Paul Finebaum points to ESPN's role in SEC indecision, division over scheduling model

The SEC spring meetings have just begun, with four days of discussion about various topics relating to college athletics underway. One of the chief topics is the SEC’s scheduling model and what might happen with the league football schedule going forward.

But one significant hang-up might not have to do with which schools prefer which models.

As ESPN’s Paul Finebaum explains, there’s also a financial wrinkle that has to be taken under consideration, and it’s not an insignificant one.

“I think it comes down to what is the network, meaning ESPN, willing to pay for an additional game?” Finebaum said on the McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning program. “Now, when they cut this deal originally it had to be discussed. There are always qualifiers in contracts that adjust. And with everything else going on, meaning the 12-team playoff now a reality, which it was not when the original agreement with the SEC was formulated, I think there’s some adjustments that have to be made.”

A nine-game scheduling model would seem to afford the SEC a handful of perks, including the preservation of several secondary rivalries and a better inventory for the television networks.

However, there are a few holdouts within the league who would still prefer eight games, for reasons ranging from ease of access to bowl games to angst about what permanent opponents might be in a nine-game scheduling model. It’s unclear exactly what the hold-up is or whether the SEC might yet reach a final decision this week in Destin, Fla.

Finebaum reiterated his opinion that the TV money might more to do with it than whether schools prefer eight games or nine.

“I think we all would vouch for the commitment that ESPN has to the SEC and likewise, but it may be a moment in time where it’s taking longer to allocate the correct number of dollars where the SEC finally says, ‘You know, what, OK,'” Finebaum said.

So while there are likely to be a multitude of headlines this week about the SEC scheduling model discussions, fans will just have to wait to see what tack the league takes going forward.

Even if it’s the money driving things.

“I know what they all say about money, and you’ve read those comments, but we also understand the way this industry works,” Finebaum said.