Greg Sankey reacts to SEC-Big Ten ‘super’ league talk with Finebaum, says Senate hearing missed mark
The SEC commissioner made it known to Sen. Ted Cruz, too.
Mason Reed 
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey is putting the brakes on the growing narrative surrounding a potential "super league" merger between the SEC and the Big Ten. During a recent appearance on "The Paul Finebaum Show," Sankey unequivocally dismissed the speculation, noting that he has held no such discussions with his Big Ten counterpart, Tony Petitti.
Addressing the Super League Rumors
The chatter surrounding a possible super league reached the halls of Congress this week during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing focused on the Protect Sports Acts. According to On3, the bipartisan bill proposed by Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell does not contain provisions that would actually prevent such a partnership, fueling further debate.
"What seems to be the tipping point in this discussion is this notion—an erroneous notion," Sankey told Paul Finebaum. "I want to be clear about that. And then I shared this with Senator Cruz, along with my colleague Tony Petitti. We are not having some conversation about a merger."
Sankey emphasized that the unique identities of the two conferences are vital to their success. "I do not want the SEC Network to somehow be confused with the Big Ten Network. I don’t think our fans want that," he added. "I think the debate between the fan bases of the two conferences is outstanding. That’s part of the fodder that’s there."
Critiquing the Senate Bill
Beyond the merger talk, Sankey took issue with how the Senate bill targets the nation's two largest conferences. He argued that singling out the SEC and the Big Ten—the only two conferences to exceed $1 billion in revenue—is a fundamental flaw in the proposed legislation.
"If we can’t do that, make that apply to the ACC and Big 12. Make that apply to the Ohio Valley Conference and my old friends in the Southland Conference," Sankey said. "We shouldn’t be singled out because we’re not having that conversation."
Sankey also pointed toward outside entities, such as private equity groups like Smash Capital and College Sports Tomorrow, as the true drivers behind super league discussions. He suggested that if lawmakers are truly concerned about the landscape of college sports, any potential legislation should address those private interests equally across the board rather than focusing solely on the SEC and Big Ten.
