Sankey talking withBill Hancock, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff, on the sideline of theCFP title game.
Greg Sankey (born August 3, 1964)[1][2] is an American athletics administrator who has served the commissioner of theSoutheastern Conference (SEC) since 2015. He was previously employed by the SEC for 13 years in various capacities under commissionerMike Slive. Prior to that, he was the commissioner of theSouthland Conference.[3][4] Sankey's high profile role has led media outlets to dub him "the most powerful man in college athletics".[5][6][7]
Sankey began his career as the director of intramural sports atUtica College.[14] After completing a one-year internship at athletic department ofNorthwestern State University inNatchitoches, 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.[15][16]
Sankey joined theSouthland Conference in 1992, continuing work on compliance issues, ultimately becoming commissioner in 1996.[17]
In 2002, when the SEC was having compliance issues, then-commissionerMike Slive hired Sankey as an associate commissioner. When Slive retired in 2015, Sankey was named the league's eighth commissioner.[16][17] During his tenure as commissioner, the SEC has expanded, addingTexas andOklahoma to the conference in July 2021.[18]
Sankey is co-chair of theNCAA transformation committee.[19] 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.[20]
In January 2025, Sankey proposed making changes to the format of theCollege Football Playoff in the 2025 season.[21]
Sankey married his wife Cathy in November 1988 in New York.[11] They reside inBirmingham, Alabama, and have two adult daughters, one of whom went to a SEC school atMississippi State University.[22] Sankey is an avid marathoner and has run 41 marathons.[23] He is a Christian.[24]
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