Why the Big Ten, SEC are coming together now

Many were shocked by the announcement pertaining to the Big Ten and the SEC looking to come together to figure out the future of college athletics last week.

As the college sports world has tried to make sense of it over the weekend, On3’s Andy Staples and Jesse Simonton have as well. They joined together to try to elaborate on what’s going on to fans everywhere.

During an episode of the Andy Staples Show on YouTube, the duo explained why the two major conferences are coming together at the moment, and what the future holds for both the Big Ten and the SEC.

“Greg Sankey’s long sat in the catbird seat of these conversations, and I think that actually we can spin that off into an interesting avenue, as we kind of dive into this, about what that means and his position, but he and Tony Pettiti are the two power players in college athletics right now,” Simonton started. “This makes sense, and specifically what’s different now — you know, if this was Kevin Warren, these guys aren’t going to form this pseudo, quote-unquote alliance. … Years ago, Kevin Warren and Sankey were never going to sit down and play Little Finger and (Varys) on Game of Thrones, this interesting union. Pettiti and Sankey will. … You weren’t going to have those two guys come together. Now you do have Pettiti and Sankey.

“It certainly seems like this is them setting the table, whether they claim this organization or this little pact is going to actually have power, it seems to be setting the table that the two biggest power players from the two biggest power conferences are going to dictate what the future of college athletics ultimately looks like.”

The Game of Thrones is fascinating, and provides a fascinating visual. Still, there’s merit, as Staples pointed out that the majority of fans tuned into the teams that the SEC and Big Ten possess over the last couple of seasons, and that provides them with real power.

“It is going to have power, because they have the one everybody watches,” Staples added, referencing the ratings the SEC and Big Ten draw. “… They’re going to be able to dictate terms to these guys, because none of the other people can function, and make the kind of money they make now, without the teams in the Big Ten and the SEC.”

Moreover, Simonton put a little more focus on SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, believing that he’s been playing both sides throughout the process, but his latest decision makes sense if you’ve listened to his words.

“I think what’s notable about Sankey is he has kind of talked out of both sides of his mouth. … He’s said he wants to focus on the big realities. … Instead of kind of the little individual bickering with NIL. But the irony is, it was just a year ago that Sankey, along with every other commissioner in college football, was asking the NCAA to fix NIL, and to look into possible NIL penalties,” Simonton delineated. “So again, there’s been a little both sides, but that doesn’t mean these guys can’t change their mind.

“I think that’s where Sankey has ultimately come down on, where he thinks the broader structure, the infrastructure, the structure of what college sports looks like, has to change. He’s correct in that.”

Alas, time will tell what the eventual outcome of all this is, but it’s evident change is on the horizon in college athletics, with the Big Ten and SEC leading the charge.