SEC Network Swells Southeastern Conference War Chests
Bold talk came out of the Southeastern Conference meetings in Destin. Now we know why – the SEC Network.
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When Georgia head football coach Mark Richt and the rest of the SEC told the Big Ten, Big Twelve, and Pac Twelve conferences to, “Go ahead, make my day” regarding satellite football camps, everyone assumed the SEC was holding a .44 Magnum.
It was a bazooka, and it’s called the SEC Network
“Needless to say the network is extremely successful,” said outgoing SEC Commissioner Mike Slive, reported by Edgar Thompson of the OrlandoCentinal.com. “We are excited about the future of the network and have every reason to believe the network will be very, very successful.”
Boy howdy.
Last year each school received a 20.9 million dollar conference distribution. This year, after introducing the SEC Network, each school will receive $31.2 million dollars. (The $19 million from bowl revenue is set aside for schools that participated in the postseason.)
The 455.8 million dollar total distribution resulting in 31 million dollars for each school is off the chain huge, but even more monstrous is the two-year comparison between the SEC and the Big 12.
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Last year, the Big Twelve distributed 23 million dollars per school and the SEC 21 million dollars per school. This year, the Big Twelve distributes 25.6 million dollars per school and the SEC 31 million dollars per school.
The Big Twelve is whistling in the dark.
“I think we’re in a very good spot financially,” said Oklahoma State president Burns Hargis, the chairman of the conference’s board of directors to Chuck Carlton of dallasnews.com. “The disparity I don’t think is near what that looks like. As long as our student athletes are getting the facilities and the academic support and the full cost of attendance dollars, I think we’ll be able to compete just fine. And I don’t think our fans will question that.”
Maybe everything’s bigger in Big Twelve country, but the disparity looks to be roughly 5.5 million dollars per school. Let’s see how many satellite camps in the state of Texas a five million dollar advantage can fund.
The first inkling of the size of the SEC Network payout came when the University of Georgia Athletic Association increased the Georgia football budget by 35% and all but finalized plans for a 30 million dollar indoor practice facility after granting football and basketball coaches significant pay raises. The projected athletic revenue is 17 percent. That projection will be exceeded.
Assisted by Alabama cornerback Antonio Langham’s 27-yard interception return for a touchdown in the inaugural SEC Championship football game, then Commissioner Roy F. Kramer and the SEC showed college football how a championship game can bring riches to a conference. This past year, outgoing Commissioner Mike Slive and the SEC has shown college football how a TV network can bring riches to a conference.
Maybe the SEC should take over the war on poverty.