LITTLE ROCK — A new scheduling format for football, the latest revenue-sharing numbers and the SEC’s position on the proposed changes in the Bowl Championship Series are expected to be unveiled at the conference’s spring meetings this week.
The annual event features presidents and chancellors,athletic directors, faculty athletic representatives, senior women administrators, media relations directors, football coaches and men’s and women’s basketball coaches from all 12 current SEC members, plus Missouri and Texas A&M. It will run through Friday in Destin, Fla.
The current BCS deal expires after the 2013 football season, and the nation’s top conferences are seemingly moving toward a four team playoff, on top of the existing bowl structure, to determine college football’s champion.
The SEC, which has produced the past six BCS national champions in football, already has reached an agreement with the Big 12 to pit their champions - or other top representatives if their champions are in the running for the national title - in an additional bowl game on New Year’s Day. That five-year agreement, which will help the SEC place more of its teams in bowl games with its addition of Missouri and Texas A&M on July 1, begins in 2014.
The rest of college football will tune in this week to hear where SEC schools and Commissioner Mike Slive stand in regard to tweaks to the BCS. Slive has indicated a willingness to consider a four-team playoff, but questions remain.
“I think he’s willing to hear more and listen to what other folks have to say,” SEC associate commissioner Charles Bloom said of Slive.
Record-breaking revenue sharing is expected to be announced for a 22nd consecutive year. The conference last year split $220 million among its 12 members (about 18.3 million per school), a 5.3 percent increase over the previous year.SEC revenues will be divvied up 14 ways starting in fiscal year 2012-2013, with the new additions.
Sports Business Daily reported last week that the SEC is weeks away from restructuring its 15-year, $150-million deals with CBS and ESPN, that increasing the rights fees are anticipated, and that more talks about a conference channel that could launch by 2014 are expected.
Bloom said he did not anticipate any announcements or news in that regard in Destin.
The much-anticipated football scheduling format for 2013 will be revealed, and Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long said he is hoping the Hogs’ permanent opponent from the SEC East will change from South Carolina to its closest rival, Missouri. The Gamecocks are expected to switch to Texas A&M, which would leave all other permanent opponents unchanged.
The SEC is expected to stick with its eight-game conference schedule in 2013, which would likely set up a format of six division games and two interdivision games. A new format for 14-team men’s and women’s basketball tournaments also will be unveiled.
Representatives from Texas A&M and Missouri, who have attended football coaches’ meeting and have had votes in athletic director meetings since agreeing to join the conference, will have input on the new scheduling formats, Bloom said.
A moratorium has been placed on new NCAA legislation this summer, so there will be no voting along those lines in Destin, Bloom said.
Other topics will include initial eligibility requirements for student-athletes and a discussion regarding concussions.
Sports, Pages 17 on 05/29/2012