06-08-2003, 01:44 PM
SEC to divvy up record $101 million
Tony Barnhart - Staff
Friday, May 30, 2003
Destin, Fla. --- Roy Kramer may be gone as the SEC's commissioner, but his legacy will be felt in a very big way today when the league's annual spring meetings conclude at this Florida resort. Thanks to the long-term TV contracts negotiated by Kramer, the 12 conference schools are expected to share a record $101 million from football and basketball revenues this year.
That dollar figure for shared revenue is expected to be the highest for any conference in the history of college athletics. It is anticipated that the Big Ten will be second by as much as $15 million. A year ago the SEC shared $95.7 million with its members.
It was another good year in the revenue-producing sports as the SEC placed seven teams in bowls and six in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
A year ago almost $70 million of the $95.7 million came from football (regular season) TV, bowls and other football-related enterprises.
The money will be coming in well into the future. Several years ago, at the height of the SEC's popularity, Kramer negotiated TV contracts with CBS, ESPN, and Jefferson-Pilot that will be in place through the 2007-2008 academic year.
"Roy Kramer was a visionary and was able to put this conference on a solid financial footing for a long time to come," said Mississippi State athletics director Larry Templeton.
The SEC has had, and continues to have, its fair share of problems off the field. The league has been involved in 13 major NCAA infractions cases since 1990, three times more than any other conference. Investigations are currently under way at Georgia (men's basketball) and Mississippi State (football).
Tony Barnhart - Staff
Friday, May 30, 2003
Destin, Fla. --- Roy Kramer may be gone as the SEC's commissioner, but his legacy will be felt in a very big way today when the league's annual spring meetings conclude at this Florida resort. Thanks to the long-term TV contracts negotiated by Kramer, the 12 conference schools are expected to share a record $101 million from football and basketball revenues this year.
That dollar figure for shared revenue is expected to be the highest for any conference in the history of college athletics. It is anticipated that the Big Ten will be second by as much as $15 million. A year ago the SEC shared $95.7 million with its members.
It was another good year in the revenue-producing sports as the SEC placed seven teams in bowls and six in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
A year ago almost $70 million of the $95.7 million came from football (regular season) TV, bowls and other football-related enterprises.
The money will be coming in well into the future. Several years ago, at the height of the SEC's popularity, Kramer negotiated TV contracts with CBS, ESPN, and Jefferson-Pilot that will be in place through the 2007-2008 academic year.
"Roy Kramer was a visionary and was able to put this conference on a solid financial footing for a long time to come," said Mississippi State athletics director Larry Templeton.
The SEC has had, and continues to have, its fair share of problems off the field. The league has been involved in 13 major NCAA infractions cases since 1990, three times more than any other conference. Investigations are currently under way at Georgia (men's basketball) and Mississippi State (football).
