SEC's Greg Sankey strives for balance in leadership role - ESPN

DESTIN, Fla. — As college athletics faces historic changes, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said he's trying to find a balance between being a «statesman» and being «forceful» in his opinions, knowing his conference and the Big Ten have positioned themselves in leadership roles capable of influencing the future landscape.

«There are times when I think I have a correct perspective that I'm clear in sharing, but I think this becomes a we issue,» Sankey told reporters following the first day of SEC spring meetings. «I said to my presidents — I was very direct — 'You expect me to be a statesman, there's times you have be forceful,' and you have to find a balance in these leadership positions between both.»

The SEC formed an advisory group with the Big Ten in February, and Sankey said it was an «important opportunity,» especially coming out of a series of national meetings in which progress was stalling — including with the NCAA Division I Council. The advisory group was formed, he said, to «narrow that conversation» because «you don't solve really big problems with big rooms filled with people.»

The SEC football and basketball coaches, athletic directors and administrators began tackling those issues here following the landmark NCAA settlement of House v. NCAA and two related antitrust cases that will result in $2.7 billion in back damages and a new revenue-sharing model.

The balance of power further tilted in favor of the Big Ten and SEC after the commissioners agreed to the new College Football Playoff revenue distribution model, which further separated the SEC and Big Ten from the others financially by giving each school more than $21 million annually.

Sankey and Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti have worked more closely