Greg Sankey addresses report, clarifies position on SEC departing NCAA

During his press conference to open the 2025 SEC Spring Meetings, Greg Sankey said he heard questions from inside the conference about the NCAA. Ahead of the spring meetings, Yahoo Sports reported the following:

“In an unreported and little-known fact, SEC presidents in March quietly authorized their commissioner, Sankey, to split from the NCAA if he deems that the right move.”

Sankey pointed out the report on an appearance with Paul Finebaum on Wednesday while recapping the week in Destin and clarified the SEC’s position. He reiterated some concerns he heard in the room, including the relationship between the conference and NCAA, as well as the question of why the league is still part of the association.

Amid the discussions, Sankey said a working group is addressing concerns. He’s part of it, as well as Ole Miss chancellor Glenn Boyce. From there, it comes down to deciding what the SEC’s position is as the discussion around autonomy continues.

“There was a report early in the week that I had authority to depart the NCAA,” Sankey said on The Paul Finebaum Show. “In Monday’s press conference, my observation was in our room, there are those who asked, ‘Does the NCAA still work for us? Why are we still in the NCAA?’ So we talked about a decision-making working group – Chancellor Boyce from Ole Miss and myself are on that. What is our position?

“We felt, and I think we still feel that an autonomy division within the NCAA is the best direction. So that’s a decision we’ve made before. How do we position it as this conversation takes place?”

One of the central issues to the authority the SEC has – as well as the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC – is the House v. NCAA settlement. The college sports world is still waiting for a ruling from Judge Claudia Wilken on approval of the landmark agreement, and documents show the NCAA is set to cede enforcement to the power conferences if it receives full approval.

In the meantime, Sankey pointed out the SEC asked for more power for the Power Four. But he confirmed he received questions about why the league is still part of the NCAA – and said he cannot make a decision about leaving.

“In this current iteration, the Southeastern Conference has asked for more authority and autonomy for the four conferences. … I don’t have the authority to just depart [the NCAA],” Sankey said. “That’s not been voted upon. I’ve shared with the decision-making working group, I have people in my room asking, ‘Why are we still in the NCAA?'”