SEC, Big Ten Leaders Descend Upon Nashville To Share Ideas On How To Navigate The Future Of College Athletics

NASHVILLE, TN - Why are athletic directors and commissioners from the SEC and Big Ten meeting in Nashville on Thursday? It's all about attacking revenue sharing while also taking a look at what life looks like for both conferences as they work together for a more profitable future. Gaining more power shouldn’t be a problem. 

That word ‘viable’ might make other conference commissioners laugh, but the truth is that we are headed down a road that is filled with a lot of unknowns. The collaboration between both parities started earlier this year when they formed a joint "advisory committee," which would allow both conferences to work with each other when navigating this new landscape. 

As athletic directors from across the Big Ten and SEC walked through the doors of the "secret hotel" where this meeting was set to take place, it was more of a social gathering as things kicked off with beers and conversations on Wednesday night. All of this college athletics power in one area might be overwhelming for some. It felt like I was watching two industry titans come together, with neither side wanting to give away all their secrets. 

One of the topics of discussions will obviously center around the upcoming revenue-sharing that is on the immediate horizon. Schools are looking for different ways to fund this new endeavor, whether that be through fundraising, ways to improve game-day operations that lead to further revenue and even how each school is going to approach the fundamentals of bringing NIL in-house. 

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 31: Ohio State Buckeyes place kicker Jake Seibert (98) and Ohio State Buckeyes defensive tackle Jerron Cage (86) bring down Georgia Bulldogs running back Daijun Edwards (30) during the college football playoff semifinal game between the University of Georgia Bulldogs and The Ohio State Buckeyes on December 31, 2022 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.  (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

We've heard both Greg Sankey and Tony Petitti discuss the need for there to be a working relationship between the two, and this is one of those times when 34 athletic directors come together to share ideas.

Now, let's be honest, they’re not going to give away their trade-secrets to each other, but offer different ways each school has outlined how to attack the idea of paying players, and having those checks come from within the athletic building, and not only through a third-party. 

Topics Of Discussion In Nashville Between SEC And Big Ten

Other discussions will focus on potential scheduling opportunities for the Big Ten and SEC during the regular season. If these are the perceived biggest conferences in the sport, then the idea of more in-season matchups, should be explored in the eyes of some. 

We see this during the college basketball season, whether that's the SEC vs. Big 12 challenge, or having the ACC involved. Think about that, but have it take place on the football field. No, not the same, but potentially having these two conferences at least play once during the regular season, and not every school could be involved. 

Mind you, this is just one potential idea. There will be discussions about bowl games, which could pit both conferences against each other in the postseason. 

And yes, there will be some type of discussion centered around the college football playoff, and automatic qualifiers. If the playoff expands from 14 to 16 teams in 2026, both the SEC and Big Ten would certainly want more seats at the table when it comes to an automatic bid. As both conferences are set to receive a combined 50% of the revenue generated from the playoffs in 2026, that comes with much more power. 

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey speaks to kickoff SEC Media Days

How this will play-out in the future, most importantly in 2030-2031, is still up for discussion when it comes to television rights, but I expect both the SEC and Big Ten to look for additional power.

Before all of that can start, all parties need to figure out what revenue-sharing will look like across the country, and how they manage salary caps, which could hover around $22 million per school, each year. 

There are a lot of talking points that will be addressed today in Nashville, but the bigger picture is always going to be a topic of discussion. Getting these athletic directors in the same room, going over their own ways of attacking the future, is certainly going to lead to a number of interesting moments.  

Sure, it's pretty wild that all of these athletic directors would meet in Nashville on a Thursday during college football season, especially with the upcoming slate this weekend. 

But would you expect the SEC and Big Ten to do it any other way?