Photo from the Southeastern Conference
Greg Sankey’s position as the SEC commissioner grants him great influence in the world of college athletics. By setting forth visions for the future and broadcasting his opinions, Sankey has established himself as a leading figure and voice in his conference.
Addressing NIL during SEC Media Days
During his opening remakrs of SEC Media Day, Greg Sankey dealt with the No. 1 pressing issue affecting college athletics – NIL. In a period of rapid transformation and change, he turns the spotlight especially on his conference.
The Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) era allows collegiate athletes to exploit their successful endeavors. However, it is not without its conflicts. A hot topic in the NIL debate is the need to bring structure to the NIL processes.
Campaign for Effective Laws
Earlier this summer, Sankey visited the U.S. Congress with Alabama’s Nick Saban and other collaborators from the collegiate coaching ranks. They pressed Congress to bring in federal laws to control NIL processes.
Sankey’s visit was not aimed at discouraging the burgeoning NIL opportunities. On the contrary, these have been seen as largely beneficial for the athletes. However, he intends to rectify concerning practices in the NIL space that are creating unnecessary ambiguity and conflict.
Sankey believes that the inconsistent governance of state-specific NIL laws requires intervention at a national level. If this doesn’t happen, the NCAA and individual conferences may be powerless to enforce rational policies. Sankey’s belief is that the only resolution lies in the hands of Congress.
Sankey contends that laws governing NIL activity should be unified at a federal level. He foresees uniform standards as the answer to enforce responsible NIL activities, and to clearly define boundaries that prevent infringement into pay-to-play grounds.
Do you agree with Commissioner Sankey? Or do you think each state should be allowed to create and maintain their own NIL standard? OR do you think there’s another option?
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