Greg Sankey

{{Infobox person

| name = Greg Sankey

| image = Greg Sankey 2024-0108-(cropped).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Sankey at the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1964|08|03}}

| birth_place = Auburn, New York, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| education = State University of New York at Cortland (BS)
Syracuse University (M.Ed.)

| occupation = Commissioner

| years_active = 2015–present

| employer = Southeastern Conference

| spouse =

}}

File:Greg Sankey 2024-0108.jpg, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff, on the sideline of the CFP title game.]]

Greg Sankey (born August 3, 1964)https://x.com/gregsankey/status/1157695685556350976{{cite tweet |number=1157695685556350976 |user=GregSankey |title=August 3rd @SECbirthdays: Me and @CoachWMuschamp (and let me know who else)...but it’s my Takeover Day on the @SECNetwork! |access-date=October 3, 2024}} is an American athletics administrator who has served the commissioner of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) since 2015. He was previously employed by the SEC for 13 years in various capacities under commissioner Mike Slive. Prior to that, he was the commissioner of the Southland Conference.{{cite news |last1=Blinder |first1=Alan |last2=Thames |first2=Alanis |title=The Son of New York Who Runs the South's Most Envied Sports League |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/31/sports/ncaafootball/greg-sankey-sec.html |access-date=2 January 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=31 December 2021}}{{cite news |title=Commissioner: GREG SANKEY |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Conferences-Events/2017/IAF/Speakers/Greg-Sankey.aspx |access-date=31 July 2021 |work=www.sportsbusinessjournal.com |date=2017}} Sankey's high profile role has led media outlets to dub him "the most powerful man in college athletics".{{Cite web |date=August 30, 2024 |title=Meet the most powerful man in college sports - Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/08/30/greg-sankey-sec-college-sports/ |website=The Washington Post}}{{Cite web |last=Forde |first=Pat |date=2022-09-06 |title=Meet the Person Who Holds the Future of College Sports in His Hands |url=https://www.si.com/college/2022/09/06/sec-commissioner-greg-sankey-leads-way-college-sports-daily-cover |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=Sports Illustrated |language=en-us}}{{Cite web |date=2023-09-01 |title=SEC's Sankey tops college football Most Influential list |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2023/09/01/college-football-playoff-25-most-influential |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=Sports Business Journal |language=en}}

Early life and education

Sankey was born and raised in Auburn, New York.{{cite news |last1=Sciria |first1=Chris |title=Auburn native Greg Sankey accepts SEC challenge as new commissioner |url=https://auburnpub.com/sports/auburn-native-greg-sankey-accepts-sec-challenge-as-new-commissioner/article_92c8905a-fe63-5697-80a4-e34486fb85cc.html |access-date=31 July 2021 |work=Auburn Citizen |agency=AP |date=March 13, 2015 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Friedell |first1=Dan |title=From AHS to the SEC |url=https://auburnpub.com/sports/from-ahs-to-the-sec/article_de9f883b-e05a-50e9-bddc-0208f11ebec9.html |access-date=31 July 2021 |work=Auburn Citizen |date=January 1, 2006 |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Higgins |first=Ron |date=2015-03-13 |title=New SEC commissioner Greg Sankey fits today's changing college athletics climate: Ron Higgins |url=https://www.nola.com/sports/new-sec-commissioner-greg-sankey-fits-todays-changing-college-athletics-climate-ron-higgins/article_65808284-fe27-5ef5-ba27-74aee5a2c580.html |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=NOLA.com |language=en}}

Sankey started college as an engineering major and baseball player at LeTourneau College in Longview, Texas but soon returned back to New York. He earned his associate's degree from Cayuga Community College and an undergraduate degree in education from the State University of New York at Cortland in 1987.{{cite news |title=Greg Sankey '87 has been named commissioner of the SEC |url=https://www.reddragonnetwork.org/s/1612/19/interior-col.aspx?sid=1612&gid=1&pgid=830&cid=2195&ecid=2195&crid=0&calpgid=391&calcid=1034 |access-date=31 July 2021 |work=SUNY Cortland - Red Dragon Network |date=2015 |language=en}} While working as the director of intramural sports at Utica College, he earned his master's degree in education from Syracuse University's School of Education in 1993.{{cite news |last1=Mink |first1=Nate |title=Greg Sankey, who helped judge Syracuse in NCAA investigation, named new SEC commissioner |url=https://www.syracuse.com/orangesports/2015/03/greg_sankey_man_who_helped_judge_syracuse_in_ncaa_investigation_named_new_sec_co.html |access-date=31 July 2021 |work=The Post-Standard |date=13 March 2015 |language=en}}

Career

Sankey began his career as the director of intramural sports at Utica College.{{cite news |title=Journey pays off for new SEC commissioner Sankey |url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/colleges/for-new-sec-commissioner-greg-sankey-journey-pays-off/2235212/ |access-date=31 July 2021 |work=Tampa Bay Times |date=June 27, 2015 |language=en}} After completing a one-year internship at athletic department of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, Sankey was hired as the compliance director there. He also coached the university’s golf teams for two years and worked there until 1992.{{cite news |title=Demons Coast to Coast: Greg Sankey |url=https://nsudemons.com/news/2020/7/3/athletic-administration-demons-coast-to-coast-greg-sankey.aspx |access-date=31 July 2021 |work=Northwestern State University Athletics |date=July 3, 2020 |language=en}}

Sankey joined the Southland Conference in 1992, continuing work on compliance issues, ultimately becoming commissioner in 1996.

In 2002, when the SEC was having compliance issues, then-commissioner Mike Slive hired Sankey as an associate commissioner. When Slive retired in 2015, Sankey was named the league's eighth commissioner.{{cite news |last1=Solomon |first1=Jon |title=Texas, Oklahoma join SEC: Longhorns, Sooners accept invitations as Big 12 powers begin new wave of realignment |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/texas-oklahoma-join-sec-longhorns-sooners-accept-invitations-as-big-12-powers-begin-new-wave-of-realignment/ |access-date=31 July 2021 |work=CBS Sports |date=March 15, 2015 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Ferrell |first1=Scott |title=Life is good for SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey |url=https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/sports/college/2018/04/07/life-good-sec-commissioner-greg-sankey/496899002/ |access-date=31 July 2021 |work=The Shreveport Times |date=April 7, 2018}} During his tenure as commissioner, the SEC has expanded, adding Texas and Oklahoma to the conference in July 2021.{{cite news |last1=Russo |first1=Ralph D. |title=Power, influence growing for SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey |url=https://apnews.com/article/georgia-alabama-sec-powerful-commissioner-greg-sankey-6409cbf1258f7e80d48d1eb6aadb7296 |access-date=2 January 2022 |work=AP News |date=3 December 2021 |language=en}}

Sankey is co-chair of the NCAA transformation committee.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-13 |title=SEC extends 'visionary' Sankey through 2028 |url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/38005718/sec-extends-commissioner-greg-sankey-2028 |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} Sankey in March 2024 raised controversy by suggesting the NCAA men's basketball postseason tournament get rid of automatic berths, thus limiting tournament appearance and financial windfall opportunities for smaller programs and conferences.{{cite news |last1=Thamel |first1=Pete |title=What will the future of the NCAA men's tournament look like? There's a lot at stake |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39724097/ncaa-tournament-expansion-future-80-teams-march-madness |access-date=23 March 2024 |work=ESPN |date=March 15, 2024}}

In January 2025, Sankey proposed making changes to the format of the College Football Playoff in the 2025 season.{{Cite news |last=Emerson |first=Seth |title=SEC commissioner Greg Sankey ‘would hope there is interest’ in CFP format changes for 2025 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6033992/2025/01/02/greg-sankey-college-football-playoff-changes/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

Personal life

Sankey married his wife Cathy in November 1988 in New York.{{cite news |last1=Higgins |first1=Ron |title=New SEC commissioner Greg Sankey's exclusive Q and A |url=https://www.nola.com/sports/article_9fa9b868-5f0d-5444-8790-887e598b56da.html |access-date=31 July 2021 |work=NOLA.com |date=May 23, 2015 |language=en}} They reside in Birmingham, Alabama, and have two adult daughters, one of whom went to a SEC school at Mississippi State University.{{cite news |last1=Knox |first1=David |title=Brook Highland resident Sankey is new SEC commissioner |url=https://280living.com/sports/brook-highland-resident-sankey-is-new-sec-commissioner320/ |access-date=31 July 2021 |work=280Living.com |date=20 March 2015 |language=en-us}} Sankey is an avid marathoner and has run 41 marathons.{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Natalie |title=10 things to know about new SEC commish Greg Sankey |url=https://www.al.com/sports/2015/03/who_is_greg_sankey_10_things_t.html |access-date=31 July 2021 |work=AL.com |date=13 March 2015 |language=en}} He is a Christian.{{Cite web |last=Sparacino |first=Emily |date=2015-05-29 |title=Meet the SEC’s new boss |url=https://shelbyliving.com/meet-the-secs-new-boss/ |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=Shelby Living Magazine |language=en-US}}

References

External links

[https://www.secsports.com/article/12989678/greg-sankey-commissioner SEC Profile]
[https://anchor.fm/cuseconversations/episodes/SEC-Commissioner-Greg-Sankey-G93-e1946h5 Sankey on 'Cuse Conversations Podcast in 2021]

Category:1964 births

Category:Living people

Category:Syracuse University alumni

Category:State University of New York at Cortland alumni

Category:Southeastern Conference commissioners

Category:Sportspeople from Auburn, New York

Category:Sportspeople from Birmingham, Alabama