080 Speaker 1: and so to come to know him as a friend, 496 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:59,560 Speaker 1: Um is incredibly rewarding. In the same for Mike Slive 497 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:02,880 Speaker 1: and and to sit in the office that they both occupied, 498 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:07,080 Speaker 1: uh sometimes in different chairs in that office of making 499 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:10,360 Speaker 1: decisions around the table. It's been in that that room 500 00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:14,440 Speaker 1: for the past thirty years. Uh. It is not lost 501 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:19,640 Speaker 1: on me the magnitude of of who we are and 502 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:22,840 Speaker 1: what we do, but also the weight of the responsibility 503 00:31:23,040 --> 00:31:27,320 Speaker 1: of leadership. And every one of us stands, if you will, 504 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 1: on the shoulders of one who served before. And I'm 505 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:33,440 Speaker 1: certainly hopeful that those who follow me will look back 506 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:37,560 Speaker 1: and and speak well of me and my leadership during 507 00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:39,960 Speaker 1: what is a fascinating time to serve in the role 508 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:43,240 Speaker 1: of the Conference commissioner. Yeah, absolutely, a ton of change. 509 00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:48,200 Speaker 1: I'm curious also because I was reading how you had 510 00:31:48,200 --> 00:31:52,520 Speaker 1: a conversation with your basketball coach in college during a 511 00:31:52,560 --> 00:31:55,960 Speaker 1: game or freshman year that really made an impact on 512 00:31:56,040 --> 00:31:58,840 Speaker 1: you and stirred your interest in working in college sports. 513 00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:01,680 Speaker 1: So in a way, you're heading up the SEC is 514 00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:05,560 Speaker 1: kind of the culmination of that that interest so many 515 00:32:05,640 --> 00:32:09,040 Speaker 1: years ago, so many decades ago. What do you remember 516 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:11,760 Speaker 1: from that time that kind of carries you through now 517 00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:15,160 Speaker 1: as you oversee the SEC. Yeah, it was it was 518 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:18,400 Speaker 1: my college baseball coach baseball got it and my my 519 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:22,040 Speaker 1: freshman year. Yeah, and uh, you know, it was a 520 00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:24,760 Speaker 1: knock on my my dorm room door on a Sunday 521 00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:27,640 Speaker 1: evening and I opened the door and there's Roger Key 522 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:30,239 Speaker 1: for the was the baseball coach and eternal college, and 523 00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:33,240 Speaker 1: that was not normal for me. So I can remember 524 00:32:33,280 --> 00:32:36,320 Speaker 1: the shock at seeing my baseball coach. We went into 525 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:39,560 Speaker 1: a lounge and had a one on one conversation where 526 00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:41,720 Speaker 1: we talked about the day before I had played in 527 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:44,680 Speaker 1: the game. It was a double header and I played 528 00:32:44,720 --> 00:32:48,480 Speaker 1: against that opponent previously and had my first my first 529 00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:52,000 Speaker 1: hit in college, my first start, and so I became 530 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:55,960 Speaker 1: that immature freshman moping around now participating, and he really 531 00:32:55,960 --> 00:32:58,680 Speaker 1: spoke to me about leadership and my role on that team, 532 00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:03,320 Speaker 1: and you know, I was shocked. I'm a freshman backup catcher, 533 00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:07,800 Speaker 1: not everythinking about my impact on others, and when I 534 00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:11,720 Speaker 1: wasn't the same, when I wasn't a participant in the 535 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:14,239 Speaker 1: way he expected. I heard the team even though I 536 00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:18,800 Speaker 1: was not on the field, and that really just spurred 537 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:23,320 Speaker 1: a thought about his impact on me. And I was 538 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:26,600 Speaker 1: an engineering major at the time, and I didn't see 539 00:33:26,640 --> 00:33:30,400 Speaker 1: myself doing that. Whether that was the right or wrong decision, 540 00:33:30,440 --> 00:33:33,840 Speaker 1: it's the decision that that ultimately came led to me 541 00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:38,600 Speaker 1: working in education because I wanted to impact people in 542 00:33:38,680 --> 00:33:44,480 Speaker 1: that same way, that competitive environment attached to the educational setting. Um, 543 00:33:44,520 --> 00:33:47,600 Speaker 1: there are plenty of cynics. We've got over two fifty 544 00:33:47,680 --> 00:33:51,280 Speaker 1: graduate patches on our Bowl team participantal see dozens of 545 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:57,360 Speaker 1: them on in the National championship game in Indianapolis. To me, 546 00:33:57,520 --> 00:34:00,280 Speaker 1: those are real, those are young people achieving. You. I 547 00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:03,160 Speaker 1: wanted to be part of that somehow. And you know, 548 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:05,400 Speaker 1: it came to a second conversation with my wife and 549 00:34:05,440 --> 00:34:08,000 Speaker 1: I've been married about three months, and I was finishing 550 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 1: a master's degree at Syracuse University and I was required 551 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:14,040 Speaker 1: to complete an internship, and she and I just had 552 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:16,120 Speaker 1: a conversation where I said, I wonder if I can 553 00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:19,560 Speaker 1: work in Division one college sports, and if so, how 554 00:34:19,640 --> 00:34:22,240 Speaker 1: far it might go? And you know, here I am 555 00:34:22,320 --> 00:34:27,480 Speaker 1: so those those two moments, that that freshman year conversation 556 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:31,640 Speaker 1: where my baseball coach I altered my thinking about my 557 00:34:31,800 --> 00:34:36,600 Speaker 1: role in my leadership ability, and then a conversation just 558 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:41,120 Speaker 1: the willingness, Um are two newly wds to explore what 559 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:44,640 Speaker 1: might be out there. That that culmination is here and 560 00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:48,200 Speaker 1: there's still plenty of work ahead, but it's not lost 561 00:34:48,280 --> 00:34:51,920 Speaker 1: on me that I go back to that moment in 562 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:55,799 Speaker 1: the spring of eighty three and really in many ways, uh, 563 00:34:56,560 --> 00:35:01,480 Speaker 1: a life changing, a course changing conversation for me. That's 564 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:03,239 Speaker 1: a great story, Greg, and I'm sure that there are 565 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:06,080 Speaker 1: countless of listeners out there who have gone through similar 566 00:35:06,160 --> 00:35:09,279 Speaker 1: situations with coaches. UM. I want to bring up the 567 00:35:09,280 --> 00:35:12,080 Speaker 1: other dance partner with that we couldn't imagine would be 568 00:35:12,120 --> 00:35:15,439 Speaker 1: a dance partner with with student athletes even five years ago, 569 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:20,320 Speaker 1: and that's legalized sports bedding. UM. Each state is different. 570 00:35:20,360 --> 00:35:24,200 Speaker 1: I know in your conference, I think Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, 571 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:27,799 Speaker 1: and Mississippi are in right now. Is this something that 572 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:31,719 Speaker 1: you've coaches and compliance people and athletic directors just have 573 00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:39,279 Speaker 1: to be vigilant with seven Yes. Um, we we monitored 574 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:42,960 Speaker 1: the Supreme Court decision that it was struck down the 575 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:47,200 Speaker 1: PASPA legislation and altered the ability for the federal government 576 00:35:47,239 --> 00:35:50,520 Speaker 1: to engage in the way it had. Um, we've encouraged 577 00:35:51,280 --> 00:35:54,600 Speaker 1: some oversight at the federal level that's not happened so 578 00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:57,920 Speaker 1: it's not left to the state. And you know there 579 00:35:57,920 --> 00:36:01,080 Speaker 1: are a few elements. One we we engage with an 580 00:36:01,080 --> 00:36:05,320 Speaker 1: integrity monitoring service on a weekly basis, monitoring our games, 581 00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:09,000 Speaker 1: learning what's taking place. We have a pretty good understanding 582 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:13,320 Speaker 1: of the amounts that are being wagered on college sports 583 00:36:13,600 --> 00:36:17,040 Speaker 1: and even on our games and the scope of that 584 00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:20,799 Speaker 1: that one thinks about football, but you know, sometimes volleyball 585 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:24,719 Speaker 1: matches are included in legalized sports wagering, and that's not 586 00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:28,120 Speaker 1: been a talk topic of conversation. The second element is 587 00:36:28,160 --> 00:36:32,680 Speaker 1: we're seeing in inculturation of sports gambling. So it is existed, 588 00:36:32,880 --> 00:36:35,400 Speaker 1: and we've known it has existed, but it's been in 589 00:36:35,440 --> 00:36:40,920 Speaker 1: the shadows in different ways. As that behavior becomes more normalized, 590 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:44,400 Speaker 1: that magnifies the need for attention individulance. And you know, 591 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:50,680 Speaker 1: information is gold and this um sports wagering endeavor, and 592 00:36:50,719 --> 00:36:54,240 Speaker 1: in college sports we've been very different in our approach 593 00:36:54,280 --> 00:36:58,200 Speaker 1: to sharing information or controlling information that has been done 594 00:36:58,200 --> 00:37:01,320 Speaker 1: in the professional leagues. And you know, there are values 595 00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:04,360 Speaker 1: in involved in that. You know, do you want to 596 00:37:04,360 --> 00:37:10,040 Speaker 1: be involved in supporting sports wagering with unpaid um amateur 597 00:37:10,080 --> 00:37:15,680 Speaker 1: athletes versus a professional sport that has injury reports and 598 00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:19,040 Speaker 1: very clear protocols. So we have to adapt to that 599 00:37:19,480 --> 00:37:23,319 Speaker 1: information management and try to manage leaks. And then there's 600 00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:25,360 Speaker 1: a history in college sports, and you go back to 601 00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:29,000 Speaker 1: point shaving scandals, you know were Boston College was touched 602 00:37:29,040 --> 00:37:31,400 Speaker 1: by it, New York City, Madison Square Garden in the 603 00:37:32,120 --> 00:37:35,200 Speaker 1: in the in the fifties, and basketball and then any 604 00:37:35,239 --> 00:37:39,000 Speaker 1: other number of ad hot cases across the country. UH 605 00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:43,919 Speaker 1: magnifies the need as sports gambling at the college level 606 00:37:44,040 --> 00:37:49,080 Speaker 1: becomes more unculturated. UH magnifies the need for integrity, monitoring 607 00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:53,520 Speaker 1: and attention UH to two key issues those around the program. 608 00:37:53,520 --> 00:37:56,160 Speaker 1: And I'll end with this. We've had a lot of 609 00:37:56,160 --> 00:37:59,880 Speaker 1: discussions about the mental health of young people participating in 610 00:38:00,040 --> 00:38:02,920 Speaker 1: college sports, and I think these mental health issues are 611 00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:07,040 Speaker 1: across the spectrum in our society, but particularly in college sports. 612 00:38:07,480 --> 00:38:10,799 Speaker 1: I've been vocal. I've spoken about it. We engage our 613 00:38:10,840 --> 00:38:14,600 Speaker 1: campus mental health leaders. They um speak to me about, 614 00:38:14,680 --> 00:38:16,719 Speaker 1: in fact, that a conversation at the Sugar Bowl with 615 00:38:16,800 --> 00:38:20,240 Speaker 1: one of our mental health counselors and the support needed. 616 00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:24,840 Speaker 1: I've also talked to professional athletes p g A tour 617 00:38:24,920 --> 00:38:30,160 Speaker 1: members where professional golf is the center of gambling internationally 618 00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:33,960 Speaker 1: and the impact on them through social media or messages 619 00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:36,840 Speaker 1: that come through different ways. I think we have to 620 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:39,600 Speaker 1: be sensitive to the pressure on an eighteen year old 621 00:38:39,680 --> 00:38:42,200 Speaker 1: lining up to Q field goal or missing a free 622 00:38:42,200 --> 00:38:45,760 Speaker 1: throw that relates to meeting or not meeting the spread 623 00:38:45,920 --> 00:38:48,560 Speaker 1: or the over under. Those are real issues that are 624 00:38:48,800 --> 00:38:52,440 Speaker 1: are another element of that new front and center thinking 625 00:38:52,480 --> 00:38:57,279 Speaker 1: of our programs. SEC Commissioner Greg thank you, and I 626 00:38:57,320 --> 00:38:59,800 Speaker 1: have to give you this plug. You guys announced that 627 00:39:00,000 --> 00:39:03,560 Speaker 1: in year media agreement with the Walt Disney Company ABC 628 00:39:03,719 --> 00:39:10,840 Speaker 1: back in December of it starts that ABC will be 629 00:39:10,880 --> 00:39:14,560 Speaker 1: the new broadcast network home for Saturday afternoon football games 630 00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:18,480 Speaker 1: and select prime time football games and the annual SEC 631 00:39:18,920 --> 00:39:22,640 Speaker 1: Football Championship with short on time. But I have to 632 00:39:22,680 --> 00:39:24,680 Speaker 1: ask you the impact of that before we let you go. 633 00:39:26,040 --> 00:39:31,319 Speaker 1: Let's obviously there's revenue, there's exposure. UM. That provides us 634 00:39:31,320 --> 00:39:34,640 Speaker 1: flexibility UM compared to the past few decades with our 635 00:39:34,719 --> 00:39:38,560 Speaker 1: kickoff times, which is a fan friendly approach from an 636 00:39:38,600 --> 00:39:43,200 Speaker 1: attendance standpoint, where we can project game times out much 637 00:39:43,200 --> 00:39:47,000 Speaker 1: earlier so our fans can plan their travel. UM. We've 638 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:52,560 Speaker 1: got more platforms available and with Disney, ABC, ESPN, what 639 00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:56,080 Speaker 1: they've done digitally, what they've done with cable and satellite, 640 00:39:56,080 --> 00:39:58,799 Speaker 1: and what what they have with ABC and Broadcast TV. 641 00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:04,040 Speaker 1: Having the access to that spectrum of delivery platforms was 642 00:40:04,080 --> 00:40:07,319 Speaker 1: another important element of our future opportunities. We've had great 643 00:40:07,320 --> 00:40:12,799 Speaker 1: success with ESPN with the SEC network are basic broadcast 644 00:40:12,800 --> 00:40:16,399 Speaker 1: agreements and our own conference network, and we're excited about 645 00:40:16,400 --> 00:40:21,560 Speaker 1: our future when that migration happens in academic here. Scarlet 646 00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:25,040 Speaker 1: Foo has the business acumen, Mike Lynch has the deep 647 00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:27,960 Speaker 1: sports acumen, and I am that fool. Hey, I talked 648 00:40:27,960 --> 00:40:31,520 Speaker 1: to SEC Commissioner Mike sank Gregg. Thank you, I am. 649 00:40:31,560 --> 00:40:34,600 Speaker 1: I'm just really impressed and thank you so much, sir 650 00:40:35,040 --> 00:40:37,960 Speaker 1: for talking to us that really is neat. Thank you 651 00:40:38,040 --> 00:40:41,200 Speaker 1: for the interest and hopefully this has been helpful and interesting. 652 00:40:41,600 --> 00:40:45,160 Speaker 1: Thank you. Greg, really appreciate it very much. Thanks Greg. 653 00:40:45,239 --> 00:40:47,640 Speaker 1: Thank you. You talk about some of the most powerful 654 00:40:48,520 --> 00:40:53,720 Speaker 1: people in sports in general, uh, Commissioner of the SEC. 655 00:40:54,160 --> 00:40:59,400 Speaker 1: Scarlet It's very interesting to hear him talk about uh, 656 00:40:59,840 --> 00:41:05,200 Speaker 1: the conferences and and the team's involved, especially now that 657 00:41:05,280 --> 00:41:08,480 Speaker 1: you know you have two other teams that are probably 658 00:41:08,520 --> 00:41:14,000 Speaker 1: going to join within Oklahoma in Texas. Yeah, and no 659 00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:19,400 Speaker 1: matter what happens with them, the actual championship, the SEC wins, 660 00:41:19,520 --> 00:41:23,560 Speaker 1: right because you've got two teams in the SEC already 661 00:41:23,560 --> 00:41:27,200 Speaker 1: competing Georgia and Alabama, so SEC wins overall, they've been winning. 662 00:41:27,239 --> 00:41:29,279 Speaker 1: Four different schools have won the national title since two 663 00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:33,720 Speaker 1: thousand and six. Um from the SEC, and either Georgia 664 00:41:33,800 --> 00:41:38,120 Speaker 1: or Alabama will become the next one. I'm I'm interested 665 00:41:38,160 --> 00:41:41,160 Speaker 1: in how he's suddenly become or has a higher profile 666 00:41:41,160 --> 00:41:44,560 Speaker 1: in the last couple of years as his uh as 667 00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:47,080 Speaker 1: a stature has grown. He's talking more to the press, 668 00:41:47,080 --> 00:41:51,640 Speaker 1: whereas before he was fairly low key. Lynchi, this is 669 00:41:51,760 --> 00:41:54,400 Speaker 1: something you know, first of all, and I really did. 670 00:41:54,440 --> 00:41:56,040 Speaker 1: I had to think about it when I was driving. 671 00:41:56,719 --> 00:42:00,000 Speaker 1: We talked to Greg Thanky this this is a pretty 672 00:42:00,080 --> 00:42:04,120 Speaker 1: big time doing here in sports. Well, he negotiated this 673 00:42:04,280 --> 00:42:07,720 Speaker 1: monster deal with ESPN and ABC for the Southeast Conference, 674 00:42:07,719 --> 00:42:10,440 Speaker 1: which kicks in in five just in time for Texas 675 00:42:10,480 --> 00:42:13,160 Speaker 1: and Oklahoma to come in. That has doubled what they've 676 00:42:13,160 --> 00:42:15,560 Speaker 1: been getting from CBS over the years. And I was 677 00:42:15,560 --> 00:42:19,440 Speaker 1: looking at the salaries of the Big Power five teams 678 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:23,560 Speaker 1: conferences and he's down the bottom at two point nine million. 679 00:42:23,600 --> 00:42:25,800 Speaker 1: The commissioner of the Big Ten makes over ten million 680 00:42:25,800 --> 00:42:29,960 Speaker 1: dollars a year and Greig Sankey, Uh yeah, Greig Sankys, 681 00:42:30,440 --> 00:42:32,239 Speaker 1: We're not we're not going to throw a know, a 682 00:42:32,280 --> 00:42:35,320 Speaker 1: bake sale for him at two point nine million, but 683 00:42:35,320 --> 00:42:38,719 Speaker 1: but certainly he's he's yeah, but he's earn to. He's 684 00:42:38,760 --> 00:42:40,719 Speaker 1: earned a big piece of cake there with with this 685 00:42:40,760 --> 00:42:43,360 Speaker 1: deal that he's done, and and the conference flourishes, like 686 00:42:43,400 --> 00:42:46,600 Speaker 1: you know, Kentucky women won the volleyball championship. It's not 687 00:42:46,680 --> 00:42:48,880 Speaker 1: just just football, and all the money they bring in 688 00:42:48,880 --> 00:42:51,520 Speaker 1: from football benefits all these other programs. And what I 689 00:42:51,560 --> 00:42:54,279 Speaker 1: was really impressed with is that during COVID we heard 690 00:42:54,400 --> 00:42:58,520 Speaker 1: so many colleges wiping out programs, women's track and field, 691 00:42:58,520 --> 00:43:01,320 Speaker 1: men's track and field at at Clemson, or the rowing 692 00:43:01,360 --> 00:43:04,120 Speaker 1: team out at Stanford, the wrestling team at the University 693 00:43:04,160 --> 00:43:07,839 Speaker 1: of Cincinnati. And he said, not one program at any 694 00:43:07,840 --> 00:43:12,000 Speaker 1: of the fourteen schools in the Southeastern Conference were canceled 695 00:43:12,120 --> 00:43:14,160 Speaker 1: or dropped or wiped out because of COVID. And I 696 00:43:14,160 --> 00:43:17,160 Speaker 1: think that's that's great. I I think about when and 697 00:43:17,239 --> 00:43:21,520 Speaker 1: when they had a chance to ask him and Mr Sanky, 698 00:43:21,680 --> 00:43:25,759 Speaker 1: because only eight of you guys have been the commissioner 699 00:43:25,800 --> 00:43:30,479 Speaker 1: of the SEC since nineteen thirty three, and only eight 700 00:43:30,560 --> 00:43:35,280 Speaker 1: We've had more presidents than we've had SEC commissioners and 701 00:43:35,920 --> 00:43:39,520 Speaker 1: the weight of that. I was impressed, you know when 702 00:43:39,520 --> 00:43:42,319 Speaker 1: he was talking about it that you know, yeah, this 703 00:43:42,400 --> 00:43:45,680 Speaker 1: is something that I cherish. This is something that you 704 00:43:45,719 --> 00:43:49,120 Speaker 1: know I I don't take this for granted. And now 705 00:43:49,280 --> 00:43:53,160 Speaker 1: you know it me, I'm like the chairman of the SEC. 706 00:43:53,360 --> 00:43:55,719 Speaker 1: I'm all nervous in there and it's like, you know, hey, 707 00:43:55,760 --> 00:43:58,200 Speaker 1: give me a pillow or something whatever. But you know, 708 00:43:59,080 --> 00:44:01,440 Speaker 1: Greg Sanky had a lot of get up and go when. 709 00:44:01,480 --> 00:44:04,360 Speaker 1: I'd love to see that, and he's he's going to 710 00:44:04,440 --> 00:44:06,799 Speaker 1: be a force to to reckon with the SEC for 711 00:44:06,880 --> 00:44:12,480 Speaker 1: many many years to come. Betti, that's not in kids. 712 00:44:12,480 --> 00:44:14,520 Speaker 1: Feels better to be number one than number five. I'll 713 00:44:14,520 --> 00:44:16,319 Speaker 1: wear a number because of Mike. We have a chance 714 00:44:16,360 --> 00:44:17,960 Speaker 1: to go for three and a row. Good numbers are 715 00:44:18,000 --> 00:44:20,040 Speaker 1: a good time. When I first started wearing the number, 716 00:44:20,080 --> 00:44:23,080 Speaker 1: how we just have been proud Bloomberg Business of Sports. 717 00:44:23,280 --> 00:44:30,040 Speaker 1: The number of the week. Now there it is. I'm 718 00:44:30,040 --> 00:44:33,640 Speaker 1: really nervous for the number of the week. Now. See, 719 00:44:33,719 --> 00:44:36,080 Speaker 1: you thought I was gonna say something like now, how 720 00:44:36,160 --> 00:44:43,279 Speaker 1: much does Greg Sanky make? No this this week, we're 721 00:44:43,280 --> 00:44:49,320 Speaker 1: going to do this family feud style. So here's the changing. 722 00:44:49,840 --> 00:44:55,319 Speaker 1: We're changing it up Uh. Winner gets the points. Uh. 723 00:44:55,440 --> 00:44:57,360 Speaker 1: And and I'll ask a question here now because we 724 00:44:57,400 --> 00:45:02,400 Speaker 1: don't have a buzzer system. I there, Scarlett or Lynchy, 725 00:45:02,440 --> 00:45:04,880 Speaker 1: You're just gonna come in first and say got it, 726 00:45:05,760 --> 00:45:09,439 Speaker 1: and then I'll answer. So you're ready, all right, here 727 00:45:09,440 --> 00:45:12,480 Speaker 1: we go. Hopefully we'll get it. Top five answers on 728 00:45:12,520 --> 00:45:17,960 Speaker 1: the board. Here's the question. Give me the colleges that 729 00:45:18,000 --> 00:45:24,320 Speaker 1: have produced the most active NFL players in this season? Oh, 730 00:45:24,360 --> 00:45:33,120 Speaker 1: this season? Alabama? Are you didn't buzz in? All right, 731 00:45:37,520 --> 00:45:40,000 Speaker 1: Steve Harvey, Like you just don't get to say the answer, 732 00:45:40,080 --> 00:45:41,719 Speaker 1: and then you know it's like you know you got 733 00:45:41,719 --> 00:45:46,120 Speaker 1: a buzz in. All right, since you buzzed in. Okay, Lynchy, 734 00:45:46,160 --> 00:45:48,920 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go Alabama. All right. That's number one on 735 00:45:48,960 --> 00:45:52,920 Speaker 1: the board. And that's fifty three bing that's the active 736 00:45:53,000 --> 00:45:58,440 Speaker 1: number of players in the NFL seasons. Now, are you're 737 00:45:58,440 --> 00:46:02,320 Speaker 1: gonna player pass? I'm gonna play. Okay, he's gonna play 738 00:46:02,600 --> 00:46:05,640 Speaker 1: all right? All right, we're on a clock here, so 739 00:46:05,760 --> 00:46:09,120 Speaker 1: I'm timing you. Man. We got two, three, four and 740 00:46:09,239 --> 00:46:13,400 Speaker 1: five minchi the colleges that that produced the most active 741 00:46:13,520 --> 00:46:17,120 Speaker 1: NFL players in the two season. Well, I'm gonna go 742 00:46:17,160 --> 00:46:21,680 Speaker 1: with Georgia. Georgia, that's number four, and that's thirty five 743 00:46:21,800 --> 00:46:27,600 Speaker 1: more points. The Ohio State University. Man, that's number two. 744 00:46:28,320 --> 00:46:31,840 Speaker 1: That's forty seven. Again, that's all these numbers. Here are 745 00:46:31,640 --> 00:46:36,480 Speaker 1: the active players from these colleges. Oh, this is a 746 00:46:37,120 --> 00:46:39,000 Speaker 1: this this one was big a couple of years ago. 747 00:46:39,640 --> 00:46:45,479 Speaker 1: Louisiana State l sue, that's number three at forty six. 748 00:46:46,440 --> 00:46:57,520 Speaker 1: We have two more. We have one more. Bump bump bump, bump, bump, bump, bump, bump, bump, bump, bump, bump, bump, bump, bump, bump, bump, 749 00:46:57,640 --> 00:47:02,319 Speaker 1: b stalling man finding Irish of Notre Dame. Wow, yep, 750 00:47:02,480 --> 00:47:08,839 Speaker 1: you got it. Buddy's all five at thirty four. So yes, 751 00:47:09,160 --> 00:47:12,400 Speaker 1: c Scarlett needed the buzz in man. I mean, I 752 00:47:12,520 --> 00:47:17,279 Speaker 1: was thinking Florida. I was thinking I read Clemson's name, 753 00:47:17,320 --> 00:47:22,279 Speaker 1: Florida's eight, Florida's eight, Clemson six, Clemson with thirty three, 754 00:47:22,320 --> 00:47:26,160 Speaker 1: Florida's eight at thirty two. If you want the I 755 00:47:26,280 --> 00:47:28,960 Speaker 1: have the other ones here. No, Miami is not on 756 00:47:29,000 --> 00:47:33,720 Speaker 1: the board. Uh seven is Iowa at thirty three. Michigan 757 00:47:33,800 --> 00:47:37,040 Speaker 1: ninth also at thirty two, tied with Florida in Oklahoma 758 00:47:37,719 --> 00:47:42,399 Speaker 1: at thirty one. How many of those schools are SEC schools? Well, 759 00:47:42,440 --> 00:47:49,680 Speaker 1: obviously Alabama and Georgia LSU. I'm trying to think Florida 760 00:47:50,480 --> 00:47:54,719 Speaker 1: Notre Dame isn't isn't it? No independent independent? Okay, you 761 00:47:54,760 --> 00:47:58,560 Speaker 1: know something. Nobody from the pack twelve, nobody, nobody from 762 00:47:58,600 --> 00:48:02,399 Speaker 1: the top. I mean Southern cal used to lead lead 763 00:48:02,440 --> 00:48:05,359 Speaker 1: the league and players remember that at one point back 764 00:48:05,400 --> 00:48:09,880 Speaker 1: in the day. But yeah in Texas and Penn State. 765 00:48:10,280 --> 00:48:15,839 Speaker 1: Didn't o J come from USC he did? Yes, Heiman Trophy. Yeah, 766 00:48:15,880 --> 00:48:19,040 Speaker 1: back in the day. Thank you. Now, now Lynchy goes 767 00:48:19,080 --> 00:48:22,680 Speaker 1: onto the bonus round, but we'll play that. This has 768 00:48:22,719 --> 00:48:25,399 Speaker 1: been the Bloomberg Business of Sports show. We're here each 769 00:48:25,400 --> 00:48:27,480 Speaker 1: and every week at the same time, plus online wherever 770 00:48:27,480 --> 00:48:30,160 Speaker 1: you get your podcast. You can catch those Mondays, Wednesdays 771 00:48:30,200 --> 00:48:33,200 Speaker 1: and Thursdays. I'm Michael Barr on Twitter at Big Bar Sports. 772 00:48:33,640 --> 00:48:36,960 Speaker 1: I'm Scarlett. I'll be crying myself to sleep for not 773 00:48:37,320 --> 00:48:41,319 Speaker 1: even placing in in one of the top five. The 774 00:48:41,360 --> 00:48:43,879 Speaker 1: Family Feuge form. We moved on from the prices right. 775 00:48:44,480 --> 00:48:47,160 Speaker 1: You told we were doing our spare time watching game shows. 776 00:48:47,600 --> 00:48:50,600 Speaker 1: I'm Lynchy. You can follow me at Lynchy w CVB. 777 00:48:50,840 --> 00:48:53,680 Speaker 1: I'm going back to YouTube right now. Don't worry, Scarlett, 778 00:48:53,760 --> 00:48:56,800 Speaker 1: we got some lovely party. Thank you very much, thanks 779 00:48:56,800 --> 00:48:58,960 Speaker 1: for joining us. Tune in again next week for the 780 00:48:59,040 --> 00:49:02,239 Speaker 1: latest on the story. He's moving big old money in 781 00:49:02,280 --> 00:49:04,400 Speaker 1: the world of sports. You're listening to Bloomberg Business of 782 00:49:04,400 --> 00:49:06,200 Speaker 1: Sports and Bloomberg Radio around the world.